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.