Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple, Tirukannamangai – Religious
Importance
Tirukannamangai
is mentioned in Padma Purana, one of the 18 sacred scriptures of Hinduism.
The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai
Alvar. The Azhwar has sung
praise, imagining himself as a lady and Bhaktavatsala as his lover. The temple
is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in
the book. Many Acharyas have also written songs on the various forms of
Bhaktavatsala in this Temple.
Thirukkanna
Mankaiyantan, the disciple of Nathamuni was born here during the 10th century. Thivyakavi
Pillai Peruman has revered the presiding deity in his works of Notriyettu
Tirupathi Kovai and Paravai Ramanujar in his works of Notriyettu Tirupathi
Thirupugazh. One of the three Sangeetha Mummoorthy, namely Muthuswami Dikshitar, has sung praise of the deity in his verses.
This
temple is one of the Panchakanna (Krishnaranya) Kshetrams. Kannan refers
to Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, while Pancha means five and Kshetrams refers
to holy places. Four of the five temples are situated in Chola
Nadu, in modern times, in the region surrounding Kumbakonam and Nagapattinam and one of them in Nadu Naadu. Krishna is not the
presiding deity in any of the temples. The processional deity, Krishna, led to
the derivation of the names of these places. There are five similar temples
located in North India, called Pancha-dvarakas.
Pancha Kannan Temples
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Loganatha Perumal Temple
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Thirukannangudi
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Gajendra Varadha Temple
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Kabisthalam
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Neelamegha Perumal Temple
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Thirukannapuram
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Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple
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Thirukannamangai
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Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
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Thirukkovilur
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