Tirukannangudi
Temple Information
- Moolavar
- Lokanatha Perumāl / Dāmodara Nārāyaṇa Perumāl
- Thayaar
- Shyamalameni Thāyār
- Vimanam
- Utpala Vimānam
- Theertham
- Shravana Pushkariṇī
- How to reach
- This kshethram is about 8 kilometers from Nāgapaṭṭinam
Shrine Location
Sthala Puranam
Bhṛgu Maharshi, Gautama Rishi, and Brahmā worshipped Lord Vishṇu at this kshethram. It is also believed that Vasishṭhar created an image of Lord Krishna out of butter and meditated upon it. Lord Krishna is said to have appeared one day when Vasishṭhar was performing aaradhanam for the butter idol. When the Lord saw the butter idol, he was tempted and gobbled it up. When Vasishṭhar started to look for the butter idol, he saw a boy running away, saying he had eaten up the butter. Vasishṭhar began to chase the child.
As the Lord was being chased by Vasishṭhar, a group of sages who were meditating under a Magizha tree caught sight of the boy, recognizing Him to be the Lord. The Lord is then said to have taken the form of Damodaran( the one who was tied up). Thus, this kshethram became the home of Lord Krishna. Hence the name Tirukkannankudi.
Special Note
Thirukannangudi Divyadesam and Tirumangai Āzhwār
Once, when Tirumangai Āzhwār was building the massive outer walls of the Shrīraṅgam temple, he ran out of money. To find a way, he went to the Buddhist Vihara at Nāgapaṭṭinam. There, he sang a verse saying that for Buddha, it was enough to have a statue made of iron, wood, brass, or any simple metal—there was no need for it to be made of gold.
As he sang, something strange happened. The gold from the Buddha statue started to melt and flowed towards him, turning into gold bars. With that gold, he set off to Shrīraṅgam.
On the way, he became tired and rested under a tamarind tree. Before lying down, he buried the gold near the tree and told the tree to wake him up if anyone came by. The tree, taking his words seriously, stayed alert all night and didn't "sleep." That's why it's known as Urangaa Puli—the Tamarind Tree That Didn't Sleep.
The next morning, a landlord from that area came by. The tree dropped a few leaves on Āzhwār, waking him up just in time. Seeing the gold, the landlord claimed that since it was found on his land, it belonged to him. But Tirumangai Āzhwār told him the land actually belonged to him and that he had the documents to prove it in Shrīraṅgam. He said he would go there, bring back the papers, and settle the matter. But he never came back.
The issue was never resolved and is still said to be "pending." That's why it's called Theraa Vilakku—the Case That's Still Not Settled.
On the journey, Āzhwār became very thirsty. He saw a few women near a well and asked them for some water. But since he had an argument with the landlord from their village, they refused to give him any. Angry at this, Āzhwār cursed that the wells in that village would go dry forever. That's why the place came to be called Oorak Kinaru—the Village of Dry Wells.
Tired, thirsty, and hungry, Tirumangai Āzhwār lay down under a Maghizham Tree. The tree gently fanned him with its cool breeze and gave him some comfort. At that moment, Lord Pārthasārathy (Paranthaman) appeared in the form of a Brāhmiṇ. He gave Āzhwār some food and water. After eating, when Āzhwār looked around, the Brāhmiṇ had disappeared. He then realized it was the Lord Himself. Feeling blessed and happy, he gave a boon to the tree that it would never dry up.
From then, that tree has been called Kaaya Magizhai—the Maghizham Tree That Never Dries.
Azhwar Pasuram
Thirumangaiazhwar – 10 Pāsurams