Friday, August 26, 2016

Thirumarperu Manikandeswarar Temple, Tirumalpur, Kanchipuram – Legends

Thirumarperu Manikandeswarar Temple, Tirumalpur, Kanchipuram – Legends
Lord Vishnu getting Lord Shiva’s Discuss:
Lord Vishnu applied his discuss on Sage Thatheesi for a king named Kuban. When the discus touched the divine body of the sage, it lost is sharpness. Worried Lord Vishnu consulted with Devas and came to know that Lord Shiva has the Sudharsana discus which he created to destroy demon Chalandarasura.  Lord Vishnu came to this place and worshipped Lord Shiva with thousand flowers a day. 
To test the determination of Vishnu, Lord Shiva caused shortage of one flower. To make up the shortage, Lord Vishnu immediately plucked his eye and offered it in the puja.  Pleased with his determination, Lord Shiva restored his eye saying that “as you offered your eye for a lotus flower, you will have the eye with lotus beauty and you will be known as Padmashan.
Lord Shiva also gave his discus to Vishnu. Lord Shiva further added that those who chanted his 1000 names or a few of them chanted by Lord Vishnu would be blessed with salvation. Lord Vishnu prayed to Lord Shiva that the benefit of praying in many temples should be granted to the devotees who pray here. 
Lord Shiva assured the boon to Lord Vishnu. As a same we can see Vishnu as senthamarai Kannan praying in front of Siva in the sanctum. Here the Utsava vigraha is with flower in one hand and with an eye in another hand.
Etymology:
Since, Sri Hari (Thirumal) got back his Chakkram, this Sthalam is called as "Hari Chakrapuram" and since, Thirumal got Peru (the reason for which he worshipped the Perumaan is successful) it is called as "Thirumaalperu (Thirumal + Peru)". Since Thirumal dedicated his Netram (eyes), he is called as "Senthamarai Kannaperumal". 
Nandhi in Standing Posture:
Devotees can notice one significant thing in this temple is Nandhi in standing posture. One day Ravana came to this temple to pray Shiva. While entering the temple Nandhi advised him saying Lord is taking rest, to visit after some time, immediately Ravana cursed Nandhi to have monkey face. After that Nandhi cursed him back that the cursed face will bring his destruction.
Place where Vishnu asked Mahabali three measures of Land:
Some of the local tradition indicates Tirumalpur as the place where Vishnu asked Mahabali Chakravarthy to give him land of the extent measured by three steps of Vishnu.