108 Divya Desam- Thiru Meiyam
Sathiya Moorthy Kshetram
Located on the Pudukottai-Karaikudi/Tirupattur highway, Thirumeiyam is also called Sathiya Giri and Sathiya Kshetram and is surrounded by a huge fort like structure. This temple dates back to the 7th Century AD. The Lord here is bigger than Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam. On the wall just above the deity one finds images of Brahmma and several Devas.
Adiseshan is believed to be protecting this place. The story goes that when the Asuras tried to kidnap the Lord, Adiseshan let open poisonous air to kill the asuras. As a reference to this incident, one can see Adiseshan being depicted in the same form here at this temple- letting out poisonous air- a unique feature at this Divya Desam.
It is said that Lord Vishnu’s guard (at this fort) incurred the wrath of Sage Durvasa, who cursed him to turn into a snake and was finally relieved of his curse here at ThiruMeiyam.
There are separate sannidhis for Chakkarathazhvaar, Krishna, Lakshmi Narayanan, Raama, Hanuman, Varaaha, Ujeevana Thaayar and the 12 Azhvaars.
On the Chitra Pournami day, Sathiya Moorthy Perumal is taken out on a 40 mile procession to Kadaya Kudi.
Pallava rulers are said to have contributed to the temple.
Quick Facts:
Deity : Meiyappan Standing Posture, East Facing
Goddess : Ujjevana Thaayaar
Mangalasaasanam : Thirumangai Azhvaar
Temple timing : 8am –12noon and 330pm-8pm
Priest : Krishnamurthy Bhaattar @ 89034 94019 or 04333 274043
Location : 18kms South of Pudukottai, 25 kms North of Karaikudi
Bus : One can Pudukottai-Karikudi or Pudukottai-Tirupattur bus to reach here
Place to Stay : Best to stay in Pudukottai or Karaikudi
Road Route : Trichy-Pudukottai-Karaikudi and Thanjavur-Pudukottai-Karaikudi roads are excellent to drive
(Pudukottai is about 55kms from Trichy and about 60kms from Thanjavur)
Also check: www.prtraveller.blogspot.comLabels: Temple Divya Desam
108 Divya Desam-Thiru Pullani
A Sacred Place for absolute Surrender to the Lord
Lord Raama planned his onward march to Lanka from here
8kms South East of Ramanathapuram on the Keelakarai Road is Thirupullani, located on the banks of river Sethu (SethuKarai). This temple dates back to a time before Raama Avataaram. Raama came here in his search for Sita. Raama himself is said to have prayed to Adhi Jagannathan at this temple before he departed for Lanka.
Childless CoupleRaama’s father King Dasharatha is believed to have performed a Yagna here and is believed to have had his four children after this yagna. Hence it is the belief that childless couple who bathe at the Sethu river and pray to the Lord here will be blessed with a child.
Sacred Place for Surrender to the LordIt was here that Vibheeshana, the brother of Ravana, came for refuge and surrendered to Lord Raama asking him for help. While the entire Vaanara army looked at Vibheeshana with suspicion- one who has come with a plot to attack the Lord, it was Hanuman, who with folded hands, expressed his opinion that the Lord should accept Vibheeshana. Hanuman can be seen here, at this temple, in a posture indicating Vibheeshana’s surrender to Raama and to protect him from his brother(Raavana).
It is here that Raama preached the doctrine of ‘Surrender’ that is applicable even today, several thousands of years after this incident.
In Valmeeki’s account of this ‘Surrender to Lord episode’, Raama says, ‘I cannot reject anyone who comes to me for protection. This is my dharma. If Raavana himself came to me I would not reject him. How then can I reject his brother who has done me no wrong.’
In the Vaishnava Sampradaya, this episode of ‘Surrender to the Lord’ is held just as important as the Bhagavad Gita(Mahabharata). It is a doctrine that Lord accepts all who, in absolute surrender, seek shelter at his feet. Their sins are burnt out by the mere act of surrender.
This is a message of hope to erring humanity. There is hope for the worst of us if only we surrender ourselves to the Lord. This divine assurance is the life and light that a world filled with sin and darkness, needs.
Out of all the Divya Desams, this is said to be the most sacred for those devotees who want ‘absolute surrender to Lord’.
Darbha Sayana Raamar
Having accepted Vibheeshana, it was here that Lord Raama along with the Vaanara (monkey ) army deliberated ways to cross the sea and orchestrated the way forward plan to Lanka to defeat Ravana.
Spreading Darbha grass (sacred grass used for religious rites) on the banks of River Sethu, Raama undertook a fast addressing Varuna(Sea Lord) and looked to him for a solution to cross the sea. Varuna asked him to build a bridge across the sea with boulders and trees and also promised him to show the best route to build the bridge.
Being the one who undertook a fast, lying on the Darbha grass, Raama here is called
Darbha Sayana Raama.
Thirumazhisai Azhvaar in his praise of the Lord says, The Sethu bridge was built by the vaanara army as a help to the Lord for having killed Vaali( the Vaanara King and the brother of Sugreeva). The Sethu, he says, was built in Raama’s quest to move forward to defeat Raavana.
Andaal too has sung praise of this Lord.
Raama’s marks on SquirrelNot to be left behind, Kulasekhara Azhvaar too praises – he of the Squirrel, which on seeing the monkeys helping Lord Raama, too wanted to help out the Lord. Being small in nature, they could not carry the trees and boulders. Hence, they did something innovative. The squirrels rolled on the sand and then ran back to the Sethu Bridge and dropped off the sand that had stuck to their body.
So impressed was Lord Raama that he rubbed the squirrels with warmth, a mark that remains to this day on the body of every squirrel. Squirrels have 3(vertical) lines on their body said to be Raama’s finger prints.
PattabhiRaamarHaving defeated the Lankan king, Lord Raama is said to have come back here and performed Pattabhishekham(crowning ceremony). Hence, he is here called ‘PattabhiRaamar’.
Sethu BridgeThe Sethu bridge has submerged under the sea but if you do request the fisherman on the banks of the Sethu sea shore, they may take you across the sea to show you the place that once was the Sethu Bridge.
Quick Facts:
Deity : Adhi Jagannathan – East Facing, Standing Posture
Goddess : Kalyanavalli, Padmasini
Mangalasaasanam : Thirumangai Azhvaar
Paasurams : 21
Temple timing : 8am –12.20pm and 330pm-8pm
Priest : T. Seshadri(Peshkar) on 98429 48390,
Ranganathar Bhattar on 99428 89763
Also contact : Anantha Krishnan (Accountant) on 04567 254 527
Location : 8Kms South East of Ramanathapuram, 60kms SouthWest of Rameswaram and about 120kms East of Madurai
Sethu SeaShore : About 4 kms South of Thirupullani Temple
Bus : Bus Numbers 1A,1B, 5,5A,5B, 10 and 17 from Ramnad
Auto : Auto will charge anything between Rs. 100 and Rs.150 for a one way drop from Ramanathapuram to Thirupullani
Place to Stay : Best to stay in Madurai (about 120kms away) or Rameswaram (70kms)
Road Route : Rameswaram- Ramanathapuram- Madurai is a National Highway, wide roads all the way through ( Paramakudi-Manamadurai route) that allows consistent travel at 80kms per hour
Rail Route : Currently on broad gauge conversion between Manamadurai and Rameswaram. Hence, all trains stop at Manamadurai
Places to visit nearby : Dhanushkodi, Pamban Bridge, Rameswaram
Labels: Temple Divya Desam
108 Divya Desam- Thiru Koshtiyur
Ramanuja learnt the ThiruMandiram here on his 18th visit from Srirangam
This week we take you to three Divya Desams, Thirumayyam near Pudukottai, ThiruKoshtiyur near Thirupattur and Thirupullani near Ramanathapuram.
We start with ThiruKoshtiyur
Located about 8 kms southwest of Tirupattur on the SivaGangai highway, this is the place where Ramanuja was initiated the ThiruMandiram by his Acharya ThiruKoshtiyur Nambi.
The Temple- 3 Tier Structure
At the ground level, there’s a Sannidhi here for Lord Shiva. Above that is a 3 Tier tower with an Ashtanga Vimanam that is seen only at Koodal(Madurai) among the Divya Desams. On level 1 is the Lord in Sleeping posture(Uraga Mellanaiyaan-Sowmya Narayana), Tier 2 is the Lord in Standing Posture(Upendra Narayana). And on Tier 3 is the Lord in Sitting Posture-Paramapada Nathar.
On Tier 3, one is taken around by Shri Krishnamurthy, a young guide at this temple, through a small gap to the place from where Ramanuja pronounced the ThiruMandhiram to the world at large.
He explains the ThiruMandhiram story with so much passion, that even in the scorching 40 degree + May heat, the devotees are spell bound listening to his narration.
ThiruMandhiram-Ramanuja and Nambi
Ramanuja comes to ThiruKoshtiyur to meet Nambi and learn the ThiruMandhiram. On reaching here, he says “ I have come to meet you…………..” But he is turned back on 17 occasions.
On the 18th occasion, Ramanuja starts with “ Adiyen Daasan(your disciple) Ramanuja has come..” This time Nambi welcomes him saying ‘Your arrogance is gone. Now we can talk’.
Ramanuja requests his Acharya Nambi to teach him the Thiru(Narayana) Mandhiram. He is initiated the Thiru Mandhiram, subject to one condition that Ramanuja would not share it with anyone else and that if he fails, he would go to hell. Having learnt the ThiruMandhiram, Ramanuja goes to the 3rd tier, calls for the people and recites the Thiru Mandhiram to the world at large.
Shocked at this ‘break of promise’, Nambi questions Ramanuja on his failure to keep up the promise and the consequence of this ‘public’ utterance( i.e Ramanuja will go to hell for having failed to keep up his promise). In a stunning reply, Ramanuja says ‘By sharing the Thiru Mandhiram, I alone(one person only) will go to hell but by having shared it with the world at large, several people will get Moksham. And hence, he is ready to go to hell.’
Ramanuja known as Emberumaanar
Impressed with Ramanuja’s reply, Nambi tells him ‘ Nee Emperumaal Aanar’(you have become my Lord). Hence Ramanuja here is called ‘Emberumaanar’. Ramanuja and Nambi have separate Sannidhis at this temple. Outside the Nambi Sannidhi is a board that contains the list of 18 ThiruMandhiram.
On the third tier, on the southern side, one can see a beautifully sculpted statue of Ramanuja in a sitting posture to mark the ‘ThiruMandhiram’ pronunciation to the world.
Story of HiranyaKashipu and ThiruKoshtiyur
Asuran Hiranyakashipu prayed to Brahmma for a boon that he would not be killed by Devas, human race, animals or by weapons. Once he got the boon, he went around harassing everyone. Such was his force that he made everyone utter ‘ Namo Hiranyaya Namaha’.
Worried at his increasing power and anxious at what his next action would be, Devas went to Shiva asking for a solution. Lord Shiva directed them to Brahmma, who then directed them to Vishnu as the only one who could pin down Hiranya.
The Devas went to ThiruPaarkadal only to be told by Lord Narayana that Hiranya’s powers had spread around the world and there was no place where his name was not being uttered. They managed to find Kadamba Rishi’s Ashram as the one place where Lord Narayana’s name was still being uttered.
The Devas and Tri Murthies went to Kadamba Rishi’s ashram to discuss the plan to kill Hiranya. While everyone remained there, Lord Narayana went back to Thirupaarkadal. There he asked Sanghu Karnan to be born as Hiranyan’s son. From the time of birth, Prahalada, Hiranya’s son, utters Namo Narayana all the time, much to his father’s shock.
When asked where this Narayana was, Prahalada tells him that he can be found anywhere/everywhere. Angered at this and wanting to test, Hiranyakashipu smashes one of the pillars and finds Lord Narayana in his Narasimha form( Half human-Half animal) coming out. The killing of Hiranya by Lord Narayana marks the end of Narasimha Avataaram.
Kadamba Rishi requests Brahmma to give him a model of Lord Narayana killing Hiranyan. Brahmma instructs a 3 tier structure - one with Om, another with Namo and the 3rd with Narayana. He asks Vishvakarma to construct the Southern side of the tower depicting ‘Lord Narasimha catching Hiranyan’ ‘and Maayan to construct the Northern side of the tower depicting Narasimha killing Hiranyan’.
In the famous Thirupallandu(12 verses), Periyazhvaar refers to ThiruKoshtiyur in the following Paasuram.
“ Al Vazhakkonrumilla Ani Kottiyurkon Abhimanathungan
Selvanai pola Thirumale Naanum Unakku Pazhavadiyen
Nalvagayaal Namo Narayana Venru Naamam Palaparavi
Palvagai yaalum Pavithirane Unnai Pallandu Kooruvane”- Thiru Pallandu 11
(O Lord, Like the faultless Kottiyur Nambi, I am a servant of yours singing Om Namo Narayana and spreading several other names of yours in several different way, I sing praise of you life long”)
As the Devas came here in Groups(Ghosti) requesting Lord Narayana to kill Asura Hiranyakashipu, this place is called Koshtiyur. The belief is that a visit to this place will remove one’s sins as can be seen from the name – Thiruku( Sin)- Otiyur(removed).
It is said that a Vaishnavite who does not visit ThiruKoshtiyur will become a monkey in the next birth.
Quick Facts
Deity : Sowmya Narayanan East Facing
Goddess : Thirumaamagal
Mangalasaasanam : 5 Azhvaars - Thirumangai Azhvaar, Peyazhvaar, Thirumazhisai Azhvaar, Bhoothathazhvaar and Periyazhvaar
Paasurams : 40
Birth Place : Thirukoshtiyur Nambi
Temple timing : 730am –1230pm and 5pm-8pm
Priest : G.S. Madhavan
Temple Address : Soumya Narayana Perumal Koil, Thirukoshtiyur 630 210
Tel No. : 98654 85886 / 04577 261248
Also contact : Krishnamurthy( Guide/Assistant) on 99423 79393
Or 04577 261197
Location : 8Kms South West of Tirupattur, 25kms North of Sivagangai and about 25kms West of Karaikudi
Bus : Buses every 5-10 minutes between Thiruppatur and SivaGangai
Auto : Auto will charge anything between Rs. 50 and RS75 for a one way drop from Tirupattur to Thirukoshtiyur
Place to Stay : Best to stay in Madurai(about 60kms away)
Labels: Temple Divya Desam
