Thaam Tham Perumal | Sri Jagatrakshaka Perumal | Thirukoodalur | The Compassionate one

Sri Jagatrakshaka Perumal, accompanied by His Beloved Consort Sri Pushpavalli Thaayaar resides at Thirukoodalur in Thanjavur District, This kshetra is a divya desam sung by Thirumangai Azhwar.

It is considered that during Varaha avatar, Bhagavan plunged here and emerged from Sri Mushnam. Since Goddess Earth was saved by the Lord here during Varaha avatar, the deity is called Jagatrakashaka perumal in Sanskrit and ‘vaiyam kAttha perumAl’ in Tamil.

Bhagavan here, has given refuge to innumerable devotees.

When Sage Durvasa wanted to punish the great devotee King Ambarisha, the Lord’s Sudarshana Chakra came in rescue of the King. It is in this very place that Ambarisha built a temple for Perumal, and hence the presiding deity is also called Sri Ambarisha Varada.

All bhaktas take a dip in the holy rivers to redeem themselves of their sins. The rivers in turn run to Kaveri river to cleanse themselves of those sins. When the burden that Kaveri bore became a lot to bear, she prayed to Lord Brahma for a solution. Lord Brahma in turn asked her to pray to Sri Jagat Rakshaka Perumal at Thirukoodalur, who purified her with compassion.

Perumal here, has given darshan to Sage Nandaka who had gathered here with the Devas and several sages in penance to Bhagavan. Since many sages gather here, this place is called ‘koodalur’, meaning place of assembly.

A parrot in the kshetra would pluck a naaval pazham (black plum) every day and offer it at the Holy Feet of Perumal. One day, a hunter shot the bird. The parrot called out the name of Perumal as she fell down. Perumal gave darshan to the parrot, relieving the bird of a curse in her previous birth as a scholar, because of which she had to be born as a parrot again. By this Leela, Perumal shows us that He would never forsake a devotee who chants His Name and does His seva.

Thirumangai Azhwar begins his praise of Thirukoodalur kshetra with the pasuram:

thAm tham perumai aRiyAr thUdhu
vEndharkkAya vEndhar Ur pOl
kAndhaL viral menkalai nanmadavAr
kUndhal kamazhum kUdalUrE

Sri Swamiji reminded of the glorious work of Azhwar, and moved by the compassion of Sri Jagatrakshaka Perumal, begins this endearing kirtan with the same words ‘thAm tham perumai aRiyAdhu’.

Sri Swamiji looks at the Lord of the Universe, and his heart melts at how Bhagavan, out of His causeless mercy, stands in an unassuming way, mindless of His Glory.

Bhagavan’s descent to this Earth, and the inexplicable sufferings He has had to undergo herein, has always been for the upliftment of mankind.

He incarnated as Varaha Moorthi (Boar) during the time of Hiranyaksha, and as Nrsimha Moorthi (Man-lion) during the time of HiraNyakashipu. The amount of humiliation Bhagavan had to face, cannot be told in words!

Having incarnated as the son of the great King Dasharatha, He had to endure the troubles of forest exile and build a bridge to go to the other shore to bring back Devi. He went as a messenger of the Pandavas to the Kauravas when He incarnated as Krishna.

After His several painstaking incarnations, to bestow His Grace on the people of Kaliyuga, He takes the form of Archavataras (the deity form in temples). He thus resides in several kshetras, tolerating our million wrongdoings. Showering motherly love that would surpass the love of a million mothers, He stands in these kshetras safeguarding and protecting us since thousands of years.

 

To view this song:

 

Tamil
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ராகம்: அஸாவேரி தாளம்: ஆதி

தாம் தம் பெருமை அறியாது நின்றனையோ

கேஶவ ஜகத்ரக்ஷக || தா ||

01. விண்ணுலகம் விட்டு மண்ணுலகம் வந்து

மனிதருக்காய் படாதன பட்டு || தா ||

02. ஹிரண்யாக்ஷன் ஹிரண்யகசிபு

இருவரிடமும்

பெற்ற அவமானங்கள் சொல்லி மாளுமோ || தா ||

03. சக்கரவர்த்தி மகனாக பிறந்தும்

அக்கரையடைந்து அவதி பட்டனையோ

கண்ணனாக அன்று பாண்டவருக்காக

தூதும் சென்று நின்றனையோ || தா ||

04. அர்ச்சாவதாரமாய் வந்து அங்கங்கு கோவில் கொண்டு

ஆயிரமாயிரம் பிழைகளை பொறுத்து

ஆயிரமாயிரம் தாயிற்கு மேல்

ஆயிரமாண்டுகளாக காத்து நின்றனையே || தா ||

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English

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rAgam: asAvEri thALam: Adi

thAm tham perumai aRiyAdu ninDranaiyO

kEshava jagadrakShaka || thA ||

01. viNNulagam viTTu maNNulagam vandu

manidarukkAy paDAdana paTTu || thA ||

02. hiraNyAkShan hiraNyakashipu iruvariDamum

peTra avamAnangaL solli mALumO || thA ||

03. chakkaravartthi maganAga piRandum

akkaraiyaDaindu avadi paTTanaiyO

kaNNanAga anDru pANDavarukkAga

thUdum senDru ninDranaiyO || thA ||

04. arcchAvadAramAy vandu angangu kOvil koNDu

AyiramAyiram pizhaigaLai poRutthu

AyiramAyiram thAyiRku mEl

AyiramANDugaLAga kAtthu ninDranaiyE || thA ||

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