Varadarajam Bhaje | Sri Varadaraja Perumal | Kanchipuram | The King of Bestowing Prayers

The king in bestowing prayers – Varadaraja resides at Chinna Kanchipuram, a locality in the Eastern side of Kanchipuram, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is the biggest temple in Kanchi.

The temple has three outer precincts (prakarams), namely, Alvar Prakaram, Madai Palli Prakaram and Thiru Malai Prakaram. There are 32 shrines, 19 vimanams (towers), 389 pillared halls (most having the lion type yali sculpture) and sacred tanks some of which located outside the complex. The main temple tank is called Anantha Theertham. There are 96 ornate sculpted pillars depicting various legends of Mahabharata and Ramayana. It is a masterpiece of Vijayanagara architecture. The temple has a huge seven tiered rajagopuram. The presiding deity is in such a way that on the 15th day after Chitra Purnima, the rays of the Sun fall on the idol. One of the most famous architectural pieces in the temple is the huge stone chain sculpted in a single stone.

The vimana over the sanctum of Varadharaja Swami is called Punyakoti Vimanam and the one over Perundevi Thayar shrine is called Kalyana Koti Vimanam.

The temple has the wooden form of Sri Varadarajaswamy made of atthi or the fig tree and preserved under water in a secret chamber. He is brought out for worship once every 40 years. The festivities last 48 days after which He is immersed in the water and stored for the next 40 years. It is believed that there is a heavy downpour after the idol is immersed to fill the tank. There is a shrine of Lord Narasimha on the hillock. There is a shrine for Sri Chakratazhvar on the eastern side of the temple tank.

Sri Brahmadeva is said to have performed a yagna in this kshetra, in the absence of His consort, Goddess Saraswati. Goddess Saraswati, on arriving there, was enraged to see someone else having taken her place. She cursed Indra, who had sided with Brahmadeva in this act, to become an elephant. He prayed to Lord Vishnu and was relieved of the curse with the divine power of Bhagavan, who appeared as the mount, Hastagiri. Hastagiri means a mount/hill in the form of elephant.

Goddess Saraswati tried washing away Brahmadeva’s yagna by taking form of river Vegavati. The temple deity, Vishnu, laid himself flat to impede the flow and the yagna was successfully performed. Vishnu emerged with brilliance of thousand Suns as Sri Varadharajaswamy inside the athi (fig) tree. This deity was later permanently submerged in the nearby tank due to fear of invasion by foreigners. Hence, the name Attigiri, is also given to this temple.

The disciples of the Sage Gautama were cursed to become lizards. They resided in the temple, and were relieved of the curse by the divine grace of Lord Vishnu. There is a panel in the temple where the two lizards are depicted in the roof of the temple.

Click here to watch the song:

 

pallavi

varadarAjam bhajE dEvAdhi rAjam bhajE
Worship Lord Varadaraja
Worship the King of Gods

anupallavi

kAnjchI kShEtra vAsinam
The one who resides in the holy town of Kanchi

vAnjChitha phalapradam
The bestowerof desired results

ranjitha bhaktha janam manOhararUpam || va ||
The one who charms His devotees by His enticing Form

charaNam

vEgavathI thIravAsam
The One who resides in the banks of River Vegavati

vEda paripAlakam
The one who protects the Vedas

prapannarakShakam
The One who guards those who seek shelter in Him

dAnava shikShakam
The one who punishes demons

garuDArUDham
The one who rides on Garuda

karuNA svarUpam
The compassionate Form

muraLIdhara puNya tharuphalitham
The One who is the fruit of Muralidhara’s tree of merits