Yathothkari Perumal Temple,
Kanchipuram – Legends
Sonna
Vannam Seitha Perumal / Yathothkari Perumal:
Thirumazhisai Azhwar is one of the
twelve alvar saints of South India, who are known for their
affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He was born to Sage
Bhargava and his wife Kanakangi, a celestial dancer, after an unusual 12 months
stay in the womb. The foetus came out as just a lifeless lump of flesh with no
arms and legs. The couple were terribly depressed and with unwillingness left it
under a bamboo bush and left to celestial world. He is considered an
incarnation of Chakra (the discus of Lord Vishnu).
Lord Vishnu along with his consort Lakshmi appeared and
blessed the lifeless lump of flesh and turned into a healthy baby. A childless
tribal couple namely Thiruvalan and Pankajavalli noticed the abandoned baby and
picked up the child. They feel overwhelmed by the grace of god for this gift of
a baby. They named him Sivavakkiyar and brought him up affectionately. When the
boy reached adulthood, he was hesitant about choosing between Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
He was defeated in arguments by Pey Azhwar.
Thus, he became the disciple of Pey Azhwar and became an
ardent follower of Vaishnavism. He changed his name Sivavakkiyar to
Bhakthisarar and later as Thirumazhisai Azhwar. Thirumazhisai Azhwar
noticed an old dasi served the Yathothkari Perumal of this temple
wholeheartedly. She used to clean the temple premises. Pleased with her
selfless devotion, Thirumazhisai Azhwar blessed her to become a beautiful
maiden. The reigning Pallava king was attracted by her beauty and married her.
The king grew older as the time passes but the lady remained young.
The king came to know about the secret of her
everlasting youthful nature. The king was curious to meet Thirumazhisai Azhwar
and wants to compose a song on him so that he also could remain young. Kanikannan
was a close associate and an ardent follower of Thirumazhisai Azhwar. The
Pallava king ordered Kanikannan to come to his court. The Pallava king demanded
Kanikannan to bring Thirumazhisai Azhwar to his palace and sing poems on
praising him. Kanikannan informed that Thirumazhisai Azhwar would sung in
praise of Lord Vishnu only not the king.
The king persuaded Kanikannan with all the precious
jewels and diamonds but Kanikannan refused to make arrangement for meeting Thirumazhisai
Azhwar with the king to compose a song on the King. The king got furious and
ordered him to leave Kanchipuram immediately. Kanikannan went to Thirumazhisai
Azhwar and explained all that had happened in the palace and prepared to leave
from Kanchipuram. Thirumazhisai Azhwar also decided to leave from Kanchipuram
along with his disciple Kanikannan.
Thirumazhisai Azhwar sung beautiful verses requesting
Lord Yathothkari Perumal to be with them on their way out from Kanchipuram
before leaving Kanchipuram. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Yathothkari Perumal
also decided to leave Kanchipuram. Thus, Yathothkari Perumal followed
Thirumazhisai Azhwar and Kanikannan on their way out from Kanchipuram. When the
three left Kanchipuram, it was engulfed in darkness.
Realising his mistake, the king reached out to
Thirumazhisai Azhwar and requested them to return back to Kanchipuram. As the
king realised his mistake, Thirumazhisai Azhwar along with Kanikannan came back
to Kanchipuram. Then, Thirumazhisai Azhwar asked Perumal to return back to the temple. The Lord is said to have followed this instruction immediately and in
this hurried return is said to have slept in the opposite direction.
As the Lord listened to the instructions of
Thirumazhisai Azhwar in strict obedience and did as the Azhwar wanted, he came
to be called as Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal / Yathothkari Perumal (means
obeying and doing the same what was told to him). To commemorate the event,
Lord Yathothkari Perumal along with the
idol of Thirumazhisai Azhwar is taken out in a procession to the nearby river
Vegavathi, every year during the Tamil month of Thai (Jan-Feb).
Thiruvekka:
As per legend, once there was an argument between
Saraswathi, the consort of Lord Brahma and Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu
on superiority. Both of them went to Indra, the king of celestial deities.
Indra judged Lakshmi as superior and not satisfied with his argument,
Saraswathi went to her husband, Brahma. He also chose Lakshmi to be the
superior one. Saraswathi was unhappy with the decision and decided to stay away
from Brahma. Meanwhile, Lord Brahma decided to perform an Aswamedha Yagna on
Lord Vishnu.
Lord Brahma needed Saraswathi, his wife, to be by his
side to perform the ritual. So, he sent his son Vashishta to make Saraswathi
return to Brahma. However, Saraswathi refused and Brahma started the Yagna by keeping
Savitri and his other wives next to him. The asuras (demons) wanted to stop
this Yagna. So, they went to Saraswathi and told her that the Yagna is going to
be performed without her presence. She got angry on Lord Brahma and took the
form of Vegavathi.
She began to flow in a southerly direction and flow
across the place where the Yagna was being performed so as to destroy it. Lord
Brahma prayed to Lord Vishnu to protect the Yagna by stopping the Vegavathi
river. Pleased with his prayers, Lord Vishnu stopped the flow of the river by
lying across the Vegavathi river on his serpent Adiseshan. As Lord Vishnu
appeared as dam (Setu) to stop the Vegavathi river, he came to be called as
Vega Sethu / Vegavanai. Later became Vekkanai and finally became Vekka (Thiruvekka).
It is said that Lord Vishnu came in a hurry to block
Vegavathi river and his return to the sanctum is said to have slept in the
opposite direction. This temple is counted one among the five temples in
Kanchipuram that include Yathothkari Perumal Temple, Ashtabhujagara Perumal Temple, Vilakkoli Perumal Temple and Varadaraja Perumal Temple where the legend of Brahma performing Aswamedha Yagna and anger of Goddess
Saraswathi at being ignored by her husband who was busy with the fire ritual.
Avathara
Sthalam of Poigai Azhwar:
Poigai Azhwar is one of the
twelve alvar saints of South India, who are known for their
affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. Poigai is one of
the three principal alvars, with the other two being Bhoothath Alvar and
Peyalvar, collectively called Mutalamalvargal who are known to be
born out of divinity. Poigai is considered an incarnation
of Panchajanya (the conch of Lord Krishna). According to traditional account,
the first three alvars belong to Dvapara Yuga (before 4200 BC).
It is widely accepted by tradition and historians that
the trio are the earliest among the twelve alvars. As per legend, Poigai
was found in a small pond near the Yathothkari temple at Tiruvekkaa. As he
was found in a small pond (Poigai in Tamil), he came to be called as Poigai. The
pond were Poigai Azhwar was discovered in the lotus flower is still available
and it is called as Deva Sarovaram / Poigai Pushkarini. There is a shrine
dedicated to Poigai Azhwar on the banks of the Deva Sarovaram.
He was variously known as Ayonigi, Saro Yogi, Kasara Yogi,
Poigai Piraan, Saravora Munindra and Padma Muni. Poigai composed hundred verses
that are classified as Muthal Thiruvandhadhi and his composition is
set in the Andhadhi style in which the ending syllable is the
starting one for the next verse. Azhwar Utsavam is a festival celebrated
annually during the birth date of the saint based on Tamil
calendar in the Yathothkari temple at Tiruvekkaa.
Manavala
Mamunigal explained his Sri Bhashyam here:
It is said that Manavala Mamunigal explained his Sri
Bhashyam to the world in this temple.
People
worshipped Lord Vishnu here:
It is believed that Lord Brahma, Saraswathi, Poigai
Azhwar, Thirumazhisai Azhwar, Kanikannan, Manavala Mamunigal and Bhoothath
Azhwar had worshipped Lord Vishnu of this temple.
