Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Thiruchemponsey (Perarulaalan Perumal Temple), Thirunangur – Legends

Thiruchemponsey (Perarulaalan Perumal Temple), Thirunangur – Legends
Vishnu appearing in eleven forms on Shiva request:
The legends of all the eleven temples of Thirunangur are closely associated with each other. As per legend, the Hindu god Shiva started dancing in fury at this place after the death of his consort Uma due to the yagna (sacrifice) of Daksha. Each time his lock of hair touched the ground; there were eleven other forms of Shiva who appeared. The celestial deities were worried that if the dance continues, it would result in decimation of entire creations. They prayed to Vishnu for help, who appeared at this place.
On seeing Vishnu, Shiva's anger was reduced and he requested Vishnu to appear in eleven forms like he did. On his request, Vishnu appeared in eleven different forms at Thirunangur. Arimeya Vinnagaram literally translates to the place where Hari (another name of Vishnu) resides.
The eleven places where Vishnu appeared are believed to be where the eleven temples in Thirunangur are located. They are;
Thirukavalampadi
Gopalakrishnan along with Rukmini and Satyabama.
Thiruvannpurushothamam
Purushothaman along with Purushothama Naayaki.
Thiru Sempon Sei Kovil
Perarulalan along with Allimaamalar Naachiyar.
Thiru Devanar Thogai
Deiva Naayagan along with Kadal Magal Naachiyar.
Thiru Mani Koodam
Varadharaja Perumal along with Thirumagal Naachiyar and Bhoomi Piratti.
Thiru Paarthanpalli
Thamarai Kelvan along with Thamarai Naayaki, in standing posture in all the above Kshetrams.
Thirumanimaada Kovil
Narayana Gyana Nandha Vilaku along with Pundarigavalli.
Thiruvaali Thirunagari
Amrudhavalli Vedharajan, Narashimar along with Amrudha Kada valli.
Thiru Vaigunda Vinnagaram
Vaigunda Nadhan along with Periya Piratti.
Arimeya Vinnagaram
Kudamaadu Koothan along with Amrudha Kada valli, in sitting posture in above 4 Kshetrams.
Thirutheythri Ambalam
Shenkann Maal along with Sengamalavalli, in sleeping posture of the type Bhujanga Sayanam.
Rama gifting a golden idol of cow to a poor Brahmin:
Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu came to this place after killing Ravana. He made a golden idol of a cow and gifted to a Brahmin from the ashram of sage Dranethra, from where the place obtained its name. It is believed that Azhagiya Manavalar, the presiding deity at the Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple in Trichy came to this place at the request of Shiva. The Brahmin is believed to have built the temple with the gold he obtained and hence it is called Thiruchemponsey (chempon indicated gold in Tamil).
Worshipping Perumal here is equivalent to worshipping Srirangam Ranganathar, Thirupathi Venkatesar and Kanchi Varadhar:
Thirumangai Azhwar had seen Srirangam Ranganathar, Thirupathi Venkatesar and Kanchi Varadhar in this Perumal Himself as mentioned by the Azhwar in his various pasurams about this kshetram, so worshipping this Perumal is considered equivalent to worshipping all these three Perumals at this very same place.
Mukunda getting back all his riches by worshipping Vishnu here:
Once there lived a Brahmin Mukunda, elder son of Kashyapa. He chanted the Ashtakshara Mandiram continuously for 32,000 times here and gained abundant wealth from Perarulalan.
Perarulalan:
As the Lord gives away love and wealth generously to His devotees along with Lord Shiva, He is called as Perarulalan, i.e., a person of generosity. To indicate the never ending generosity of Perarulalan, Lilly flower blooms even during night time (Thaayar has the name of Alli).
Other Names:
This sthalam is called with other names like Hema Rangam, Nagapuri, and Nangai Nagaram.
Sages got darshan of Vishnu here:
Sages Rudra and Dhrudanetra Muni had the gift of enjoying the darshan of Lord in this temple.