Kadi Nagar Khandam Purushottama

DEVA PRAYAG

The sacred water of the Ganges at Kadi Nagar is described as flowing from Brahma’s hands through Siva’s hairs and Lord Trivikrama’s feet down its course to reach here

Having described the greatness of Thiru Maliruncholai and Thiru Kottiyur in the earlier decads in the fourth canto, Periyazhvar moves up North and praises the greatness of Kadi Nagar in an entire decad (4.7). This is the only Divya Desam outside of Tamil Nadu that Periyazhvar praises elaborately. In these set of verses, he praises the Lord as Purushottama.

Periyazhvar starts off this decad in a way interesting way.

The one who chopped off the sister’s nose and severed the brother’s head was Dasarathi Rama, son of Dasaratha!!!

Having thus defeating the Lankan king, he came back here to Ayodhya to rule from here. He describes the city as being right on the banks of Ganga. He credits Ganga with having the powers of wiping out most cruel of sins that one has committed. He praises Kadi Nagar as a magnificent town and calls it Khandam.

தங்கையை மூக்கும் தமையனைத் தலையும் தடிந்த எம் தாசரதி போய்

எங்கும் புகழா இருந்து அரசாண்ட எம் புருஷோத்தமன் இருக்கை

கங்கை கங்கை என்ற வாசகத்தாலே கடுவினை களைந்திட நிற்கும்

 கங்கையின் கரை மேல் கை தொழ நின்ற

கண்டம் என்ற கடி நகரே 

He praises the Konrai flowers as one that Siva adorns in his matted hair. Tulsi is described as one that is placed at the feet of Lord Narayana. Both these are described as descending with the stream of water from Ganga to Earth.

One finds sparkling water of Ganges on the banks of the great city of Kadi Nagar where Lord Purushottama resides. Water in Ganges at Kadi Nagar is described as flowing from Brahma’s hands through Siva’s hairs and Lord Trivikrama’s feet down its course to reach this place.

சதுமுகன் கையில் சதுப்புயன் தாளில்

 சங்கரன் சடையினில் தங்கி

கதிர் முக மனிகெண்டிழி புனல்

கங்கைக் கண்ட மென்னும் கடிநகரே

It is on both the banks of Ganges at Kadi Nagar that devotees come for a holy dip right from Himalayas to the Sea.

One may have accumulated a number of sins over a long period of time. One dip in the holy Ganges on the banks of Kadi Nagar invoking the blessings of the Lord Purushottam is enough to wash away in just one quick moment the Karmas of 7 lives.

Periyazhvar describes the various weapons of Lord Purushottama as Plough, renowned bow Saranga, flame like discus ‘Sudarshana’, the beautiful Conch ‘Panchajanya’ and the battle axe ‘Nandaka’. He says that all these are divine weapons to kill the wicked people.

உழுவதோர் படையும் உலக்கையும் வில்லும் ஒண் சுடராழியும் சங்கும்

Periyazhvar in another verse reminds us of the Lord of Mathura protecting the entire world by holding the huge mounting with his one when there was a torrential downpour that created a deluge across.

Accessories for Sacrificial yagna

It is here that great sages come for ritual bath.  He provides insights into the kind of things used for a sacrifice. The woods that are washed ashore here on the banks of Khandam are used to light sacrificial fire by these sages.

அலைப்புடைத்திரைவாய் அருந்தவ முனிவர்

அவபிரதம் குடைந்தாட

 கலப்பைகள் கொழிக்கும் கங்கையின் கரைமேல்

கண்டமென்றும் கடி நகரே

Periyazhvar once again refers to Krishna’s killing of Kamsa. He also refers to the killing of the tusker Kuvalaya by twisting its trunk and rolling down the head of the Mahout.

The celestial Gods and Devas were ruling with pride the three worlds. As if to wake them from Slumber, the asuras came to them with a fierce war cry only to be sent to Yama’s abode – Hell- by Lord Purushottama who is described as wielding the sword Nandaka.

The ichor of elephant Iravata, the sandal paste of Goddess Lakshmi and the Kalpaka flowers all flow here through the Ganges on to Kadi Nagar.

On both sides of this holy town, one finds close knit rows of cow pegs and fragrant smoke of fire altar caused by the Yagnas filling the air.

Periyazhvar also describes the violent nature of the Ganges. He says Mountains rumble, Earth splits and crumble, trees are uprooted and the ocean turns as the water gushes with great speed from the Ganges.

தட வரை அதிரத் தரணி விண்டு இடியத்தலை பற்றிக் கரை

மரம் சாடி கடலினை கலங்கக் கடுத்து இழி  

This great river is surrounded by fragrant groves in the holy town of Khandam. He refers to other holy places surrounding Kadi Nagar as Mathrua in the North, Saligrama, Vaikunta, Dwaraka, Ayodhya and Badari as the abodes of Purushottama.

வடதிசை மதுரை சாளக்கிராமம் வைகுந்தம் துவரை அயோத்தி

இடமுடை வதரி

Those who just recite these verses with sincerity will be blessed with purity equivalent to bathing in the Ganges.