Thursday 25 February 2021

Sivagurunathaswamy Temple / Sri Sivapuranathar Temple / சிவபுரம் சிவகுருநாதசுவாமி கோயில், Sivapuram, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 184th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 67th sthalam on the south of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. 


In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Arisirkaraiputhur. In Thirunavukkarasu puranam Sekkizhar didn’t mentioned this temple in particular. Sekkizhar also records that Sundarar worshiped Lord Shiva of Sivapuram, but we couldn’t get the hymns.

அங்கண் இனிது அமரும் நாள் அடல்வெள் ஏனத்து உருவாய்ச்
செங்கண் நெடுமால் பணியும் சிவபுரத்துச் சென்று அடைந்து
கங்கை சடைக் கரந்தவர்தம் கழல் வணங்கிக் காதலினால்
பொங்கும் இசைத் திருப்பதிகம் முன் நின்று போற்றிசைத்தார்
.......திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்
பெருகும் பதிகம் பிறையணிவாள் நுதலாள் பாடிப் பெயர்ந்து நிறை
திருவின் மலியும் சிவபுரத்துத் தேவர்பெருமான் கழல்வணங்கி
உருகும் சிந்தையுடன் போந்தே உமையொர் பாகர்தாள் பணிந்து
மருவும் பதிகள் பிறபணிந்து கலயநல்லூர் மருங்கு அணைந்தார்
....... சுந்தரர் புராணம்
Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Manickavasagar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

கலைமலி அகல்அல்குல் அரிவைதன் உருவினன்
முலைமலி தருதிரு உருவமது உடையவன்
சிலைமலி மதில்பொதி சிவபுர நகர்தொழ
இலைநலி வினையிரு மையும்இடர் கெடுமே
...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
வானவன்காண் வானவர்க்கு மேலா னான்காண்
        வடமொழியுந் தென்றமிழும் மறைகள் நான்கும்
ஆனவன்காண் ஆனைந்தும் ஆடி னான்காண்
        ஐயன்காண் கையிலனல் ஏந்தி யாடும்
கானவன்காண் கானவனுக் கருள்செய் தான்காண்
        கருதுவார் இதயத்துக் கமலத் தூறும்
தேனவன்காண் சென்றடையாச் செல்வன் றான்காண்
        சிவனவன்காண் சிவபுரத்தெஞ் செல்வன் தானே
...... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்
ஒழிவற நிறைந்த ஒருவ போற்றி
செழுமாலர்ச் சிவபுரத்து அரசே போற்றி”
....... மாணிக்கவாசகர் – திருவாசகம் – போற்றித்திருவகல்
                                                                 -“தரிசனத்தெக்
காலஞ்சிவ புரத்தைக் காதலித்தோர் தங்கமுதி
யேலுஞ் சிவபுரத்தில் எம் மானே
........ திரு அருட்பா
Moolavar  : Sri Sivagurunathasamy, Sri Sivapureeswarar,
                  Sri Bramhapureeswarar, Sri Sivapuranathar.
Consort    : Sri Aryambal, Sri Singaravalli

Some of the salient features of this temple are.....
The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. The 3 tier Rajagopuram is on the second level. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in between the two Rajagopurams. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. Moolavar is Swayambhu. A bas-relief of Maha Vishnu worshiping Lord Shiva in the form of  white pig is on the sanctum wall is worth to watch.

In prakaram Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar and Chandikeswarar, Gajalakshmi, Theyu Lingam, Vayu Lingam, Prithivi Lingam, Kubera Lingam, Two Bhairavas, Two Chandras, Suriyan and Saneeswarar. Nalvar and Sundarar can be seen with Paravai nachiyar.

Natarajar impon statue  was got back, after a prolonged legal battles and the hard effort of Vijay. ( Poetry In Stone )  There is a separate small temple for Kala Bhairavar in the outer prakaram before Rishabam and balipeedam facing south. The Vahana Dog is looking at Bhairavar. Ambal is in a separate temple facing east. The Mukha mandapa ceiling has the 12 Zodiac bas reliefs. It is believed that, if prayed, standing under the respective zodiac symbol, the wishes will be fulfilled.   

The 15th Century Saint Arunagirinathar Has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

தினக ரன்சிலை வேளருள் மாதவர்
            சுரர்க ளிந்திர னாருர காதிபர்
            திசைமு கன்செழு மாமறை யோர்புக       ழழகோனே
    திரும டந்தையர் நாலிரு வோர்நிறை
            அகமொ டம்பொனி னாலய நீடிய
            சிவபு ரந்தனில் வாழ்குரு நாயக                  பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of Sanctum sanctorum,  antarala and artha mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a prati bandha adhistanam with vrudha Kumudam. A two thala Vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum Sanctorum. A Mandapam was built around sanctum Sanctorum at a latter date. 


HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
Since Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before 7th Century. Latter the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during Chozha period. Further extended during Thanjavur Nayaks Period and maintained by Nattukottai nagarathars.

The Natarajar belongs to this temple was stolen and recovered back, with a hard effort of Mr Vijayakumar. 


LEGENDS
This place was called as Kuberapuram, Bhu kailayam and Sanbagaranyam during ancient times.

As per the sthala purana, during the pralaya / deluge Maha Vishnu came to this temple and worshiped Lord Shiva. He took the form of white Varaha ( Pig ) / Swetha Varaha, saved this earth keeping it on his head. After this he came to this temple and worshiped Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva blessed him and restored pig to original form of Maha Vishnu. A bas relief depicting this sthala purana is on the sanctum wall near Dakshinamurthy. This sthala purana was mentioned in Thevara hymns sung by Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal. This legend is also painted on the wall.
 



In another sthala purana, Ravana came to this temple with out taking bath and not following the rituals. Nandhi stopped him. But Kubera came to help Ravana and asked Nandhi to step aside. Angered Nandhi cursed Kubera to born as a greedy King.  Kubera was born as a King called Thalapathy and worshiped Lord Shiva regularly. On day he happened to see a copper plate with an inscription. The inscription records that whoever does a pooja with a male child’s blood on Masi month  Maha Shivaratri day will get  enormous money.

The greedy King Thalapathy managed to buy a Child and the pooja was started. When the child was about to cut the child clung his parents and prayed ma Parvati. Ma Parvati asked Lord Shiva to help the Child. Lord Shiva told that, it is a ploy to relieve nandhi’s curse and the child is Agni and his parents are Indra and Indrani.

Before Indra Cuts fully Lord Shiva  appeared before him and stopped. The Thalapathy the greedy King / Kubera realized his depth of his previous birth and prayed Lord Shiva to pardon him. Lord Shiva pardoned Kubera and relieved from Nandhi’s curse. To signifies this sthalapurana there is a mark of the blood drop on the Shiva Linga. This sthala purana is painted on the wall.
 

During the Visit of Thirugnanasambandar, he saw innumerable Shiva Lingas below the ground, through his 3rd vision. So he do not want step inside the sanctum., instead he and his disciples had done the angaprathatchana and worshiped Lord Shiva.  He has sung the hymns standing from outside of the temple. The place where he stood and sung is called as “Swamigal Thurai”. Hence people also do angapradakshinam in this temple. It is also a Parihara sthalam for Child boon.

Kubera, Mahavishnu, Pattinathar, Arunagirinathar, Bhairavar  worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. The Bhairavar is a prarthanai moorthy.

It is believed that Suriya worships Lord Shiva. To signifies the same the sun rays falls on moolavar on 4th, 5th and 6th days on Chithirai month.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Kubera Pooja on Deepavali day, Aani Thirumanjanam in the month Aani ( June – July ), Aadi pooram in the month Aadi ( July – Aug ), Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Aavani ( Aug – Sept ), Navaratri in the month of Purattasi ( Sept – Oct ), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thiru karthigai in the month of Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Makar Sankranti in the month Thai ( Jan – Feb ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni ( March – April ) and monthly pradosham days.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :
Gurukkal    Bala Sakthi and S Sai may be contacted at their mobiles +9198653 06840, +91 9865306840 & +91 9898460984 for darshan.

HOW TO REACH :
Get down at Pattamani Iyer stop on Kumbakonam to Mannargudi  route and Sivapuram is via Malaiyappanallur about 4  km from main road.
2 KM from Sakkottai Velaanmai Virivakka Mayyam ( வேளான்மை விரிவாக்க மைய்யம் ) on Kumbakonam to Thiruvarur or Kumbakonam to Mannargudi  bus route.
The Place Sivapuram is 5 KM from Thirunariyur, 5 KM from Thiruppandurai,  6 KM from Nachiyarkoil, 4.7 KM from Kumbakonam,  33 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 36 KM from Thiruvarur and 301 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE





---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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