108 Divya-deshams: Tiruvekkaa

BY: SUN STAFF

Tiruvekkaa Temple stucco of Yathothkari Perumal and Komalavalli

Mar 03, 2024 — CANADA (SUN) — A tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Tiruvekkaa Temple or Yathothkari Perumal Temple (locally known also as Sonnavannam Seitha Perumall) is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. This Divya Desham is dedicated to the worship of Lord Visnu as Yathothkari Perumal with His consort Komalavalli (Lakshmi). Yathothkari Perumal is believed to have appeared here for Saraswati. The temple houses a rare image of Ranganatha recumbent on His left hand, unlike other temples where he is recumbent on His right.

There was once an argument between Saraswati and Lakshmi on the matter of superiority. They went to King Indra, who judged Lakshmi as superior. Not satisfied with his argument, Saraswati went to her husband, Brahma. He also chose Lakshmi to be the superior one. Saraswati was unhappy with the decision and decided to stay away from Brahma. Brahma perfermed a severe penance, praying to Lord Vishnu, and conducting ashvamedha yagna. Saraswati was still angry that the yagna, usually done along with consorts, was performed alone by Brahma. She tried to disrupt his penance, but Vishnu interfered with Adishesha. Saraswati, on seeing Vishnu in her path, accepted her defeat and subsided in the form of river Vegavathi.

Because Vishnu interfered in the path of the river, it was named Vegavani, then as Vegannai, and gradually the name was corrupted to Vekka. The presiding deity thus became known as Vegasetu. According to the historian Nagaswamy, the temple was called Vehha, meaning Vishnu leaning as a slanted slope, which gradually became vekka.

In another pastime, the sage Bhargava had a son through Kanakangi, a celestial dancer. The boy was stillborn and was not fully developed during his birth. Kanakangi left his son under the bushes and departed for the celestial world. It is believed that the child was a divine incarnation of one of Vishnu's weapons, the Chakra. By the grace of Vishnu and Lakshmi, the baby became alright and began to cry. A childless farmer couple who were passing by took up the child, named him Sivavakkiyar and started rearing him. Once the boy reached adulthood, he was sceptical about choosing between Shaivism and Vaishnavism. He was defeated in arguments by Pey Alvar and became a devotee of Vaishnavism, and the disciple of Pey Alvar. Sivavakkiyar was also called Bhakthisarar and later as Thirumalisai Alvar.

One of the three oldest Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram, it is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. The temple also finds mention in the Sangam text Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai, which is dated between 300 BCE and 100 CE. The current temple is believed to have been built by the Pallavas of the late 8th Century CE, with later contributions from Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagara kings. There are three inscriptions on its walls, two dating from the period of Parantaka I (907–955 CE), Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE) and one to Rajadhiraja Chola (1018–1054 CE).

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines. There is a three-tiered rajagopuram. The central shrine of the temple has the image of presiding deity, Sonnavannam Seitha Perumal (Yathothkari Perumal) sporting the bhuganja sayanam posture. The west facing sanctum is approached through the flagstaff and pillared halls, namely Mahamandapam and the Ardhamandapam. A stucco image depicts the presiding deity in His rare pose as Ranganatha, recumbent on His left hand. A deity of Saraswati praying at His feet is also present in the sanctum.

The roof of the sanctum is called Vedasara Vimana and it has five kalasams and stucco images of various legend. The temple has separate shrines for Rama along with Seetha, Hanuman and Garuda. The vimana of the central shrine is called Vedasara Vimana. The shrine of Komavalli, the consort of Yathothkari, is located facing the central shrine in the eastern side of the temple. The temple lotus tank, where Poigai Alvar was born, is located outside the main entrance, parallel to the shrine. Poigai Alvar was one of the first three Alvar saints. He was found in a small pond (poigai in Tamil) near the temple.

The Mahamandapa has ornamental sculpted pillars built during the Vijayanagara period of 15-16th centuries. The temple has two precincts, with the second precinct enclosed by granite walls pierced by a five tiered rajagopuram.

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