Located about 2kms South West of Ayyampettai and 10kms North East of Thanjavur off the Kumbakonam highway is the 900year old Varadaraja Perumal temple in Pasupathi Koil.
The Story
Kulothunga, a chozha king, directed his people to sign a document that Lord Siva was the greatest. A Vaishnavite devotee refused to sign and asked the king to get Ramanuja to sign, if he really believed that Siva was the Supreme Lord. Accordingly, the king ordered for Ramanuja to be brought to his court.
Anxious at the anger of the king and worried as to what could happen to his Acharya, KoorathAzhvaan, disguised as Ramanuja, entered the court of the Chozha King and as expected, refused to sign. He was accompanied by his preceptor Periya Nambi.
Angered at his refusal to sign and having found out his disguised form, the king ordered the plucking of his eyes. Not wanting the king’s messenger to touch him, KoorathAzhvaan did the unthinkable- he removed both his eyes with his own hands using his long sharp nails. The eyes of Periya Nambi, who was aged 105, were plucked.
Unable to see and over burdened by his age, Periya Nambi struggled to make his way to Srirangam. Varadaraja Perumal appeared here at Pasupathi Koil and provided darshan to Periya Nambi who attained Moksham here.
Later, Ramanuja is believed to have come here and built the temple and Sannidhi for Periya Nambi.
Festivals
Margazhi Kettai Utsavam is special at this temple
(Periya Nambi was born on Margazhi Kettai Nakshatram)
Special Pooja on Thiruvonam Nakshatram every month
Quick Facts
Moolavar : Varadaraja Perumal East Facing Standing Posture
Thaayar : Perundevi Thaayar
Temple Time: 7am-9am and 5pm-8pm
Priest : A.K. Vijayaraghava Bhattar
Contact Telephone Number: 97903 42581
How to reach
Buses every 5minutes between Kumbakonam and Thanjavur. One can get down at Ayyampettai (15kms from Thanjavur/25kms from Kumbakonam) and take an auto to the temple (Rs.30-40)
One can also get down at the Pasupathi Koil Railway Station( Trichy-Kumbakonam Passenger trains stop here)and walk half a kilometer to reach the temple.
7 comments:
Dear Prabhu,
Are you sure Sri Periya Nambi leaves for SV abode from this place? My understanding is that both Azhvan and Periya Nambi (after losing the sight)are on their way back towards Srirangam and nambi is almost in the final stages.
So Azhvan says, if they can reach Srirangam sooner before Nambi passes away,that will be great. Nambi corrects Azhvan saying 'if i die only in Srirangam, then every SV will think one has to go to DD and die only there. Where there is a true devotee, that is DD for perumal'.
Let me know if the GPP that you have mentions it,also the edition year. Dasi
Yes, he was to go to Srirangam but before he could do so he attained moksham here.
This is confirmed by the descendents of Periya Nambi, as well.
Prabhu
Oh Really, thank you very much for the i nformation.. I was looking for Salagramam. Also,one of the greatest thing about Melkote(abhimana sthalam) is when Ramanuja calls Sampathkumaaran 'vaaraay en selva piLLai', perumal happily comes and sits on R's lap.
I thought you would put that picture but i don't see it. Please put it, if you have. You will be giving joy to many people like me.
Dear Prabu
i am from andhra pradesh. i dont know tamil.
how to see the temple and swami darshan
Please give details of address
dear sir,
I am from Andhra Pradesh.
I don't know tamil. I know english very little. possible way to get swami darshan.
Dear Mahesh,
The contact person very well knows Telugu. You can communicate with him in Telugu.
Raghavan Radhakrishnan
Sir, mine is jyestha nakasthra, want to do Pooja in Swamy temple, from Bangalore, on wat day i can do Pooja in temple, any early appointment to be taken for Swamy pooja
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