Ranganatha Perumal Temple,
Singavaram – Legends
Singavaram:
Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksha are Vishnu's gatekeepers
Jaya and Vijaya, born on earth as the result of a curse from the Four Kumaras.
In Satya Yuga, Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksha (together called the Hiranyas)
were born to Diti, daughter of Daksha Prajapathi and sage Kashyapa. It is said
that asuras were born to them as a result of their union at the time
of dusk, which was said to be an inauspicious time for such a deed. Hiranyakashipu's
elder brother, Hiranyaksha was slain by Varaha avatar of
Lord Vishnu.
Angered by this, Hiranyakasipu decided to gain magical
powers by performing a penance for Lord Brahma. He went to the
Himalayas and began to perform severe penance for many years. Lord Brahma was
pleased by his penance and asked him for a boon. He asked for a boon that would
make him as good as immortal. He asked that let death do not come to me either
by man or beast, nor devil, nor god shall cause my death by day or by night
with steel or stone or wood, indoors or outdoors, or earth or in sky. Lord
Brahma granted him the boon.
Hiranyakasipu become so mighty and started his reign of terror.
Whilst Hiranyakasipu is performing the penance, Indra and the
other devas attack his home, seizing the opportunity in his
absence. At this point the divine sage Narada intervenes to
protect Hiranyakashipu's wife Kayadhu, whom he describes as
sinless. Narada takes Kayadhu into his care, and while she is under his
guidance, her unborn child (Hiranyakashipu's son) Prahlada becomes affected by
the transcendental instructions of the sage even in the womb.
Later, growing as a child, Prahlada begins to show
symptoms of Narada's prenatal training and gradually becomes recognised as a
devoted follower of Vishnu, much to his father's disappointment. Hiranyakasipu
eventually becomes so angry and upset at his son's devotion to Vishnu (whom he
sees as his mortal enemy) that he decides he must kill him but each time
he attempts to kill the boy, Prahlada is protected by Vishnu's mystical power.
When asked, Prahlada refuses to acknowledge his father as the supreme Lord of
the universe and claims that Vishnu is all-pervading and omnipresent.
To which Hiranyakasipu points to a nearby pillar and
asks if Lord Vishnu is in it. Prahlada nodded his head saying Lord Vishnu is
present there. Hiranyakasipu, unable to control his anger, smashes the pillar
with his mace. A tumultuous sound is heard, and Lord Vishnu in the form
of Narasimha appears from the broken pillar and moves to attack
Hiranyakasipu in defence of Prahlada. Lord Vishnu has chosen here to appear in
the form of Narasimha in order to be able to kill Hiranyakasipu without
violating the boon given by Brahma.
Hiranyakasipu cannot be killed by human, deva or animal,
but Narasimha is none of these, as he is a form of Vishnu (a deva) incarnate as
part human, part animal. He comes upon Hiranyakasipu at twilight (when it is
neither day nor night) on the threshold of a courtyard (neither indoors nor
out) and puts the demon on his thighs (neither earth nor space). Using his nails
(neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he disembowels and kills the demon.
Even after Hiranyakashipu's death, none of the gods and demigods present are
able to calm Narasimha's fury.
So, all the gods and goddesses call his consort, the
goddess Lakshmi, but she is also unable to do so. Then, at the request of
Brahma, Prahlada is presented to Narasimha, who is finally calmed by the
prayers of his devotee. Lord Narasimha then made Prahlada the King and
instructed him to follow good conduct and do his duties. Saying those
words Lord Narsimha disappeared. Thus, the idol of Prahlada can be seen
in the sanctum. Because of the incident, the place came to be called as Singavaram.
Tubbaki
Krishnappa Nayak:
As per legend, Tubbaki Krishnappa
Nayak kept a flower garden dedicated to Lord Varadaraja Perumal in
Gingee. But, Lord Vishnu in the form of a boar (Varaha) destroys the garden.
Krishnappa chases the animal but could not kill it. The boar goes to
Singavaram, bores himself into a cave, then reveals his original form to
the Nayak. Bewildered, the Nayak invokes the blessings of the Singavaram god;
who then directs him to build a temple
with the help of an ascetic. The ascetic attempts to kill the Nayak, but the Nayak
kills the ascetic instead and his dead body becomes gold, using which the
temple of Ranganatha inside the Gingee
fort was built, and the Singavaram
temple was renovated.
Kuldev
of Raja Desingu of Gingee:
This
temple was his tutelary deity (Kuldev) of Raja Desingu. As per local folklore,
Raja Desingu sought the God's blessings before his battle against Sadatullah
Khan, the Arcot Nawab, in 1714 AD. But the deity turned his head aside marking
his disapproval. However, Raja Desingu in haste proceeded with his war plans
and was killed. Lord Ranganatha worried at the raja's plans to proceed with the
battle, appears in front of Desingu's young wife who then seeks his permission
for Sati. He tries to dissuade her at first but agrees at her insistence and
blesses her and her deceased husband with boons.
