It is my pleasure KR On Sun, 15 Sept 2024 at 18:39, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]> wrote:
> Thanks to Rajaram Krishnamurthy Ji for very much derailed information on > Vamana Avatar & Gopalkrishnan Ji for Kanchipuram Ulaganathan Perumal temple > > > N Jambunathan Rengarajapuram-Kodambakkam-Chennai-Mob:9176159004 > > *" What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you > become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a happy life, tie it to > a goal, not to people or things "* > > > > On Sun, 15 Sep 2024 at 12:12 PM, Rajaram Krishnamurthy < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> kNOWLEDGE OF TRIVIKRAMA ALL OVER INDIA >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम).—Another name for Vāmana. >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम).—An avatār of Viṣṇu who conquered the three >> worlds with three steps; the lustrous God with sword as weapon;1 Mahātmyam >> of; in the vāmana purāṇa; icon of;2 Brahma-Puruṣottama.3 >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम, “He who pervades the 3 Vedas”):—One of the >> twenty-four forms of Viṣṇu through which Nārāyaṇa manifests himself. He is >> accompanied by a counterpart emanation of Lakṣmī (an aspect of Devī) who >> goes by the name Kriyā. >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम) refers to one of the various Vibhava >> manifestations according to the Īśvarasaṃhitā 24.316b-319.—Accordingly, >> “Bhagavān who is Ananta and who is present in the waking and other state, >> controls those who have the brilliance of the sun, moon and fire, stays >> with the glory of sentience of the fourth stage (transcendental). He >> prompts out of His own liking, the power which has the brilliance (like) >> nectar arising from His feet and which causes delight to those who do their >> work and are devoted to Him, who fill the three worlds, is of a yellowish >> complexion, shining (having) groups of arms possessing various mudrās and >> weapons, who destroys enemies bearing ākaśagaṅgā with the stiff foot >> reaching the sky and a flag for (the sake of) Gods who requested for >> victory, sword, discus, mace, club, arrows, goad (with) and hammer, lance, >> axe, and a fire slab in His ten dexter hands and conch, javelin, bow >> (called Śārṅga), snare, trident, plant, thunderbolt, knife plough, big >> pestle in the left hands are to be meditated upon. Other ten hands with >> mudrās are marked by (conveying) the fear wonder taking mud, and seizing (a >> person) by the (braid of) hair and clasping are the five mudrās of the Lord >> to be meditated upon in the five (left) hands and those offering the boon >> with the name prosperity, bringing things together, offering security and >> preservation of the same number in the right hands”. >> >> These Vibhavas (e.g., Trivikrama) represent the third of the five-fold >> manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness the Pāñcarātrins believe in. >> Note: The name Trivikrama is given to Vāmana who grew up and took three >> strides (krama). Parāśarabhaṭṭa Viṣṇusahasranāma vyākhyā on Name 533. gives >> a different interpreation by quoting a passage the source of which is not >> known. This means that Viṣṇu had passed through all the three Vedas or had >> gone beyond them. The root kram means to walk over, cross over. The word >> Vikrama cannot therefore mean studying the three Vedas but has gone beyond >> them, prominent in them. >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम) refers to one of the many varieties of the >> Śālagrāma (ammonite fossil stones).—The Trivikrama is black in colour >> (śyāma); two cakras on the left side (vāma-cakra) and two cakras on the >> right (dakṣa-cakra); line suggesting vanamālā; according to another >> account, a cakra on the left side and line on the right (dakṣa-rekhā); >> rightward inclination (dakṣiṇāvarta). Śālagrāma stones are very ancient >> geological specimens, rendered rounded and smooth by water-currents in a >> great length of time. They (e.g., Trivikrama stones) are distinguished by >> the ammonite (śālā, described as “vajra-kīṭa”, “adamantine worms”) which >> having entered into them for residence, are fossilized in course of time, >> leaving discus-like marks inside the stone. >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम) is also found as a sculpture on the ninth pillar >> of the southern half of the maṇḍapa of the temple of Trailokyeśvara.—At the >> lower portion of the pillar is sculptured Viṣṇu, Trivikrama. The God asking >> Bali to donate him three feet of land is the theme of this image. Viṣṇu is >> standing with one foot on the earth and the other in the sky. To the right >> is the chain of human figures, carved one below the other. At the bottom of >> the tableau is an unfinished image, probably of Garuḍa. The swings and >> sways of this figure of Viṣṇu Trivikrama remind us the dancing figure of >> Śiva on the pillar nearby. We think probably the same artist must have >> carved this representation too. >> >> Trivikrama (त्रिविक्रम) refers to one of the Dvādaśa-mūrti or “twelve >> sacred names of Viṣṇu”, whose iconographical details are mentioned in the >> Śrītattvanidhi (verse 2.19-42) citing the >> Pāñcarātrāgama-Kriyapāda.—Trivikrama’s colour is red and fitted with >> kirīṭa, hāra, keyūra, kuṇḍalas and other ornaments. According to the >> Caturviṃśatimūrtilakṣaṇa, Trivikrama is fitted with the Śaṅkha, Cakra, Gāda >> and Padma, in that particular order. >> >> Trivikrama (fl. 1137 A.D.) is mentioned in the “Vaḍavalī grant of >> Aparāditya I”. Accordingly, “... by pouring water with great devotion, to >> the sacrificing priest Trivikrama, the son of the Agnihotrin Ananta of the >> Vārṣeyagaṇa-gotra >> and the Vāji-Mādhyandina-śākhā, who is a distinguished Brāhmaṇa engaged in >> the performance of the six duties such as sacrificing for oneself and >> others, studying and teaching (of the sacred texts) and so forth”. >> >> These copper plates (mentioning Trivikrama) were in the possession of a >> blacksmith at Vaḍavalī near Ṭhāṇā. Its object is to record the grant, by >> Aparāditya, of the village Vaḍavalī in the Karakūṭa-viṣaya and also of a >> field in the village Mora in the Vareṭikā-viṣaya. It is dated on the >> fifteenth tithi of the bright fortnight of Kārttika in the Śaka year 1049, >> the cyclic year being Plavaṅga. >> >> >> >> Vamana in Literature and Art >> >> VAMANA IN LITERATURE AND ART BY B. N. SHARMA >> >> [ asminnibandhe lekhaka mahodayena vaidikasahitye sahityagranthesu >> puranetihasayoscopalabdhasya vamanacaritasya samksiptam vivaranam prastuya >> vividha samgrahalayesu upalabdhanam vamanamurtinam paricaya vaisistyanca >> pradattam | >> >> ante ca citrakalasu upalabdhanam kesancidvamanacitranamapi paricayah >> pradattah | puranadisu vamanapujaya ullekhah kesancana vamanamandiranam ca >> nirdeso vartate yenanumiyate yadvamanapuja pracinakale pracalita srasit | >> samprati ya vamanamurttaya upalabhyante tasu kascana tu dasavataramurttisu >> prapyante, kascana visnumuttisu prapyante | >> >> kavana murtayo dvibahudharah kascana ca >> visnumanuharantyascaturbadharascatursu hastesu ca sankhacakadi- >> visnvayudhah santi | puranesu murtisastragranyesu ca yat vamanasvarupam >> varinatamasti, tadanusaram vamanah chatri, dandi, jati, mekhalajinadharah >> kharvasarirasca varnitah | vamanamurttayah esam laksananamanurupa eva >> santi, srasu vamanamuttisu kascana srstiyavarsasya pracinakale nirmitah, >> kascana madhyayuge vinirmitah kascana carvacinakale'pi nirmitah santi | >> >> esam sarvesam visayanamatra samksiptam vivaranam pradattam | lekho'yam >> copayuktairvamana- citraisca samyojitah | dhyato harati yah papam svapne >> drstasca papinam | tamupendramaham visnum namami pranatapriyam || >> >> Padma Purana, Patala Khanda, 89, 76. Mention of Vamana in Early >> Literature Vamana-Trivikrama, the fifth incarnation of Lord Visnul, has a >> clearly Vedic origin and is repeatedly mentioned in the Rg-Veda as taking >> the three steps to measure the three worlds: idam visnurvicakrame tredha >> nidadhe padam | samuhamasya pamsure || - RV 1, 22, 18. 1. See for details >> our paper "Vamana and Vishu", Purana, Varanasi, VIII, 2, pp. 246 f. >> >> >> >> yasyorusu trisu vikramanesvadhiksiyanti bhuvanani visva || ya idam >> dirgham prayatam sadhasthameko vimame tribhiritpadebhih || yasya tri purna >> madhuna padanyaksiyamana svadhaya madanti | ya u tridhatu prthivimu॒ta >> dyameko dadhara bhuvanani visva || 55 -RV. 1, 154, 2-4. >> >> According to the Satapatha Brahmana2 Vamana is Visnu; vamano ha >> visnurasa - SB, 1, 2, 5, 5. In the Samaveda Samhita it is stated that Visnu >> took form of Vamana and traversed the universe with his three steps. >> >> In the Ramayana of Valmiki, Visvamitra while telling Rama about >> Siddhasrama relates the story of Vamana: >> >> iha rama mahabaho visnurdevanamaskrtah | varsani subahuniha tatha >> yugasatani ca || tapascaranayogarthamuvasa sumahatapah 1 esa purvasramo >> rama vamanasya mahatmanah 11 siddhasrama iti khyatah siddho yatra mahatapah >> | etasminneva kale tu raja vairocanirbalih || nirjitya daivataganan sendran >> saha marudganan ! karayamasa tadrajyam trisu lokesu visrutah || yajnam >> cakara sumahanasurendro mahabalah | balestu yajamanasya devah >> sagnipurogamah | samagamya svayam caiva visnumucurihasrame || >> balirvairocanirvisno yajate yajnamuttamam | asamaptavrate tasmin >> svakaryamabhipadyatam || ye cainamabhivartante yacitara itastatah | yacca >> yatra yathavacca sarvam tebhyah prayacchati || >> >> >> >> surahitarthaya mayayogamupasritah | vamanatvam gato visno kuru >> kalyanamuttamam || [Vol. XII, No. 1 -- Ramayana, 1, 29, 2-9. >> >> He again repeats this story and says that Visnu taking his descent >> through Aditi assumed the form of the divine dwarf, went to Bali for three >> steps of land. After he was granted the boon by the king, Vamana covered >> the (three) worlds taming Bali by his might, and restored it to Indra. >> Thus, the Lord, placed all the three worlds once more under the sway of >> Indra. It was through the devotion to the aforesaid Lord Vamana alone that >> the hermitage was occupied by him too: >> >> atha visnurmahateja adityam samajayata | vamanam rupamasthaya >> vairocanimupagamat || trin padanatha miksitva pratigrhya ca medinim | >> akramya lokamllokarthi sarvalokahite ratah || mahendraya punah >> pradanniyamya balimonasa | trailokyam sa mahatejascakre sakravasam punah || >> tenaiva purvamakranta asramah sramanasanah | mayapi bhaktya tasyaiva >> vamanasyopabhujyate || - Ramayana, 1, 29.19cd-23ab. >> >> In the Mahabharata, Siva relates in detail to Jayadratha the >> glorification of Krsna in his various avataras. While describing his Vamana >> avatara, Siva says that Aditi (the mother of Indra) before giving birth to >> this noble child kept him in her womb for one thousand years. >> kasyapasyatmanah >> srimanaditya garbhadharitah | purne varsasahasre tu prasuta garbhamuttamam >> || - MB, Vana, 272, 62. >> >> >> >> The dwarf was dark like the clouds, held a staff and a water-pot in his >> hands and bore a sri vatsa mark on the chest : durdinambhodasadrso diptakso >> dandi kamandaludharah vamanakrtih | srivatsorasi bhusitah || - MB, Vana, >> 272, 63. >> >> He had Jatas and wore a necklace. Vamana then went to the place >> where king Bali was performing a great sacrifice. The king whole-heartedly >> welcomed him and offered his services to him. Vamana blessed Bali and asked >> for three steps of land only: >> >> nati yajnopaviti ca bhagavan balarupadhrk | yajnavatam gatah sriman >> danavendrasya vai tada || brhaspatisahayo'sau pravisto balino makhe | tam >> drstva vamanatanum prahrsto balirabravit || prito'smi darsane vipra bruhi >> tvam kim dadani te | evamuktastu balina vamanah pratyuvaca ha | >> svastityuktva balim devah smayamano 'bhyabhasata | medinim danavapate dehi >> me vikramatrayam || -MB, Vana., 272, 64-67. >> >> Bali willingly granted him the required land. In order to >> measure the land, the dwarf instantly transformed himself into a divine >> colossus: >> >> balirdadau prasannatma viprayamitatejase | tato divyadbhutatamam rupam >> vikramato hareh || vikramaistribhiraksobhyo jaharasu sa medinim | dadau >> sakaya ca mahim visnurdevah sanatanah || - MB, Vana, 272, 68-69. >> >> At another place in the same work, Bhisma tells to Yudhisthira in >> brief that Visnu had measured the three worlds in his dwarf form: >> >> vrtte devasure yuddhe daityadanavasamksaye || visnukrantesu lokesu >> devaraje satakratau | ijyamanesu devesu caturvanrye vyavasthite || >> samrddhamatre trailokye pritiyukte svayambhuvi | - MB, Santi, 227, 7-8. The >> above statements are also supported by the PadmaPurana :1 4. See also the >> Matsya Purana, Chs. 244-46. 8 >> >> >> >> asvakante rathakante visnukrante vasundhare | [Vol. XII, No. 1 -PP., >> Uttara Khanda, 40, 28 and 47, 43. and tvaya lokastrayah kantah pura >> svairvikramaistribhih || tvayendrasca krto raja valirbaddho mahasurah | - >> PP, Uttara Khanda 77, 18. >> >> Besides these, the celebrated poet Kalidasa also refers to Vamana in a >> beautiful verse as having taken the kingdom of Bali : >> >> tamudvahantam pathibhojakanyam rurodha rajanyaganah sa drptah | >> balipradistam sriyamadadanam traivikramam padamivendrasatruh || Worship of >> Vamana || - Raghuvamsa, 7, 35. >> >> >> >> Worship of Vamana appears to have been in vogue in ancient India. The >> Matsya Purana" refers to a temple at Kruksetra dedicated to Visnu as >> Vamana. A magnificent temple built in honour of Vamana also exists at >> Khajuraho. In the garbhagrha of this temple is enshrined a 4' 8" image of >> the god showing also the various incarnations of Visnu and the personified >> weapons on its either side. The arms of the deity are now lost. SCULPTURAL >> Vamana in Art. Vamana is generally shown either in dasavatara panels (Plate >> I) or on the stele of a Visnu image along with other incarnations. A >> colossal dasavatara slab found at Kumher shows Vamana and other >> incarnations standing in a row. An interesting feature in this panel is >> that over these figures are also depicted. It relates to the 10th seated >> sapta-matrkas and Navagrahas. century A. D. and is displayed in the >> Bharatpur Museum (No. 54). A meticulously executed standing image of Visnu >> from Lotana shows on its back frame miniature figures of Matsya, Varaha, on >> his right and Kacchapa, Vamana, Rama and Buddha Narasimha, Parasurama, >> Balarama and Kalki on the left. {It is 5. Ibid. 6. K. Deva, Ancient >> India, New Delhi, No. 15, 1959, p. 57. dates to 11th century A. D.} and >> is housed in the Rajputana Museum, Ajmer (No. 303). In such images, Vamana >> is mostly represented as a fat Brahmacarin carrying an umbrella and a staff >> in his hands. >> >> A beautiful description of such an image is given in the Agni Purana: >> >> chatri dandi vamanah syadathava syacca turbhujah | AP, 49, 5. >> >> Vamana sometimes is also represented below the upraised leg of >> Trivikrama asking King Bali for three steps of land. A remarkably executed >> sculpture of Trivikrama from Kasipur depicts in the lower panel king Bali >> pouring sacred water from a jar on the right hand of Vamana, who is >> standing on his left carrying a Chatra in his left hand and wearing a >> yajnopavita and a kaupina. His curly locks of hair are tied up in a knot >> and he looks like a dwarf Brahmacari The scene finds a literary description >> in the Vamana Purana: sa vamano nati dandi chatri dhrtakamandaluh | >> sarvadevamayo devo baleradhvaramabhyagat || || VP. 9, 39. >> >> The image in some respects tallies with the description given in the >> Vaikhanasagama: >> >> atha vamanam pancatalamitim dvibhunam chatradandadharam kaupinavasasam >> sikhapustakamekha lopavita krsnajina- samayutam pavitrapani balarupam >> brahmavarcasvinam karayet | >> >> The sculpture belongs to the Pratihara art of the 11th century A. D. >> and is displayed in the National Museum, New Delhi (No. L. 143). >> >> The earliest independent image of Vamana assignable to the Kusana >> period, c. 2nd century A. D., is preserved in the State Museum, Lucknow >> (No. J. 610). The hair of the god is arranged in spiral curls and his lower >> garment is worn in typical Kusana style .Such sculptures of Vamana of the >> Gupta period are extremely rare, as the deity is generally shown in the >> lower panels of the images of Trivikrama described above. A sculpture of >> Trivikrama of this period housed in the Mathura Museum (No. I 19) depicts >> in the lower panel, 'king Bali pouring water from a jar symbolising his >> gift of earth measuring three steps to Vamana >> >> 10. Thereupon, we learn, Vamana in his virat form as Trivikrama bestrided >> the worlds with his left leg. This Puranic story is also recorded >> indirectly in a contemporary epigraph, which relates that Visnu, for the >> sake of happiness, of (Indra) the lord of the gods, seized back from (the >> demon) Bali the goddess of the wealth and splendour , who is admitted to be >> worthy of enjoyment, (and) who has been kept away from him for a very long >> time: Sriyam- abhimata- bhogyam naika- kal- apanitam tridasapati- sukh >> arttham yo Baler = ajahara! Kamala- nilayanayah sasvatam dhama Laksmy- ah >> sa jayati vijit- arttir- Visnur = atyanta- jisnuh|| >> >> 11 A post-Gupta sculpture in the Allahabad Museum (No. 292) depicts the >> two-armed Vamana as a Brahmacari wearing a Krsnajino pavita. An >> iconographic reference to it is found in the Visnudharmottara Purana: >> kartavyo >> vamano devah sankatairgatraparvabhih | pinagatrasca kartavyo dandi >> cadhyayanodyatah || durvasyamasca kartavyah krsnajinadharastatha | >> sajalambudasamkasastatha karyastrivikramah || 11 -Vdh. P., 85, 54-55. >> >> The independent images of Vamana of the mediaeval period >> are invariably four-armed and carry the Vaisnavite attributes in their >> hands : vamanastu sankhacakragadapadmalasatkarah >> >> 1 A twelfth century sculpture of Vamana carved in red-sand A stone >> (from Central India) has curls of hair on his head. 18 daggar is tucked to >> his waist on the right. The attributes held by the deity are in the same >> order as referred to in an earlier image (No. 66.16). Near his feet stand >> sankha-purusa and cakra-purusa and the devotee figures. A contemporary >> black stone image of Vamana from Sambhar is also very much similar to the >> sculpture just described above. But in this sculpture, Vamana carries a >> mace It in his upper left hand and bears a Srivatsa mark 19 on the chest. >> is now on display in the Central Museum, Jaipur (No. 11201;20 Pl. VII). The >> Khajuraho Museum 21 also preserves a fine sculpture of Vamana with curly >> hair on his head. Though charming in execution, it is yet less elaborate in >> details as compared to the image enshrined in the Vamana temple there. 22 >> The Central Archaeological Museum at Gwalior has two fine sculptures of >> Vamana. The one from Naderi shows the dwarf god standing and holding conch >> and disc in the left and club and lotus in the right hands. Two figures >> stand on either side of the deity. The other image, which was discovered at >> Narwar, is about 4' high and is a magnificent example of the 12th century >> A. D. Vamana stands on a pedestal resting on three devotees, while two >> other worshippers sit on his either side. He carries a conch, disc, club in >> his three hands, while his one hand is in abhaya-pose The sculpture, as >> also recorded in the Brahmavaivarta Purana depicts the figures of other >> incarnations of Visnu. >> >> Brahmacari putting on a langoti. His hair is beautifully plained and >> tied into a sikha on the head. He holds in the upper hands a lotus and a >> manuscript and the lower right hand is supporting a aksasutra. Another >> equally charming specimen is displayed in the Rajputana Museum, Ajmer 25 >> (No. 443). Unfortunately, the hands of the deity are damaged, but probably >> he carried a lotus in the upper right hand and a rosary in the lower right. >> One of the finest images of Vamana from Uttar Pradesh is the one discovered >> long ago at Sitapur and now preserved in the State Museum, Lucknow (H-127). >> The image is carved in usual manner and shows flying celestials on either >> side of his head. It belongs to the early mediaeval period. 26 We have not >> seen any image of Vamana where the deity is represented like an ill-shaped >> man with hunch back as referred to in the Silpa-ratna: >> >> 27 krsnajinyupaviti syacchatri dhrtakamandaluh | kundali sikhaya yuktah >> kubjakaro mahodarah || -Silpa-ranta. The images of this incarnation of >> Visnu have also been recorded from South India. 28 Fashioning of the images >> of Vamana continued also in the post-mediaeval period. A four-armed >> standing image of Vamana attended by two pair of devotees on his either >> side, is a splendid example of the sculptural art of the early 12th >> century. >> >> Vamana standing before them. In this particular painting the deity is >> wearing a crown and the quaint jewellery of the period. The one eyed >> Sukracarya, the guru of Bali, is standing on the left of Vamana and trying >> to dissuade the king to do so. In another contemporary Pahari painting 30, >> Vamana is represented not as a young brahmacari but as an old rsi or a >> saint. His hair and the long beard are shown white. The body of the >> dwarfish pot-bellied god is nude excepting that he wears a white dhoti, and >> carries an umbrella in one of his hands. It appears that in spite of the >> iconographic variations, the fashioning of the images of Vamana was a >> favourite subject among the artists in India and his worship was quite >> popular in all the ages!. >> >> K RAJARAM IRS 15 09 2024 >> >> ---------- Forwarded message --------- >> From: 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <[email protected]> >> Date: Sun, 15 Sept 2024 at 11:32 >> Subject: [iyer123] ONAM DIVINE POSTING-ULAGALANTHA PERUMAL >> TEMPLE-KANACHIPURAM- TAMILNADU >> To: Iyer <[email protected]> >> >> >> ONAM DIVINE POSTING -ULAGALANTHA PERUMAL TEMPLE-KANACHIPURAM- TAMILNADU- >> COMPILED >> >> Dear friends, >> >> I had been to this temple a few times. It is a medium temple near >> Kamakshiamman temple. The translation is Vamana Murthy kshethram in >> Malayalam. >> >> Hope a divine reading in the morning. >> >> I wish all my friends a very happy Onam today (15-09-2024.) >> >> 1. INTRODUCTION >> >> Deity Trivikraman, Ulagalantha Perumal (Vishnu) >> >> Amuthavalli (Lakshmi) >> >> Tower: Śrīkara Vimanam >> >> Temple tank: Naga Tirtham, Shesha Tirtham >> >> ArchitectureType Dravidian architecture >> >> Direction of façade West >> >> Ulagalandha Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu located in >> Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Dravidian style of >> architecture, the temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, >> the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th through 9th >> centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who >> is worshipped as Ulagalantha Perumal, and his consort Lakshmi as >> Amuthavalli. The temple is believed to have been built by the Pallavas, >> with later contributions from the medieval Cholas, Vijayanagara kings, and >> Madurai Nayaks. >> >> The temple is situated in Big Kanchipuram, and is very close Kamakshi >> Amman Temple. The temple complex actually houses four Divya Desams in >> its different precincts, namely, Tirukkaravanam, Tirukarakam, >> Tiruneerakam, and Tiruürakam, that last of which is present with in the >> sanctum sanctorum of the main temple. >> >> Vamana, the Brahmin dwarf, and one of the ten avatars of Vishnu, is held >> to have appeared here to quell the pride of the asura king Mahabali. >> >> As Ulagalantha Perumal, he is believed to have appeared before king >> Mahabali and the Alvars. >> >> Six daily rituals and a dozen yearly festivals are held at the temple, of >> which the chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai >> (March–April), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and >> administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government >> of Tamil Nadu. >> >> 2 LEGEND >> >> The Bhagavata Purana describes that Vishnu descended as the Vamana avatar >> to restore the authority of Indra over Svarga, as it had been taken by >> Mahabali, a benevolent asura King. Bali was the grandson of Prahlada. King >> Mahabali was generous, and engaged in severe austerities, winning the >> praise of the world. With the praise from his courtiers and others, he >> regarded himself as the most powerful being in the world. Vamana, in the >> guise of a short Brahmin carrying a wooden umbrella, went to the king to >> request three paces of land. Mahabali consented, against the warning of >> his guru, Shukracharya. >> >> Vamana then revealed his identity, and enlarged to gigantic proportions >> to stride over the three worlds. >> >> He stepped from heaven to earth with the first step, from earth to the >> netherworld with the second. With all the dominions he held effectively >> under Vamana's strides. >> >> King Mahabali, unable to fulfil his promise, offered his head for the >> third. Vamana then placed his foot upon the humbled monarch, banishing >> him to the netherworld. Some texts also report that Vamana did not step >> into the netherworld, and instead gave its rule to Mahabali. >> >> In his giant form, Vamana is known as Trivikrama. The legend is >> associated with the Thrikkakara Temple in Kerala and also with this >> temple and Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur. >> >> 3 HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS >> >> According to the historian Nagaswamy, based on the inscriptions and the >> location of the temple, it is the oldest temple in Kanchipuram. The >> earliest inscription is from 846 CE during the regime of Nandivarman III >> (846–869 CE). There is another account that the temple is developed further >> by Rajendra Chola I (1012–1044 CE). >> >> The temple has 15 inscriptions from various dynasties like Pallavas, >> Chola and Sambuvarayars. There is a Chola inscription dated 1110 CE during >> the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE) indicating his visit to the >> temple and his gift of land to the temple whose income was to be used for >> the maintenance of the temple. Another similar inscription indicates the >> donation of a village by the king on behest of his queen Kampamadeviyar. >> There are inscriptions from later Chola kings like Rajadhiraja Chola II >> (1166–1178 CE) and Rajaraja Chola III (1216-1256 CE) indicating various >> records of gifts to the temple. There are also inscriptions from minor >> chieftains like Vijaya Gandagopala indicating gifts to the temple. The >> inscriptions refer the main deity by various names like Thiru Uragathu >> Ninru-arulina Paramaswamin, Tiru Uragathaḻvar and Tiru Uragathu >> Emberuman.The Sambuvarayar rule of the 16th century records the gift of a >> pond and a grove in Sevvanmedu village. The temple still continues to >> possess this grove. >> >> The inscriptions in the temple also indicate increased trade and >> commerce during the Pallava period, with licenses provided to shops like >> oil, ghee, arecanut, vegetables, flowers, coconut, sugar, cloth and sandal. >> The temple has not received a single donation from the ruling Vijayanagara >> Empire, though the nearby temples received generous donations, indicating >> that the temple had sources of income. >> >> From those days Pancharatra Agama was followed in the temple, though all >> the surrounding people followed Vaikhanasa and Pancharatra Agama. >> >> Parimelalhagar, the 13th-century Tirukkural commentator, belonged to the >> lineage of priests of the Ulagalantha Perumal temple. >> >> 4 ARCHITECTURE >> >> The temple is located in central Kanchipuram, a locality in the Central >> side of Kanchipuram, a South Indian town in the state of Tamil Nadu. The >> temple has an area of about 60,000 square feet and has a three tiered >> rajagopuram (main towers) with seven kalasas. >> >> The temple houses four Divya Desams. It is believed that all the shrines >> were probably separate temples, but the circumstances which lead do >> these temples getting housed in the Ulagalantha Perumal temple is not known. >> Thirumangai Alvar has sung praises of all the four temples in a single >> verse. The temple tank, Naga Tirtham, is located outside the main temple >> complex. >> >> The temple is revered by the verses of Tirumangai Alvar and Thirumashisai >> Alvar. >> >> 5 DEITIES >> >> Thaayar of the temple is Amuthavalli (Amirthavalli) and the festival >> deity of the temple is Loganathan. The idol of Ulagalantha Perumal is >> over 35 ft (11 m) in height depicted with his left leg at a right angle to >> the body and parallel to the ground. The right leg is seen placed on the >> head of Mahabali with two fingers on his left hand stretched out >> referring to the two steps he took to measure the two worlds and the >> stretched finger on his right hand indicating the question the posted to >> Mahabali as to where he could place his third step. The roof of the >> sanctum, the vimana has an elevated roof to accommodate the huge image of >> the presiding deity. >> >> 6 TIRUÜRAKAM >> >> The central shrine of temple is most commonly referred as Peragam, while >> the smaller shrine where the image of the snake god Adishesha is houses is >> called Tiruürakam. As per tradition, Mahabali at the foot of Vamana, could >> not view the deity's vishvarupam, and requested him to manifest as a >> smaller form. Vishnu obliged, and appeared as a snake in a smaller shrine. >> The >> shrine is frequented by childless couple praying for offspring. >> >> 7 TIRUKKARAKAM >> >> The shrine is located on the third precinct of the temple. As per Hindu >> legend, sage Garga performed his penance at this temple and obtained >> knowledge. The place thus derived its name Garagaham, which later became >> Karakam. The presiding deity of the shrine is Karunakara Perumal facing >> north and seated on Adishesha and his consort Padmamani Nachiyar. The >> temple tank associated with it is called Agraya Tirtham, and the vimana is >> called Vamana Vimanam or Ramaya Vimanam. >> >> 8 TIRUKKARAVANAM >> >> The shrine is located in the second precinct. The presiding deity is >> called Kalvar and faces north, while his consort is Kamalvalli Thayar. >> Gauri Tatakam and Taratara Tatakam are the temple tanks associated with the >> temple and the vimana is called Puskala Vimana. There is a separate for >> Aranavalli Thayar. >> >> 9 TIRUNEERAKAM >> >> The temple has no presiding deity, but just a festive image probably >> brought from other shrine. The images of the festival deity, Jagadishvara, >> facing the east and having four arms, is housed in a hall in the second >> precinct. The water body associated with the temple is Akrura Tirtham and >> the vimana is Jagadishvara Vimanam. According to Pillai Perumal Aiyangar in >> his Nurrettrutiruppatiyantati, Vishnu revealed himself to a sage in the >> form of a child as a banyan leaf. >> >> 10 FESTIVALS AND RELIGIOUS PRACTICES >> >> The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a >> daily basis. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong >> to the Vaishnavaite community, a Brahmin community. >> >> The temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., >> Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., >> Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has >> three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa >> aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Ulagalantha Perumal and Amuthavalli. >> During the last step of worship, nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil >> (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the Vedas >> (sacred text) are recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves >> in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly >> rituals performed in the temple. There are two major festivals celebrated >> in the temple - Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Thai >> (January–February) and Vamana Jayanthi during the Tamil month of Avani >> (August–September) on Sravanam star. >> >> 11 RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE >> >> The temple is revered in Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century >> Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Alvar in one hymn of Thirunedunthandagam. >> The temple is classified as a Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples >> that are mentioned in the book. The temple is unique among Divya Desams as >> it is the only temple complex that houses four different Divya Desams. >> >> Notes >> >> Sri Ulagalanda Perumal Temple is one among the Divya desams found in >> Kanchipuram. We can see the head of Mahabali being stamped under the >> Thiruvadi of Sri Ulagalantha Perumal. As a request of Mahabali, Perumal >> showed His another form as "Aadhiseshan" in this same temple. This >> temple is very near to Sri Kamakshi temple. This Divyadesam also has 3 more >> Divya desams ( Thiruneeragam, Thirukaragam and Thirukarvanam) within itself. >> >> The Perumal shows His one finger of the right hand which says that He has >> measured the first step. His left hand which shows two fingers denotes that >> He has measured the entire world as the second step too. And, He asks for >> the third and final step for which the king Mahabali bow down towards Him >> and asks to measure his head as the 3 step. >> >> 12 ULAGALANTHA PERUMAL TEMPLE TIMINGS: >> >> The opening and closing timings are very important to know to visit the >> temple in the day staring the doors will open at 6 am till 12 pm again >> opens at 4 pm and final closing at 8 pm in the night. >> >> Ushathkalam Pooja at 7 am >> >> Kalasanthi Pooja at 8 am >> >> Uchikalam Pooja 12 pm >> >> Sayarakshai pooja 6 am >> >> Irandamkalam Pooja at 7 am >> >> Ardha Jamam Pooja at 10 am >> >> 13 Amuthavalli Nachiyar Sametha Ulagalantha Perumal Temple >> >> There is separate sannidhi for thayar in this temple. >> >> 14 ADDRESS OF THE TEMPLE >> >> Ulagalanda Perumalm Sannidi Street, Big Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram - 631502 >> (Near Kamatchi Amman Temple) >> >> Call: 8500085151, 9443597107,94425 53820 >> >> -- >> To go to your groups page on the web, login to your gmail account and >> then click on https://groups.google.com/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "iyer123" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/763791411.5037497.1726380112185%40mail.yahoo.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/763791411.5037497.1726380112185%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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