Bhikshatana is considered a gentler form of Shiva's fierce aspect Bhairava
and a gentle phase between Bhairava's two gruesome forms, one of which
decapitates one head of the four headed god Brahma and the other of which
kills the god Vishnu's gatekeeper.
Bhikshatana is the form of Bhairava that Shiva assumes to atone for his
sin of severing Brahma's fifth head. He wanders the universe in the form of
a naked Kapali mendicant, begging for alms with Brahma's kapala (skullcup)
as his begging bowl, until his sin is expiated upon reaching the holy city
of Varanasi.
Another legend describes Bhikshatana's visit to the Deodar (Pine) Forest to
dispense the ignorance of sages and lead them to true knowledge. During his
visit, he seduces the wives of the sages who come to give him alms.
Horrified by Bhikshatana's "heretic" appearance and actions, the sages have
a long confrontation with him. Ultimately Bhikshatana triumphs,
establishing the worship of the Linga, his aniconic symbol. A variant of
the legend narrates how Bhikshatana transforms into Nataraja—Shiva as the
Cosmic Dancer.
Bhikshatana is a popular icon in South India, in contrast to North India,
where it is of lesser importance. Though Bhikshatana does not have any
temples dedicated to him as the primary deity, he is sculpted in stone
temple walls, worshipped as a subsidiary deity, and cast in bronze as a
temple festival processional icon in almost every major Tamil Shiva temple.
Many Tamil language hymns sing of Bhikshatana's wanderings, often narrating
of the pining of the love-smitten who are enamoured of him.
The Kurma Purana narrates that during a particular council of rishis
(sages), the god Brahma arrogantly declared that he was the Supreme Creator
of the Universe. Shiva appeared at the assembly as an infinite pillar of
light and challenged Brahma's statement. After deliberation, the council
accepted Shiva as the true Creator, but Brahma remained obstinate. Angered
by Brahma's vanity, Shiva—as the terrifying Bhairava—cut off one head of
the five-headed Brahma with a mere flick of his fingernail (an act
iconographically depicted as Brahmashirascheda-murti). As a consequence,
Brahma died, but the spiritual credit he had accumulated over a lifetime of
devout asceticism pulled him immediately back from death. Upon his
resurrection, Brahma accepted Shiva's superiority.
The reason for the decapitation of Brahma remains the same in the
narratives of the Shiva Purana and the Matsya Purana.
In the Skanda Purana, the trigger is not Brahma's arrogance but his
incest with his daughter while in the Bengali version of the Shiva Purana,
Brahma insults Shiva using his fifth head's mouth, while the rest of them
praise Shiva when he comes to Brahma's abode as a guest. In another
instance in the Shiva Purana, when an argument erupts between Brahma and
Vishnu over who is superior, Shiva appears as an infinite fiery pillar
(Linga) in front of the pair. They decide whoever finds the end of the
pillar is superior. Brahma lies about finding the head of the infinite
pillar and declares himself as superior.
In the Varaha Purana, in which Shiva is born from Brahma's brow, Brahma
calls his son a Kapali and angers him.
In all versions, an infuriated Shiva or Bhairava cuts off Brahma's head
as a punishment. However, all Puranas (Kurma, Varaha, Shiva, Skanda, and
Vamana) agree that the head of Brahma stuck to Bhairava-Shiva's left palm
due to the sin of killing Brahma, the most learned Brahmin – Brahmahatya or
Brahminicide. To expiate the sin of brahmahatya, Shiva had to perform the
vow of a Kapali: wandering the world as a naked beggar with the skull of
the slain as his begging bowl.
In the Kurma and Vamana Puranas, Shiva's sin takes corporeal form,
becoming a ghoulish woman called Brahmahatya who follows Bhikshatana
everywhere he goes.
The Kurma Purana further narrates that Bhikshatana wandered the three
worlds (heaven, earth, and netherworld) begging from door to door with a
host of bhutas (goblins). The women of the houses who came to grant him
food became enamoured by his appearance and followed him, singing and
dancing. Wandering, Bhikshatana reached the Deodar Forest (also called
Daruka Forest, Daruka-vana or Daru-vana), where he shocked the sages with
his "lewdness and nudity" and tempted their wives. Bhikshatana-Shiva made
them realise his greatness after their confrontation. However, in some
other Puranas this encounter is placed in a different time period unrelated
to Bhikshatana's expiatory wandering.
The Kurma Purana goes on to state that after the encounter with the
sages of the Deodar Forest, Bhikshatana continued to wander, visiting
various countries of gods and demons before he finally reached the abode of
the god Vishnu. Vishnu's gatekeeper Vishvaksena did not allow him to enter.
Angered, Bhikshatana slew Vishvaksena and impaled the corpse on his
trident, which added to his sin.
This form of Shiva with a corpse on his trident is called Kankala-murti
("One with the skeleton"). Bhikshatana, now as Kankala-murti, entered
Vishnu's abode and begged for food. Vishnu offered his own blood as food in
one version. In another version, Vishnu cut an artery on Bhikshatana's
forehead; a stream of blood spurts into his begging bowl as his food.
Vishnu then directed Bhikshatana to visit the sacred city of Varanasi,
where his sin would be expiated. The encounter with Vishnu's gatekeeper is
also retold with some variation in the Vamana Purana and the Matsya Purana.
All Puranas agree that upon reaching Varanasi, Brahma's skull falls off
Bhikshatana's palm at a place now called Kapala-mochana ("liberating from
the skull") and Vishaksena's corpse disappears. The sin, personified by
Brahmahatya, vanishes into hell. Vishaksena is resurrected and the
sanctified Bhairava-Shiva, having bathed in the sacred pond in Varanasi,
casts off the appearance of Bhikshatana and returns to his abode.
As told in the Kurma Purana, Bhikshatana-Shiva wanted to reveal the
ignorance of the sages, who were engrossed in Dharma (righteousness) and
extreme austerities but had forgotten the Samkhya (Supreme Knowledge). The
naked, handsome, ithyphallic (with an erect phallus, urdhvalinga) beggar
Shiva entered the forest, begging for alms from the sages' wives. They were
so enamoured of him that while granting alms, they allowed their clothes to
fall off and followed him, dancing and singing, love-sick. Bhikshatana was
accompanied by Mohini—Vishnu disguised as Bhikshatana's enchanting wife,
who maddens the sages' sons in love. The sages, unable to recognise Shiva,
abused and cursed him, even assaulting him. They cursed that his Linga
(phallus) should fall off. Shiva allowed it to be so and the Linga became
an infinite fiery pillar of light. Anusuya, the wife of sage Atri,
enlightened the sages that the couple was none other than Shiva and Vishnu.
The sages thereafter worshipped the Linga. Pleased, Shiva returned to the
forest as a beggar in an ugly form with his wife Parvati. Eventually, he
revealed his supreme form to the sages and exalted the Pashupata vow – by
which a man restrains his passion, becomes celibate, and roams naked
smeared with ash – declaring that such a lifestyle would lead to moksha
(salvation).
The Vamana Purana mentions Shiva entering the Deodar Forest twice as a
beggar. Maddened by the death of his first wife Sati but chased by the
love-god Kamadeva, Shiva escapes to the Deodar Forest and lives as a
mendicant. The sages' wives who come to grant him food become sexually
excited at the mere sight of him. The sages curse his Linga to fall off and
it becomes the infinite pillar. Brahma and Vishnu propitiate him and Shiva
reabsorbs the Linga into his body. In another instance, while passing the
Deodar Forest, Parvati notices sages who worship Shiva and have emaciated
their bodies with fasts and severe vows. Parvati requests Shiva to save
them from further pain, but Shiva declares that the sages are simply
foolish and have not restrained their passion and anger. He enters the
forest as a handsome man, wearing only a garland of sylvan flowers. He
entices the sages' wives, who give him alms. As before, the Linga of the
cursed Shiva falls off, but eventually the sages realise their folly and
worship the Linga. Similar accounts of Bhikshatana-Shiva's visit to the
Deodar Forest to humble and enlighten the false sages, Bhikshatana-Shiva's
emasculation and establishment of Linga worship also appear in the
Mahabharata, the Shiva Purana, and the Bhagavata Purana.
The Linga Purana also mentions the visit of Bhikshatana-Shiva to
Deodar Forest to entice the wives of sages, who had taken up austerities
"detrimental to the perpetuation of a healthy social order." The scripture
mentions Bhikshatana-Shiva's deformed but attractive nude black-red form,
his seduction of the sages' wives, and the sages' resulting curse. However,
the curse proves fruitless in this version. The confused sages ask Brahma
for guidance, who tells them the truth about the beggar and informs them of
the proper way to propitiate Shiva. Returning to the forest, they please
Shiva, who had returned to beg for alms. Finally, he enlightens the sages,
revealing his true form.
In the Padma Purana, the curse of the sages fails. In retribution, Shiva
casts a curse on the sages so that they, like Bhikshatana, will become
beggars with matted hair and be devoid of knowledge. Those who would still
worship him would gain knowledge, wealth, and progeny, and be reborn into
good families.
In the Skanda Purana, the sages of the Deodar Forest are performing
rituals and start to think of themselves as gods. To humble these arrogant
sages, Shiva takes the form of Bhikshatana—an attractive young beggar—and
Vishnu becomes Mohini, his wife. While the sages fall for Mohini, the women
wildly chase Shiva.
When the sages regain their senses, they perform a black magic sacrifice,
which produces a serpent, a lion, an elephant (or tiger), and a dwarf, all
of which attack Shiva, who overpowers them. Shiva then dances on the dwarf
and takes the form of Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer.
The same legend is retold in the Tamil Kovil Puranam and Kandha Puranam
with some differences. This legend is also told in the Sthala Purana
related to the Chidambaram Temple dedicated to Shiva-Nataraja The ceiling
of the Shivakamasundari shrine in the Nataraja temple complex illustrates
this legend in a series of frescos, where Bhikshatana is depicted as a
white naked mendicant accompanied by a scantily-scad Mohini.
The Skanda Purana narrates that Bhikshatana-Shiva appears on another
occasion as a naked, fierce Kapali beggar. Once, at a sacrifice hosted by
Brahma, Bhikshatana appears and begs for food. The Brahmins performing the
sacrifice try to drive him away, considering a hungry beggar unfit for
sacrificial rites. Bhikshatana throws his skull begging-bowl on the ground
and the Brahmins throw it out, but another skull bowl appears in its place.
Consequently, hundreds of skulls appear, polluting the sacrifice, which
compels Brahma to promise Shiva that no sacrifice will be deemed complete
without an invocation to him, Kapaleshvara—the Lord of the skulls
Bhikshatana is often pictured with four arms in South Indian iconography.
The front right arm is stretched out downwards and the hand holds a bit of
grass or another plant in the kataka gesture, near the mouth of his pet
deer or antelope, who leaps playfully by his side. The back right arm is
raised and holds a damaru (drum). The front left hand holds a kapala
(skull-cup), used as a begging bowl. The back left hand holds a trishula
decorated with peacock feathers. The left leg is firmly rooted in the
ground while the right one is slightly bent, suggesting walking. He often
wears paduka (wooden sandals Bhikshatana') but sometimes may be barefoot.
The sandals are unique and identifying feature of Bhikshatana's iconography
and distinguish him from other forms of Shiva and all other deities, who
are always depicted barefoot. Sometimes s iconography is amalgamated with
that of Bhairava, in which case he displays Bhairava's attributes in
addition to his own.
One feature that does not appear in the canons but is often found in
stone sculptures and bronzes is the presence of a small bell tied by a
string just below the right knee. The bell is interpreted by the scholar
Mahadev Chakravarti to be symbolic of Bhikshatana's outcast status, as the
bell is symbolic of the Pariah "untouchables" of South India, who
traditionally had to ring a bell when entering a Brahmin village. In bronzes,
the deer and the trishula were generally cast separately and positioned
later in the icon, but since many of these separate pieces have been lost
over time, bronzes often appear without them.
Bhikshatana is often accompanied by women and bhuta-gana (goblin attendants
of Shiva). One of the attendants placed to the left of Bhikshatana should
carry a large bowl used for storing the food alms of Shiva. The women,
often seven in number, are variously pictured as enamoured of Shiva, eager
to embrace him, blessing him, or serving him food in his begging bowl with
a ladle. The clothes of some of these women are slipping from their loins,
symbolising their lust The woman giving Bhikshatana alms is also
interpreted as Annapurna, the goddess of grain. Various gods, celestial
beings, and sages bow to him with folded hands.[28] In some scenes, the
sages are depicted as angry and trying to beat Bhikshatana, alluding to the
Deodar Forest legend.
*Though Shiva is commonly described as a beggar, the specific theme of the
expiatory wandering—which is the core of the Bhikshatana tale—originates
uniquely from the ascetic traditions of the Kapalika sect and its precessor
Pashupata sect*. Bhikshatana mirrors the role of Kapali (skull-bearer), the
wandering ascetic who defends himself with a trident and magical powers,
holds a skull-bowl, and worships Shiva (the term Kapali also being used to
designate a member of the Kapalika sect). Scriptures like the Kurma Purana
explicitly identify Shiva with a Kapali – "an outsider who scares by his
looks, and sometimes charms" – in this form. To atone for the sin of
severing the god Brahma's fifth head, Shiva is said to have separated the
body of Bhairava from his own and sent it to wander with the skull of
Brahma in his hand, a vow that parallels the Maha-vrata ("great vow") that
a Kapali must undertake to dispel the sin of accidentally killing a
Brahmin. The expiatory wandering punishment of 12 years is also given to a
Bhrunaghna sinner—a learned Brahmin who kills another of great learning and
good conduct. The vow is prescribed in the Dharmashastras, a text corpus
detailing ethics and conduct. The sinner should live in an isolated place
and beg in only seven houses with the skull of the slain. He must use as a
staff the bones of the slain and be treated by society as an outcast.
Similarly,
Bhikshtana is described as using Brahma's skull as his begging bowl and his
bones as a stave. He wandered begging at the seven houses of the Saptarishi
– the seven great sages – and lived in cremation grounds outside a town.
Images of Bhikshatana are found throughout Shaiva temples of South India,
but are almost unknown in Northern India. Sculpted in stone adorning the
temple walls of every other South Indian temple, images of Bhikshatana are
also cast in bronze as processional icons In South Indian temples,
Bhikshatana is prescribed to be enshrined as an avarana-devata (a deity
depicted on the circumambulatory path encircling the central shrine).
Similarly in Orissan temples, Bhikshatana may be worshipped and depicted as
parshva-devata (an attendant deity) or avarana-devata.
The iconography and mythology of Bhikshatana developed mostly in South
India, as did that of another form of Shiva, Nataraja, who is related to
Bhikshatana through his legends. However, unlike Nataraja, Bhikshatana is
not related to specific temples, but has become "part of the mythological
and festival-related traditions of all the major Tamil shrines" For
instance, in Chidambaram (where a famous Nataraja temple stands),
Bhikshatana is paraded in a golden chariot during the annual temple
festival. In the Mylapore temple festival, the Bhikshatana icon is paraded in
the streets along with four dogs signifying the Vedas and gana attendants.
Shiva is described as sent by his consort Parvati (Karpagambal) to beg as
he has lost her ring. Repentant for her harsh treatment of Bhikshatana and
jealous of the glances of the women in the streets, who attracted are by
his appearance, Parvati's icon rushes behind Bhikshatana and "dances" to
win him back. Shiva relents and they travel together to the temple.
*Bhikshatana, Government Museum, Chennai, originally from Bhikshandarkoil,
Tiruchirappalli district. About 10th century AD.*
Tamil works transform the terrible Kapali form of Shiva to a more lovable
form. South Indian devotional literature portrays Bhikshatana in the Deodar
Forest of the sages, but the Tevaram by the Nayanar poet-saints also
describes rural women following him and calling out to him. Several
poet-saints describe the sensuous nature of Bhikshatana and the love-sick
emotions of the women who came to give him alms. However, the references to
Shiva seeking alms had reduced to only three or four by the time of
Manikkavacakar (9th century AD) The poems of Campantar, Appar, and Cuntarar
focus on two forms of Shiva: Nataraja and Bhikshatana. The 7th-century
Nayanar saint Campantar mentions that Bhikshatana wanders from door to door
asking for alms with the beggar's call "Ladies, give me alms" and places
his verses on the lips of women, who become enamoured of Bhikshatana. In a
verse, Campantar rhetorically asks why the giver of all things and one who
ends all troubles of devotees—Shiva—is wandering begging for food with a
disgusting white skull. In another verse a woman comments on his strange
appearance and describes how she is frightened by the serpent that wraps
around his body when she approaches to give him alms. Another 7th-century
Nayanar saint, Appar, talks about the handsome beggar Shiva, seducer of
married women. He speaks of women allured by Bhikshatana's speech and his
glance. The women tell that the handsome beggar wearing tiger-skin and
smeared with ash had come riding a white bull and holding an axe, and used
a skull as his begging bowl. Although he begged for alms, he would not
accept any from the woman, deeming them "petty". He did however warn the
women of deceptions and cunning. Appar adds a strong erotic element in most
of his verses, where the women directly desire physical contact with
Bhikshatana. A woman in Appar's poetry sings:
As he gazed at me
my garments slipped, I stood entranced,
I brought him alms
but nowhere did I see the Cunning One –
If I see him again
I shall press my body against his body
never let him go
that wanderer who lives in Ottiyur.
The 8th-century saint Cuntarar described Bhikshatana as having matted hair
and skin smeared with ash, and wearing bark clothes and a tiger skin around
his waist. He added that Bhikshatana would roam begging for food by day and
dance at night in front of a fire, in company of his wife and several
jackals.
In more recent times the poet Papanasam Sivan (1890–1973) composed four
songs which describe Bhikshatana. In "Picchaikku Vandiro", Sivan wonders
why Shiva roams as beggar and muses that it may be because Parvati is
asking for jewels or his son Ganesha is asking for modak (sweets), or
perhaps just to show the world that he looks fabulous, even as a mendicant.
The "Saundarya Vellantanil" tells of a love-struck maiden describing
Bhikshatana's beauty from head to toe and her longing for him.
KR And Bhiksandaar theory depict the rivalry of shiva and vishnu in the
chola period which gave room for south and north variations and description
in Puranas added and deleted. The history is in the Egmouseum. Ponniyin
selvan Kalki wrote these elaborately and that Iyengar Character is an
offshoot of those chaeos in chola dynasty.
K Rajaram IRS 21824 22824
On Wed, 21 Aug 2024 at 19:08, Gopala Krishnan <[email protected]> wrote:
> UTHMAR/ BHIKSHANDAR KOVIL
>
> TRICHY- TAMILNADU-Combined
>
> Dear friends,
>
> While I was working at Trichy as Deputy Divisional Engineer, Telephones
> during 1979, I had been to the temple once. It came to my recollection
> today and thought of posting about the temple where Trimurthies are
> worshipped. It is one of the 108 Divyadesams.
>
> Hope a divine reading
>
> Gopalakrishnan 22-8-2024
>
> 1. Introduction
>
> Uthamar Kovil (also known as Bhikshandar Kovil) in Uthamarkoil, a village
> in the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil
> Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma.
>
> Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is
> glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil
> canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the
> 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Purushothaman
> Perumal (also called as Purushothamar) and his consort Lakshmi as
> Poornavalli Thayar.
>
> Purushottamar is believed to have appeared to Hindu gods Brahma and Shiva,
> to relieve Shiva off his sins committed while cutting one of Brahma's
> heads.
>
> The temple is one of the few historical temples in India where the images
> of the Trimurti, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma are housed in the same premises.
> It is one of the two temples in Chola Nadu where the trinity can be seen in
> the same premises.
>
> The temple is believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas of the
> late 8th century CE, with later contributions from Vijayanagara kings and
> Madurai Nayaks. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its
> shrines, while the temple tank is located outside the main gateway.
>
> Six daily rituals and four yearly festivals are held at the temple for
> each of trinities.
>
> The major festival of the temple, the Brahmotsavam, is celebrated during
> the Tamil month of Kartikai (November – December) when festival images of
> both Purushotamar and Bikshadanar are carried together in the streets
> surrounding the temple. The temple is maintained and administered by the
> Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
>
> 2 Etymology and legend
>
> As per Hindu legend, the god Vishnu emerged as a Kadamba tree here, giving
> the name Kathambanur, which later became Karambanur. The name Karambanur is
> mentioned by Thirumangai Alvar in Nalayira Divya Prabandam, in which he
> refers to the presiding deity as "Karambanur Uthaman". The temple is
> commonly called "Uthamar Kovil" derived from the presiding deity. The
> temple is also called Bhikshandar Kovil as the god Shiva is present in the
> form of Bhikshandar (a mendicant) and believed to have attained cure by
> worshiping Vishnu at this place.
>
>
>
> As per Hindu legend, once Vishnu wanted to test the devotion of the god
> Brahma. He raised as a Kadamba tree in the place; Brahma worshipped him
> with thirumanjanam (ablution). The water from the ablution filled a tank
> nearby, which came to be known as "Kathamba Theertham". Vishnu was
> satisfied with the devotion of Brahma and gave a boon to Brahma to have a
> shrine in this place. Shiva wanted to expiate the sin for decapitating a
> head of Brahma and went on a pilgrimage. Here, Vishnu requested his
> consort Lakshmi to give alms to Shiva. Shiva's grail was filled by the alms
> and Lakshmi came to be known as Poornavalli Thayar (the one who filled the
> grail).
>
> As per another legend, Brahma and Shiva both had originally five heads.
> Parvati, the wife of Shiva, once got confused and worshipped Brahma,
> instead of her husband. Shiva got enraged and cut off one of Brahma's
> heads; the head stuck in Shiva's hand due to Brahma's curse. To atone for
> the sin, Shiva worshipped Vishnu here; Shiva was fully relieved of the
> curse after worshipping Vishnu at Hara Saabha Vimocchana Perumal Temple.
>
> According to another Hindu legend, the temple is believed to have been
> constructed by Janaka, the king of Janakapuri and the father of the
> goddess Sita. Thirumangai Alvar is believed to have resided in the temple
> to build the surrounding walls of the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple.
>
> 3 History
>
> The temple is believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas of the
> late 8th century CE, with later contributions from Vijayanagara kings and
> Madurai Nayaks. During the war between British and French in 1751, the
> temple acted as an infantry for both the troops. There was no damage done
> to the temple during the war
>
> 4Temple and deities
>
> A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple
> has images and separate shrines for Purushottamar (Vishnu), Bhikshadanar
> (Shiva), Brahma and their respective consorts Poornavalli (Lakshmi),
> Soundarya Parvati and Saraswati.
>
> This is one of the few historical Hindu temples in the world, where the
> Hindu Trimurti are worshipped along with their consorts in six separate
> shrines within the same temple complex.
>
> The central shrine facing East houses the image of Vishnu, as
> Purushottamar, in reclining posture, similar to the idol of Ranganatha at
> the nearby temple in Srirangam with the discus in one hand and the
> procession idols of Vishnu, Lakshmi and Bhumi (Earth goddess). The roof or
> vimana of the central shrine is called Udhyoga Vimana. There are two
> shrines located to the south east, each housing the image of Poornavalli
> and Mahalakshmi.
>
> The Shiva shrine, located behind Vishnu's, houses the lingam (aniconic
> form of Shiva) as Bhikshadanar. The granite images of the deities Ganesha
> (son of Shiva and god of wisdom), Murugan (son of Shiva and god of war),
> Nandi (the bull and vehicle of Shiva) and Navagraha (nine planetary
> deities) are located in the hall leading to the Shiva sanctum. As in other
> Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the first precinct of the Shiva shrine has
> images of Dakshinamurthy (Shiva as the Teacher), Durga (warrior-goddess)
> and Chandikeswarar (a saint and devotee of Shiva).
>
> The shrines of Brahma and his consort Saraswati are located in the south
> west corner of the temple complex.
>
> My note- Normally navagrahas are not installed in Vishnu/Perumal temples.
>
> 5 SapthaGurus
>
> The Saptaguru or seven gurus (teachers) are identified in the temple. The
> seven are Bhikshadanar (representing Sadasiva Guru, Shiva as a guru),
> Brahma (Brahma Guru), Soundarya Parvati (Shakti Guru, the Goddess as a
> guru), Brihaspati (Deva Guru, the teacher of the gods), Varadarajaperumal
> (Vishnu Guru), Murugan (Gnana Guru, the guru of knowledge) and Shukra
> (Asura Guru, the guru of demons)
>
> 6Poojas
>
> The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a
> daily basis. The priests of the Bhikshadanar shrine belong to the Shaiva
> community, while the priests of Purushothamar are from Vaishnava community.
>
> Purushothamar kovil
>
> The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 5:30
> a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00
> p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:30 p.m.
>
> The Shaiva and Vaishnava sects have their own rituals. The ritual of
> Bhikshadanar comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram
> (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of
> lamps) for both Bhikshadanar and Soundarya Parvati.
>
> The worship is held amidst religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred
> texts) read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the
> temple mast.
>
> There are weekly rituals like somavaram (Monday) and sukravaram (Friday),
> fortnightly rituals like pradosham and monthly festivals like amavasai (new
> moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi for
> Bhikshadanar.
>
> The major festival of the temple, the Brahmotsavam, is celebrated during
> the Tamil month of Kartigai (November – December) when festival images of
> both Purushothamar and Bhikshadanar are carried together in the streets
> surrounding the temple.
>
> Kadambha Tiruvila is a festival celebrated in the temple when the festival
> image of Ranganatha (a form of Vishnu) is brought to the Kadambha tank of
> the temple for Theerthavari.
>
> 7 Religious significance
>
> Uthamar Kovil is one of the two temples in Chola Nadu where the trinity
> can be seen in the same premises, the other being Hara Saabha Vimocchana
> Perumal Temple at Thirukkandiyur. Trimurti in Hindu mythology refers to the
> cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction. They are
> personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and
> Shiva, the destroyer.
>
> The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century
> Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Alvar in ten hymns. The temple is
> classified as a Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are
> mentioned in the book. Thirumangai Alvar have sung in praise of the perumal
> in this temple with one pasuram (hymn).
>
> Periyavachan Pillai, who translated the verses of Thirumangai Alvar,
> glorifies the temple as "the one without doors where devotees can always
> visit and worship".
>
> 8Temple tree
>
> Uthamar Kovil has temple Vriksham (Tree) name is Kadalimaram(Red banana
> tree), Temple Vimana (tower) is Udhyooga Vimanam, there is a village near
> Uthamar Kovil named as Alwar Pattavarthi where Thirumangai Alwar has stayed
> and did so many kainkaryams to Srirangam Perumal.
>
> 9Temple Timings :
>
> 6:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM
>
> 10 Temple Administration and address
>
> Administration
>
> The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and
> Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
>
> Address
>
> Uthamar kovil, Trichy-Salem Main Road Manachanallur, Taluk,
> Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 621216
>
> Phone: 0431 259 1466
>
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