Sunday, May 24, 2015

Ther Azhundoor Devaadirajan


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Therazhundoor is the place where the poet Kambar (who wrote Ramayana in Tamil was born.Thirumangai azhwar refused to sing praises for Devadi Rajar mistaking him to be just a king. The Lord then came in the guise of a cowherd, asked Thirumangai Azhwar to recognise that Devadi Rajar was Perumal himself and sing praises. Thirumangai Azhwar then sang songs (Paasuram) from the place where the Thirumangai Azhwar Mandapam stands today.

The place is called Krishnaranyam as it was a favourite of Lord Krishna. The main deity of the temple is Hemabjavalli Thayar sametha Devadi Rajar. The utsava murthy is Senkamalavalli Thayar sametha Aameruveeyappar. This temple is the 10th Divya Desam.  During the days preceding Vaikunta Ekadasi, the Moolavar is in the Swarna Kavacham.
   

According to the Sthala Puranam, there lived a king called Uparithavasu who had a peculiar boon. Anything/ person who prevented the shadow of his flying chariot from falling on the ground would be destroyed. As the king flew over Therazhundoor, the shadow of his flying chariot fell on a herd of cows, which technically prevented the shadow from falling on the ground and hence faced doom. Lord Vishnu then appeared in the guise of a cowherd and saved the cows by pressing Uparithavasu 's chariot to the ground - which is how the place earned its name ( Ther = chariot; Azhunda = press; Oor = place ) 

Uparithavasu was unable to get his chariot off the ground even with the help of his army. The king then prayed to the sages for help. The sages asked him to get the help of the cowherd who roamed the area. Overcome with pride, the king failed to recognise the true identity of the cowherd. He asked the cowherd what his wages would be for helping the king get his chariot off the ground. The cowherd asked for 1000 pots of butter by daybreak as wages.

The king's assistants were able to get 999 pots of butter only. So, in an attempt to deceive the cowherd, they placed a pot of water amidst the 999 pots of butter. When the cowherd came to inspect the pots, everybody discovered that the single pot of water contained butter instead and the remaining 999 pots contained water. The cowherd finally revealed His true form (vishwaroopam) to the king and the temple for Devadi Rajar was constructed.



Mandapam for Poet Kambar






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