Sathyagiriswarar Shiva Temple / Sri Parangirinathar Temple / Parankundra Nathar Temple, / சத்யகிரீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், ( Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple ), Thiruparankundram, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 217^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 3^rd Sthalam of Pandya Nadu. This is also one of 6 abodes of Murugan where he killed Asuras.

In PeriyaPuranam Sekkizhar mentions that  after worshiping Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar of Thiru Alavai/Madurai Thirugnanasambandar came to Thiruparankundram  along with the Pandya King and his wife

    தேன்நிலவு பொழில் மதுரைப் புறத்துப் போந்த

        தென்னவனார் தேவியார் அமைச்சர் சிந்தை

    ஊன்நெகிழும்படி அழிந்து அங்கு ஒழுகு கண்ணீர்

        பாய்ந்து இழிய உணர்வு இன்றி வீழக்கண்டே

    யான் உம்மைப் பிரியாத வண்ணம் இந்நாட்டு

        இறைவர் பதிஎனைப் பலவும் பணிவீர் என்று

    ஞானம் உணர்வார் அருள அவரும் போத

        நம்பர் திருப்பரங்குன்றை நண்ணினாரே.

Thirugnanasambandar and Sundarar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

   பொன்னியல் கொன்றை பொறிகிளர் நாகம் புரிசடைத்

    துன்னிய சோதியாகிய ஈசன் தொன்மறை

    பன்னிய பாடல் ஆடலன்மேய பரங்குன்றை

    உன்னிய சிந்தை அடையவர்க்கு இல்லை உறுநோயே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

    பாரொடு விண்ணும் பகலுமாகிப்

        பனிமால் வரையாகிப் பரவையாகி

    நீரோடு தீயு(ம்) நெடுங்காற்றுமாகி

        நெடு வெள்ளிடையாகி நிலனுமாகித்

    தேரோடு வரையெடுத்த அரக்கன்

        சிரம்பத்து இறுத்தீர் உம் செய்கையெல்லாம்

    ஆரோடும் கூடா அடிகேள் இது என்

        அடியோமுக்கு ஆட்செய அஞ்சுதுமே

....... சுந்தரர்

                                                -“மாப்புலர்

    ஞானப்பரங்குன்றமென நண்ணி மகிழ்கூர்ந்தேந்த

    வானப் பரங்குன்றலின்பானந்தமே”

....... திரு அருட்பா

The 15^th century Arunagirinathar has sung on Muruga of this temple.

    உனைத்தி னந்தொழு திலனுன தியல்பினை

            உரைத்தி லன்பல மலர்கொடு னடியிணை

            உறப்ப ணிந்தில னொருதவ மிலனுன                     தருள்மாறா

   உளத்து ளன்பின ருறைவிட மறிகிலன்

            விருப்பொ டுன்சிக ரமும்வலன் வருகிலன்

            உவப்பொ டுன்புகழ் துதிசெய விழைகிலன்            மலைபோல

Moolavar  : Sri Parangirinathar, Sathyagiriswarar

Consort    : Sri Avudai Nayaki

Some of the important features of this temple are...

Sri Parangirinathar sannidhi is of Kudaivarai temple – Rock Cut Cave temple faces east. Moolavar is believed to be scooped out of the mother rock. On the back of Moolavar, is the Kalyana Sundareswarar bas-relief. The Rajagopuram is of 7 Tiers.

 

At the entrance (first Level) mandapam Karuppanaswamy Sannidhi and on the pillars reliefs of Natana Ganapathy, Parvathy, Shiva, and Parvathy with Perumal (in Kalyana Kolam), Rani Mangammal, Mahavishnu, Vayikra Pathar, Patanjali Muni, Vishnu Durgai, Natarajar, Sivakami, Kala Bhairava, Maha kali, Vetri Vinayagar, Vasantha mandapam  are on the way to Temple Tank.

In the 2^nd  level mandapam Vallabha Ganapathi, Vahana mandapam, Subramaniyar, Deivanai, Golden Chariot mandapam, on the ceiling 12 Rasis. On Pillar Relief of Thadathagai Piratiyar, Valli Devasena Murugar, Aalavai Annal & Dwarapalakas.

In the 3^rd  level mandapam 4 Pillar mandapam, Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, Nandhi & on both side Peacock and moonjuru, Andaparanar, Anikai Vinayagar, Parasara Maharishi, Ugramoorthy, Sivachariyars, (Meikandar, Arul nandhi, Umapathy, Marai Ganasambadar) and Urchavar Sannadhi.

In the 4^th  Level mandapam Pancha Bhoota Lingas, Saneeswarar, Senthil Andavar, Karudalwar, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Juradevar, 63var, Arumugar Urchava mandapam, Nayakar’s relief, (On the pillars).

In the 5^th  level Urchavars, Natarajar, Veera Surar, Veerakesari, Veeramarthandar, Veerabahu, Veerabhadra, Dakshinamurthy, Chandran, and Suriyan with their concerts. Kovarthanambigai is in a separate sannadhi.

In 6^th  level is the sanctum. In Arumugar’s sannadhi, moolavar is in marriage posture with Deivanai along with Narathar.

A Vishnu Sannadhi is in line with the other two, Suryan and Chandran. This is Lord Murugan’s first abode of the six abodes (Arupadai Veedukal). Murugan married Devasena  in this place.  Abhishekam to Gana Vel is special here. 

Murugan's Rock Cut Sannidhi- His vahanas Elephant and Sheep

PC- website

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built by the Pandyas in the 6th to 7th centuries as a rock-cut Cave temple, Kudavarai Koil. Later, the Nayaks ( 1559 to 1736 AD) built the front mandapapas and Rajagopuram. The front mandapam, with 48 sculptured pillars, was installed during the Nayaks' Period.

There are 11 inscriptions in this temple. One of them records that when Madurai City was under the rule of Muslims, Divan was Rajagopala Rayar and Vayiravi Muthu Karuppan Kumaran Chetty. The latter fought with Europeans against the destruction of temples and died after falling down from Rajagopuram. For this, land was gifted to his family.

The Sundara Pandyan Period inscription records that Ampandiyapuram, alias Pulikundram Village, on the east side of Veeranaraya Kulam, was gifted to this temple. According to the Inscriptions, Lord Shiva was called Sundra Pandeeswaramudayar.

The 1843 CE Inscription records that nivantham (land/money / ? is not known ) was gifted by one Mangammal of Veerasimha Naidu lineage.  

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted in June 2000.

LEGENDS

Nakkeran, Parasaran’s son, Sibi King, and Brahma worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

Ma Parvati took the form of Mahisasuramardini to kill the Asura Mahisasuran. She took 9 forms, fought for 9 days, and finally killed him. Due to this, she had the brahmahathi dosha. To get rid of the dosha Lord Shiva advised her to worship him at Thiruparankundram.  Ma Parvati worshiped Lord Shiva and got relieved from brahmahathi dosha.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Skanda Sashti festival in Aipasi (Oct – Nov), Chithirai festival in Tamil month Chithirai, Karthikai deepan in the month Karthikai, Vaikasi Visakam and Theppotsavam in Thai (Jan-Feb).

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple is kept open between 05.00 Hrs to 13.00 Hrs and 16.00 Hrs to 21.00 Hrs

CONTACT DETAILS :

The telephone number is 0452 2484359, and mobile numbers 98653 70393, 98421 93244, and 94433 82946 may be contacted for further details.

http://www.thiruparankundrammurugantemple.tnhrce.in/pooja-time.html

HOW TO REACH :

Town Buses are available from Madurai bus stands. Since few buses are going near the temple, we can reach the temple through the Thirumangalm buses. Get down at the Railway gate which is the walkable distance to the temple.

Buses are available from all the District capitals of Tamil Nadu. The temple is 7 KM from Madurai Junction,.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---