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).
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).
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