Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple, Thirumalai
Vaiyaavoor – Legends
Story behind the lighting of Deepam during Thiruvonam
Star Day:
Each
month on the Thiruvonam Star day, Ona Dheepam is lighted in the temple. It
is said that Emperor Mahabali was a rat in one of his previous births and lived
in a Shiva temple. When a lamp in the temple was about to extinct, the rat
incidentally fell on the lamp rekindling the wick of the lamp. The lamp
continued to burn. This rewarded him with a royal birth as Emperor
Mahabali. He was graced by Lord Vishnu on an Onam Star day.
Remembering
the event, a big lamp (Aganda Dheepam) is lit in the temple on each Thiruvonam
star day. Lord Srinivasa offers Darshan on the day in the front mandapam. Yajnas,
Thirumanjanam and wedding pujas are performed here. The Aganda Dheepam is
placed at the feet of the Lord. Those facing problems about marriage,
concerned about children offer ghee to the lamp for relief.
Aadhisesan wish to serve Lord Vishnu as an Umbrella:
Aadhisesan
prayed Srinivasa Perumal and told that he had a wish to serve as an umbrella to
the Lord. Srinivasa Perumal agreed and told that his wish would come true at
Dhakshina Garudagiri. In Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor Aadhisesan is seen above the
deity Srinivasa Perumal’s head as an umbrella. Hence, this place came to be
known as Dhakshina Seshagiri.
Lord Vishnu helped King Thondaiman in war:
There
was an ancient king called Thondaiman who was an ardent devotee of Lord
Venkateswara at Thirupathi. Once, Lord Venkateswara helped the king with His
Conch (Sangu) and Chakra to defeat the enemies. The king after defeating his
enemies built a beautiful temple for the Lord at Thirupathi. Lord Venkateswara
gave him Dharshan here on a chariot with a Sengol (செங்கோல்), the symbolic weapon held by kings. The foot marks of
the horse and the marks of the chariot wheel are seen on some rocks of the hill
here.
Various Names of the Hill:
This
hill has various names like Sri Vaikundagiri, Dhakshina Garudagiri, Dhakshina
Venkatagiri, Dhakshina Seshagiri, Varaaha Kshetram and Ramanuja Yogagiri.
Story behind the name Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor:
During
the battle between Rama and Ravana, Lakshmana fainted on the battle field. Rama
sent Hanuman to bring the Sanjeevi hill to cure Lakshmana. Hanuman brought the
Sanjeevi hill as told by Rama. It is said that Hanuman worshipped Varaaha Perumal
and Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal on this hill, on the way back to Lanka, carrying
the Sanjeevi hill. As Sanjeevi hill should not be placed on ground, it is said
that Hanuman shifted the hill from his right hand to left hand to offer
obeisance to the Gods here. As the holy Sanjeevi hill was not kept on ground
here by Hanuman, this place came to be known as Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor (திருமலை வையாவூர்).
Story behind the name Dhakshina Garudagiri:
Once a
demon king called Hiranyakshan took the earth and kept under his custody,
hiding it deep inside the ocean. Lord Vishnu took Varaaha Avatar, killed the
demon and brought back the earth to its position. After this Varaaha Perumal
wished to take abode on a hill to bless the world. He directed Sri Garuda to
bring a hill from Vaikuntam itself. Garuda Bhagavan brought a hill from
Vaikuntam and placed it near the banks of Swarnamukhi River, which was called
Garudagiri (present Thirupathi).
While
Garuda carried the hill, a small part of it broke and fell near the banks of
the river Palar and came to be known as Dhakshina Garudagiri (Thirumalai
Vaiyaavoor). After placing the hill in the banks of river Swarnamukhi, Garuda
prayed God to see his Viswaroopa Dharsanam. As wished by Garuda, Lord Vishnu
gave him Viswaroopa Dharshan in the form of Sri Varaaha Perumal here at
Dhakshina Garudagiri.
Brahma worshipped Vishnu by lighting Lamps:
Once,
Brahma went to Thirupathi and worshipped Lord Venkateswara by lighting two
lamps. He prayed the Lord that the lamps should glow nonstop till Kaliyugam
exists. The Lord granted his wish and said that he would give Dharshan to
devotees in the form of Jyothi on all Thiruvonam days at Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor
and till that Jyothi Dharshan continues, the lights lit by Brahma would be
alive. Lord Brahma then came here to this place and worshipped the Lord and got
Dharshan in the form of Jyothi.
Rama worshipped Vishnu here:
It is
also said that Sri Rama after the battle with Ravana came here, bathed in
Varaaha Theertham and worshipped the Lord, on his way back to Ayodhya.
Ramanuja links with this place:
Sri
Ramanuja had worshipped the Lord here and named the place ‘Vaikundagiri’. He
also had stayed in this place and meditated the Lord. Hence this place is also
called as Ramanuja Yogagiri.