Tirukkottiyur

The legend has it that the Devas came together (goshti) to worship the Lord at this kshetram to rid the universe of the demon Hiraṇyakashipu. This temple is also considered Dakshina Badri. This is probably the most important kshetrham according to the Sri Vaishṇava Parampara, as it is the kshetram where Swāmy Bhagavad Rāmānujar first performed the Ashṭākshara Mantropadesham. Let us see the story. Swāmy Rāmānujar came here to this kshethram to seek education from Sri Tirukkotiyur Nambigal.

Sri Tirukkotiyur Nambigal is said to have rejected giving Swāmy Rāmānujar education seventeen times, sending him back to Sri Raṅgam. When Swāmy Rāmānujar came back for the eighteenth time, Sri Tirukkotiyur Nambigal is said to have revealed the ashtakshara mantram and the charama shlokam to Swāmy Rāmānujar and instructed him to keep it a secret. Swāmy Rāmānujar realized that this mantram and shloka were the means to Sri Vaikuṇṭham.

Thus, Swāmy Rāmānujar is said to have climbed up to the top of the Ashṭāṅga Vimānam and openly revealed that he possessed the ashtakshara mantram as well as the charama shlokam and was willing to pass it on to anyone who so wished to listen to him. When Sri Tirukkotiyur Nambigal learned of this, he immediately pursued Swāmy Rāmānujar. He told him that he was destined to go to hell because he had not listened to his guru's wishes.

Swāmy Rāmānujar is then supposed to have said that he was more than ready to go to hell if he could provide the means for so many people to go to Vaikuṇṭham. Sri Tirukkotiyur Nambigal then realizes his mistake and is said to have asked for forgiveness of Swāmy Rāmānujar after seeing his broad outlook.

Ashṭāṅga Vimānam with the arch from where Swāmy Ramnujar performed mantropadesham