Sri Pasupatheeswarar Temple /Pasupatiswarar Temple / அருள்மிகு பசுபதீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், பந்தநல்லூர், – Pandanallur, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 89^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 35^th sthalam on the north side of the river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place was called Pandhanai Nallur during the 6^th to 7^th Century and is now called Pandanallur.

In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar mentions that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruppanandal.

ஆங்கு அணிசொல்மலர் மாலை சாத்தி அப்

பாங்கு பந்தணை நல்லூர் பணிந்து பாடிப் போய்த்

தீங்குநீர் மாமறைச் செம்மை அந்தனர்

ஓங்கும் ஓமாம்புலியூர் வந்து உற்றார்

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasar, Vallalar, and Patteeswaram Mouna Swamigal have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

இடறினார் கூற்றைப் பொடி செய்தார் மதிநிலை

        இவை சொல்லி உலகெழுந்து ஏத்தக்

கடறினார் ஆவர் காற்றுளார் ஆவர்

        காதலித்து உறைதரு கோயில்

கொடிறனார் யாதும் குறவிலார் தாம் போய்க்

        கோவணம் கொண்டுகூத் தாடும்

படிறனார் போலும் பந்தணை நல்லூர்

        நின்றஎம் பசுபதி யாரே

......... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

நோதங்க மில்லாதார் நாகம் பூண்டார்

        நூல் பூண்டார் நூன்மேலோ ராமை பூண்டார்

பேய்தங்கு நீள்காட்டில் நட்ட மாடிப்

        பிறைசூடுஞ் சடைமேலோர் புனலுஞ் சூடி

ஆதங்கு பைங்குழலாள் பாகங் கொண்டார்

        அனல்கொண்டார் அந்திவாய் வண்ணங் கொண்டார்

பாதங்க நீறேற்றார் பைங்க ணேற்றார்

        பலியேற்றார் பந்தணை நல்லூ ராரே

…….. திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                                --“தடம்பொழிலிற்

கொந்தணவுங் கார்குழலாள் கோலமயில் போலுலவும்

பந்தணைநல்லூர்ப் பசுபதியே

……… திரு அருட்பா

மந்திரமான ஐந்தெழுத்தினை நெஞ்சிற்

சிந்தித்தனு தினஞ்செபித்தவர் நாளும்

பந்தமதொழிந்து பந்தணைநல்லூர்ச்

சுந்தரன் சேவடி துன்னுவர் சுகமே

………. பசுபதீஸ்வரர் பதிகம்… பட்டீஸ்வரம் மௌனசுவாமிகள்

Moolavar  : Sri Pasupatheeswarar,.

Consort    : Sri Venu Kujambigai, Sri Kambana Tholiammai.

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

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram, and a Vinayagar Sannadhi is on the opposite side. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is a swayambhu made of Prithvi (Ant hill) with a cow's hoof mark that can be seen. Since the moolavar is made of anthill, no abhishekam is done, and covered with a kalasa. Thirugnanasambandar is in front of the moolavar sannadhi. Mandapam was built around the sanctum. In Koshtam Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Sattainathar, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Vishnu Durgai.

In ardha mandapam murtis of Dwara Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, Nalvar (Gnanasambandar – little big), Sattainathar, Brahma &, and Vali worship the lingam, Stucco Gajalakshmi,  Stucco Saraswati, Annapoorni, 63var, and Sri Adhikesava Perumal (who came along with ma Parvati)  with Padmavathi Thayar. Navagrahas are in a single row. On the base/ pedam of Shiva and Parvathi urchavar is the KalyanaSundarar's sthala purana. There are two Suryan, 2 Chandran, Dasa Lingas, Bhairavar, and Nalvars in the praharam.

Ambal is in a separate sannadhi facing north. Since Ambal is in penance, she is guarded by Ayyanar and Kali at the entrance.

There are two entrances to the main temple, and they are named Thirunavukkarasu Thiruvayil and Thirugnanasambandar Thiruvayil. 

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the Sanctum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. All the mandapams are of Vallavalnethi style. Some Stone balls are kept in a mandapa on the right side after the Rajagopuram. As per the historians, these balls were unearthed from the nearby Fort. As per historians, these balls may have been used as a war weapon to throw at the enemies (Yavana pori) during the Chozha period.

The 15th-century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

பண்டர்கள்பு யங்களும் பொடிபடக்

    கண்டவப்ர சண்டகுஞ் சரியெழிற்

        பைந்தருவ னம்புரந் தகழெயிற்        புடைசூழும்

    பந்திவரு மந்திசெண் பகமகிற்

        சந்துசெறி கொன்றைதுன் றியவனப்

    பந்தணையில் வந்திடுஞ் சரவணப்      பெருமாளே 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple may have existed before the 7^th Century. It is believed that the original temple was reconstructed during the King of Kambeeli / Kamboja. Later, the same was reconstructed and extended during the Chozha and Vijayanagara periods. The Chozha kings Rajaraja-I, Vikrama Chozha, Rajathirajan-II, Kulothunga Chozha-III, and Rajararajan-II, and the Vijayanagara Dynasty period inscriptions are recorded ( Annual reports on South Indian Epigraphy for the year 1931 No. 69-74, year 1932 No. 115-120) from this temple. As per the Rajaraja period inscription, this place was called Pandhanainallur, and Lord Shiva was called Pasupathy Thevar and Pasupatheeswarar. This place was under Vadakarai Virutharaja Bayangara Valanattu Vilathur Nattu Panthanainallur.

The Rajaraj’s 11th-year reign inscription records the endowment of burning 3 perpetual lamps by Chembiyan Mahadevi, for which 12 Kalanju gold coins for each lamp were gifted by her.

Parakesarivarmar Thiribhuvana Chakravarthy Rajaraja-II’s 6^th year 55^th day inscription starts with his meikeerthi as “பூமருவிய பொழிலேழும் பொரும்பேழும் புனைந்தருளி..”  records that some Siva brahmins had stolen part of the gold from the treasury / pandaram, which was gifted to make the jewelry for Lord Shiva. The Stolen gold was shared between them. As a punishment for the theft, they and their descendants were barred from entering Vikrama Chozheeswaramudayar and Kulothunga Chozheeswaramudayar temples. As a punishment, they have to pay a sum of 109 kasu towards the thirupani fund.  

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 06^th April 2003. Also, it is understood that the above two temples have existed in the same complex, and they are not present now.

A 16th-century inscription (May be Vijayanagara period)  is in the form of a poem. This poem mentions the name of Kalinga Ellan (Velan), who was praised above King Pari (One of the Sangam Period kadai 7 Vallals). He might have given generously to this temple. The poem is reproduced as given below.

நாலங்க வாளிபெற்றார் நாரியரே பாரியினு

மேலங்க மான கொடைவேளான் – காலிங்க

னெல்லனுக் கேபெறுமோ விந்திரநீ லங்கருப்பு

வில்லன்கை கேபெறுமோ மீன்

One of the inscriptions mentions the drama staged on  Rajaraja Chozha, and a person was mentioned with the title as Hasiyan Vikramathithan Achchan, alias Rajaraja Natakaperiyan. Hope he might have knowledge of the drama, skilled in Nattuva pangu and Meimatti pangu.

LEGENDS: 

In ancient times, this place was called Thenkayilai, Kovur, KonRRaivanam, Vishnupuri, Indrapuri, KaNvarachiramam, Valinagar, Bhanupuri, Aavur, and Kandapuri.

Mahavishnu, as a shepherd with Parvati as a cow, came to Kanva Maharishi’s ashram. Mahavishnu gave milk to Kanva Maharishi’s worship daily. One day, there was no milk. Kanva Maharishi searched for the cow and found cow was doing abhishekam to Ant Hill. Her hoof hits the ant hill, and Lord Shiva comes out, and Ma Parvati gets relief from the curse and marries in this place. Hence, Lord Shiva was called Pasupathy. Since the ball came and settled here was called Pandhanainallur. Later, the same was corrupted to the present name of Pandanainallur.

People believe that this temple is a pithru dosha (ancestors' curse) and Nethra dosha (eye-related ailments) parihara sthalam.  

At the entrance of Rajagopuram, right side, Kottai Muniyasamy, poojas are performed to get relief from Black Magic / pilli soonyam and eval. 

It is also believed that Surya worshiped Lord Shiva and Sun rays fall on moolavar for three days, from the 19^th to the 21^st of the Tamil month Avani (Aug – September).

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chathurthi in Avani ( Aug – Sep ), Navaratri in the month Purattasi (Sep – Oct), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi (Oct – Nov),  Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai (Nov – Dec), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi (Feb – March), Panguni Utram in the month Panguni (March – April), and all Pradosham.

TEMPLE  TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.30 hrs to 12.00 and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The temple may be contacted at +91 435 2450 595, and Sekar Gurkkak on his mobile at +91 98657 78045 may be contacted for further details. 

HOW TO REACH :

From Mayiladuthurai to Thiruppanandal bus passes through Pandanallur. It can be reached from Kuthalam.

The temple is 19.7 km from Mayiladuthurai, 30 km from Kumbakonam, 32 km from Sirkazhi, 52 km from Chidambaram, 69 km from Thanjavur, and 268 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Sthala Purana under the Lord Shiva and Parvati

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---