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<STRONG><CITE>Friday, July 25, 1997 </CITE></STRONG><BR>

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<H2>

Adored by the Alwars

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25-07-1997 :: Pg: 30 :: Col: d

<P>

Kumbakonam, the temple town of Thanjavur district, is famous for the Mahamaham

festival celebrated once in 12 years. The town has many temples dedicated

to Siva and Vishnu, praised by the Nayanmars and Alwars respectively. Just

like Srirangam, where the Cauvery and the Kollidam flow around the town,

Kumbakonam also is surrounded by the Cauvery and its tributary the Arisilaru.

Here also Lord Vishnu reclines on his ``Aadishesha'' at the famous temple

of Sri Sarangapani Swamy.

<P>

In Srirangam, the Lord blissfully reclines in ``Boga sayanam'', and in Tirupati

the Lord majestically stands, whereas in Kumbakonam, the Lord is seen just

half-rising from His snake-bed. This unique posture, only one of its kind,

is called ``Uttana sayanam''.

<P>

As per the ``sthala purana'' (temple chronicle), the Lord descended from

Vaikundam to this town in a chariot to marry the Goddess and hence the temple

``garbha griha'' (sanctum sanctorum) is in the shape of a chariot with four

wheels drawn by horses and elephants on both sides. The main shrine has two

entrances on its side, each one opened for six months of a year only,

corresponding to ``Uttirayanam'' and ``Dakshinayanam'', based on the northern

and southern movements of the Sun. Since the Lord is said to have descended

directly from Vaikundam here, this temple is called ``Bhooloka Vaikundam''

(Vaikundam on Earth) and so there is no ``Paramapada Vasal'' in this temple.

<P>

The presiding (Moolavar) deity of the temple is called ``Aaravamudhan'',

meaning ``Nectar that shall not cloy the desire''. According to the

``prabhandam'' of Nammalvar, the Lord is so beautiful that, just like ever

desirous nectar, the more we look at the Lord the more we desire to see Him

again. And hence, He was named ``Aaravamudhan''.

<P>

Thirumangai Alwar also hails the Lord of Kumbakonam as ``Aaravamudhan''.

<P>

The processional deity is called ``Sarangapani''. Since the sacred bow he

holds in his arm is called ``sarangam''. The Goddess here is ``Sri Komalavalli

Thaayar''. According to legend, to fulfil the penance of sage Hema rishi,

Goddess Lakshmi appeared as a child in a golden lotus in the Pottramarai

kulam (Golden lotus tank) of the temple. The delighted sage raised her and

offered her in marriage to Sri Sarangapani Swamy. Unique to this temple,

is the separate ``Dwajasthambam'' (flag-post) to the Goddess.

<P>

Sri Nathamuni initiated an exclusive utsavam in this temple called ``Atthiyayana

Utsavam'' (recital festival) in the month of Markazhi to recite Divyaprabhandam,

so that it would not fall into oblivion. This Utsavam is celebrated for 10

days with, the recital of ``Periya Thirumozhi'' in the morning (``Pagal

Patthu'')

and ten nights with the recital of ``Thiruvaimozhi'', (Era Patthu). The day

on which Nammalvar attained Mukthi is also remembered. This ``Atthiyayana

Utsavam'' is being celebrated for the past 1,000 years or so and as envisaged

by Sri Nathamuni, the prabhandam ``lives'' to this day.

<P>

The most sacred mantra for Srivaishnavas is the Ashtachara mantra, (eight

letter mantra), recited as ``Om Namo Narayanaya''. One can understand the

importance of this mantra by the fact that Sri Ramanuja Acharya had to travel

between Sriperumbudur and Tirukotiyur several times to learn the meaning

and philosophy of the mantra from his religious guru Tirukotiyur Nambi. Only

after learning this Sri Ramanuja embarked on his Vishistadwaitha (qualified

dualism) philosophy .

<P>

Lord Sarangapani is said to be the author of this sacred mantra. He pronounced

the same to this world through Tirumangai Alwar.

<P>

The famous dance of the Lord Siva at Chidambaram is well known. But the ``Dance

of Vishnu''? This rare phenomenon is attributed to Lord Sarangapani. As

``Kudamaadu Koothan'', (Dancer of pots), the Lord is said to have perfected

the dance with pots. By his swift dance movements, he dances on the fragile

pots rythmically.

<P>

Andal mentions this ``...Kudanthai kidantha kudamaadi...'', meaning ``Dancer

of pots'' resting at Kumbakonam, Thirumangai alwar also mentions this.

<P>

The temple has two main gopurams on the eastern and western sides, and two

other ``gopura vasals'' in-between, called ``Manja gopuram'' and ``Naidu

vasal'' respectively. A hundred pillared mandapa, a Vasantha mandapam surrounded

by temple garden, separate sannidhis for Alwars and Desikar, sub-shrines

for Navaneetha Krishnan, Rama, Rajagopalan and Andal are also in the temple.

The chariot ``garbha griha'' has beautiful sculptures of Narasimha in four

forms, Gajendra Varadha, Krishna, Rama, Thiruvikrama and the like on its

side niches. The roof of the ``Thirumamani mandapam'' (antechamber of sanctum)

has intricately carved bas-relief figures.

<P>

Inscriptions of Rajaraja III (1222 A.D.), Virupanna Udaiyar (1385 A.D.),

Krishnadevaraya (1513 A.D.), Sadasiva Raya (1553 A.D.), Raghunatha Naiker

(1634 A.D.) and the like are found in this temple. They mention mostly donations

offered for conducting various festivals in this temple.

<P>

R. RAMAMURTHY

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