Thirupuliankudi

Navatirupati 3 - Thirupuliankudi

108 Divya Desams - Thoothukudi

God

Bhoomipalakar, facing east

Goddess

Malarmagal Nachiyar, facing east

Other Deities

Nilamagalmangai Thaayar, Azhwars, Vishwaksenar, Ramanujar, Naagar

Thirupuliankudi is the third of the Nava Tirupati Temples to be seen in one day. The Navatirupati temples represent the nine planets and Thirupuliankudi is that of Budhan, Planet Mercury. Thirupuliankudi is an east-facing temple with a large unfinished gopuram in the entrance. To the north of the entrance is a large temple tank with a broken mandapam in the middle and a mandapam over the bathing ghat in the west side. The large outer Prakaram has the goddess shrine. The inner Prakaram is entered through a gateway followed by a long pillared corridor, The Mahamandapam and Ardha Mandapam are present before the sanctum sanctorum of the main deity. A large idol of Lord Vishnu is seen reclining here on a bed made by the snake Adisesha with his consorts and Lord Brahma on a lotus, its stalk emerging from Lord Vishnu’s navel. The stalk emerging from the Lord’s navel and its perfect merging with the one engraved on the wall is worth noticing here at Thirupuliankudi. There are stone grilled windows on the sides of the sanctum sanctorum to see the lord’s head and feet. The processional deity is called Kaisina Vendan.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Varuna Theertham

Vimaanam – Vedasara Vimaanam

History

Nammazhwar (8th Century CE) has visited and sung praises of this Lord. Several inscriptions have been found here relating to contributions by various Kings.

Legend

Angered by the large amount of time Lord Vishnu spends with Sreedevi, Bhoodevi retreats to the depths of the earth and hides herself. The Lord sets out to console her, brings her back, and then onwards spends time with her too. Sage Sakthi, son of Sage Vasishta was insulted by a person called Yangnasharma. The sage cursed him to be born as a demon. Upon repenting for his folly he was also given the solution. He had to disturb the Yaga of Lord Indra when he performs one and the Lord will then kill him and give him back his original form. Lord Indra who was also cursed for killing a brahmin had to perform a Yaga in the Pushkarini here at Thirupuliankudi on the banks of the Tamiraparani. Yangnasharma who came to know about this after roaming around a lot came and disturbed the rituals. Lord Vishnu appeared and killed him with his mace. Yangnasharma regained his original form, worshiped the Lord, and went his way.

Directions

Thirupuliankudi is about 3.5 kilometers east of Srivaikuntam Temple. It is about 1 kilometer from Thiruvaragunamangai.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest for stay and food is Tirunelveli.

108 Divya Desams

Tamilnadu Temples