Sri Vaikuntanathan Perumal Temple (Kallapiran Temple),
Srivaikundam, Thoothukudi – Legends
Vishnu restoring Vedas back to Brahma:
As per
Hindu legend, Somuka, a demon, defeated Brahma, the Hindu god of creation and stole the four Vedas (sacred texts) from him. Brahma was helpless and
he did severe penance in the banks of Thamiraparani River seeking favour from
Vishnu in the form of Vaikuntanathan. Pleased by the penance, Vishnu appeared
to Brahma and promised to retrieve the Vedas. He killed the demon Somuka
and restored the Vedas to Brahma. He also wished to set his abode as Srivaikundam
and resided there as Vaikuntanatha.
Story behind the Deity name Pal Pandiyan:
As per
another legend, the image of Vaikundanatha, over the period of several ages,
had no patrons and was left submerged under the earth. A cow from a herd of the
king, which used to graze at the place, did ablution at the place with its
where Vaikuntanatha lay buried. The king was displeased to see that a
particular cow alone was not yielding milk and thought it might have been the
trick of the herdsman.
He
deployed his men to monitor the cow, who reported the events to the king. The
king realised that the cow would lead him to divinity and he dug up the region
around the place. He reinstated the image of Vaikundanathar and expanded the
temple. Since Vaikundanathar was revealed by the cow, the presiding deity got
the name Pal Pandian (pal in Tamil indicates milk).
Story behind the name Kallapiran:
Kaladushana
was a head of robbers in the region, but also was a staunch devotee of Vaikundanathar.
He stole from the rich and distributed the wealth to the poor people in the
region. The ruling Pandya king wanted to arrest him, but his attempts were
futile. During one of the encounters, he could arrest everyone except
Kaladushana. Kaladushana prayed to Srivaikuntanathar to save him and his troop
from the king.
Vaikundanathar
appeared as Kaladushana and surrendered before the king. Later, he appeared in
the dreams of the king to narrate the events and also informed him that he
wanted the king and the people to learn that large accumulation of ill-gotten
wealth would be stolen and would reach the right hands. The king was
enlightened and he released Kaladushana and his troop. Since Vaikundanathar
appeared for thieves (called kalla in Tamil), he came to be known as
Kallapiran.
Adiseshan above a Standing Lord:
In
Vishnu temples, Adiseshan, the Serpent God, is seen unfurling his hood over
Vishnu in a reclining posture. This is the only Divya Desam where Adiseshan has
his hood above the Standing Lord.
Sun’s rays on the Lord:
Another
unique feature of this Divya Desam is that the Sun’s rays falls directly on
Lord Vaikuntanathan on two days, on the 6th day of Chitrai (April-May) and
Aipasi (October-November) every year.