Sri Vilvaneswarar Temple / Vilvavana Nathar Temple / Sri Vilvavana Nathaswamy Temple /வில்வவனநாதர் கோவில், திருவைகாவூர், Thiruvaikavur – Tiruvaikavur, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 102^nd Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 48^th Sthalam on the north side of the river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. The place Thiruvaigavur/ Thiruvaikavur is on the southern banks of the river Kollidam. This place was called Bhumipuram, Vilvavanam during ancient times, and Thirugnanasambandar is mentioned as “Vaika” and is now called Thiruvaika.

In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar visited this place after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruvijayamangai.

விசயமங் கையினிடம் அகன்று மெய்யர்தாள்

அசைவுஇல் வைகாவினில் அணைந்து பாடிப்போந்து

இசைவளர் ஞானசம்பந்தர் எய்தினார்

திசையுடை ஆடையர் திருப்பு றம்பயம்

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

கோழைமிடறு ஆககவி கோளும் இல வாகஇசை கூடும் வகையால்

ஏழையடி யார்அவர்கள் யாவைசொன சொல்மகிழும் ஈசன் இடமாம்

தாழைஇள நீர்முதிய காய்கமுகின் வீழநிரை தாறுசிதறி

வாழையுதிர் வீழ்கனிகள் ஊறிவயல் சேறுசெயும் வைகாவிலே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                                    --“மன்னுலகில்

வைகாவூர் நம்பொருட்டான் வைகிய தென்றன்பர் தொழும்

வைகாவூர் மேவிய என்வாழ் முதலே

........ திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Vilvavaneswarar, Sri Vilvanathar

Consort    : Sri Sarvajana rakshaki, Sri Valakkai Nayagi.

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

The temple faces east without Rajagopuram and Dwajasthambam. Rishabam is facing the same direction (East) as the moolavar to threaten and chase Yamadharman. There is no Navagraha sannadhi. Moolavar is swayambu. In koshtam, Ganapathy, Pichadanar, Agasthiya Munivar, Lingothbavar, Arthanareeswarar, Kala Bhairavar, and Ashtabhuja Durga. 

In the praharam, Vallabha Vinayagar, Murugan as Arumugar with his consorts (Lord Muruga as Arumugar is with six faces, sitting on a peacock. The whole image of Arumugar with Thiruvasi was carved out of a single stone. The Peacock is facing the left direction. Saptamatrikas, Kasi Viswanathar, Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, Two Vishnu Durgais, Two Bhairavas, Saneeswaran, and Navagrahas. There are two Chandikeswaras in front of Vishnu Durgai.

In the maha mandapam, Sapta Lingas, maha Vishnu, Brahma, Vinayagar, and the procession deity of Bhaktha Anjaneyar. Vishnu, Narayani Bhairavar, Suryan, Chandran, and Saneeswarar are installed in a row.  Siddhi Vinayagar shrine is at the entrance of the temple.

There are two Durgai Amman. In the ardha mandapam, lord Shiva is in the form of Dakshinamurthy with a stick in her hands to chase Yamadharman. Brahma and Vishnu are on both sides. 

Ambal Sarvajana Rakshaki is in a separate sannadhi facing east, instead of Dwarapalakis; Vinayagar images are installed on both sides. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original brick temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. As per the inscriptions, the temple was reconstructed with stone during the 11^th century under Kulothunga Chozha-I. It was believed to have been constructed during the Pallava Period and later reconstructed and extended during the Chozhas, Vijayanagaras, etc.

The Pallava King Nandivarman III’s 22^nd reign year 898 CE inscription on the south wall of the madapa, in front of central Shrine in the Bilvanatheswara temple, records a grant of 1½ vēli of land called Vannakkavilāgam, by Sandippillaiyār after purchasing it for gold from the sabha of Tribhuvanamadevi-Caturvēdi-mangalam, having defrayed the expenses of poli-küli, rendering it as tax-free (kāśu-kollā-ürkıl iraiyili) and made it cultivable (manalidil-vēli) to provide for a perpetual lamp and food-offerings to the god Mahādēva at Tiruvaigāvūr. The inscription states that this is a copy of (an earlier) stone inscription. 

References

1. ARE 1914

2. South Indian Inscriptions Volume XII

3. Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam. 

LEGENDS:

This temple grandly celebrates Maha Shivaratri. This relates to the story of a hunter who came to this place in search of a deer. Lord Shiva, to save the deer, came in the form of a Tiger. On seeing the tiger, the hunter climbed up the tree, and unknowingly he plucked the leaves (Bilvam) and dropped them on the Shiva Linga without sleep throughout the night. Hence, the hunter got the blessing from Lord Shiva. (The stucco image is at the entrance.) Devotees consider that worshiping Lord Shiva on Shivaratri is auspicious and will increase the benefits manyfold.

This legend is connected with Yama. There are six places where Lord Shiva will relieve Yama's fear, and this is one of the places. The other places are Thirukadaiyur, Thiruveezhimizhalai, Thiruvaiyaru, Thiruvenkadu, and Thiruvanjiyam.

It is believed that Maha Vishnu, Brahma, Agni, Bhoomadevi, Sage Unthaala, and the 4 Vedas worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. There are no Dwarapalakas, and it is believed that Brahma and Maha Vishnu act as guardians. Maha Vishnu was relieved by the wife of Jalandara for lying to her and killing Jalandara.

Sthala Purana stucco image

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special Poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chaturthi in the month Avani (Aug – Sep), Navaratri in the month Purattasi (Sept-Oct), Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi (Oct – Nov), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai (Nov – Dec), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi (Dec – Jan), Maha Shivaratri is celebrated grandly in the month Masi (Feb – March), and monthly Pradosham. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 06.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 16.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS  

Mobile and landline numbers are: +91 94435 86453 & +91 96552 61510

Hariharan Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile at + 93443 30834 for further details.

HOW TO REACH  

From Kumbakonam to Swamimalai town, a bus passes through the place.

Can reach from Thirupurambiyam about 4 km

On the Kumbakonam – PULIANCHERI – Thiruvaiyaru bus route, take a diversion at Puliyancheri to Thiruvaikavur, which is about 9 km.

The temple is 17 km from Kumbakonam, 26 km from Thiruvaiyaru, 34 km from Thanjavur, 50 km from Mayiladuthurai, and 296 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---