Thiruvaragunamangai

Navatirupati 2 - Thiruvaragunamangai

108 Divya Desams - Thoothukudi

God

Vijayasayana Perumal, facing east

Goddess

Varaguna Mangai Thaayar, facing east

Other Deities

Garuda, Vishwaksenar, Ramanujar, Azhwars

Thiruvaragunamangai is the second of the Nava Tirupati Temples to be seen in one day. The Navatirupati temples represent the nine planets and Thiruvaragunamangai is that of Chandran, the Moon. Thiruvaragunamangai is a large east-facing temple with 2 Prakarams. In front of the 5 tiered Rajagopuram is a 16 pillared mandapam. The first Prakaram is inside the Rajagopuram and has a long corridor mandapam in front. The outer Prakaram is devoid of shrines and runs around the inner Prakaram. The inner Prakaram houses the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord, goddess, and other deities. The main deity here is a huge idol of Lord Vishnu in a sitting posture on Adisesha whose multiple heads are like an umbrella above his head. His consorts are present on either side.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Akanasa Theertham, Deva Pushkarini, Agni Theertham

Vimaanam – Vijayakoti Vimaanam

History

Nammazhwar (8th Century CE) has visited and sung praises of this Lord. Manavala Mamunigal (14th-15th Century CE) has also sung hymns for the lord here at Thiruvaragunamangai. Several inscriptions have been found here relating to contributions by various Kings.

Legend

A Vedic scholar from a place called Punyakosam desiring to have Lord Vishnu’s darshan undertook penance in this place on the banks of Tamiraparani River and in between two hills, Sahayam and Mahendram. The Lord pleased with his penance gave him darshan in this grand seating posture. This is mentioned in the Brahmananda Puranam. Sathyavan, a disciple of Sage Romasa, is believed to have witnessed the transportation of the soul of a fisherman who died of snakebite directly to heaven by the Lord’s messengers and the belief exists that anyone dying in this holy place will attain salvation and the soul will go to heaven.

Directions

Thiruvaragunamangai is about 2.5 kilometers east of Srivaikuntam Temple.

Stay and Food

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

108 Divya Desams

Tamilnadu Temples