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In all His enchanting grace
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The Soundaryaraja Perumal Temple in Nagapattinam, where Kumbabhishekam was held recently, has an interesting history and a fascinating legend behind it, as T. A. SRINIVASAN finds out.
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Pic. by M. N. Srinivasan.
LORD NARAYANA has been hailed by a Sanskrit poet as "Purusheshu" and identified with love and beauty. In at least three holy places sanctified by Azhwars' hymns, He is known as Soundaryarajan, Sundararajan or Azhagar.
Andal addresses the Lord in Azhagarkoil as "Sundaratholudaiyaan" (the Lord with beautiful shoulders).
But Thirumangai Azhwar in his "Periya Thirumozhi", hails the Lord enshrined in the temple in the port city of Nagapattinam as Naagai Azhagiyar. He describes the Lord's body as gold coloured, He wears an ornament studded with emerald and He is the embodiment of the Vedas.
Apart from chanting His names and singing the glory of places where He is enshrined, the Azhwar employs mystic love as a way of enjoying union with the Lord. In all the 10 verses he addresses the Lord as "Acho, Oruvar Azhagiyavaa" ("Beauty, Thy name is God").
In the concluding verse the Azhwar firmly says that He is the same Lord who is known for His Hamsa, Varaha, Matsya and other incarnations and is now seen before him as Naagai Azhagiyaar.
According to Brahmanda Puranam, the temple existed in all the four yugas — in the Kritha Yuga, the serpent king Adisesha, did penance in Soundaranyam, as the Nagapattinam area was known in times of yore, praying to the Lord to grant him the boon of being with Him forever. The Lord fulfilled his wish and he became the Lord's couch. The place also came to be known as Nagapattinam. The idols of Adisesha and His Consorts are found in the temple. The Uthara Kandam of the Puranam, which explains the greatness of this place in 10 chapters, says that in the same Yuga, Dhruva, who was born as the son of King Uthanapada did penance here, praying to the Lord to give darshan and also to enable him to become the ruler of the entire world. But when the Lord appeared before him. Dhruva was so enchanted by His beauty that he forgot his wish of becoming the ruler of the world and requested the Lord to stay here as Soundaryarajan and bless the devotees.
In the Thretha Yuga, Bhooma Devi did penance here and in the Dwapara Yuga it was Sage Markandeya. In the Kali Yuga, Salisugan, a Chozha king, saw a Naga princess here and fell in love with her. He saw her disappear through a secret passage and prayed to the Lord to unite them in wedlock. The Lord directed the Naga king to give his daughter in marriage to Salisugan. After getting a son through him she wanted to return to her home but forgot the way to the Naga world. The Lord appeared and showed to the Naga princess the way to her world.
The temple with a compound wall on all sides and a 70-feet Rajagopuram, has a four-pillared mandapam at the entrance, a Dwajasthambam and a Garuda Mandapam. On the left side of the temple are the shrines of Azhwars. The Vasantha Mandapam and on the right side is the holy water source known as Soundarya Pushkarani. Another holy water source, Sara Pushkarani, created by Adisesha is to the north of the temple and its present condition leaves much to be desired. To the south of the Soundarya Pushkarani is the Vaikunta Nathar or Veetrirunda Perumal shrine.
At the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum is the Jaggulu Naicker Mandapam, named after an official of the Dutch rulers when they were in possession of the Nagapattinam area. He was an ardent devotee of the Lord and both built and renovated many portions of the temple. When the Dutch rulers wanted to erect a lighthouse in Nagapattinam, he utilised the funds for building the 70-feet-high Rajagopuram at the temple on top of which a light was lit to serve as a lighthouse. The images of the official and his wife have been carved on the floor at the entrance of the mandapam. They are seen in a lying posture offering their obeisance to the Lord. On the northern side of the mandapam is the shrine of Aranganthar. There is also a beautiful icon of Ashtabhuja Narasimhar with the Lord blessing Prahlada with His right lower hand while His right and left upper hands carry the Sudarsana and the Panchajanya. The Lord, with Hiranya on His lap, slays him with His other hands. The images of the Dwarapalakas at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum look life-like.
The Moolavar of the temple is "Azhagiyar". He is also known as Neelamega Perumal. The Utsavar is Soundaryaraja Perumal. The shrine of the Goddess, known as Soundaryavalli, is to the right of the main shrine.
The vimanam over the sanctum sanctorum is known as the Soundarya or Bhadrakoti Vimanam. The Sthala Vriksham is the mango tree.
Pillaiperumal Iyengar, Thirukurugai Perumal Kavirayar and the great music composer, Muthuswami Dikshithar, have also sung the glory of the Lord here.
The Brahmotsavam is celebrated in the month of Panguni apart from other festivals held almost every month.
The temple has been renovated at a huge cost with munificent donations. The Mahasamprokshanam was held on September 8. The Lord was taken in a procession on the Garuda Vahanam on the day of the Samprokshanam. Divya Prabandham was recited and Veda Parayanam held from September 5 to 8.
Contributions may be sent to the Soundararaja Perumal Kainkarya Sabha, Nagapattinam.
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