Shankapurimaham Pranamami | Senganoor | Sadguru Janmasthan
The holy kshetra known as Senganoor today, is mentioned in the Pandya texts as Thiruseyngalur. This place is located in the Kumbakonam taluka of Thanjavur district of what was known earlier as Chozhanadu. The fields and groves around this town are beautiful. The glory of this place is mentioned in the Skanda Purana, the Kanda Purana of the Sage Kachchiyappa, and the Periya Purana.
Sakthigireeshwarar Temple, also called Sathyagireeshwarar Temple, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Sri Kailasanatha Temple, Sri Draupadi Amman temple, Sri Aiyanar temple, Sri Kallappuravi temple, and Sri Pidariar temple are the main temples of this kshetra. It is believed that many sages have taken the form of animals, birds, and trees at this kshetra, and are worshipped even today.
Once upon a time, Vayudeva and Adisesha entered into a great contest. Adisesha wrapped his body tightly around Mount Meru. Vayudeva tried to shake Mount Meru by blowing a strong wind. At that time, the nine peaks of Mount Meru split and fell into the nine continents. One of them is called Kandhamaadhanam. The seven small peaks of Kandhaamaadhanam moved separately and fell on seven places in the Indian continent. One of the seven peaks, the peak called Sathya, fell in this place. Hence, the temple for Lord Shiva was named Sathyagiri.
Lord Kumara performed penance at this temple. A king named Sibi built houses for 360 Brahmins here. King Harichandra has worshipped the Lord here. King Kochengat Chola has also done kainkarya to the Lord here. Thirugnana Sambandhar worshipped the Lord here and bestowed a Thevaram Padikam.
In this kshetra, to the west of the temple, there is the temple tank called Sathya Pushkarani. This was created by Lord Shiva when he came to Sathyagiri. Taking a holy dip in this pond brings all kinds of merits. 1.5 km north of this place, a river called Manniyaru flows. It is also known as Subramaya River and Sathya River. Bathing in this river helps one attain all four purusharthas. To the north of the temple, there is a pond called Kumaratheertham. This was created by Lord Subramanya Himself. Bathing in this teertha removes sins earned due to being disloyal to Lord Shiva or the Guru. To the east of the Shiva temple, behind Perumal Temple, is the tank Malaiyappan Kulam also known Appan Kulam. This was established by King Harishchandra.
Senganoor is the birth place of the great Vaishnava Acharya, Swami Periyavachanpillai. He was born in the month of Avani in the year Sarvajit (A.D 1167) in the Rohini Nakshatra. His father’s name was Sri Yamuna Suri and his mother’s name was Srimati Nachiyar.
His parents gave him the name “Sri Krishna Suri”. He studied the Vedas at a young age and became well-versed in Sanskrit and Tamil. Later, he became the right-hand man of Sri Nampillai, just as Sri Lakshmana was of Sri Rama.
Sri Krishnasuri, also known as Swami Sri Periyavachanpillai, mastered all the scriptures at a young age. Their family deity was Thiruvenkata Swamy. Once, after obtaining permission from his parents, he went on a pilgrimage to Tirumala with his wife. After serving Lord Srinivasa there, he did not feel like returning to his village. Then Bhagavan himself took the form of a brahmachari and gave him a shalagrama murti. Bhagavan ordered him to take that shalagrama murti to his village, install the deity and worship. Sri Krishnasuri took that shalagrama and walked back to his village with his wife.
When they reached near the village, they placed the shalagrama on the banks of the Kollida river and the two of them went ahead to take a dip. When they came back to the river bank, the shalagrama had disappeared. He frantically searched for the shalagrama everywhere. Not finding it anywhere, he returned home with great sorrow and told his parents the details of the pilgrimage and the disappearance of the shalagrama. He was crying and lamenting without food or sleep. In his dream, Bhagavan appeared and told him that he had manifested into a divine form from the shalagrama at the same place where he had left the moorthi. He immediately went and dug up the sand and looked. He saw an Archamoorthy of Thiruvenkatamudayan that had manifested from the shalagrama. He consecrated the moorthi and built a temple in Senganoor and performed various festivals and worshipped it.
Swami Sri Periyavachanpillai has bestowed Vyakhyanam (commentary) on the four thousand divine verses. He has also bestowed Vyakhyanams on Srimad Ramayana, Srimad Mahabharata and other scriptures. He was called ‘Vyakhyana Chakravarthy’ by Goddess Sri Ranganayaki Herself.
Senganoor is also the birth place of the foremost among devotees of Lord Shiva, Chandikesha Nayanar. In this town, a Brahmin named Echadatta and his wife Pavithra, had a beautiful son. They named the child Visaarasarma. One day Visaarasharma, saw a cow herd boy who had taken the cows to graze on the banks of the Manniyar river, beating the cows and felt very hurt. He said to the cowherd boy, “I will take care of the cows henceforth. You can leave.” After that, he himself drove the cows to the banks of the Manniyar river every day. One day, when Visaarasharma went to the cows, the cows gave milk spontaneously, even before he milked them. Taking this to be a sign that the milk was for Shiva Puja, Visaarasharma decided to offer this milk to Lord Shiva. He made a Shiva lingam out of mud from under a fig tree growing on the banks of the Manniyar, filled a jug with the milk the cows poured, and offered it to Lord Shiva. He brought flowers and twigs and performed Shiva Puja. While he was doing this every day, one day a stranger who came by saw this and told the villagers. Hearing this, the villagers took the matter to Echadatta who reprimanded him.
The next day, Visarasharma took the cows to graze. As usual, he made a Shivalinga under a fig tree and got ready to perform puja. He prepared to perform abhisheka with the milk that was filled in the jugs. His father, who was secretly following him, was enraged on seeing this and hit Visaarasharma with a stick and scolded him with harsh words. But Visaarasharma, who had forgotten himself in the Shiva puja, was totally oblivious to what was happening. Seeing this, his father became even more angry and kicked the milk jugs that were kept for Shiva puja. Visarasharma, angry at the interruption of the Shiva puja, swung the stick lying nearby. The stick turned into an axe which inadvertently cut off his father’s legs. His father fell down in pain. Visarasharma continued the puja as before. At that moment, Lord Shiva emerged with Sri Umadevi on a horse. Visaarasharma worshipped Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva took him by his side and said, “You have abandoned the father who gave birth to you. Now, I am your father,” so saying, He offered the boy his garland. He also gave the boy the title ‘Chandeesan’. Lord Shiva also said ‘Those who come to have my darshan, will get the reward of worshiping me only if they have your darshan too’ and disappeared. Thus, Chandeeswara became the foremost among the devotees of Lord Shiva.
Lord Shaktigireeshwara is enshrined in the Garbhagraha of this templw. In the Ardha Mandapa there is a Nataraja murti, and in the Maha Mandapa, Lord Bhairava, Lord Surya, Lord Chandra and Sakhi Devi Ambal are also present. The name “Sakhi Devi” is unique to the Goddess of this temple.
Sadguru Mahatma Sri Sri Krishna Premi Maharaj also incarnated in this holy kshetra. Fondly known as Sri Sri Anna, he spent every moment of his life in showing the path of Bhagavata Dharma and Mahamantra kirtan to each and every Jeeva that came in association with him. He has bestowed several granthas and thousands of kirtans. A beautiful temple called Premika Janmasthan with the archavatara moorthis of Sri Sri Anna and Sri Madhuri Manni can be worshipped here. A lovely museum called Darshanalayam that portrays Sri Sri Anna’s entire life history can also be seen in Senganoor.
Sri Swamiji, in reverence towards this great kshetra where his Guru Sri Sri Anna has incarnated, sings this lovely Madhurageetham.
To view the kirtan, click the link below:
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English
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rAgam: simhEndramadhyamam thALam: Adi
shankhapurImaham praNamAmi (2)
My Salutations to Shankapuri (Senganoor)
1. kUjatkOkila brindayuthAm
subrahmaNyanadIthIrasthithAm || sha ||
The kshetra where groups of cuckoos sing sweetly; the kshetra in the banks of Subramanya River
2. shankhachakradhara shrInivAsAlayAm
sakhIdEvIsamEtha shakthigirIshAlayAm || sha ||
The kshetra where Lord Srinivasa who holds the conch and discuss resides; the kshetra where Sakhi Devi sameta Shaktigireesha resides.
3. vyAkhyAna chakravartthI shrIkriShNasUrI
jananabhAgyEna paramapavitrAm || sha ||
The holiest kshetra blessed by the incarnation of vyakhyana chakravarti Sri Krishnasuri
4. shivabhakthAgragaNya bhakthasArvabhauma
chaNDikEshwara avathArasthalAm || sha ||
The kshetra where the foremost of the devotees of Lord Shiva, Sri Chandikeshwara incarnated.
5. bhAgavatha paramahamsa sArvabhauma
prEmikEndrasadguru avathArashObhithAm || sha ||
The kshetra glorified by the incarnation of
the Supreme bhagavata, Paramahamsa Sri Premikendra Sadguru
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Sanskrit
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रागम्: सिह्मेन्द्रमध्यमम् तालम्: आदि
शङ्खपुरीमहं प्रणमामि (2)
1. कूजत्कोकिल बृन्दयुतां
सुब्रह्मण्यनदीतीरस्थिताम् ॥ श ॥
2. शङ्खचक्रधर श्रीनिवासालयां
सखीदेवीसमेत शक्तिगिरीशालयाम् ॥ श ॥
3. व्याख्यान चक्रवर्ती श्रीकृष्णसूरी
जननभाग्येन परमपवित्राम् ॥ श ॥
4. शिवभक्ताग्रगण्य भक्तसार्वभौम
चण्डिकेश्वर अवतारस्थलाम् ॥ श ॥
5. भागवत परमहंस सार्वभौम
प्रेमिकेन्द्रसद्गुरु अवतारशोभिताम् ॥ श ॥
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Tamil
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ராகம்: ஸிஹ்மேந்த்ரமத்யமம் தாளம்: ஆதி
ஶங்க₂புரீமஹம் ப்ரணமாமி (2)
1. கூஜத்கோகில ப்₃ருந்த₃யுதாம்
ஸுப்₃ரஹ்மண்யநதீ₃தீரஸ்தி₂தாம் || ஶ ||
2. ஶங்க₂சக்ரத₄ர ஶ்ரீநிவாஸாலயாம்
ஸகீ₂தே₃வீஸமேத ஶக்திகி₃ரீஶாலயாம் || ஶ ||
3. வ்யாக்₂யான சக்ரவர்த்தீ ஶ்ரீக்ருஷ்ணஸூரீ
ஜனனபா₄க்₃யேன பரமபவித்ராம் || ஶ ||
4. ஶிவப₄க்தாக்₃ரக₃ண்ய ப₄க்தஸார்வபௌ₄ம
சண்டி₃கேஶ்வர அவதாரஸ்த₂லாம் || ஶ ||
5. பா₄க₃வத பரமஹம்ஸ ஸார்வபௌ₄ம
ப்ரேமிகேந்த்₃ரஸத்₃கு₃ரு அவதாரஶோபி₄தாம் || ஶ ||
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