Tirukkudandai

The rishis, headed by Kashyapa, began to perform a sacrifice on the banks of the Gaṅgā. Sage Nārada visited them and asked them why they were performing the sacrifice and who would be pleased by it. Unable to answer the question, the rishis approached Sage Bhṛgu to find a solution through direct ascertainment of reality.

Bhṛgu first went to Satyalokam, the abode of Lord Brahmā. At Satylokam, he found Lord Brahmā reciting the four Vedas in praise of Lord Nārāyaṇa, with each of his four heads, and attended upon by Sarasvatī. Lord Brahmā did not take notice of Bhṛgu offering obeisance. Concluding that Lord Brahmā was unfit for worship, Bhṛgu left Satyalokam for Kailāsham, the abode of Lord Shiva.

At Kailāsham, Bhṛgu found Lord Shiva spending his time pleasantly with Pārvatī, unaware of his presence. Pārvatī drew Shiva's attention to the presence of the sage. Lord Shiva was furious at Bhṛgu's intrusion and tried to destroy him. The sage cursed Lord Shiva and left for Vaikuṇṭham. At Vaikuṇṭham, Lord Vishṇu was reposing on Ādishesha with Shri Mahālakshmī in service at His feet. Finding that Shrīmān Nārāyaṇa also did not notice him, the sage became infuriated and kicked the Lord on his chest, the place where Mahālakshmī resides.

At once, Lord Vishṇu hastened to apologize to the angry sage and pressed his feet to allay the pain caused to Bhṛgu's leg. In doing so, the Lord removed the eye in the foot of the sage, which gave Bhṛgu power to defy the Devas. Thereupon, the sage decided that Lord Vishṇu was the most supreme of the Trimūrtis and informed the rishis accordingly. Thereupon, they decided that Lord Vishṇu was the fruit of the yaga. Shri Mahālakshmī was angered by the action of her Lord in apologizing to Bhṛgu, who committed an offense.

She, therefore, left Vaikuṇṭham without heeding the entreaties of the Lord. She furiously ran to Kolhapur and began to perform tapas to get the Lord's attention once more. At the same time, the Lord had taken the form of Shri Shrīnivāsa and was marrying Devī Padmāvatī. When Mahālakshmī found out what was happening, she rushed to take her anger out on the Lord. The Lord is said to have run to Kumbakoṇam and hidden in the temple as Pathala Shrīnivāsar.

Mahālakshmī was determined to be reunited with the Lord; thus, she stayed in Kumbakoṇam and performed tapas to fulfill her desires.

At around the same time, Bhṛgu Maharshi had reincarnated as Hema Maharshi and was residing in Kumbakoṇam. One day, in the temple, a pushkariṇī found a baby girl among thousands of lotus flowers blooming in the tank. Hema Maharshi realized that this child was none other than the incarnation of Mahālakshmī and decided to adopt her. As she came of age, She desired to get married to the Lord.

During Makara Sankranthi, the Lord descended from Shri Vaikuṇṭham in a grand chariot, and after marrying Komalavalli, Thāyār stayed in Kumbakoṇam along with his chariot. Even today, when we visit this temple, we can see that the garbha griha features a grand chariot in which the Lord is reclining in the Udyoga Shayanam posture.

Udyoga Shayanam is a peculiar posture, as the Lord is neither completely asleep nor completely upright. It is said that Tirumazhisai Āzhwār was once having a conversation with the Lord. The Lord then was about to get up to greet Tirumazhisai Āzhwār when he told the Lord that he looked notably different and lovely in that position. Hence, the Lord is said to have permanently taken that posture.

Sri Āṇḍāl – 1 pāsuram

PeriyAzhwar – 3 Pāsurams

Tirumazhisai Āzhwār -7 Pāsurams

Boothat Āzhwār – 2 Pāsurams

Pey Āzhwār – 2 Pāsurams

Nam Āzhwār – 11 Pāsurams

Tirumangai Āzhwār- 25 Pāsurams

Total – 51 Pāsurams