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"Vaamanan adiyinai maruvuvare" - Part 2- thala puraaNam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • February 7, 1997 


Dear bAgawathALs, to day is thai "srvanam" and the day they celebrate
theppOrsavam for boomidevi samEtha Than oppaar illapan in ahOraathra
pushkaraNi.
I am blessed to be born on this day due to the grace of Lord Oppiliappan and it
is my duty to serve the Lord in any way I can. I consider that if I can convey
his kshEthra puRANam once again to all bakthALs it would be one of the *janma
palan*. As sravana vratham is being observed by me my family and many
oppiliappan bakthALs all around the world, I would like to repost this thala
purANam  which has a few addition to last year's post.
*****************************************************************************
Subject: "Vaamanan adiyinai maruvuvare" - Part 2- thala puraaNam


	Thala PuraaNam

Uthyath kOdi thivaakarEnthu subagam
peethambaraa lankritham
naanaa booshaNa booshitham
navaganach syaamam prasannaananam
laavanyaam punithim nirasthalavaNam
srichanga chakraanchitham
sree vaikunda puraathibam subathanum
boomyaah pathim samsrayeh

This place is in the taluk of "thiru nageswaram" the railway station is also
names thiru nagewaram. The easiest approch is from KumbakOanm by a taxi, auto
or a town bus. This is 3.5 miles from kumbakonam. There are many places
available in Kumbakonam to stay and Kumbakonam can be reached by ant trian from
Madras, or Trichy as this is a semi urban town with all boarding and lodging
facilities.This place is discussed as Vaikundam in sanskrit literatures and
also as "aakasa nagari". The naattaaru that runs here is considered as
"virajaa" river.This place is in the taluk of "thiru nageswaram" the railway
station is also names thiru nagewaram. The easiest approch is from KumbakOanm
by a taxi, auto or a town bus. This is 3.5 miles from kumbakonam. There are
many places available in Kumbakonam to stay and Kumbakonam can be reached by
ant trian from Madras, or Trichy as this is a semi urban town with all boarding
and lodging facilities.

Moolavar: Than oppaar illapan
thaayaar :boomidevi thaayar
ursavar: Same name as perumal

Prathyaksham or kaatchi kaNdavar: ie who prayed the Lord in this shekthram and
obatined his blessing and had HIS darshan as well.

1.Garudan
2.Kauveri
3.DarmadEvathai
4. MaarkaNdEya muni
5. Nammaazhwaar.

theerththam: ahOraathra pushkaraNi, saarnga theerththam, aarthi pushkaraNi,
soorya theerththam, indhira theerththam

thirumugam: East facing

vimaaNam: sudhdha aananda, sudhdha saththva, vishNu

special days: Sravanam days of every month, brahmOtsavam, thEr in panguni and
kalyaana urtasavam in Ippasi and thoppam in thai months.

speciality: Thayaar always go with perumaal in all purappaadus and they are
never separated. They both are in the same sannithi and thayaar doesnot have a
separate sannithi. MaarkandEyaa also appears in front of the lord as the Lord
is in thiruk kalyaana kOlam. People having difficulty in getting married do
praaththanai to this Lord for offering "Kalyaana ursavam".

The thalapuraanam of this temple is discussed in bramhaanda puraaNam as Sri
Naarathar asked his father Brahmaa and the details are offered by no one other
brahmaa himself. This place is discussed as Vaikundam in sanskrit literatures
and also as "aakasa nagari". The naattaaru (dakshiNa gangai) that runs here is
considered as "virajaa" river.

Once thiruth thuzhaay (thulasi) did penance and asked the Lord , "you are
bearing Lukshmi alone in your chest, I request your such special blessing and
attention for me also". The Lord said "Lukshmi occupied my chest after severe
penance and now she is about to incarnate on the banks of river kauveri in
boolOgam in the name of boomi dEvi. You may appear there prior to her as a
thulasi plant and she will incarnate in your lap (ie under your shaddow). "I
will accept Lukshmi some days later" and since you were the "support or
aathaaram" for her incarnation you will be rewarded as very special to me in
this temple than lukshmi. One can attain the blessings of Lukshmi dEvi only
after severe penance. But one who worships me with your ithazh or leaves, will
get the effect of doing "aswamEtha yaagam". And those who dwell in your vanam
as their place of living will surely attain mOksham. You will always be the
garland that is presented to my chest. I will accept thulasi maalai first and
will marry Lukshmi only next". One hearing this thulasi appeared in
ThiruviNNagaram and this is confirmed by the 53rd paasuram of Sri Nammazhwaar
in thiru viruththam. MrikaNdu Maharishi's son Sri MaarkaNdEyaa did worship the
Lord and had desired that Lukshmi should appear as his daughter and the Lord
should become his Son-in-Law. When he was doing theerththaadanam and shEthra
yaaththirai, after reaching this place he felt that this is the right place for
getting his desire fulfilled and he started and did severe penance for 1000
years seeking Lukshim dEvi's blessings. Lukshmi at the end of 1000 years
appeared as a baby under the already incarnated thulasi chedi or plant. Since
he was felt by the presence of this baby he realised the right thing that this
is Lukshmi and that part of his desire was fulfilled and took possession of the
baby and brought her up. When this young girl reached the adolescent age or
paruvam, one day (panguNi month sravana nakshathram) the Lord, appeared as an
old man and asked for the hand of maarkaNdEya's daughter. He replied "you are
very ripe and old, my daughter is very very young and she doesnot even know to
cook with proper salt (lavanam) contents. You may get angry and curse her if
she cannot even cook properly. This is not fare. I knew of everything. You are
bodily old but mentally very aware. You must forgive me and bless me and this
will not work out.".

"If your daughter must cook without salt I will take it as my best food. I will
not leave from here without marrying. WIthout knowing what to do , maarkaNdEyaa
sought the help of the ever protecting Lord Vishnu's help and did meditate at
this instant. He realised using his thaBovalam that the old man is no one other
than Lord Vishnu HIMself. When he opened his eyes the Lord appeared in front of
him with changu and chakram as in SriVaikundam (HE is seen in the same figure
even now in this temple) and maarkaNdEya asked for forgiveness and offered and
did kannikaathaanam of his daughter (lukshmi) to the Lord HIMself.

Since the Lord said "I will accept the food that is not salted as my best and
most desired food", this temple neyvEthiyam is always done without salt in any
food. No one should take anything that contains salt ever into this temple and
puraaNaas indiacte that such persons who will knowingly do so will suffer in
the bottom most hell severely. The name uppiliappan is also due to this
puraaNam. However, nammaalwaar called him "than Oppaar illappan", that is HE is
the who has no comparison to HIM (ie there is neither an equivalent nor
superior available to this Lord ie mikaiyum oppum illaathavan).

	At the time when Nammaalwaar arrived here he was also wondering over 80
of his own paaurams that he delivered already and felt that certain aspects of
these paasurams were not quite clear to aazhwaar himslef. It is beleived that
the Lord appeared to namaazhwaar here and not only cleared his doubts on such
paaurams that has "munnukkum pinnukkum muranaana poruL" in it and also made him
realise that HE is present in those paasurams as antharyaamim. Hence namaalwaar
sung in praise of him as "sEraatha poruLkaLellaam sErththa perumaL". It seems
the Lord was overjoyed and hugged and embraced aazwaar here and pOkaatha
oorkaLin ie (DD's) sevaiyellam saathithaar. ie Besides this Lord also offered
nammalwaar the darshan of variuos other shEkthrams here itself in viNNagaram in
the forms of the LORDS of various other shethrams that namaalwaar didnot go.
Namaalwaar sung on 36 kshethrams only of the 108 DD's. The Lord also offered
the five darshans of HIMsleves here to nammaalwaar (incidentally the four such
avthaarams due to their placement with respect to thirviNNagaraan in the center
can also be equated to his "4 vyookams" or the expanse of the universe in
either direction. Vishnu is one who is ever and "all" prevading in these forms
in the universe). As per "pancha ratra" and as acccpeted by all the three major
schools (advaitha, vishitaadavithaa and dvaitha) Lord Vishnu was the only
present at the time of creation and everyone else were created from HIM. This
statement is validated by the ten paasurams of nammazhwaar which explains the
order of creations unfolding from HIM. There is a Desikan sannithi prior to
crossing the dwaara baalakas (who look real to me) and I often meditate to the
Lord in front of Swami Desikan. A year back Sri PD had a "desire" and I also
had such "desire" (simultaneously) at this place as I was in front of Swami
Desikan (that I had to do the kainkaryam for his paasurams). This was conveyed
to Sri PD when I returned from India and he said he had this in mind for
sometime and we both worked together and presented Swami Desikan's entire
prabandam in electronic form in our web. I am thankful to Sri PD for his
leadership and Sri Mani for offering the site and encouragement for this
project.



 Please note that the Lord in this temple bears the charama slOkam in HIS right
hand palm  as "maam Ekam charanam vraja" and offers abayahastham. Hence this is
also known as the "paripooraNa chranaagathi" offering kshethram. Since HE
appeared prior to Lord Venkataachalapathy, he is considered elder to Lord
VENKATAachalapathy and all praarth thanais that are meant for Lord
Venkataachalapathy are accpeted by this Lord on HIS behalf. ie those who are in
these neighborhood and cannot travel to thirumalai for some reason can offer to
this Lord such offerings and such offerings are considered as fulfillment of
the praarthanaias to Lord venkataachalapathi. Lord Venkataachalpathi is in the
mode of "ananthaa" and this Lord in three modes, they are sudhdha aanandhaa and
sudhdha saththuvaa and vishnu. This is the only temple or place in this
booLogam that Lord Vishnu is appearing in his ninRa kOlam as similar to
Srivaikundam (more than 7 feet tall) and also in the same mode as sudhdha
saththuvam (no other temple has this "mode") and hence this considered the Sri
Vaikundam of Lord Vishnu known as "Thiru viNNagaram". The tank in this temple
has another story. Once a King had consummated (puNarchchi) with a daughter of
a saint and hence the saint cursed him to become a bird. The King lived as a
bird and one night when there was a storm and the branch of the tree the bird
was sleeping broke and fell into the water beneath which was this tank in the
night time. The bird who got dipped by this accident in the tank regained his
original form as the King and since then this is known as the only theerththam
that one can do theerth thaadanam even in the night. (In general "theerth
thaadanam" in the night is not recommended by our scriputres). Since this tank
has such a healing power both in day and night it is called "ahOraathra
pushkaraNi". This Lord also has a unique supra paatham offerred to HIM.

On Sravanam day there will be "sravana deepam", taken by a divine person on
whom it is beleived the lord will prevade at this time of deepam. He will carry
the deepam around the temple as lead by two other deepams one is vaal deepam of
aanchnEyaa and the other is satti deepam of Lord Narasimhaa. Numerous devotees
from all walks of life wait for this event on Sravanam day as they ask the LORD
(ie the main deepam bearer) nivarththi and boons for their problems and
penances. No science can reason this experience as this has to be sought and
felt by one. One has to see this deepam sEvai to appreciate the majesty of this
Lord's prevasion. We had had unique blessing during these. There are few other
temples in this area such as thErezhundoor temple where also the sravana deepam
is observed. Since there is an unique relevance to this Lord and Lord
Guruvaayoorappan exists, this Lors is also dressed on some days as
Guruvaayuurappan and bakthaas offer "thulaabaaram" to thios Lord also as
similar to offering to Sri Guruvaayoorappan. Sri Poundrika Puram ashram
aandavans have done enormous thoNdu or service for this Lord. 43 rd Jeer known
as thEvanaar vilaakam jeer is attached to this temple and is known as
Oppiliappan kOil saarnthi Jeer. The temple has chithra thirup paavai printed on
the wall.


poygai aazhwaar

vEnkadamum "viNNagarum vehhaavum
akkaatha poongidankil
neeL kOval ponnagarum
naankidaththum ninRaan irunthaan.

Here aazwaar confirms this SriVaikuNdan in Ninra sayanam

pEy aazhwaar

paNdellaam vEnkadam paaRkadal vaikuntham
koNdaaNG kuRaivaarkku "kOil pOl"
vaNdu vaLankiLaru neeL sOlai vaN poonkadaigai
iLankumaran than "viNNagar".

Here azhwaar confirms that he is ever young and always present

Nammaalwaar

kaaNminkaL ulakeer enRu kaNmukappE nimarntha
thaaLiNaiyanRannaik kurukoor sadakOpan
sonna aayiraththuth thiruviNNagar paththum vallaar
kOnaiyinRi viNNOrk kenRum aavar kuravarkaLE

"kAnmin ulageer ! enak kaN mugappE nimirntha thaaL" ie "It seems Lord's holy
feet *said* to bolooga vaasis during vaamana avathaaram, that "Hi folks of this
boolOgam, watch this" and while saying it seems the holy feet also grew and
rose to reach beyond the vaan ulagam. (Thiru mangai continues this sentiment in
his *first* paasruam after nammazhwaar's lastr paasuram on this Lord
oppiliappan that "paNdai nam vinai keda enRu thoNdarum amaraarum" ie the devass
anticipating this holy feet waited to cleanse their sins as this holy feet was
placed on their lOgam). Coming back to this verse by nammaazhwaar, he equates
himself to this holy feet in this verse saying "kan mugappE nimirntha thaaL
iNaiyan" ie if you chant these 10 verses delivered by me "who is the equal (me)
to such Holy feet of Lord thiru viNNagaraan that rose in front of the eyes of
boolOga vaasisees". Azhwaar azwaar also asks us to look at HIS majesty, and as
the "thaaLinaiyan", assures that that one who worships HIM will surely beome a
member of the elite group of viNNvar's leaders. This being Lord Oppiliappan or
thiru viNNagaraan is the same as Lord thiruvikkraman who connected boolOgam and
vaaNulagam with his two holy feet alone. Here the same is seen in the moolavar
sannidhi where Sri boomaadevi (representaion of boolOgam) and thiru viNNagaraan
(lord oppilaar appan) are in kalyaanak kOlam symbolising this instant of
thiruvikrama avathaaram. Hence it is also conceived that doing thirumanchanam
(like how Lord Brahma did with his kamandal theerththam and ganges, silambaaRu
etc unfolded from it) is the most desirable sevai one can do when they visit
this kshEthram. Another aspect of this Lord is such that this is also the same
Lord who gave charanaagathi to boomidevi in varaahaa avathaaram. This is
symbolised by the posture by which mother Sri boomi devi is seated in front of
the Lord and the Lord's abayahastham has the words from charam slOkam "maam
ekam charaNam vraja" printed in it. Though it is believed that these words are
later day additions, it very apt that this is the same Lord who also gave this
charaangathi thuvam in Sri Krishna avathaaram. Finally in this karpa graham, a
representaion of mummoorthis are always present where the other two are always
worshipping the Lord Sriman Narayana thereby upholding the truth that as per
vedas Sriman naaryaana is the only param poruL. thirumangai in his pAsuram
delivers that "moovaa", "vaaNavar tham mudhalvaa" when he sees this lord in
this sannithi with the other two. Since mother booma devi is the
supporter of all earthly creations and their thrival, she is equated to Lord
Bramha who creats, and since lord maarkandEya was in union with shiva when
shiva saved him from yama, he is considred the representaion of Lord shiva as
well.

However, it is said in puraanam that saint maarkandEya didnot want to live for
ever in immortality and sought a higher patham from Lord shiva. Lord shiva
advised him that the only such partham is mOksham and the only giver of such
patham is Lord Vishnu and asked him do penance for Lord Vishnu's grace. saint
maarkandEya did penance and worshipped Lord vishnu in 32 kshethrams  of which
this is one. He was finally granted mOksham in a near by divya dEsam by Lord
Vishnu with padmam in his hand as similar to the parama path naathan in thiruch
chErai by Lord saaranathan (Lord Vishnu). This will be covered in thiruch
chErai thala puraanma in detail.

Thirumangai aalwaar
in three chapters expresses all the attributes of this Lord and swears that
he doesnot want his samsaaram if this Lord will not bless him with HIS grace.

aandaay unaik kaaNbathOr "arUL" enkku arULithiyEl
vEdEn maNai vaazhk kaiyai viNNagar mEyavanE

"Thiruvadi" worship is the most reverred form of our worship for realised and
alike srivaishnavaas. After booLOgam was used for one foot, It is stated that
during vaamana avathaaram all the dEvaas and anthanaas of vaaNulagam were
standing ready for the thiruvadi sErvai, so that "all" their "vinais" will be
washed away by this instant the feet is placed on their world. Aazhwaar sings
this in his paasurm "paNdai nam vinai keda" enRu aNdarum amararum".. Brahmaa
washed the Lord's feet and worshipped the feet when it was placed on the
vaanulagam and that holy water became "Ganges" or gangai. The flower on this
thirup paatham was later seen on the head of Shivaa after these steps were
placed. Since this place viNNagar is vaanulagam this feet is same  that
was placed on the viNNulagam and has the effect of cleansing the sins of even
dEvaas. Among all thiruvadis everyone knows that Sri Vaamanan's thiruvadi is
the best to worship as it was uniquely sought by everyone including Shivaa and
Brahmaa and dEvaas. Thirumangai emphasis that one will get the same effect here
when they worship this Lord with those paasurams. The moment the lord placed on
the vinnagaram he is also the owner of the vinnulagam (as promised in yagaa
thaanam by maahaa bali) and such is the vyOma pureesan. ie the Lord of ether
world or aakaasa ulagam or viNNulagam. One should also note that "thiru Onam"
ie the star sravanam, (ie the star of Lord Vishnu) is celebrated in kerala to
commemorate King baali's exit. it is beleived that Lord Vamanan appeared on day
of this star and took thiruvikrama avathaaram and estabilished dharma.

poomaru pozhil aNi viNNagar mEl
thaamaru seerkalikanRi sonna
maamaru thamizhivai paada vallaar
"vaamanan" adiyinai maruvuvarE

PiLLaip perumaal iyengaar has offered mangaLaa saasanam for this Lord.

note : when sravana vratham is observed one will take the food without any salt
added and please note that even in logical pursuit this is good for health as
no salt "one day in once in 28 days" is good for physical heart and kidney.
Besides salt is considered the composite of the other two guNams namely thamas
and Rajas. The one without salt is considerd to hold suththa saththuvam in
total. Also as per the modern science all the impurities of this earth
crystalise to become salt in the ocean  and that anything without such salt is
known to be totally pure or "suththam".

Please note that this vratham is little difficult to observe as comapared to
other vrathams such as eKadEsi vratham. There are three important aspects of
this vratham of which no salt is one. I cannot discuss the other two aspects in
public domain as they are to be understood by each reader themselves. If the
sravaNa vratham is observed with observance and upholding these aspects one is
sure to get HIS blessings. For the benefit of the members of this group I also
want to add one more clue. The Lord is "present" in the form of "dhaaru" here.

sriyah kaaanthaayaa kalyaanaa nithayEr nithayErththinaam
srimath yOma pureesaaya srinivaasaaya mangalam

Sri Sri Boomi Devi naachchiyaar samEtha Sri Oppiliappan thiruvadikaLE charaNam.
Sampath Rengarajan