Temple Darshan, Pooja and Sevas Information Infoirmation Website Thirunaraiyur Nachiyarkoil: History, Timings, and Darshan
One of the divya desams in Chola Nadu, which is located in the Tanjore District, is this one. On the route that leads to Kumbakonam and Tiruvarur, it is located approximately five miles away from Kumbakonam. Another name for this temple is Nachiyar Koil, which is more commonly used.The instant the word Nachiyar koil is used, the devotees will immediately allude to the Kal Garuda sevai, which is also known as the Stone Garuda utsavam. Either wood or wood that has been coated with gold or silver is typically used in the construction of the vahanam of God. In contrast, the vahanam in this instance is constructed out of stone. As a result, it is one of a kind.
Some of the most significant temporary settlements are located in close proximity to this location. The Tiruchcherai (Saranatha Perumal Koil) divya desam can be found around three kilometers to the south along the coast. Located approximately three miles to the north, Thiruvinnagaram Divya Desam, also known as Oppiliappan Koil, may be found.
Nathan Koil is the name of the Nandipura Vinnagara Divya Desam, which is located around six miles to the west. The Thirukudanthai Divya Desam, also known as the Sarangapani temple, is located around five miles to the southwest.
To add insult to injury, this location is encircled on all sides by well-known Saivite temples. Koogoor is a well-known Saivite sthalam that may be found around two miles to the east. While Siddhiswaram is located to the north, Thirupparaithurai is located approximately 1.5 miles to the north-east. Alagapuri Sivasthalam is located in the northwest. The shrine of Lord Ganesa in Sakkottai, which is located nearby, is well-known for its prominence. Srinivasa kshetram, Thirunaraiyur, Sugandhavana kshetram, Nambiyur, Manimada kovil, Siddhi kshetram, Pancha vyuha sthalam, and Dwadasakshara kshetram are some of the names that have been given to this location. Sugandha Giri is the other name for this. The term originates from Sanskrit and can be translated as “sweet-scented hill.” The location is referred to as Thiru Naraiyur, which is a combination of the words “Thiru” and “Narai” and “Ur.” Thiru implies holiness, Narai refers to a pleasant aroma, and Ur denotes a location. Both the Sanskrit word Sugandagiri and the Tamil word Thiru Naraiyur have the same meaning; hence, they are interchangeable.
After the name of the Perumal who lives in this area, who is also known as Nambi, it is referred to as Nambiyur. The garbagriha is referred to as a Pancha vyuha sthalam because God showed Himself in five different forms, and the garbagriha showcases all of these manifestations of God. The structure of the temple is designed in such a way that it gives the impression of being a tiered structure, which is why it is known as Manimada Kovil. When one is standing at the entrance to the gopuram, one is able to see the majestic idol of the moolavar that appears to be perched on the top of a little mound. The presence of a madakovil, which is a tiered construction, is a distinctive feature of the temples that the Chola king Kochchenganan built.
In addition to being known as Srinivasa or Para Vasudeva, the moolavar is also referred to as Thiru Naraiyur Nambi. This image shows him in a standing position with his back to the east and only two hands. Vanjulavalli is the name given to the Thayar race. It is observed that she is standing in the garbagriha itself, alongside the moolavar there. It is possible to observe both the Thayar and the Moolavar in the Thiru Kalyana Kolam, respectively. In this location, there are five theerthams. The Mani Muktha Nadhi Theertham is the most well-known of these.
Aniruddha theertham, Pradhyumna theertham, Samba theertham, and Shankarshana theertham are the other four types of theertham. Vilva maram, also known as the Bael tree; Arasa maram, also known as the Peepul tree; and Vanjula maram, also known as the Vanjula tree, are the sthala virukshams. It is said that God made his appearance in this location in response to the prayers of the Medhavi rishi, Brahma, Vayu, Surya, and Kochchenganan, the Chola king.
Thirunaraiyur Nachiyarkoil History
The magnificence of this divya desam is discussed in the Brahmanda puranam, namely in a conversation that takes place between Sounaka rishi and Brighu Maharshi (chapters 1 to 11 in Srinivasa Kshetra Mahatyam). It is also mentioned in the Bhavishyotra Puranam that the Brahma Narada Samvadam is responsible for relating the brilliance of this location.
There was a period when Lord Vishnu was meditating in Parama Padam, when He was in His yoga nidra. It was because of a pralaya kalaham that Mahalakshmi became enraged with God, and she made the decision to depart from Parama Padam.
Consequently, she departed Parama Pada and made her way to Sugnatha Kshetram, which was located in Sugantha Vanam. Sarasvati and Savithri were with her. Medhavi was a renowned rishi who lived in Sugantha Kshetram. He was known as “Medhavi.” In Sriman Narayana, he was performing a series of severe tapas. His one and only wish was for Perumal to become his son-in-law and for Thayar to become his daughter. He had no expectation of anything else. One day, he was praying on the southern bank of Mani Muktha Nadhi. He was delivering his prayers with respect. It seemed to him that the region was filled with a peculiarly dazzling effulgence, and he also had the impression that it was holy. He was able to make out a vanjula tree in the distance. It was there that he noticed a young girl standing beneath the tree. He approached her and inquired about her parents, as well as where she had come from and whether or not she had been disoriented since she had left her home. The young lady responded by stating that she was unaware of the identities of her parents and that she was the only person in the world. She made the plea to the rishi that he take her in as his own daughter and raise her as his own. The Rishi believed that this was a blessing from God that had come about as a result of his prayers. Upon discovering her beneath a vanjula tree, he decided to give her the name Vanjulavalli. He then brought her to his apartment and raised her as his own daughter.
Meanwhile, Perumal emerged from the state of yoga nidra when he was in parama padam. There were a number of devas who had rushed to him and informed him that they were experiencing a decline in their power and that the asuras were causing them a great deal of difficulty. Perumal stated that this was all a result of Thayar not being present at the time. The decision was made for him to look for her in the dirt. As Shankarshanan, Pradhyumnan, Aniruddan, Samban, and Purushothaman, He showed Himself into five distinct human forms, which are referred to as Pancha vyuha forms. In his capacity as Shankarshanan, he made the decision to look for the Thayar in the direction of the east. In his capacity as Pradhyumnan, he headed in the direction of the south. In his capacity as Aniruddhan, he headed in the direction of the west. In the role of Samban, he headed in the direction of the north, while in the role of Purushothaman, he scoured the entire central region. In addition to that, he requested that Garuda take flight and search for the goddess all across the world.
Perumal Vyuhas eventually arrived at Sugan-daranyam as time progressed with him. The rishis who were present saw these five divine figures. It seemed to them that these were not your typical everyday people. It was the asram of the Medhavi rishi that they brought them to. After he had welcomed them, the rishi offered the Athithi pooja. During this time, Perumal observed Garuda flying in the air in the same region as before. As he did so, he came to the realization that the Thayar were only found in this particular region. In light of this, the Perumal inquired of the maharishi that, according to his pledge, only a young girl should pour water to wash her hands before he ate his meals. Within the confines of the asramam, the Medhavi rishi immediately called Vanjulavalli and requested that she do all of the honors expected of the guest. The moment Perumal laid eyes on Vanjulavalli, he recognized Thayar. While Vanjulavalli was pouring water on Perumal’s hands, it is reported that Perumal grabbed hold of her right hand. This occurred while the water was being poured. As she was taken aback, Vanjulavalli yelled out for assistance from her father, who was a rishi.
The rishi, who appeared out of nowhere, noticed this departure from the acceptable behavior that the guest had prescribed. It made him angry. He drew some water from his kamandalam and intended to splatter it on the visitor in order to curse him for his supposed inappropriate behavior toward him. When Perumal looked at his leela, he realized that it had gone too far. It was for this reason that He disclosed His true form to the Medhavi rishi and enlightened the rishi that Van-julavalli was none other than Thayar. When the rishi realized that his one and only request to have Thayar as his daughter and Perumal as his son-in-law had been granted, he was filled with a great deal of happiness.
In order to select his blessing, Perumal approached the rishi. The rishi prayed to Perumal, asking him to allow him to remain in the same location and continue to provide dharshan to all of the devotees. At the same time, the rishi wished for his devoted daughter to be given priority in this kshetram, even more so than the Perumal. Perumal was also in agreement with this.In order to achieve moksham, the rishi desired to first be married to Vanjulavalli and then celebrate the wedding of Perumal.
God heeded the rishi’s prayers in every way. When Savithri and Sarasvati, who had accompanied the Goddess from Parama Pada to earth, saw the turn of events, they went to Satyaloka and informed Brahma and the other devas about the upcoming celestial wedding that would take place at Sugandaranya kshetram. When Brahma arrived in Thiru Naraiyur, he begged God to bless him and grant him permission to worship Perumal and the Thayar at this kshetram. God heard and answered these prayers. Because of this, the idol of Lord Brahma can still be found in the moolasthanam of the garbagriha, together with the five forms of Perumal. This is the case even in modern times.
Thirunaraiyur Nachiyarkoil Mythology
An additional fascinating tale that is associated with this divya kshetram is one that pertains to an event that occurred in the life of the Chola monarch Kochchenganan.” The monarch in question was a highly just ruler. He ruled his people with a warm and loving hand. At some point in time, he made the decision to perform gaya sraddha on his ancestors. Together with the queen, he traveled to Gaya and carried out the sraddha in a manner that was careful and in accordance with the specified regulations. Additionally, at this time, his adversaries, the Chera and the Pandya kings, took advantage of the fact that he was absent from the realm.
Following their assault, they took control of the kingdom. Therefore, upon his return, the Chola monarch discovered that he had lost control of his powerful realm. It was a battle between him and his adversaries, but he was no match for them. As a result, he and his wife decided to seek refuge in the woods.
After traveling to Suganda Vanam, he arrived at Srinivasa Kshetram. It was the Rishis who welcomed him there. They provided food and shelter for both the king and the queen. They suggested that he pray to Perumal on the premises of the temple. It was while he was sitting on the southern banks of the Mani Muktha Nadhi that the king delivered his most heartfelt prayers to Para Vasudeva. As time went on, God became pleased with the prayers that he had offered. In front of him, he made his appearance and inquired about the things that he desired. The monarch recounted the events that led to his loss and articulated his aspiration to reclaim his kingdom. For his bath, Perumal instructed him to enter the Mani Muktha Nadhi. According to what he said, a sword would be brought to him from the river. After he has taken that sword, he should engage in combat with his adversaries. And he gave him his word that he would win back his kingdom.
Consequently, the king immersed himself in the Mani Muktha nadhi for his bathing needs. After appearing out of nowhere in the midst of the river, a bright blade materialized. It was delivered to him. Instantaneously, a horse materialized out of nowhere as well. The monarch mounted the horse, seized the sword, and engaged in combat with the adversaries. He ultimately prevailed over them and reclaimed control of the realm. In order to express his gratitude, he presented the temple with a substantial amount of land, rare jewels, and other items. The devas were present for the celebration of a magnificent utsavam that he held. During the month of Visakam, more specifically the Sukla Paksham Pournami Thithi, this event was celebrated for a total of nine days. Even to this day, the temple continues to host celebrations for this occasion.
There is still another episode that is tied to this divya desam, and it is connected to the life history of Thirumangai Alwar, who was a prominent Vaishnavite saint. It was in this location that Thirumangai Mannan was introduced into the Vaishnavite religion, and the mudra abharana rite was carried out by none other than the Perumal himself to Thirumangai Mannan.
Thirunaraiyur Nachiyarkoil Thirumangai Mannan Story
People are familiar with the tale of Thirumangai Mannan and the manner in which he rose to prominence as an Alwar. In this section, it is adequate to summarize only a few of the significant events that occurred throughout the life of the Vaishnavite saint. Kumudavalli was the woman that Thirumangai Mannan desired to marry. On the condition that he would supply food for one thousand vaishnavites on a daily basis for a period of one year, she consented to marry him.
By waylaying wealthy individuals in the vicinity of Thirumanam Kollai and by redirecting the taxes that he had gathered in his region as a chieftain, Thirumangai Mannan was able to achieve this ambition. Once upon a time, when the monarch learned about the theft of tax collections, he became quite enraged. Outside of the temple proper, he placed him in the confines of the prison. Even in modern times, pilgrims are shown a location within the temple where it is stated that Thirumangai Mannan was held captive during those times. During the time that Thirumangai Mannan was incarcerated, Perumal made an appearance in his dream and informed him that a sum of money that was equivalent to the money that he had stolen would be discovered hidden in the bed of the river Vegavati close to Kanchi. It was God who requested that he get that money and give it back to Ceaser when it was rightfully his. The actions of Thirumangai Mannan were appropriate. As a result, Thirumangai Mannan was granted authorization to leave the confines of the prison.
Afterwards, Thirumangai Mannan prayed to Perumal to transform him into a vaishnavite. This would allow him to overcome the final obstacle that stood in the way of his marriage to Kumudavalli. His mentor, Perumal, consented to take up the role. Therefore, Alwar refers to the Perumal as his Nambi, which is another way of saying his guru. In the garbagriha, the statue of Perumal is depicted with its two hands holding the sankhu and chakra in a position that gives the impression that the Perumal is going to imprint the shanku and the chakram on the shoulders of his student and execute the samasrayam rite. From that point on, Srinivasa Perumal, who resided in this location, ultimately became more commonly known as Nambi.