Tirunarayanapuram Vaibhavam

Cheluvanarayana

Yadugiri Thaayaar

Swami Rāmānujar reached Melukote (Tirunārāyaṇapuram), and one night he had a divine dream in which Sriman Nārāyaṇa appeared and told Swami Rāmānujar that he was very near him on the Yadugiri hill. He told Swami Rāmānujar that He was awaiting Swami Rāmānujar's arrival and that Swami Rāmānujar would find Tiruman at the site where He was present. Swami Rāmānujar immediately sent out word to King Vishnuvardhan, who helped clear out the forests in the Yadugiri area.

In clearing the woods, the soldiers found the Tirukalyani and a set of kaashayam at the site. They immediately returned to Swami Rāmānujar, who had come to the Tirukalyani, and upon seeing the kaashayam, understood that this was the site where Swami Dattatreya had taken up Sanyasam.

Swami Rāmānujar took a bath in the Tirukalyani and changed back into kaashayam. When Swami Rāmānujar had left Sri Rangam, his disciples insisted that he wear white-colored clothing to avoid getting caught by Kulothunga Chola's soldiers. Swami Rāmānujar found the Tiruman on the northwest banks of the Tirukalyani but was unable to locate the Lord's idol. When Swami Rāmānujar returned to his hermitage, he was disappointed as he could not find the Lord's idol.

That night, the Lord again appeared in Swami Rāmānujar's dreams.

He told him he could see the idol inside an anthill, which would be flanked by a Champaka tree, a Vakula Tree, and Swami Rāmānujar would find tulasi growing on the anthill. He also told Swami Rāmānujar that the anthill would be located on the southwest bank of the Tirukalyani. Swami Rāmānujar returned to the banks of the Tirukalyani the following day and discovered the divine anthill. Swami Rāmānujar sent information to King Vishnuvardhan, who immediately rushed to Yadugiri to see the Lord.

Swami Rāmānujar performed ksheerabhishekam (an abhishekam with milk) to the anthill.

As the milk was poured on the anthill, it dissolved, showing a divine idol of the Lord. Swami Rāmānujar personally performed punar-prathishtaapanam to the idol over three days. Soon, the forests around the area were cleared entirely, and streets were constructed. A temple was erected at the site where the anthill stood, and sets of festivals were instituted.

The only missing entity at the time was a Utsava Murthy. Swami Rāmānujar decided to recast the idols of Perumāl and Tāyār using panchaloham (a mix of five holy metals in a particular proportion). That night, Sriman Nārāyaṇa once again appeared in Swami Rāmānujar's dreams and told him that His Utsava Murthy, Ramapriya, whom Lord Rāma worshiped, still existed and that the idol was residing in Delhi, which was under the Turkish regime. The Lord told Swami Rāmānujar to journey to Delhi and claim Him from the Turks.

Ramapriya/Selvapillai

Vairamudi Utsavam

Swami Rāmānujar made his journey to Delhi and went to the royal court of the Turk king. He explained his situation. The king showed Swami Rāmānujar the way into the treasury, where all the idols and plundered wealth were being kept.

Swami Rāmānujar searched the entire treasury but could not find the Lord's idol. Swami Rāmānujar returned to the king's court and informed him that he was unable to find the Lord's idol. The king then personally took Swami Rāmānujar to the queen's palace. The king told Swami

Rāmānujar that if the idol was still intact, it had to have been with one of the queens or one of the royal women. Swami Rāmānujar began searching for the Lord's idol and discovered that it was in the possession of a princess. When Swami Rāmānujar saw the Lord, his eyes welled up with tears of joy, and he immediately called out to the Lord, referring to Him by the name of Selvapillai.

The idol of the Lord then jumped from the windowsill and ran into Swami Rāmānujar's hands. The king did not know what he had just seen. He was awestruck. The princess did not want to be separated from the idol, as she had come to believe that the Lord was her husband and did not want to be separated from Him.

The king then explained to his daughter that the idol did not belong with her and that they were foreigners who had to return to their land. Saying this, the king gave Swami Rāmānujar his leave. Soon, the princess started chasing after Swami Rāmānujar and followed them to Tirunārāyaṇapuram.

Swami Rāmānujar recognized the bhakti in the princess's intentions and allowed her to stay by the Lord's side, dubbing her Bibi Nachiyar.

Bibi Nachiyar