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Re: Narayana

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • Wed Dec 26 2001 - 15:09:32 PST 


Dear Sri Ravi:

KaruppaNNa Saami is a Yellai devathai
seen often in IyaanAr Koils outside 
the village limit.

He had special powers given by the Lord 
at Azhagar Koil " to protect " the temple
and has his position at the Eastern gate.
He took care from artha Jaamam ( conclusion of
night poojai ) to the next morning . Keys were left
with him by the archakAs at the conclusion of the night 
poojai and the temple doors were shut.He was recognized
for his services to the Lord by archakaas.

Once upon a time , an archakar had left his child behind 
in the temple after artha jaamam and closed the sannidhi 
and left the key as usual with with KaruppaNNa Swamy . 
After he reached his home , he realized his mistake 
and ran back to the temple gate and demanded to be let in 
to bring the child back to home , where the mother was 
distraught.

KaruppaNNa Saami according to legend refused to open the closed
door after artha jaamam and assured the bhattar that every thing
is fine and he will take care of the child during the night and return 
the child to him in the morning safely. 

Bhattar was so overcome with agony that he insisted that
the child be immediately returned. KaruppaNNa Swamy got mad 
and returned the child in two pieces across the gate 
that was closed.  After that the door was never opened 
according to local story.

One may wonder why the Lord would sit still and let
KaruppaNNa Saami do these things. Our most merciful Lord
wont let the child's life to be ended for no fault of it.
Hence , I have a lot of doubt on these traditional
story . The people who worshipped the Lord those days
in abundant numbers were hunters and hill people .
This gate keeper deity might be special to them and 
might have created the legend . 

Sundara ThOLudayAn (Sundara Baahu ) , who recieved 
Paasurams from ANDAL and PeriyAzhwAr et al
can not but be a most merciful Lord . He also recieved
Sundhara Baahu Sthavam from KurEsar. Lord RanganAtha
stayed at this temple after the Muslim invasion of
Srirangam .With all this sacred things happening there ,
I can not but low emphasis on the incident that led to 
the closing of the front entrance. Today ,we go by the side
of the front entrance to the main temple.

Perhaps some one from Azhagar Koil can help to throw 
some light on this story relating to KaruppaNNa Saami.

V.Sadagopan 

 At 07:34 PM 12/6/01 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear Bhaktas,
>Recently I went to Alagarkoil. Earlier also I have
>gone there several times. I cannot understand why the
>main entrance is blocked and Karuppannaswamy is
>worhsipped. 
>Also i find in south of tamil nadu Karuppanaswamy is
>considered as a vaishnavaite deity. 
>i am not clear about the background. 
>Can any of the bhaktas kindly clarify?

>kidnly forgive if I am wrong.
>Srimathe Ramnujaya Namha.
>Adiyen Dasan
>
>Purisai Nadathur Ravi
>
>



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