Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple (Thirupadagam),
Kanchipuram – Legends
Krishna’s Viswaroopa Form:
The Sthala
Puranam of this temple is associated with an interesting episode found in the Mahabharata.
When Krishna went as an emissary (Dhoodha) of the Pandavas to the court of the Karuvaras
at Hastinapuram to request Dhuryodhana to follow the path of peace and avert
war, Dhuryodhana hatched a plot to capture and imprison Krishna. Dhuryodhana
digs a pit and tops it with bamboo sticks.
On this
bamboo topped pit, he puts up a grand stage, thus setting up Krishna for a mega
fall. However, the Lord at that time assumed his Viswaroopa form and the crowd
at Duryodana’s court began to worship him. With Krishna’s grace, the blind
Dhritarashra was able to have the vision of the Lord’s Viswaroopa.
Years
after this episode, Arjuna’s Grandson Janamejaya, who listened to the
Mahabharata story from Vaisampaayana wanted to revive the moment (that of Lord
Krishna displaying his Viswaroopam) and undertook penance at this place.
Krishna is believed to have provided Darshan to Janamejaya, as ‘Pandava
Dhoodha’, in the same way he had in the Mahabharata episode. The awe-inspiring,
gigantic image of Lord Krishna at Paadagam is believed to be this Viswaroopa
form, which he revealed to Janamejaya, acceding to the wish of this king who
performed severe penance.
Rohini marrying Chandra:
Another
legend has it that Rohini Nakshatra, daughter of Daksha, worshipped Sri Krishna
here to get Chandra, or moon god, as husband.
Ramanujar debate with Arulalap Perumal Emperumaanar:
Arulalap
Perumal Emperumaanar known earlier as Yagna Murthi, he was a great scholar who
defeated many people with his ‘tarkha vatham’ i.e., Tarkham (logic). It is
a great study involving analytics and more. Those who were defeated in the
defeat had to embrace the Advaitha philosophy. Yagya Murthy was travelling
far and wide, defeating many noted scholars and the wins were getting on to his
head making him haughty. He had to be defeated and be convinced of the
greatness of Lord Sriman Narayana and Vishishtadvaita principles.
It
reportedly was a very grand debate between Yagna Murthi and Sri Ramanujar – the
battle of words raged for days together and appeared as if it would never
end. On a particular day, when Sri Ramanujacharya could not conclusively
respond on a particular point and had to retire for the day, Swami prayed
to his "Aaradhana Perumal – Sri Perarulalar [Kachi Varadarajan aka
Devathirajar] with the divine blessings of the Lord Himself, Udayavar referred
to the excerpts from Swami Alavandar's Sidhithrayam. Yagna Murthi
was defeated and he bowed before Udayavar who was shining in resplendent
splendour wearing 12 urdhva pundrams. He was to become an ardent disciple
of Ramanujar from then on.
The disciple
of Udayavar was now known as Arulala Perumal Emperumaanar – as Swami Udayavar
conjoined his name with that of Sri Per Arulalar. During the time of Sri
Ramanujar a separate mutt for Arulala Perumal Emberumanar was also
established.
