Located
3kms from Thiruvaiyaru on the Kumbakonam Highway is the Abathsahayeswarar
temple in Thiru Pazhanam, the 2nd among the Sapthasthanam temples.
It
is a temple praised by the four great Saint Poets well over a 1000years ago and
a temple said to be built in its current form and structure by Aditya Chozha I.
Thiru Gnana Sambanthar praised the Lord as one who would liberate a sincere
devotee from all his previous sins if he surrenders to this Lord.
வேதம் ஓதி
வெண்ணூல் பூண்டு
வெள்ளி எருதேறி
பூதம் சூழப்
பொலிய வருவார்
புலியின் உரிதோலார்
நாதா எனவும்
நக்கா எனவும்
நம்பா என
நின்று
பாதந் தொழுவார்
பாவந் தீர்ப்பார்
பழன நகராரே
- ஞாந
சம்பந்தர்
The
temple legend relates to Kubera regaining his lost powers and the Lord safe
guarding the nectar from the asuras.
There are also several inscriptions dating back a 1000 years on South and Western walls of the inner prakara.
No Salary to the Priest
At
such a historical and legendary Thevaram temple, Raja Gurukal has been taking
care of the poojas all alone for the last few decades. His father and grandfather
too had performed poojas through the 20th century. Prior to them,
their ancestors performed for 5 generations over the last few centuries.
This
is a HR & CE administered temple but Raja Gurukal does not know what his
salary is for he has never been paid one in his life. He has never asked them
once. While the staffers of HR & CE including the peon and clerks are paid
a monthly salary, the archakas are left to fend for themselves.
Raja
Gurukal is deeply devoted to the Lord, one for whom his ancestors had performed
pooja and hence he is continuing to serve the Lord mindless of the lack of
income.
While
there is a case currently on in the Madras High Court on issues relating to
renovation at HR & CE administered temple, it would also be good for the
court to order an investigation into the salary structure / payment made to archakas
in temples across the state.
The Legend
Kousika
Rishi who had secured a part of the nectar from the Lord at Thiru Parkadal
reached Kathali vanam (the historical name of this place), set up an ashram and
undertook penance. The Asuras tracked him to this place and made their way to
his ashram to grab a share of the nectar. To prevent them from gaining an aura
of invincibility, he placed the nectar in a secret box inside the ashram and
undertook severe penance invoking the blessings of Lord Shiva here at Thiru
Pazhanam. Answering his sincere prayers, Lord Shiva sent Ayyanar and Kali to
destroy the asuras.
At
the end of this battle, on opening the box, he was delighted to find a Shiva
lingam. Pleased with the blessings of the Lord, Koushika Rishi installed the
Lingam at its current location and named it as Amrutha Lingam (as it was the
one that transformed from the nectar) and performed pooja.
In memory of this episode, there is a stone carving on the Southern Prakara of the Shiva Lingam with Nandi. Kousika Rishi is seen in a posture of undertaking penance.
In memory of this episode, there is a stone carving on the Southern Prakara of the Shiva Lingam with Nandi. Kousika Rishi is seen in a posture of undertaking penance.
Lost
in the greed of power, Kubera ignored the enquiries of a sincere devotee who
had arrived at his kingdom. Angered at this, the devotee invoked the blessings
of the Lord and sought to teach the power ingrained Kubera a lesson. Kubera
lost his powers and wandered around when in mid air an invisible voice directed
him to Kathali vanam and to surrender to Kousika Rishi, who further directed him
to perform pooja at this place.
Kubera
performed pooja with sacred water taken from the tank here. Pleased with his
prayers, Lord Shiva provided darshan and helped him regain his original powers.
Mahalakshmi's penance at Pazhanam
As Lakshmi performed pooja here having left her husband and Lord Vishnu reached here having come in search of her, this place came to be referred to as Piriyana Puri and the Lord as Piriyana Pureeswarar. There is a separate sannidhi behind the sanctum for Lord Venugopalan who is seen in a posture of playing the flute. There is also an idol of Gaja Lakshmi at this temple, seen holding the Lotus Petal.
Mahalakshmi's penance at Pazhanam
As Lakshmi performed pooja here having left her husband and Lord Vishnu reached here having come in search of her, this place came to be referred to as Piriyana Puri and the Lord as Piriyana Pureeswarar. There is a separate sannidhi behind the sanctum for Lord Venugopalan who is seen in a posture of playing the flute. There is also an idol of Gaja Lakshmi at this temple, seen holding the Lotus Petal.
As
Kubera regained his powers here, belief is that one will be driven of poverty
and will regain lost wealth if one offers his sincere prayers to the Lord at
this temple.
A sincere devotee saved from
untimely death – The name ‘Aabath Sahayar’
Susareethan
had lost his parents and in the sadness of that event, went to different shiva
temples. He came to Thiru Pazhanam and after darshan of the Lord slept the
night here. That night, Yama gave him an advance notice of the impending death and stated that he would be there in 5 days to pick him up. An unwavering Susareethan
performed sincere pooja at this temple and surrendered to the Lord who asked
him to immediately go to thiruvayaru and undertake penance there reciting
Pancha aksharam.
When
Yama was headed in that direction towards Thiruvaiyaru from the south to pick
him, the Lord opened his third eye and sent out sparks of fire. Yama was not
able to cross the fire and reach the young boy. Lord told Yama that the young
one was his sincere devotee and that it was his duty to protect him. And that
he had to have a longer life. As it was the Lord here at Thiru Pazhanam who had
directed the devotee to Thiruvayaru, he is referred to as Aabath Sahayar.
As
the Lord saved a sincere devotee from death, offering sincere prayers to this
Lord is believed to save one from untimely death and health issues.
Saint Poets’ Praise of Pazhanam
Thiru
Gnana Sambanthar, Appar and Sundarar have sung praised of the
Lord here. In his praise, Thiru
gnana Sambanthar says that it enough just to look at the Lord’s feet with
sincere devotion for one to be liberated from his sins.
Appar
naming a devotee – Apputhi- in his verse is a speciality of the Saint Poet’s
praise of this temple. Apputhadigal performed pooja every day here and died
reciting the name of Appar.
Both Appar and Gnana Sambanthar came back here a 2nd time first after visiting Thiru Aduthurai. And then once again after visiting Thillaisthanam and Thiruvaiyaru.
Both Appar and Gnana Sambanthar came back here a 2nd time first after visiting Thiru Aduthurai. And then once again after visiting Thillaisthanam and Thiruvaiyaru.
There
was once a long agraharam here with 100s of Saivite Families but all of them
have moved out in recent decades. Thingalur is just a walking distance south of
this temple.
Karungal Architecture
Aditya
Chozha I is believed to have built this fairly big temple in its current form
with a complete Karungal structure. There were separate streets here for
musicians. There are several 1000 year old inscriptions inside the temple.
There is a towering Raja Gopuram at the Eastern entrance. There is a separate
sannidhi for Ambal to the North of the Swami Sannidhi. There is a beautiful
Nandavanam of the Southern side of the temple that includes tall coconut trees.
There
is a separate sannidhi for Venugopalan right behind the Moolavar Sannidhi of the
Lord. In centuries gone by, Uriyadi Utsavam was a popular festival here with
Lord Venugopalan and Lord Shiva providing darshan on a Sesha Vahana around the
streets of Thiru pazhanam. Hence there are two Sesha Vahanas here.
Lord Pancha Natheeswarar from Thiruvayaru makes his way here on the occasion of the Sapthasthanam festival in Chitrai and the two of them go jointly to Thiru Chotruthurai from here.This is one of the only temples among the Sapthasthanam temples to have sacred tank inside the temple.
Pancha
Murthy Abhishekam is special at this temple.
There is a separate Sannidhi for Periya Nayaki Ambal on the Northern side of the temple in the outer prakara..
Currently,
there is a two time pooja performed at the temple in the morning and evening.
Contact Raja Gurukal @ 97902 07773/ 99943 89328
How to reach
Buses
ply every 15 minutes from Thiruvaiyaru, stops in front of the temple. Auto from
Thiruvaiyaru bus stand to the temple will cost Rs. 100.
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