THIRUPULIVANAM - draft

VYAKRAPUREESWARAR TEMPLE

Distance: 22kms from Kaancheepuram. 

Mostly the places with the name ‘Puli’ is related to Vyakrapaadhar Maharishi, commonly known as Pulikkaal Munivar. 

STORY OF VYAKRAPAADHA:

Vyakrapadha was the son of Sage Madhyandhanar. He was very devoted to Lord Shiva. He wished to visit many Shiva temples. Since he needed flowers to perform Shiva Pooja he found it very difficult to pluck the flowers from plants and trees. So he requested Lord Shiva to offer him hands, legs and eyes like that of a tiger. Shiva blessed him with this boon and he acquired the hands, eyes and feet of a tiger. Therefore, he was called as Pulikkaal Munivar in Tamil and Vyakrapaadhar (vyakram- tiger; padham means feet) in Sanskrit.

STORY OF THE TEMPLE:

Vyakrapaadha Maharishi has worshipped this Shiva in the form of a Tiger. One day a trader performed Pooja and worshipped Shiva of this temple as all the products which he had brought for trade has sold with great profit. When the tiger came to perform Pooja to the Lord it found that already Pooja has been done. So it started attacking the linga with its paws in anger. After sometime the tiger realised its mistake and hugged the linga with its paws and shed tears on the linga. Shiva appeared before the tiger and blessed the tiger and said that the place would be named after the tiger. The tiger attained Saabha Vimochana. Since the tiger came around the place the place was called Pulivalam and later transformed to Thirupulivanam. The name of the Shiva in tamil is Pulieaswarar. We can find the Vyakrapaadha linga in the temple campus. After the tiger was killed it transformed into Sage Vyakrapaadha and it worshipped the Lord and attained the boon of becoming a Linga and staying in the temple itself.

When Kulothunga Chola was travelling towards Kanchipuram his chariot refused to move beyond a place. He tried to pull his elephant chariot towards Kanchipuram but he could not advance and therefore the place is now known as Aanaipallam. The king saw a Sage in the form of a Tiger. Thinking that it was a tiger he launched his bow and the arrow fled and hurt the tiger’s leg. The place where this incident happened is called Karuvaeppampoondi. The tiger started running to save itself and a second arrow hurt the mouth of the tiger. This place is now known as Pulivoy. Finally, the third arrow hit the tiger’s stomach. This place was called Puthari, now known as Puthali. At this stage Shiva appeared and the Chola realised the truth and regretted for his deed. 

The temple is big. The Dwarabalakas are very majestic to look at. Their eyes are fierce; they place one leg on their Gadhayudha and there is a head of a man below the other foot. The moolavar Shiva is a Swayambhu linga. The Avudayar is fixed on a lotus peetam. The marks of the tiger’s nails are seen on the linga. There is a ‘Kudumi’ on top of the linga. The Vimana is in the Gajaprashta form as we say Thoongaanai Maadam in tamil. The Vinayaka on the Eka peetam is also majestic. Here muruga is in the Arumuga form with Valli and Deivanai. 

The Dhakshinamurthy is very special in this temple. The Dhakshinamurthy is in the Yoga form, one leg on the lion and the other on Muyalagan. There is a crown on the head and many jewels carved on the statue. We can also find the banyan tree and the Sanagaadhi Rishis also. This dhakshinamurthy is referred to as Simha Yoga dhakshinamurthy or Arthanaari Dhakshinamurthy. The 2 pillars in the Maha mandapam resembles 2 lions. These sculptures were specialized by the Pallavas. We can find and underground passage from the temple to the temple pond. Earlier people say that this passage extended upto Kanchipuram. The name of the Ambaal is Amirdhagujambaal and also known as Abhithagujambaal. Their temple theertham is Vyakrapadha Theertham. The sixteen pillared Mandapam is a special feature carved with many figures such as Tiger worshipping Linga, cow peforming Paal abhishekha on linga, Kannappar, Mahishasuramardhini, Gangaalanaadhar, hanuman, indhira and so on. This 16 pillars denote the 16 type of wealth. 

Rajendra Chola 1, Udayaar Raajadhi Raaja Devar, Kulothunga Chola 1, Kalinga raja, Aparajitha Vikrama Varman, Kopara Kaesari, Panranthagan 1, Raja naarayana Sambhuvarayan, Koperumsinga Pallavan, Jadaavarman Sudharapandiyan, Vijayanagara King Virupaaksharavudaiyar, Raashtra Koodas and many other kings have contributed to the temple in different ways.

Thirupulivanam is referred to as ‘Vyakrapuravanam’ in Kaanchi Puranam. Thirupulivanam is a Vaipusthalam. Thirunaavukarasar has referred about this temple in his book Kshetra Kovai. Sivagnana Vallalar has written 64 songs in his Vallalar Sasthiram about this temple. Pattinathu Pillayar have written about this temple in his book Thiru Eakambamudaiyar Thiruandhaadhi.

There are Shiva temples in Karuvaeppampoondi, Pulivoy and Puthali also.