the Ultimate Web on Indian Gods & Temples

 by Padmani,

Abodes of Shiva

When Ambigai took the form of Durga to kill Mahishasura, she remained in an angry state subsequent to the event. With butter, she created a Shiva Lingam and performed Pooja here at this place invoking the blessings of the Lord. It was here that she regained her composure. As she created the Lingam with butter, this place came to be called as Thiru ‘Vennai’ Nallur. As she regained her beautiful form, she provides darshan here as ‘Mangalambigai’. In a great devotional beginning, legendary Saint Poet Sundara Murthy Nayanar in his very first verse on Kripapureeswarar of Thiruvennainallur refers to the ‘ARULAALAA’ character of the Lord and gives one an indication of how God is compassionate to his devotees, those that offer their sincere prayers to him. When Sundarar asks Kripapureeswarar inside the Thiruvennainallur temple as to how he can praise him and if he was fit at all, the Lord asks him to praise with the very same word (mad) that he had referred to the old man at the wedding mandapa. A delighted Sundarar reaffirms that the Lord of Thiruvennainallur is indeed a MAD one for how else would he shower his blessings on this devotee who had thrown abuses at him, one who had torn the Olai document into pieces and show his compassion by preventing this devotee from being bonded into a married life. Lord Shiva wanted Sundarar, his ardent devotee in Kailayam to go to the Bhoologam to sing his praise and spread devotion among the people there and spread dharmic messages. When Sundarar went to pluck flowers in the Nandavanam as part of his every day process, his eyes fell on two young women, assistants to Parvathi, who too were there to pluck flowers from the same Nandavanam. When he went back with the garland, the Lord shocked him by informing Sundarar that he granting him what currently interested his devotee (as he was attracted to the two women that day). A shocked Sundarar asked if this was a blessing or a punishment. The Lord directed Sundarar to go to Bhoologam and sing verses that would serve as great life lessons for those who sway from Godly thoughts and that he would prevent Sundarar from bondage in his life on earth. Accepting this, Sundarar asked for his thoughts to be always of Shiva when in bhoolagam. He was born to Sadayanar and Isai Gnaniyaar in a Shivachariar family in Thiru Navalur, about 20kms South East of Thiru Vennai Nallur and 20kms West of Thiru Vathigai. When Narasinga Munayarayan, the king who ruled from Sernthamangalam, on the Northern side of Kedilam, came to Thiru Navalur, he was impressed with the boy’s qualities of running a chariot at such a young age and expressed interest to bring him up in his kingdom. In the 16th year, his parents found a suitable bride for him at Puthur (near Panruti), the daughter of Sadankavi Shivachariar. The formalities began in right earnest with homams. The people of Thiru Navalur were delighted at having found such a beautiful girl for Sundarar. Just ahead of the important moment in his life, an elderly person with the sacred ash on his forehead, a bag on his shoulder, a rudraksham hanging on his chest, a stick in hand and sandals announced to the gathering that that the bridegroom is his slave and that he had to immediately follow his instructions. Angered at this direction, Sundarar hit back at the old man questioning his slavery to another human and called him Mad. The elderly man retorted that he had proof of his forefathers being slaves to him and that he too is now a slave as part of the historical agreement. When the old man presented the proof, Sundarar cut it and threw into the homam fire. Shouting out at Sundarar, the old man said that he had correctly predicted the reaction of Sundarar and thus as a proactive measure he had safeguarded the original document back home in Thiruvennainallur and called out for the society to gather there so he could show the proof.The people of Thiru Navalur and Puthur gathered at the Thiruvennainallur. The old man read out from the original document. When the Panchayat asked for proof of this indeed being the signature of Sundarar’s forefathers, the people went back to Navalur and brought back the Olai Chuvadi and found that the signatures tallied and pronounced that Sundarar was indeed a slave to that old man and should now act as per his direction. When the curious people of Thiruvennainallur asked him as to he was and where he stayed for they had never seen him in the agraharam, the old man asked them to accompany him. At the entrance of the temple he left the sandals and went inside much. When Sundarar alone accompanied him into the temple, he disappeared much to Sundarar’s shock. Sundarar once again expressed his anger with the remark you stopped the wedding, you said that I am your slave and now you disappear without disclosing your identity. It was then that an invisible voice informed Sundarar the purpose of the event that preceded this disappearance and how Lord Kripapureeswarar had come to protect him by prevent his marriage thus helping him from bondage. The Lord said that Sundarar had served with great devotion in Kailayam and that he should now sing verses in praise of the Lord. An embarrassed Sundarar, who had called the old man Mad asked the Lord as to how he could praise him for he had only then referred to him as MAD. The Lord asked him to start the verse with that very same word and in that same spirit. Thus Sundara Murthy Nayanar begins his praise of 10 verses on Lord Kripapureeswarar of Thiru Vennai Nallur with the same word Pithan and refers to the Lord as Arulaalaa, one who showed compassion even on someone who had referred to him as being mad.Sundarar says that the Lord gives relief to devotees who come here and invoke his blessings with sincere devotion.Sundarar took the Paathugai on his head and placed it in the sanctum. A special feature at this temple is that the sandals of the Lord is seen at the sanctum. Following this, Sundarar went to Thiru Vathigai, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Tiruvarur and Tiruvottiyur singing praise of the Lord.

This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 14th Shiva Sthalam in Nadu Naadu. Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested). The temple is also known as Arul Thurai. Sundaramurthy Nayanar was Thaduthatkonda Sthalam by Lord Shiva. The temple is associated with the attainment of sainthood by Sundaramoorthy Nayanar. Saint Sundarar sung his first Devaram song Pitha Pirai Sudi Arulala in this temple. There is a separate hall (mandapam) called Vazhakku Theertha Mandapam (the Court where justice is given) in the temple. In this temple, Lord Shiva gave darshan in his bull mount (Rishaba Vaganam) to Sundarar. This east facing temple’s main tower (Raja Gopuram) has 5-tiers and has two corridors. Thiruvennainallur is situated in the erstwhile Thirumunaippadi Nadu and is on the southern bank of river Pennai. This ancient temple is one of the very old temples in Tamil Nadu. Thiruvenainallur also has the reputation of having the great philanthropist, Sadayappa Vallal, a wealthy 12th-century small dynastic king. He was also the head of Puduvai (Pondicherry). He is a close friend and a patron of Kavi Chakravarthy Kambar, the Tamil poet who wrote Kamba Ramayanam. s per the Sthala Puranam, Polla Pillayar (Lord Vinayakar) here is self-manifested. It is believed that Saint Meikandar was blessed by this Vinayakar. It is believed that in front of this Vinayakar only Meikandar explained the Shivagnanabotham to his disciples. He is the first of the four Santhana Kuravars. He was born to his parents on the blessings of Lord Shiva. Meikandar was taught Shivagnanam by Sage Paranjothi in this place when he was three years old. After this, he became a great saivite guru. He is referred to as the pioneer and instrumental for the Saiva philosophy. He wrote here the Shivagnanabotham, the first saiva sidhantha sastra book. He was born in Pennadam but is believed to have lived here often as his maternity uncle lived in this place. The burial place (Gurumurtham) of Saint Meikandar is very near to this temple. The Jyoti Lingam worshipped by the Navagrahas, the nine planets, is in this temple. There are three more lingams in the temple – the Vijaya lingam worshiped by Arjuna seeking child boon, Sundara lingam worshiped by Devendra and Sankara lingam worshiped by Lord Mahavishnu. Saint Arunagirinadhar has also sang songs in praise of Lord Murugan of this temple in his revered Thirupugazh. It is believed that Lord Murugan granted dharisanam to Saint Arunagirinathar in a dancing form with his peacock mount in this temple. God of Dharma (righteousness) himself is believed to be in the temple in the form of Nandhi (Lord Shiva’s bull vehicle). A small shrine of Saint Sundarar can be seen just opposite to the main tower.

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on 2 days, Aadi Swati day – July – August ), to celebrate Sundarar, 10 days Brahmotsavam on Panguni Uthiram ( March – April )Avani Puttu pudding festival ( August – September ), Skanda Sashti in ( October – November ), Pradosham and maha Shivaratri days.