For milleniums the Hindus have been extremely Godloving, and all
over the land temples were built by the rulers, or the scions of rulers,
and no wonder the poet warns us 'not to dwell in a place where a temple is
non-existent'.
In the Thanjavur District studded with scores of temples the exists
in Tirunallar near Karaikal, the former French territory, the ancient
temple of Darbharanyeswara. This temple was visited by the Saint Tirugnana
Sambandar in the 7th century A.D. who sang padigams (decadal verses) in
praise of the Lord. Likewise, his contemporary Saint Tirnnavukkarasu and
later, Saint Sundarar (9th century A.D.) had visited the temple and sung
padigams extolling the Lord. Saint Arunagirinathar (15th century A.D.) had
also visited it and sung hymns included in his monumental work Tiruppugazh.
THE PACCHAI PADIGAM
It is unique glory of the Tirunallar temple that it possesses the
Pacchai Padigam which occupies a pride of place in the history of the Hindu
Saivite Tamil hymnal literature. This padigam extols the virtues of the
Lord and begins with the opening line Bhogamartha Poon Mulayal a pecan to
the consort of Lord Darbharanyeswara. And it is said to have stood and
ordeal of fire and the event leading to it is of absorbing interest and is
narrated below.
It took place in the 7th century A.D, in Madurai, the capital of
the Pandya Kingdom, during the reign of the celebrated Koon Pandya,
also
called Ninraseernedumaran. It was the time when the Jains had spread their
influence and far and wide, In the Pandya Kingdom. The king had become a
convert to Jainism and actively promoted its growth in his kingdom. Long
all but his queen Mangaiyarkarasi and his minister Kulacchirai Nayanar -
both stunch Saivaits - had embraced Jainism, forsaking the old religion.This caused immense agony to the queen and the minister who were
anxious to reclaim the king and the kingdom back to the traditional
religion.
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1. Pacchai - the ever gree; Padigam - decadal verse.
2. (Devi) with shapaly breasts adorned with jewels so pleasing to the Lord.
3. Histrians idendify Koon Pandya (the hunch-backed Pandya) with Arikesari
Parankusa Maravarman.
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To these two grief stricken individuals came the good tidings of
the camping of boy saint Tirugnana Sambandar at Vedaranyam. Having heard
of the miracles performed by the Saivait saint young Sambandar in the
Thanjavur district, they sent an urgent invitation to him to visit Madurai
and extricate the king and his subjects from the clutches of the Jains. It
would appear that while the queen's messengers found a ready response in
the boy saint it was not easy where his "admirer and companion saint" Appar
was concerned. In the words of Sekkizhar and thus spoke Appar, the king of
Divine speech. Thouat but a stripling. There is no end to the deceits and
treacheries of the Jains. There is one further objection. The planets
stand baleful. So you shold not agree to go. Unto which the high-souled
Sambandar repiled . "If what I think and praise constantly are the
tinkling feer of our Lord, no harm will touch me". So saying the cheif of
the Puhali town, Sambandar ever bound unto the rosy fragrant feet of God.
Sang the PADIGAM begining with the Lord of Uma with bamboo - like shapely
shoulders". The saint then be took himself to Madurai.
The arrival of the Saivate Saint roused the suspicion of the Jains
who resorted to the heinous act of setting fire to his holy dwelling. But
by his yogic powers, Sambandar had the heat transferred to the king which
burut his person inexorably Lo! the king was wriggling like a warm unable
to stand the pain, which the scorching heat that had taken hold of his
person produced. Then the youthful saint sang the padigam 'Mandiramavadu
Neeru' (the saered ash is the mandra etc.,) and sprinkled a few grains of
the ash on the right side of the king's body. The Jains in their turn
chanting the Aruga Mantra (Jain Mantra) stroked the left side of the King's
person with peacock feathers, but it only aggravated the pain! Entreated
by the king and his ministers, Sambandar applied a few more grains of the
sacred ash on to his left side also. It was a wonder of wonders that the
poor pandya monarch who a little while ago was the very picture of
suffering, misery and distress was now smiling gaily and appeared wholly
freed from the burning malady. Lo! the King was rid of his hump too! And
at this moment, it may be said that the triumph of Saivism over Jainism was
more than established in the Pandya capital and the unwanted religion just
faded out ignominiously.
But the Jains were not as yet wiser by their abject defeat1. They
arrogantly threw the challenge that both religionsts should write down
their respective Mantras on a palm leaf and consign it to the flames and
the one that survived the ordeal of the established its superiority over
the other.
The King must have been impressed by the miraculous performance of Gnana Sambandar's treatment just with a pinch of sacred ash and he might
also have been possibly distreesed at the collapse of the religion to which
he was a votary, namely Jainism. It was at this juncture that the Jains
threw the aforesaid challenge as they were convinced that the king was in
two minds in the approach to the two respective religions. The Saint also
wanted to convince him of the superiority of Saivism over the other. And
so, he accepted the challenge and the Jains first threw their Mantra into
the fire which became forthwith a prey to the flames! Sambandar them
caused his Tirumurai to be brought there and pulled one leaf from the
bundle and his leaf contained a verse of the forty - ninth Padigam of
Tevaram entitled "Bhogamartha Poon Mulayal" which was sung carlier by the
saint in the Darbaranyeswara shrine at Tirunallar. He consigned it to the
flames. But his palm bearing leaf was not scorched by the fire. It
maintained its evergreen freshness! Unconsumed by the fierce flames of the
fire it remained absolutely unscatched and this miracle established. The
glory of saivism which to this day is as Green as it was before it was
subjected to the fire ordeal! Hence the appellation "Pacchai Padigam"
was being applied to it.
Bhogamartha Poon Mulayal is also called by the name of Praneswari
as she gave life (Prana) or rebirth to Saivism.
PLACE NAME
The name "TIRUNALLARU" is said to represent the association of Nala
of the Nishadha country who got his deliverance from the evil effects of
Shani (Saturn) by invoking the Lord's mercy here. (Nala+Aru-Nallaru). The
word "Aru" also conveys the meaning "to heel" and the two words taken
together will mean Nala's place of redemption or the pace where Nala
secured his redemption from the hold of Saturn through the Lord's Grace.
Others are inclined to read the meaning 'between rivers' in the name Nal-Aru, as this place is situated in the midst of two rivers in the north
i.e. Noolaru and Vanchiaru, and one in the south, Arasalaru.
And this name as such occurs in the earlier padikam as wel as in the Inscriptions. Besides, the name of Nallaru this sacred plaee has also other name such as Adipuri, Darbharanyam, Nagavidangapuram, Naleswaram etc
THE TEMPLE AND THE TANKS
Since [the principal deity Darbharanyeswara his consort Praneswari,
Shaniswar and the several other gods and goddesses enshrined here have the
power to offer benedictions to the devotees, hundreds of them visit this
temple daily. There is the additional attraction of several sacred tanks
which exist here and which are said to, possess healing powers literally as
well as metaboically.
A beautiful Rajagopuram in five tiers resing to the sky and adorned
with an abundance of terracotta sculpture as we approach the temple. As
one enters and perambulates round the eircumambulatory path this shirne of
Kalathinathar and Karpakavinayakar are seen which are readily worshipped.
The images of the four great Shive Saint besides those of the 63 - Nayanmars are represented at the turn of the southeren Prakara of the
temple, and noteworthy feature here is the image of Nala house in a
separate shrine at the end of the gallery of the 63 - Nayanmars. On the
westren path are seen three figures having uam stackable sage-like
appearance. And it is believed that one of them is, that of the Chola king
Raja Raja, it is food for researchers as this image is so strikingly
similar to the one found at the entrance of the Nritta Sabha in the
Nataraja temple at Chidambaram. The other notable deities in this line are Swarna Vinayaka and Subramanya.
The image of Lord Shaniswara is seen in a graceful standing pose
housed in niche on the left side of the Lord's Sannithi. He is shedding
benevolence as he is wearing the aspect of Anugrahamum and a Perennial
stream of Bhaktas throng here to worship Him and obtain His grace
throughout the year on important festival days.
According to legends, Shani is the son of the Sun [the Chief of the solar system] by Chhaya, the shadow of Samine his wife. He was ordered by his father to take his pace amongst the planets and engage himself in meeting out joys and sorrows to mortals in proportion to the merits and demerits earned by them in their past lives.
Shaniswara is very much sought after by countless millions of
devotees on the day when the Planet Saturn [worshipped as Shaniswara]
transits front one zoditical sign to another. This day is great occasion
here and abhishekas, archhnas, pujas, aradhanas and naivedyas are offered
to the Lord continuously the whoe day for mitigation of the scorching
effeets his influence produces on those to pass through Shani Dasa in their
lives.
There are several tanks here which are considered highly sanctified. They are respectively Brahma Tirtha, Vani Tirtha, Hamsa Tirtha, Agasthia Tirtha, Nala Tirtha, etc., The Sthala Vriksha here is the Darbha plant [Kusa grass].
The Lord Darbharanyeswara is offered pujas six times a day and Lord
Shaniswara five times a day.
Shaniswara has also other names such as Mandam [dullard Pangu[lame]
Kartam [biack man] etc. Since the takes nearly three decadeo complete one
orbit round the sun he is reckoned as a very slow moving planet. The name
Sanaichara means slow moving. And his vehicle is the crow the familiar
black brid. The colour of his graments is also black.
According to astrology, Saturn is the Lord of the houses. Makhara[Capricorn] and Kumbha [Aquarius]. He is exalted in the house
Thula[Libra] and is Ayurkaraka or in other words, governs our life span,
Sesame or the gingelli is his favourite seed and cooked rice mixed with
sesame is the favourite naivedana.
The Siloatatnakara mentions the eagle as his vehicle. It is also
said that lamps fed with gingili oil and lighted before him reduces the
intensity of his malelife and saturday being his day in the week the
offerings on that day of gingili oil fed lamps and gingili-rice bring to
the devotee great virtues besides getting the saturnine influence mitigated
if thiy happen to be affilicted by it.
Saturn as well known as one of the 9 planets and Is the biggest in the solar system next only to Jupiter. Its diameter is 71,500 miles and is of a lighter density than the earth. It orbits the sun taking about 29.5 years to take one full round, passing through the 12 sign of the zodiac in its stride. It is 886 million miles away from the Sun. And it takes 10.15 hours to make in rotation on its own axis.
PURANIC STORIESIn days of yore, when the sages implored to suggest to them a suitable site on earth to perform the Satra yaga, the latter rolled out a Chakra [nemi] made of darbha [Kusa grass] which stopped at a forest [aranya] thus indicating that it was an ideal place for them to do their penance. The became known as the Naimisharanys. According to another version it was called Naimisharanya. Because of the annihilation by the Lord here of holdes of Asuras in minute [Nlmisha].
In Naimisharanya, the famous redezvous of sages and birthplace of
the Puranas, God has taken the form of a Pushkarma, while in forest. He
exists as water, with a view to providing the sages with shade, tubers and
fruits so that could listen to expositions of divine stories
uninterruptedly without having to break in order to appease their hunger
thirst or to take rest. It was here that Lava and Kusa, the twin sons of
Sri Rama sang the Ramayana and the sagh Parasara's son was conferred the title of Veda Vyasa also Balarama was felicitated by the sages on his
annihilating the Asura. Balvanan and Srimad Bhagavata was retold at the
commencement of KaliYuga by Sage Suka.
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5. Vayu Purana.
6. Modern Nishmar which is 45 miles north west of Lucknow [Uttar Pradesh].
7. Varaha Purana.
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Many puranic stories associated with the sacred tanks of Darbharanyeswara were told in the sacred forest of Naimisharanya.
[1] THE CURSE: A king of the Kalinga country who was cursed to take the form of a wild elephant along with his queen and prince and Roam about in the wilderness because of an unpremeditated slight he offered to Sage Bhagava shed his animal existence along with the members of his family by Sage Narada's intercession who had directed the accursed king to go to Darbharanyeswara and manage to get a drop of the water fall on his body from the head of a pilgrim who just had a dip in the sacred Brahma Thirtha.
Accordingly, the King his Consort and son were transformed to the
is former *elves. When a drop of his sacred water fell on them from the
head of a pilgrim who was mopping his wet hair just after a bath in the
sacred tank.
[2] NALAS REDEMPTION :
Nala the handsome and brave king of Nishadha was married to
Damayanthi, the Princess of Vidardha she choose him as her Lord in
preference to celestials Jndra. Varuna, Agni and Yama, Shani who also had
an eye on marrying Damayanthi became enraged at this. He reviled the gods
for allowing a mortal to wed Damayanthi and vowed, out of sheer spite, to
bring about their separation and ruin Nala also. But he had to wait for
twelve long years before he could find any flaw in Nala whose adherence to
just ce, probity and righteousness and strict observance of religious were
impeccable generally. On the commission of a breach in the performance of
his morning ablutions on a certain dry Shani took hold of him at once.
Thence commenced Nala's misfortunes. He played a game of dice with the
wicked Pushkara. He had staked his kingdom and lost but continued the game
unmindful of the counsels of the virtuous wife fondly hoping to succeed at
one stage to another, Ultimately losing everything Nala left his kingdom
and wildernesses. Later, he forsock his wife also, who stood steadfast his
companion all through, on a pitch dark night while she was asleep and
wended his way through the dense forest. And espying a bigserpant caught
ina forest fire writhing in agony, he resuced it. The serpant Karkotaka in
return bit Nala its own rescuer, whose body was suddenly transformed into
that of a dark dwarf. Karkotaka told him that this transformation in his
physical appearance was a service rendered to him in his own interest,
which eventual happenings in his life would prove to be correct, and also
gave him a snake skin by donning which Nala could assume his original from
at will. He also advised him to go to King Ritupanna of Ayodhya and learn
from him the tricks employed in the play of the game of dice. Progressing
further. Nala reached Ayodhya and his dentity being unrecognisable on
account of the physical change effected by the snake bite, he appreached
King Ritupanna under the name Bahuka and sought of him employment. He was
given one which was that of the king's charioteer, Ritupanna little
suspecting that Bahuka was no other than Nala. A king royal who had not
his compeer in the three worlds in the art of horsemanship.
Now for Damayandhi, she was greatly distressed at Nala's desernion
of her and roamed about the forest until she came upon a caravan whose
members were very hospitable to her and agreed to take her to the
neighbouring city the next morning. But as ill luck would have it, that
night mad elephant attacked the caravan and killed the merchants. When the
foriorn Damayanthi came forward voluntarily to give herself up to the
animal preferring death the widbeast became submissive and went its way
doing her no harm. Trusting in God, Damayanthi resumed her journey and
reached the city of Chedi whose Queen captivated by the bewitching beauty
of Damayanthi allowed her to emain with her as her companion and maid in
the meantime some of the messengers of King Bhima of Vidardha who had
arrived in Chedi in search of the royal couple recognized Damayanthi as
their princess and she was back by the Queen to Vidarbha with a royal
escort.
Damayanthi that a minute examination of Bahuka the short, swarthy
charioteer of King Ritupanna suggested that he was a great personage who
had gone down in life. Clever Damayanthi forthwith send word through the
messenger to King Riutppanna that a second Swayamwara was to take place for
her since Nala had deserted her. And King Ritupanna whose love for
Damayanthi had never wanted even after the disappointment at the first
Swayamwara got ready to attend it the very next morning.
The sight of the chariot which was whirling through the sky
immediately revealed to Damayanthi the charioteer's mastery over the art of
horsemanshop. But the charioteer locked ugly and disease! However, in and
all out effort to identify Nala. Damayanthi was prepared to go to any
length. She employed several strategies whereby she could identify some of
the unique skills that Nala had possessed including proficincy in the
culinary arts and her strategies did yield truth.
At long Nala did get back his old majestic and handsome appearance
[by wearing the snake - skin]. Unlessing the reunited couple and their
children King Ritupanna left Kundinapura. With the help of his
father-in-law Nala marched at the head of an army to Nishadha, defeated
King Pushkar in gambirg with the help of knowledge of the science of
numbers he had acquired from King Ritupanna, and took back possession of
his lost kingdom.
Notwithstanding the restoration of his lost fortune. Nala was
still dogged by misery and unhappiness owing to the effects of Shani and on
the advice of Sage Bharadwaja at Vriddhachalam he came to Tirunallar where,
after a bath in the sacred Brahma Tirtea he regained his mental equipoise,
and peace of mind was restored to him thereafter.
He sojowrned for a few days at the sacred shrine dug a tank which
was named Nala Tirth after him and got the temple renovated. Whoever has a
bath in this tank should be blessed. He prayed to the lord fermently, "And
be free saturaline influence" and the lord granted his prayer.
[3] REDEMPTION FROM THE SIN OF COW KILLING :
King Thooyakanda, ruler of Vedavarthana situation on the bank of
the river Godavari, begot a son after long penances and fulfulling many
vows and presented riches and cows to the Brahmins who had conducted a Yaga
[Putrakmeshti] for the birth of an heir apparent to the King.
Two Brahmins who were also recipients of cows found that one of
them had a bigger size cow than the other. Simitten by jealousy and envy
they both quarelled violently which ended in mutual exchange of blows with
sticks. Unfortunately a severe blow landed on one of the animals which
died instantaneously. Gohatya or the sin of killing a cow, though
unpremeditated, overtook the Brabmin who immediately became transformed
into a low class human being and was blind too.
The unfortunate Brahmin sought the advice of Sage Romasha who
directed him to repair to Darbharaya and seek redemption for his sin from
the Lord after taking a bath in the Hamsa Tirtha. Accordingly the Brahmin
went there and a drop of water from the head of a woman pilgrim who had
just bathed in then sacred waters of the tank and was drying her hair
landed on him. And Lal immediately he got back his Original Form and
sight, the sin of Cow Killing having been absolved.
[4] URUCHI OF AVANTI:
Uruchi, the King of Avanti, once sudplicated before the Sage
Bharadwaja who came to his court followed by a few other sages implored the
later to advice him as to which and of the numerous forms of charities was
most suderior to the others. This sage suggested Annadana or serving food
to the starving and added that if this service was performed in Darbharanya
Kshetra the donor would earn plenty of merit. Following this advice, the
king processed to Darbharanya and worshipped the Lord and offered. Him
sincere prayers. The Lord appeared before him and asked him to ask for a
boon. The king beseeched the Lord to bless him with His everlasting Grace
and the means to offer food to those who sought of him. On obtaining the
lord's boon the King remained in this Sacred Place for long devoting
Himself to the Service of the poor and Feeding and Hungry.
[5] AGNIVANNAR:
Two sons of a merchant prince bearing the same name of Agnivannar
got into lustful ways and ran through their fortunes in no time and became
penniless.
Having nothing to feld for themselves and har put to the necessity
of keeping their body and soul together, they turned highway robbers, and
hiding in jungles overpowered stray travellers, killed them and seized
their possessions.
Once a sage happening to pass by their haunt, was also subjected to
the same inhuman treatment by the robbers. The sage after giving them
wise, counsel advised them to lead a normal life he took them to Darbharanya where these who fallen brothers attained salvation after taking
a bath in the Hamsa Dirtha and worshipping, the lord and offering prayers
to Him for many Days.
A SAPTHA VIDANGA SHRINE
Thirunallar has claims to additional impartance as the Second of
the seven Saptha Vidanga Sthalas. In other words, this sacred place
enshrines a naturally formed Marakatha [emerald] linga known as
Navagavidanga which is the second out of the seven images gifted the Indra
to a Chola King by name.
Muchukunda, who installed them respectively at Tituvarur,
Tirunallaru, Tiruvoimur, Tirukkarayil, Tirukkuvalai
[or Tirukkolili],
Tirunagaikaronam [Nagapattinam] and Tirumaraikkadu [Vedaranyam] Siva the
King of dances, performs the Unmatha dance in this Kshetra.
The sanctum on the left side of Tyagaraja has the Marakathalinga
kept in an iron safe. Abhishekas and pujas are offered to it five times a
day.
It is computed that there are 17 Sivalingas in this sacred place
includind Darbharanyeswara in the main shirne and those that the lords of
the 8 cardinal points [Dik Palakas] has established and worshipped along
with a sacred tank in each of the cardinal points to which they are
respectively accredited.
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8. Saptha - Seven; Vidange - Swayambhu or naturally formed; Sthala - Sarred place.
9. Naga - latop the mountains Vidanga - naturally formed.
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BALIPITHA
The Balipitha in a temple usually faces the sanctum at a distance
directly in front of the Lord.
But the one here is not facing the sanctum directly but is a little
away from the line of the usual possition and thereby hangs a tale. A
milkman was supplying milk in the temple daily on the orders of the local
king. But the accountant of the temple asked the milkman to deliver the
milk at his house and enter it in the temple accounts. But the honest
milkman who demurred to the instructions of the accountant was threatened
with drastic action by the latter.
The helpless milkman could only seck justiee from Lord
Darbharanyeswara, who irked by the accountant's malfeasance wished to
punishd him and released his lance in his direction. And as the Balipitha
was in line with the coures of the lauce it is said to have moved a little away from
its position to clear the way for the passage of the hurtling lance.
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10. Unmaththa [mad man] on of the 108 Bharata Natya of Nataraja.
11. Prince of renouncers.
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SHANIMANTRA
neelanjana samaabhaasam raviputram yamaagrajam
chaayaa martaandassmbhootam tamnamani shaneiswaram
"I salute Shani, the son of Surya, the elder brother of Yama born
of Shadow and the Sun, and resplendent as collyrium [From the Nava Graha
Stotra of Vedavyasa].
Sri
Dharbaraneswara Swamy Devasthanam, Thirunallar is to be performed Sanipeyarchi
festival on
05/08/2007.
"Sri Saneeswara Baghavan (SATURN) transits from Kadaga Rasi
(CANCER) to Simha Rasi
(LEO) on 05/08/2007 at 12:19 P.M."
The following is a reproduction of the artice contribution by the
author to the Indian Express Madras, in commemoration of the transit of
Lord Saturn which took place on Monday the 18th August 1975 at 11,13 p.m.
In the Solar system Saturn is the biggest planet and is only next
to Jupiter in magnitude. It is 886 million miles distant from the Sun and
its diameter is 71,500 miles. It takes 29.46 years to complete one orbit
around the sun, progressing through the 12 signs of the zodiac in this
duration. And it is breath-taking to realize that the earth's diameter is
7918 miles and is about 1/10 of the size of the giant planet. Its density
is just 1/8 of that of the earth. And its one unique feature is that three
rings of dense planets, It has eight satellites and two more have been
added to this number by subsequent researches. It rotates on its axis in
about 10-15 hours. It is identified with the ancient italion god of
agriculture and animal husbandry.
The science of astrology credits the planet "with producing cold.
sluggish and gloomy temperament in those born under its influence".
Besides it is said to give bountiful prosperity or the opposite of it
compounded with plenty of misery and sorrow to al those who come under its
influence.
Even though seepties may not accept it astrologically it is an
accepted fact that all the nine planets influence the humans in their day
to day life from birth to death, by conferring on them penury or
prosperity, intelligence or stupidity, happiness or sorrow health or
sickness. longevity or untimely death in proportion to the merits or sins
earned by them in their previous births.
The kings of old had in their courts astrologers to advise them in
their day-to-day activities.
Sages like Varaha Mihira and Jaimini appear to have been
progenitors of the science of astrologn in India. This science is also
said to have been practised in ancient Babyion known as the Chaldea system
of astrology. The west today has developed astrology perhaps drawing
inspiration from the Indian and the Chaldean systems. And the fact that
astrological redings or prediotions are popular features in most of the
current day periodicals is indicative of the measure of its hold on the
classes and the masses. A branch of this science developed as mundane
astrology prediots wars, famines, foods, deluges. Pestilenes the rise and
fall of an country and its political changes and vicissitudes, and so on.
It may be recalled in this context that the moon's phasls affect the ocean
tides.
And hence it is not without significiance that in all the Shiva
shrines in South India there is a Nava Graha [9 planets] corner with the
sun at the centre and the other eight planets crowding around him facing in
different directions. The devoters do not fail to visit this part of the
shrine for circumambularion and worship to earn benefits and absolution
from sins.
At Suryanar Koil [Thanjavur District] there is a separate temple
for the Sun similar to the one at Konark in Orissa. And at Tirunallar [a
commune of Kariakal, Pondicherry State] in a niche in the main shrine of
Sri Darbharanyeswara it housed the stone image of Saturn around the
prakara.
Saturn is a malefic planet and he is generally feared must for evil
propensities. This plant takes roughly 2.6 years to transit from one
zodiacal sign to another and takes 30 years apportunately for him to
complete his full round taking in his strides all the 12 zodiacal signs in
this buration. And on account of the long time taken by him for completing
one round he is nicknamed Mandan [dullard] Pangu [the name planet] and so
on.
In his rounds when he posits in the house in the horoscope of a
native immediately dnterior to the one occupied by the moon, the native is
said to commence his 7.5 years period of Shani Dasa [Sade Sathi], in other
words 7.5 years dasa period is reckoned by Saturn's transit through the
house anterior to the oue occupied by the moon in on hornscobe, and then
the house in which he is posited and the one next to it there after, to
eross all of which, at the rate of 2,5 years for each, the total period
taken is 7.5 years.
On account of his possessing supreme powers for producing misery
and unhappiness his transits from one house to another is looked upon with
great signifieance. And in the Shiva tempes al over South India the
devotees do poojas, archanas and invoke other forms of pacificatory tituals
to mondify his as best as they can.
And the day of transit known as the Shanipeyarchi is very important
to the devotees of Saturn who in their thousands will throng at Tirunallar
to workship him, as the deity in this shrine is said to be wearing a benign
aspect and hence can be looked forward to bless them and redeem them of
their sins.
About 300 kilometers South of Madras, near Karaikal in Pondicherry
State, is situated the famous and unique temple of Darbharayeswara
enshrining Saturn in the Prakara of the temple in a niche and for the
benefit of the devotees a separate entrance is provided for easy acces to
him. Saturn is generally found only in the Navagraha cluster or gallery in
all South Indian Temples and it is rare and unusual to find him alone
separated from the company of the other planets.
The three great Tevaram hymnists, Sambandar, Appar [7th century]
and Sundarar [9th century] have visited the temple of Sri Darbharanyeswara
and sung padigams in praise of the Lord King Nala of Nishadha country who
was afficted severely by Shaniswara to the extend of his losing his kingdom
and physical elegance and suffering separation from his wife and children
besides the humilill of having to serve as a charioteer to the King of
Ayodhya is said to have redeemed himself from the grips of Saturn the
moment he entered the Darbharanyeswara shrine and Saturn did not pursue him
inside the shrine but remained outside. Nala thereafter offered workship
to Sri Narayana and this derity is today associated with Nala's name and is
knwon as Nala Narayana Perumal.
The name Tirunallar comprises two syllables Nal or Nala+Aru
apparently pointing to the association of Nala with this sacred place,
whose other names are Darbharanyam, Nagavidangapuram, Naleswaram and so on.
And according to the Sthalapuranam there were once 13 sacred tanks
here of which only five exist today. The principal one among them is Nala
Tirtha which is situated on the northwestern side of the main temple. A
dip in the sacred waters of this tank absolves one of all his sins and
diseases and he is blessed with abundant virtues.
Since the three Nayanmars had visited it at sung padigams the
temple should have been famous and popular even anterior to the time of
Tirugnana Sambandar [7th Century]. On the north wall of the mandapa in
front of the Darbharanyeswara shrine there is a incomplete. Tami
inscription ascribed to Rajakesarivarman alias Rajakesarivarman Tirubhuvan
Chakravarthi Rajathi Raja II, which is dated to the 11th reginal year [1173
A.D.] of this Chola King. And in the same wall there is another Tamil
inscription [incomplete] of the Chola King Tirubhuvan Chakravarthi
Kulothunga Chola Deva III the conqueror of Madurai, datable to the last
quarter of the 12th Century A.D. in the year 1195.