Pundarikakshan Perumal Temple, Thiruvellarai – Literary Mention

Pundarikakshan Perumal Temple, Thiruvellarai – Literary Mention

The Temple is the fourth among the 108 Divya Desams (Azhwars or holy Vaishnavite saints, who invoked Lord Vishnu with the hymn of Nalayira Divya Prabhandham or 4000 holy hymns compositions in 108 shrines. Thiruvellarai Divya Desam or Vaishnavite shrine was invoked by Periazhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar. The shrine is believed to be much older than Sri Rangam, the First Divya Desam. Periyalvar had 11 hymns written and Thirumangai Alwar had 13 Hymns written on the Lord of this Temple.

In ten poems, he portrays the childish pranks of Lord Krishna. But for Thirumangai Azhwar the Lord here is the one who took incarnations as Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Narasimha, Varaha and Koorma. He also refers to the Lord taking the form of Hamsa and Parimuka Perumal (Hayagriva), which are not so well known. He has also sung the glory of the Lord in his `Siriya Thirumadal' and `Periya Thirumadal.' Both the saints have dedicated to the Lord 24 Pasurams.

This is the birth place of Uyyakkondan (a disciple of Saint Naradhar) whose given name was Pundarikaksha. He wrote ‘Sri Bashyam’ but was left unfinished by him and was finally completed by Vishnu Sitar. So, this rock is called as ‘Uyyakkondan Malai’. Uyyakondar taught the people Azhwars ‘4000 Divya Prabhandham’ songs, which were brought back from the oblivion by his mentor Saint Naradhar.

Another preceptor, Engalazhwan whose given name was Vishnuchitthar, a contemporary of Ramanuja and an expert in Sri Bashyam, was also born here. He created a tank called Udayavar kulam for the use of his mentor Ramanuja during his stay here. Engal Azhwan, the Vaishnava saint-poet has written the great ‘Nadaa thooram Aalukku oppatra pungai Maalai’. ‘Nadaathoorammaal’ means ‘Bhaktha (disciple) who is totally engrossed with devotion and his heart and soul on the divine’.

The two acharyas of Thiruvellarai complemented each other – while Uyyakondar celebrated Tamil Vedam (4000 Divya Prabhandham) and Engal Azhwan celebrated the Sanskrit Vedam. Both of them have separate shrines here. Manavala Mamuni and Desikacharyar have also sung of this shrine. Vedanta Desikar (1269–1370 CE) has revered the temple in his work ‘Hamsa Sandesam’. Udayavar Sri Ramanujar stayed in the Pundarikaksha Perumal Temple and expounded on Vaishnavism and spread the message.

When Nathamunigal, an expert in `Ashtanga Yoga,' offered to impart training in the same to him, Uyyakondar was said to have politely turned down the offer saying that `how can one celebrate a marriage in a house where death has occurred.' The inference thereby was that when there were thousands of souls to be redeemed, there was no point in his learning the Yoga to attain eternal bliss.

Azhvaar Praise:

இந்திரனோடு பிரமன் ஈசன் இமையவர் எல்லாம்
மந்திர மா மலர் கொண்டு
மறைந்து உவராய் வந்து நின்றார்

சந்திரன் மாளிகை சேரும் சதுரர்கள் வெள்ளரை நின்றாய்
அந்தியம் போது இது ஆகும்
அழகனே காபிட வாராய் - Periyaazhvaar's Kaapidal