Pages

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple, Ayyangarkulam, Kanchipuram – Legends

Sanjeevi Raya Hanuman Temple, Ayyangarkulam, Kanchipuram – Legends
Lakshmi Kumara Thathachariar (1456–1543) was a prominent Vaishnava saint and Guru in the Hindu tradition in Vaishnavism. He was the Royal Preceptor "Raja Guru" of king of Vijayanagar Empire Venkata Raya I and Venkata Raya II. He was the responsible for managing the Divya Desam Temples including Sri RangamKanchipuram, Tirumala, Melkote, and Srivilliputhur.
He is recorded as one of the greatest Aacharyas in the lineage of Sri Ramanuja's Vaishnavism. Sri Thatha Desika was the adopted son of the famous Sri Pancha Madha Bandhana Thatha Desikan (his paternal uncle), a learned scholar and most revered Aacharya of the Indian Philosophy and Sri Ramanujacharya's Vishishadvaita. Legends say that, Sri Thatha Desikan was a very pious devotee of Lord Sri Rama.
Once Sri Thatha Desikan was travelling with all the wealth he got as a reward for his knowledge and as a tribute from various kings. He was intended to offer them to the Lord of Kanchipuram Varadaraja Perumal. On reaching the outskirts of Kanchi, it was late night. So Thatha Desikan decided to stay with his disciples at the place for a while and decided to continue the travel once the sun rises. So, all the treasure was kept near a tree and Thatha Desikan along with his disciples fell asleep.
On knowing the wealth assimilated there, a group of thieves came there to loot them. So, without any one's knowledge they came there and started bundling all the resources available there without any one's notice. By then, immediately a crew of monkeys led by a senior monkey came there and started beating the thieves very badly and drove them away from the treasures. The monkeys started guarding the treasure.
Thus, the treasure, which was meant to be offered to the god, got saved from getting plundered. As a miracle, Thatha Desikan had a dream in which he was shown the entire happenings and was blessed with the darshan of Sri Hanuman. Thatha Desikan realised that it was none other than Lord Hanuman a sincere servant of Lord Rama came there in his rescue. So Thatha Desikan was very much moved in Joy and tears started flowing down from his eyes.
He immediately woke up and saw the thieves who have fallen unconscious being beaten heavily and the treasure being guarded by a crew of monkeys. Thatha Desikan also found his treasures saved. He was overwhelmed in devotion and decided to spend a part of the saved sum in building a magnificent temple for Lord Hanuman along with Sri Rama, Sri Sita, Sri Lakshmana.
He also built a very big lake near the constructed temple and named it as 'Sri Lakshmi Saras', that means the 'Pond of Goddess Lakshmi' who happened to be his mother of Divine Origin as the presiding Goddess of Kumbakonam by name Sri Komalavalli of Sri Sarangapani Temple fed him the Mother's milk and the presiding Goddess of Kanchipuram Sri Perundevi saved him throughout his life and was herself a teacher of various Arts and Philosophies to him.
But later this lake was fondly called as "Sri Thatha Samudhram" in remembrance of this great Aacharya, as the Lake was appearing majestically like an ocean running for about 150 acres in area. Even during the present days, this Temple stands to be the biggest Temple dedicated to this form of Lord Hanuman known as "Sri Sanjeeviraya" built during the ancient times of India.
Sri Thatha Desikan also composed a famous literary work called "Srimath Hanumath Vimsathi" in praise of this Lord Hanuman, which are inscribed on stone tablets and are kept in the prakarams (the circle enclosure surrounding the main temple) by the then King of Vijayanagar Empire. Later the entire surroundings of this Temple came to be known as "Sri Thathayyangar Kulam" in the remembrance of Sri Thatha Desikan.