Thiru Adhigai

Thiruvadhigai (218/276)

Name	Thiru Adhigai
Other Name	Adhigai Veerattam Adhigaapuri Aadhiraya Mangalam Adhi Raja Mangalam Adhi Raja Mangaliya Puram
District	Cuddalore
State	Tamilnadu
Devaram	Appar Thiru Gnana Sambandhar Sundarar
Position	Nadu Naadu
Presiding deity	Shiva
God	Veerataaneswarar
Utsava Moorthy	Tripuraari Tripuranthagar
Goddess	Periya Nayagi Tripura Sundari
Speciality	One of the Atta Veerataanangal
Sthala Vriksham	Sara Kondrai
Theertham	Soola Theertham Chakra Theertham Kedilam River
Worshipped by	Indra Dev Yama Raj Pandavas Thilagavathy Ammai Appar, Thiru Gnana Sambandhar & Sundarar
Temple timings	8AM to 12PM 5PM to 8PM
Contact details

LORE:

The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Veerataaneswarar and His Devi is Periya Nayagi.

What is the lore of the temple?

Prelude: Eons ago, sometime during the Sath Yug, there was a demon king named Tarakasuran. He was a staunch Shiva Devotee. He had obtained the boon that he can be killed only by Shivansh, and not by anyone else. Shiva was then married to Sati, the first incarnation of Aadhi Shakthi. Sadly, Their marriage did not last long. Sati immolated Herself, unable to bear the insults hurled at Shiva by Her abusive father Daksha Prajapati. Then She reincarnates as Devi Parvati and marries Shiva. Then “Kumara Sambhavam” happens. Murugan is born. He defeats Tarakasuran and redeems him of his karma by converting one half of the demon into his mount, the Peacock and the other half into the rooster motif of his insignia.

The three fortresses: Tarakasuran had three sons. They were infuriated at their father’s demise and wanted to secure boons of immortality from Brahma Dev. But Brahma Dev clearly told them that they can merely choose the mode of their death as everything that is born must perish one day. The three brothers schemed a devious plan and asked Brahma Dev for quite a complicated boon. They wanted three fortified citadels – one made of gold, one of silver and one of iron. The fortresses must be indestructible and should have the power to be aerial and traversing the lengths and breadths of the cosmos. The troublesome trio also wanted the three fortresses to align in a single straight line for a flitting moment, once in every thousand years, in the Abhijit Muhurtham, when Chandra Dev is in The Poosam Star, when the clouds of death (Pushakara) and the clouds without water (Nirjala Avarta) rain together. They also asked that the destruction of the fortresses and their denizens should happen only at this pristine moment when hit by a single very powerful arrow, simultaneously. As usual, Brahma Dev said “Thathaasthu”. He then summoned the demon architect, Mayasur and asked him to take up the daunting task. Always up for a challenge, Mayasur immediately obliged and set to work on what would be his latest masterpiece. Thus, the trio had acquired the “Tripura” –

The golden fortress, soaring in heaven ruled by Taarakakshan

The silver fortress, hovering in the skies, ruled by Kamalakshan

The iron fortress, winging over the earthen realm, ruled by Vidyunmali

The new religion: The demons were drunk with power and started harassing innocents. The Devas went to Lord Brahma and prayed for relief. But Brahma Dev told them that the karma of the trio has still not crossed the threshold of redemption. The Devas then went to Lord Vishnu who smirked and assured them that the auras will soon meet their end. To serve this end, He created a mendicant and ordered him to go to the Tripura. He was asked to preach a new religion, one that was totally against the Vedas and holy scriptures. The monk went to the iron fortress and occupied the forest outskirts and started to preach this false religion. Slowly the asuras forgot about piety and devotion and stopped what little of good deeds that they were doing and began indulging in nefarious activities. Their karma was bubbling quickly and the time of the once-in-a-thousand-years alignment was getting close.

The Devas’ plight: The Devas were once again in a fix. They did not know who or how the end of Tripura was going to be accomplished. They pleaded Brahma Dev to solve their turmoil and point the right way forward. Brahma Dev told them that nobody other than Lord Shiva will be able to destroy the three fortresses. Seek Him and pray that he concedes to your request. The Devas fled to Mount Kailash and asked Lord Shiva to devise a plan to end the reign of the Tripuraadhis.

The Divine Chariot: The Lord agreed to bring the end of the three cities. Then Brahma Dev ordered the construction of a hug chariot to aid in His cause.

The Earth	Base of the Chariot
The Sun	Fore wheel
The Moon	Hind Wheel
Lord Brahma	The Charioteer
The Four Vedhas	The Four Horses
The Pranav Mantra “OM”	The whiplash
Mount Meru	The limbs and riser of the Bow
Vasuki, The King of serpents	The string of the bow
Lord Vishnu	The shaft of the arrow
Agni Dev	The arrowhead
Vayu Dev	The fletching of the arrow

In this manner, the most magnificent chariot was crafted, and Lord Shiva was assumed the form of the cosmic archer. “Sharva” held the celestial bow similar to His own Pinaka and set off towards Tripura, long with Parvati, to annihilate the three fortresses.

The Devas’ arrogance: Unsurprisingly, the innate haughtiness of the Devas quickly resurfaced. They were filled with pride to think that it was only because of their help that Lord Shiva will be able to defeat Tripura and the three demons. They even had the audacity to think that anyone can destroy the impregnable edifices with this kind of bow and chariot. Little did they know that along with Tripura, their ego was also going to get incinerated.

The glitch in the wheels: The Chariot as moving fast and the time of synchrony of the three citadels was imminent. But, suddenly the axle of the back wheel broke into pieces. And the moon-wheel sunk and stopped at Achirupakkam (262/276). Then, Lord Shiva understood the reason. He did not pay His obeisance to Lord Ganesh before starting on this new venture, hence there a Vignam (Hurdle). He closed His eyes and meditated on Lord Ganesh, fondly called as Vigneshwara and sought a solution. Lord Ganesh asked Rudra, The Trinetradari Himself as the offering. Lord Shiva asked Him to settle for a compromise and offered the three eyed coconut instead and prayed to Lord Ganesh. The chariot began to move, inspite of the broken axle. It was seen that a black bull lifted the sunken moon-wheel upon its hump and absolved the conundrum created by the broken axle of the wheel. The black bull was none other than Lord Vishnu Himself. He had lifted the sunken Mandara Parvatha during the “Samudra Mandan” (The churning of the Great Milky Ocean) as a Turtle (Koorma Avatar). Then he had lifted the sunken Bhumi Devi as Lord Varaha. Now he had become the Rishabha Moorthy to lift the chariot of Lord Shiva.

There is a verse in one of the Thirumangai Alwar Paasruams which beautifully quotes this event.

“Virperu Vizhavum Kanjanum Mallum

Vezhamum Paaganum Veezha

Settravan Thannai Puram Eri Seidha

Sivan Uru Thuyar Kalai Thevai

Pattralar Veeya Kol Kaiyil Kondu

Paarthan Than Ther Mun Nindraanai

Sittravai Paniyaal Mudi Thurandhaanai

Thiruvallikeni Kandeney”

The line “Puram Eri Seidha Sivan Uru Thuyar Kalai Thevai” shows how the dilemma of The Lord Tripuranthaka was absolved by Lord Vishnu.

The Cheeky smile that cindered the cities: Lord Shiva looked at the bow and then at the cities. He wanted to weed out the arrogance so deeply entrenched in the Devas too. So, he did not fire the sacred arrow at the three cities. He simply laughed. His laughter soared like a flaming missile and incinerated the three citadels instantly. The Devas were ashamed and realised that The Lord did not need all these extravagances to decimate the forces of evil. All He needed to do was to smile. Thus, The Lord Tripuranthaka acquired the epithet “Punnagaithu Puram eritha Paraman” (The Lord who smiled and scorched the three fortresses)

The Master and His beloved Mount: While the cities were burning, Brahma Dev, who was steering the chariot, requested The Lord to forgive the Devas and honour their effort by firing the arrow and completing the His Leela in the cosmic play. The Lord agreed and fired the arrow on the three cities. But the moment the arrow started off to soar from the bow, His face which was serenely smiling till then became remorseful and wore a subtle but definitely disdainful frown. Everyone was carried away in the awe of the speeding arrow that they did not notice the change in The Lord’s demeanour. But, His mount Nandi, the White bull, reverently recognised the change and asked the Lord as to what was bothering Him.

The rescue of Mayasur: The Lord grievingly replied to Nandi that Mayasur was still His ardent devotee and He was still in one of the citadels and He too might perish because of the destructive arrow. Nandi instantly sped up towards Tripura, racing ahead of the arrow and warned Mayasur of the impending doom and gave him the lead time needed to escape from the destruction of Tripura. Just as he fled the cities, the arrow hit them and annihilated the infamous edifices.

The smearing of the ash and the tears of concern: The whole world was rejoicing but The Lord was saddened by the destruction of Tripura. He went to the charred remains of the cindered citadels and scooped up the ashes and in a compassionate moment of empathy, smeared them across His forehead in three stripes, a custom which is still followed by Shaivites. As He closed His eyes, a tear drop emanated from His third eye and fell on the Earth and became The Rudraksh, which planted itself and grew into a medicinal tree that produces beads of Rudraksh which are receptacles of spiritual power.

The resurrection, salvation and jubilation: The Lord took mercy on the three demons who were once His devotees. He resurrected them and granted them salvation by making two of them as his gate keepers and the third as the keeper of His Chamaram (Fan). He then danced in celebration, joyfully. The dance is called as Tripura Nadanam and it was this dance that The Lord showed to Thiru Gnana Sambandhar when he sang his compositions on The Lord at this shrine.

What is the speciality of the Atta Veerataanangal?

Shiva is the Destroyer. In his Sadashiva form, He performs all the five acts of Karma. Creation, Sustenance, Destruction, Annihilation and salvation. His acts of strength, gallantry and fortitude are innumerable. Yet, there are eight special occasions where Shiva’s valour was so astoundingly heroic that they were glorified and praised as a unique collective octet.

These eight acts of bravery are called as Atta Veerataanangal (Atta – eight, Veera – Valour, Sthanam – place)

Pooman Sirakandi Andhagan Kovil Puram Adhigai

Maman Pariyal Chalandharan Virkudi Maa Vazhuvoor

Kaaman Kurukkai Yaman Kadavoor Ikkasiniyil

Themandru kondrayum thingalum Soodithan Sevagamey

This verse beautifully describes the eight acts of valour of Shiva. Seven out of the eight are Devara Paadal petra Sthalangal

• Brahman Siram Koidhadhu – Thirukandiyur (75/276)
• Andhangan azhithadhu – Thirukovilur (64/76)
• Muppuram erithadhu – Thiruvadhigai (218/276)
• Dakshan yaagam nalindhadhu – Thirupariyalur (104/276)
• Jalandharan vadaithadhu – Thiruvirkudi (137/276)
• Yaanaiai urithadhu – Vazhuvoor
• Kaamanai Kaaindhadhu – Thirukorukkai (26/276)
• Yamanai etriyadhu – Thirukadavoor (110/276)

What is the connection of the adjacent Sara Narayana Perumal temple to this shrine?

Close to the Veeratanam is the Sara Narayana Perumal temple. The darisanam of Thiruvadhigai will be incomplete if one does not visit this temple.

Lord Vishnu became the arrow (Saram) for The Lord Tripuranthaka and aided the destruction of Tripura. He is seen in standing posture, in this shrine as Sara Narayana Perumal, along with His consort Hemambuja Valli Thaayaar. Another unique feature of this shrine is The Narasimhar in the reclining posture. He is said to have killed the demon Vakrasur in the shrine of Thiruvakkarai (263/276) and had come here for a serene respite. The Sayana Kola Narasimhar is a delight to the eyes.

The Sara Narayana Perumal arrives on his eagle mount to the Veerattam and gives the Saram for the destruction of Tripura to The Lord Veerateswarar every year during the festival of Tripura Daganam (during the month of May-June)

What is the Lore behind the first Devara Padhigam and this shrine?

The first Devara Padhigam was sung by Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) in praise of The Lord of this shrine. Thirunavukkarasar was initiate into Shaivism by his elder sister Thilagavathy Ammayaar at this shrine.

Father	Pugazhanaar
Mother	Maadhiniyaar
Elder Sister	Thilagavthy Ammayar
Her Betrothed fiancé who died in war	Kalippagayaar
Birth name of Thiru Navukku Arasar	Marul Neekiyaar
Jain Name assumed by Thiru Navukku Arasar	Dharma Senar
Name conferred by Veerataaneswarar	Thirunavukkarasar
Name conferred by Thiru Gnana Sambandhar	Appar

Thilagavathy Ammayar was betrothed to the warrior chieftain Kalippagayaar. He was killed at war with enemy kings from the north. Thilagavathy lost interest in worldly pleasures and came to Thiruvadhigai and became a servant to the temple. It was she who started the “Uzhavara Pani” – the service of cleaning the temple premises and removing weeds and making it pristine. She wanted her estranged and wayward younger brother to return to the fold of Shaivism and prayed to The Lord. The Lord responded “Soolai koduthu Thaduthaatkolvom”.

Thiru Navukku Arasar was then living in Paadali Puram (present day Thirupaadhiri Puliyur) in a Jain monastery. He suddenly developed intussusception (Soolai Noi). He tried all the remedies he knew and sought the senior Jain monks for cure. When their gimmicks failed, he decided it would be better to go and meet his sister in Thiruvadhigai and that is how the then Jain Dharmasenar came to the shrine of Lord Veerataaneswarar.

Thilagavathy Ammayar realised the plight of her younger brother and prayed to The Lord and gave him a pinch of the sacred Ash to consume. His abdomen pain immediately disappeared, and he truly understood the grace of The Lord in the sanctum sanctorum and became a Shaivite in that instant.

He then composed the first of the Devaram on The Lord Veerataaneswarar of Thiruvadhigai. So sweet was his Devaram, that The Lord conferred the title of Thiru Navukku Arasar (The Supreme in the spoken tongue). Thiru Navukku Arasar also professed to be of service in the Uzhavara Pani. Till date, he is symbolised by the Uzhavara Padi, the small spade that he always used to carry with him to remove the weeds during the Uzhavara Pani.

What are the specialities of the shrine?

• The temple is shaped like a Chariot and there are amazing sculptures even in the lower segment of the chariot.
• The temple tower is said to be the model for the Tanjore Brihadeeshwara temple built by Raja Raja Chozhan as the shadow of the tower of this shrine too does not fall on the ground at noon.
• The concept of chariot procession also originated in this shrine
• The only shrine of the Atta Veerataanangal to have the greatest number of Padhigams and also Padhigams from all the three samaya kuravargal
• The Lord is said to have appeared in his wedding attire along with Devi to Thiru Navukku Arasar. Hence Devi’s shrine is to the right side of the Lord, unlike the usual Left side.
• The Lord and His Devi are seated behind the Moola Lingam in the sanctum sanctorum. The Lord is called Kedila Vaanar and is said to be worshipping Himself (The Lingam form of Him)
• The concept of breaking coconuts also is said to have originated in this shrine.
• The first Devaram is said to have been sung here and it was the start of the Agamic form of worship along with the Vedic form.
• Sundarar was afraid to set foot in the temple premises out of reverence and decided to stay at the adjacent Siddha Madam and prayed to The Lord and composed his versed from there itself.
• The “Adhimoola Guna Pareshwaran” temple built by the Pallava King Mahendra Varman is also adjacent to the temple. Although now in ruins and is in a dilapidated state, it was once the used as a fortress by the Marathi rulers and the Britishers as well. The temple was built by Mahendra Varman after getting converted to Shaivism and renouncing Jainism as the official state religion.

Our Experience:

We had gone to Thiruvadhigai (218/276) as a part of the next pilgrimage and reached the temple around 4PM. The peripheral fringes of the temple have flower shops and a very decent restroom (A rarity in most of the other temples which are located even in bigger towns and cities). We got flowers and went inside the temple. It is a massive temple and beautifully adorned with amazing sculptures. We went around the temple at leisure (quite unusual for us as we always fly one temple to the other on a tight schedule). The temple has so many remnants of Buddhist and Jain influence. Our people being the most tolerant of all religions are still seen praying to the seated Buddha statue at the entrance. There temple is very clean and neat. The maintenance staff are doing a really good job.

The tower which houses the sanctum sanctorum is in the form of a chariot. Devi is towards the right of the Lord housed in a separate shrine. Her shrine has numerous boards and engravings about the temple lore and about the Atta Veerataanangal.

Thiru Navukku Arasar has a separate shrine in the Prahaaram. The walls of his shrine have the Devaram inscribed on them and are exquisitely beautiful to read. We were mesmerised in awe at the adeptness of Appar in composing these eternally enduring hymns.

We then went around the Prahaaram and worshipped all the Goshta Moorthangal. The main deity in the sanctum sanctorum is Lord Veerateswarar and He is in the form of a massively intimidating Lingam. Behind The Lingam are The Ammai-Appan statues. To the right of the Sanctum sanctorum is housed the Hero of the shrine – The Utsava Moorthy – Tripuranthagar.

He is seen carrying the bow and ready to war with the three demons. His consort, Devi Tripura Sundari is also seen with Him. The Moorthy is extremely well crafted much like the other Veerataanangal. After having a hearty darisanam and seeking the blessing of The Lord Veerataaneswarar and Devi Periya Nayagi, we were off to the next temple on the list, Thiru Thuraiyur (226/276)

We missed the Sara Narayana Perumal temple, because we were not aware of it back then. We found out about it only when writing about the Veeratanam for the site. We have decided to go there again in one of our subsequent trips and update it as an addendum.

See you at Thiru Thuraiyur, folks

Loads of love,

Karthick and Rahul.