SOUNDARARAJA PERUMAL NAGAPATTINAM

SOUNDARARAJA PERUMAL   NAGAPATTINAM

I was at Nagapattinam on 03 02 2016 and 04 02 2016 and had darshan at Soundararaja Perumal temple on 3rd February.  This temple is very near to the Railway station and at a distance of  2.5 kms from the bus stand and transport in the form of autos and share autos are available besides the town bus connects the Nellukadai Mariamman temple and from here it is nearby.  The Kayarohanar temple is also nearby to this place.

Small flower shops are available in front of the temple but for archanai it is better to take it from bazaar.  The temple's gopuram could be seen from the entry road itself.

This temple is one of the 108 Divya desams and also one among the forty divyadesams in the Thanjavur belt.  Soundararaja Perumal is facing east and in standing posture (நின்ற).   Soundara Aranayam is the forest in which he is present and hence the name Soundararaja Perumal and as in the name, the vigraha is so beautifully sculpted.  Santhanagopalan also is in the sanctum sanctorium. Thayar also is known as Soundaravalli. 



Bhoomidevi/Thirumagal came and stayed in this place and was in penance and had the blessings of Thirumal and enhanced her beauty.

Hearing the presence of God himself in Soundara Aranyam from Naradha Muni, Dhruvan, a prince comes and prays here in penance and gets blessed by Perumal.   Seeing the determination of the young prince, the Lord appeared to him on the Periya Thiruvadi and also gave the heavenly abode. Learning of the same, Markanda Muni came here and prayed to Lord and got his blessings.

Saleesugan was a Chola King and he was worshipping the Perumal regularly and one day saw a naga girl and fell in love  and on this the third dhanam in her chest disappeared.  She also wanted to marry him and they were blessed with married life and children by the Perumal.  This king built the temple for the Perumal and on a Panguni sukla paksha sapthami Friday with Rohini star he conducted the Brahmotsavam.  

Thus the perumal was worshipped by the Adishesha in Krathayuga, Bhoomidevi in the Trethayuga, Markanda Maharishi in the Dwabharayuga and by King Saleesugan in Kaliyuga.  The temple tank is known as Sarapushkarani.  Legend has it,  that Kandan, Sundan brahmin brothers attained a place in Vaikunda after taking bath in this Pushkarani.  They stand in guard on either side in the sannathi of the Ranganatha perumal. In 8th century A.D., Thirumangaiyaazhvar prayed here and has sung pasuram on the perumal.  

But Thirumangai Azhwar in his "Periya Thirumozhi", hails the Lord enshrined in the temple port city of Nagapattinam as Naagai Azhagiyar.  He describes the Lord's body as gold coloured; He wears an ornament studded with emralad and is embodiment of the Vedas.   Apart from chanting His names and singing the glory of places, where he is enshrined, the Azhwar employs mystic love as a way of enjoying union with the lord.  In all the 10 verses he addresses the Lord as "Acho,Oruvar Azhagiyavaa" (Beauty, thy name is God).

                                                SOUNDARARAJA PERUMAL

During the Dutch control of Nagapattinam, one Jakul Naayakkar son of Nagamalu Maamudinaayakkar was appointed the adviser to the Dutch and he was a fervent devotee of this Perumal.  When the Dutch wanted a good lighthouse and the one already they were using (from a Buddhist shrine) was in a dilapidated state and thus gave the necessary money to build a new lighthouse. Naayakkar rasied a seven-tier vimana for the Perumal and it is said that lights were lit up on top of this gopura to serve as a lighthouse.  Naayakkar also has done other kaikaryams to the Mandapam and outer walls of the temple besides offerings of aparanas and also land.  In the mantapa he had made, the silpas of Naayakkar and his wife in Saashtaanga Namaskara can be seen.

There are other sannidhis for Lord Nrusimha and Goddess Gajalakshmi.

Presently the Sarapushkarani is not in use and for temple festivals, Soundarya Pushkarani in the temple is being used.  In this temple, Perumal gives darshan in the standing posture as Soundararajan and Sree Ranganatha in kidantha kolam and as Govindaraja Perumal in irundha kolam and thus in all the three states.

Soundaraaranya vaibhavam (slogam)
yaprahichathi krunnaathi soundar aaranya bhoodale
thavubhouv punyakarmaa nouv
peththaarenala sooryamandalam
saarapushkarani dheeremadhye sundarakaanam
aavirppapoova: bhagavaan lakshmi schashirasaasaraath.

யப்ரஹிச்சதி கிருண்ணாதி சௌந்தர் ஆரண்ய பூதலே 
தாவுபௌ புண்யகர்மா ணௌ 
பேத்தாரெனள சூர்யமண்டலம்
சாராபுஷ்கரணி தீரேமத்யே சுந்தரகானம் 
ஆவிர்ப்பபூவ: பகவான் லக்ஷ்மி ஸ்சக்ஷிரசாசராத்

Sree Muthusamy Deekshitar, one of the trimurtis of Carnatic music has sung on the lord with the keerthanai, soundararaajam aasraye gajabrunthaavana... in the raga Brundhaavana Saaranga set to Roopaga Thalam. 

Nagapattinam can be reached from Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai or Karaikal and the nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli (140 kms) or Pondichery (150kms).

OVER A CUP OF COFFEE - JALLIKATTU

OVER A CUP OF COFFEE

JALLIKATTU

Jallikattu is the sport of controlling the bull by its horns.  Now that the jallikattu has been stayed by the Supreme Court by the learned judges, the inhuman treatment of the bulls also will get stopped.  Peace and tranquility will prevail all over Tamilnadu at least on this aspect. Murders of party functionaries, humans, happened a few years hence is yet to be resolved with apprehending the culprits and no action has been taken to bring them to face law of the land.  May be we are more focused on the “inhuman” treatment of animals only as human lives are dispensable. 

Thus thought Shyam and that he was disturbed, without knowing what to do, just contacted Gopu who in turn could find that his friend is quite disturbed that the cultural values of his place are not respected. He called Shyam to his favourite place for a cup of coffee in the evening. Gopu incidentally thought whether the court is worried about the inhuman treatment meted out to the animals while they are alive, by chasing them and made to run hither and thither or that they are worried about these animals getting killed  for food too, even when they are in good health. In that case, someone brings a case to the court that animals with good health should not be killed for food, will the court take it up and do justice and organisations like PETA will be happy?  It does not appear to be so.

That evening, when they sat in the coffee shop the discussions on Jallikattu brought to the fore certain valid points.   Shyam asked, will the Organisations like PETA who want to protect animals, will call for all healthy animals not to be killed, as they have still life left in them. One man wants a little lamb in his table to enjoy and says Mary will be short of one that day. Will any of the persons who consume meat will be ready to take ones from unhealthy animals?  If this results in stopping annihilation of animals from planet earth - The butchers wont be happy. The redmeat exporters wont be happy.
Gopu said that you are not consdiering the treatment that the animals get while getting transported to different destinations of slaughter houses.  It is seen to be believed.  Loaded in a limited space, they could not even move a little and if so, it will be at the expense of the other ones.  Some say, they are made to drink water heavily while sending them to the market for sale.  Then there is the case of skin traders of all animals, where the life is taken out abruptly.  There are laws of the land to punish inhuman treatment but always they are not followed and a few cases while come in the purview of law and others happily continue to do.

Shyam said the main point is a sport followed over years, of course, with loss of human lives in certain cases have been made to bear the brunt where as the majority of people killing the animals for food go scot free. The laws of the land should be adequately amended where the tradition and culture are given the importance. 

Shyam reminded that the coffee is getting cold and a worried Gopu sipped the balance in the cup.  He also wished a very happy pongal/makara sankaranthi to Gopu.  The customary handshake followed with the assurance they will meet again.

OVER A CUP OF COFFEE - cosmetics

Over a cup of coffee

Cosmetics

Consumption and mass consumption has become the central point in a business oriented world. Target the larger population is the mantra. But this has nothing to do with various Asians occupying top positions in MNCs thought  Gopu.  He knew well that the sincerity with which we are giving results for these with cut-throat competition is the deciding factor.

Degrading the various practices followed over centuries (bad??) and pave new ways in simplicity and hygiene and what not – what a service we are doing, Gopu mused.  Sometimes he gets confused too, when some of his friends, in the name of bringing new, sell products, which they pretty much opposed as unhygienic 2 to 3 decades back.  Old wine in a new bottle.  His close friend Shyam always is very critical of this fact and many an argument has taken place between these two.  The friendship between these two is the common interest of faith in the almighty and also school and college mates from Trichy. 

Sometimes Gopu too have doubts about the sincerity of his friends and thought how a toothpaste with red colour was denounced as brick powder and harmful and salt/charcoal/neem should not be used find a new avatar.  Thus the old ones have found a new name and when it comes to items with herbal ingredients practiced in the thickly populated countries, every effort to denounce the old product and neatly packed new ones came into the market.  Have you tried this with the new formula asks the MNC which once it mocked as crude and unhygienic.  In fact, who will go in search of the herb “Keezhanalli” for cure of Jaundice if a new medicine comes in the form of tablets and easy to get in a pharmacy.  But who will also know the side effects, with research coming out with statistics only on how many benefited and of course, awareness has come of late, with everything coming to public domain, with what happens with each of these product. Thanks to the internet.

Even as these thoughts rushed in his mind, Gopu had invited Shyam for an evening chat on coffee shop on a posh Rs.200 a cup, which once used to happen in some café or bhavan or uphar on Rs.10.  Even present day cost in these old ones will not exceed Rs.25.  Shyam did come in time, as he is stickler to time concepts but could not find Gopu.  He did come, a good 30 minutes late, profusely apologizing for the meeting with the boss.  Shyam put the natural question of asking for the delay.  Gopu explained that the discussion with the boss was on how to expand the market for some spray which enhance the power of men to attract women.  Shyam could not control himself and became quite angry hearing this.  Shyam then said to Gopu, we are people who think that women are not just for satisfying men in bed but it is one part of life, that is all.   The whole part of life is explained with dos and donts in our scriptures, clearly bringing out how humanity as a whole can benefit.  A few business interests cannot interfere with our way of life just to make a fortune for them. 
He added see what Steve Job of Apple said from his hospital bed:  Steve Jobs’ Last Words

I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success.  However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to.  At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death.  In the darkness, I look at the green lights from the life supporting machines and hear the humming mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of god of death drawing closer…

Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth…

Should be something that is more important:
Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days

Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me.

God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth.  The wealth I have won in my life I cannot bring with me. What I can bring is only the memories precipitated by love.  That’s the true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on.  Love can travel a thousand miles. Life has no limit. Go where you want to go. Reach the height you want to reach. It is all in your heart and in your hands.

What is the most expensive bed in the world? Sick bed…
You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you.

Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life.

When a person goes into the operating room, he will realize that there is one book that he has yet to finish reading – Book of Healthy Life.

Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.

Further Shyam said, I am not against new products, but for the sake of making money, denouncing the whole way of life by some vested interests is unacceptable.  Gopu had no answer and as he wanted to have one more coffee, asked Shyam too have one more, which Shyam politely declined.   Gopu after finishing his second coffee cup, bid bye to Shyam telling him they will meet again.

பங்காரு திருப்பதி kolar dist of Karnataka

பங்காரு திருப்பதி

                                                        

                                                        கோவில் தீர்த்தம் 

மலை உச்சியில் வேங்கடரமணன் சன்னிதி 

கர்நாடகாவிலுள்ள கோலார் மாவட்டத்தில் அநேக சிறப்பு வாய்ந்த கோவில்கள் உள்ளன.   இதில் பங்காரு திருப்பதி மிகச் சிறப்புவாய்ந்ததாகும்.   இதன் அருகாமையில் தான் கோடிலிங்கம் கோவிலும், மிகத்தொன்மையான குருதுமலே விநாயகர் கோவிலும் உள்ளன.

இக்கோவிலின் தல வரலாறு 
ப்ருஹு  மாமுனிவரின் தரிசனம் சம்பந்தப்பட்டதாகும். இங்கு ப்ருஹு மாமுனிவர் தன் காலில் உள்ள கண்ணின் மூலமாக இறைவனை தரிசித்ததாக ஐதீகம்.   கோலார் - முல்பாகல் செல்லும் வழியில் கோடீஸ்வர் கோவிலில் இருந்து 8/9 km தொலைவில் உள்ளது இந்த திருத்தலம்.   அழகிய குன்றின் மீது அமைந்திருக்கும் இத்திருக்கோவிலில் திரு வெங்கடேஸ்வரனை  ஒரு சிறிய கதவின்  த்வாரங்களின் மூலமாய் பார்க்கலாம்- நேத்ர தரிசனம் என்று பெயர். அளவினில் சிறிதாய் தோன்றும் திரு வேங்கடேஸ்வர விக்ரகம்  அழகு வாய்ந்ததாகும். குன்றின் மீது இருப்பதால் சிறிய வெளிப்பிரஹாரம் கொண்டது. திரு வெங்கடேஸ்வரனை தரிசித்த பிறகு இறங்கும் படிகள் தொடர்ந்து திரு பத்மாவதி தாயாரின் சந்நிதிக்கு செல்கிறது.   ஸ்ரீஹரி இங்கு ஏகாந்த ஸ்ரீனிவாசராக காட்சியளிக்கிறார்.  லட்சுமி, பத்மாவதி தாயாராக இதன் தொடர் மலை குன்றில் காட்சி அளிக்கிறார்.

கோவிலுக்கு முன்வாசலிலுள்ள கருட சிற்பம் இக்கோவிலுக்கு அழகு சேர்க்கிறது.   பங்காரு திருப்பதி கோவில் குட்டஹள்ளி எனும் இடத்தில் உள்ளது.  இது இது பெங்களூரிலிருந்து 100 km/கோலாரிலிருந்து 29 km தூரத்தில் உள்ளது.  

தரிசன நேரம்:
காலை: 6  முதல் 12 மணி வரை

மாலை: 4.30  முதல் 7.30 வரை 

SRIDHARA VENKATESA AYYAVAL

SRIDHARA VENKATESA AYYAVAL

My Facebook posting of 10 12 2015

Prayers to Sree Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval this Guruvar, thursday to spread bhakthi and thus people to live in peace and happiness. Tomorrow, the 11th December 2015 is the Gangakarshanam at Tiruvisainallur.

Salutations to Sri Ayyaval

ईशे तस्य च नामनि प्रविमलं ज्ञानं तयोरूर्जितं
प्रेम प्रेम च तत्परेषु विरतिश्चान्यत्र सर्वत्र च । 
ईशेक्षा करुणा च यस्य नियता वृत्तिः श्रितस्यापि यं
तं वन्दे नररूपमन्तकरिपुं श्रीवेङ्कटेशं गुरुम् ॥

Meaning:
I bow down to my preceptor, Sri Venkatesha, who is verily Lord Shiva in human form. Pristine knowledge of the Lord and his holy names; fixed, unbounded devotion towards them; and also affection towards devotees; absence of attachment towards everything else; grace and compassion of the lord - all these can be attained by taking refuge in him.

Referred as Ayyaval, Sree Sridhara Venkatesa Ayyaval was born in Mysore and his father Lingaraya was a Minister in the court of Mysore.  His father was a great scholar in shastras and Ayyaval studied Vedas at a very young age.  He was married to one Sow. Lakshmi. On the death of his father, when the Maharaja offered the Diwan post, he did not take it and instead took to Uncharviruti to sing the praise of the Lord. After a while he moved down south and for sometime he styaed in Tiruchirapalli and Thanjavur. At Tiruchirapalli, a group of vaishnavites tested him by asking Mathrubutheswarar be dressed as Krishna and Ayyaval sang Krishna Dwadasa Manjari and obliged them.  He also composed a hymn called "Taaraavali" in praise of Lord Siva, to bring back to life of a child of a brahmin couple.
King Shahaji ruled Thanjavur when Ayyaval reached there.  Ayyaval wanted to be in  a serene place to follow the path of Bhakthi and thus reached Tiruvisanallur, close to Thirunthuthevangudi on the banks of the river cauvery.  King Shahaji developed this village in honour of the vedhic brahmins of that place.  Soon Ayyaval earned the respect of the people there due to his devotion and knowledge on vedas.  King Shahaji took him as Diwan.
On request of the King Shahaji, Ayyaval composed a Sanskrit Dictionary known as "Padamani Manjari'.  He also composed 'Shahaji Rajacharitram' a biography on the King.

Sridhara Venkatesa, is one of the pioneers of Nama Sankeertanam movement in the South. He is considered as one of the trinity of Dakshina Bharatha Sampradaya Naama Sankeertanam, the other two being Sri Bodhendra Saraswathi and Marudhanallur Sathguruswamy. While in Tiruvisainallur, Ayyaval brought Gangamatha in his well on Karthikai month New Moon day and hence that day people gather at Tiruvisainallur to have bath in that well known as Gangakarshanam.

It is said that he merged with the Lord Mahalingam of Thiruvidaimaruthur when he was 85.

(More info on Ayyaval at: http://www.sriayyaval.org/

Updated on 23rd June 2016:

Some people around him thought he was leaning in Bhakthi more towards Lord Siva than Lord Vishnu and they told the king about that. The king ordered the temple priest to dress Sree Madhrubootheswarar as Krishna while taking the Lord in procession.  When the procession was passing his house he was in trance and deep meditation on Lord Siva. But he hurriedly came out to have darshan of the Lord and finding Sree Krishna and thus prayed to him with the wish when he would meditate on his Lotus feet, to know the transitory nature of this world - by being humble, by knowing my deficiencies, by being compassionate towards all living beings and also turn a blind eye on other people's faults - He thus composed "Krishna Dwadasa Manjari"- He did not hesitate to mention that Lord Krishna's vision was not easy even for Lord Siva himself.

Knowing this, the King was happy to note the true devotion and bhakthi of Sree Ayyaaval. People who induced the King to test Sree Ayyavaal too, prostrated before Ayyavaal apologising for their ignorance.

Gangagarshanam at the house of Sridhara Ayyaval:
On a Karthigai Amavasya day, when a hungry dalit asked for food, Ayyaval fed him and that also happened to be the day of Srartha, Ayyaval had to perform.  The Brahmins refused to conduct the Srartha ceremony and they told he could get prayachitha only by bathing in Ganges.   As the srartha had to be performed on that day and he could not go the Kasi and had the bath too on the same day, he fervently prayed to Lord Siva and recited Gangaashtakam and Ganges flowed out of his well.  Even today people throng to his house at Tiruvisainallur and take bath in the well of his house during Karthigai Amavasya.  The well can seen in the picture.