Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Anandhamangalam – Legends
Sri
Rama, on his return to Ayodhya after conquering the battle in Lanka, stayed in
the hermitage of Muni Bharadwaja. Naradha came there and told Rama that his
battle in Lanka had not ended. The heirs of Ravana were burning with a spirit
of vengeance and were performing penance to gain the valour needed to destroy
him. Therefore, Rama could not rest and should wage a war against the heirs of
Ravana and undo their penance. Rama, though agreed with Naradha that these
demons deserved to be killed, told him that if he delayed his landing in
Ayodhya, his devout brother Bharatha would sacrifice his life and hence he
could not take up the job and asked Naradha to find some means to destroy the
demons.
Naradha
asked for Lakshmana to help him but Rama could not part with him too as he was
following him as a shadow. The only hero then available for the action against
the demons was Hanuman. He has all the valour and the intelligence needed for
the battle. Lord Vishnu gave Hanuman his conch and Sudharsana disc. Brahmma
offered the Brahmma Kabaalam. Rudra gave mazhu. Rama gave his bow and arrow.
Indra gave his Vajrayutham. Garuda gave his wings. With all the divine weapons
presented by the Gods, Hanuman appeared with ten hands holding these weapons.
Lord
Shiva, who came to the spot at the end, presented Hanuman with his third eye.
Setting out with the weapons and blessings of all Gods, Hanuman destroyed the
demons and returned to Ayodhya triumphantly. On the way, he stayed at this
place in a very happy mood (Ananda state). Hence, the place came to be known as
Anandhamangalam.
Thus Sri
Anjaneya armed with all these weapons acquires the form of "Thri
Nethra Dasa Bhuja Sri Veera Anjaneya" (Veera Anjaneya with three eyes
and ten hands). This form of Anjaneya is depicted in the temple at Anandhamangalam.
He carries in his five right hands the Sudharshana, Trishulam, Ankusham, Arrows
and Maththaksham. His five left hands carry Shanka, Padmam, Pasham, Kothandam
and Navaneetham. The third eye decorates his forehead. He carries a quiver full
of arrows on his back.
