Venkatakrishnam Upasmahe | Thiruallikeni | Abode of the Divine Charioteer
The Divine Leela of Parthasarathy: A King’s Blessed Vision
King Sumathy, a devout and noble ruler, once prayed fervently to Lord Thiruvengadanathan of the Seven Hills. With a heart brimming with devotion, he expressed a deep desire—to witness the divine form of the Lord as Parthasarathy, the charioteer of Arjuna during the Mahabharata war, the moment when the Bhagavad Gita was delivered. Pleased with the king’s bhakti, Bhagavan appeared and said with compassion,”O King! Do not worry. You shall behold My divine form at the appropriate time.”
Time passed. One day, sages who were performing penance approached King Sumathy, seeking protection from the attacks of fierce rakshasas. True to his dharma, the king took up arms to defend the rishis. In the thick of battle, tragedy struck—the king’s charioteer was slain, leaving him vulnerable. At that critical moment, in the battlefield’s dust and danger, the Lord Himself manifested in disguise—as a charioteer! Bhagavan took the reins and drove King Sumathy’s chariot with unmatched skill and grace, leading him to a glorious victory.
After the war, the overwhelmed king sought to honor his mysterious charioteer—but he was nowhere to be found. Realization dawned. That divine charioteer was none other than Lord Venkatanatha Himself! With tears of gratitude and devotion, King Sumathy offered heartfelt prayers. The merciful Lord again appeared and said, “O Sumathy! Your devotion has pleased Me. Go to Brundaranya Kshethram—now known as Thiruvallikkeni—and establish a temple for Me there in My form as Parthasarathy. From that sacred place, I shall bestow My blessings upon all devotees.”
Obeying the Lord’s command with unwavering faith, King Sumathy returned to his land, and with great reverence, constructed a temple at Thiruvallikkeni. There, he worshiped Sri Parthasarathy Swamy with all his heart, and the temple stands to this day, a radiant center of divine grace and glory.
In this divine form, Lord Krishna appeared controlling the chariot of Partha (Arjuna), holding only the shankha (conch) and not the chakra (discus), in keeping with His vow not to take up arms in the war. In a supreme act of protection and love, Lord Krishna received upon Himself the fierce arrows shot by Bhishma, meant for Arjuna. The scars of those wounds, it is said, are still visible on the face of Lord Parthasarathy, enshrined in Triplicane. In memory of this divine incident, the nivedana offered to the Lord contains a higher proportion of ghee, believed to soothe those ancient wounds. Spices are avoided in His offerings out of reverence.
Those who are concerned about physical appearance and complexion often find solace at this temple. Parthasarathy Perumal teaches that true beauty lies beyond the skin, and that external charm fades with age, illness, or circumstance. His divine form, bearing war scars, reminds us of the eternal beauty of sacrifice and devotion.
Sri Vedavalli Thaayaar – The Divine Consort
In ancient times, Sage Bhrigu performed penance at this sacred place to receive the Lord as his son-in-law. In answer to his austerities, he discovered a divine female child in an Alli flower blooming in the temple’s Pushkarini (temple tank). He named the child Vedavalli, and when she came of age, Lord Ranganatha Himself arrived and married her. This divine wedding is celebrated annually on Maasi Shukla Dwadasi (February–March). Vedavalli Thaayaar resides in a separate shrine and does not step outside the temple premises. She circumambulates the inner precincts on Fridays and during Uthiram nakshatram, blessing devotees with compassion and grace.
Lord Venkatakrishna:
In this temple, Lord Krishna is worshipped in His family form as Venkatakrishna, with Mother Rukmini beside Him, Mother Lakshmi on His chest, Balarama to His right, Saatyaki to His left, along with His son Pradyumna and grandson Aniruddha—a rare and intimate family representation of the Lord. Lord Rama also graces the devotees from a separate shrine with Sita Devi, Sri Lakshmana, Sri Bharata, Sri Shatrughna, and Sri Hanuman. Here, the Lord holds only the conch, for during the Mahabharata war, He vowed to take no weapons. He is depicted with only two hands, representing His human form as Krishna.
A distinctive feature of this temple is the presence of a moustache on the mūrtī of Venkatakrishna, enhancing His heroic and majestic appearance. This unique adornment has earned Him the affectionate name “Meesai Perumal”—Meesai meaning moustache in Tamil. During the Pagal Pathu festival (part of the Vaikuntha Ekadasi celebrations), the Lord appears without the moustache from Day 6 to Day 10. Similarly, during Friday abhiṣekams, He is adorned without the moustache.
Panchamoorthi Sthalam – The Temple of Five Deities
This temple is rare in that it enshrines five primary forms of the Lord:
- Sri Venkatakrishna (Parthasarathy) – Main sanctum
- Sri Ranganatha – Front mandap
- Sri Rama – Front mandap
- Gajendra Varadha – Prakara shrine
- Yoga Narasimha – Prakara shrine
In the Ranganatha shrine, Lord Varaha resides near the head and Narasimha at the feet of Ranganatha, as they accompanied Him during His marriage to Vedavalli Thaayaar. The Lord is also affectionately addressed as Sriman Natha by the Goddess during the wedding. The temple has two kodimarams (flag posts)—one for Venkatakrishna facing east and another for Yoga Narasimha facing west.
Yoga Narasimha – The First Deity
Yoga Narasimha is believed to be the earliest deity of the temple. Each day, the first pooja is offered to Him. He once granted darśan to Sage Atri, and His shrine bears silent bells—without clappers—to preserve the sanctity of His meditative state. A unique offering here is salt and pepper, placed by devotees praying for relief from illnesses.
This sacred temple of Sri Parthasarathy Swami in Triplicane is a repository of divine history, unique iconography, and profound spiritual symbolism. The Lord here is not just a deity, but a protector, a family guide, and a compassionate charioteer, ever ready to absorb our pain, guide our paths, and lead us with love.
A Divine Synchrony – The White-Clad Lord
The uniqueness of this Madhurageetham lies in the tender way Sri Swamiji has sung of Perumal as the one clad in white attire. What renders this composition even more wondrous is the divine synchronicity behind its origin. At the very moment this kirtan emerged from Sri Swamiji’s heart at Madhurapuri Ashram, Sri Parthasarathy Perumal in Triplicane was adorned in a white vastra (garment). It was not planned, nor informed—it was pure divine will.
This moment stands as a testimony to the deep inner connection between Sri Swamiji and Perumal, as Sri Swamiji refers to Sri Parthasarathy as his priya deivata (dear deity) in the last verse.
To listen to Sri Swamiji’s kirtan on this kshetra, click the link below:
rAgam: thODi
thALam: Adi
pallavi
vEnkaTakriShNam upAsmahE
I worship Venkatakrishna
vEdavallinAyakam upAsmahE
I worship the Lord of Vedavalli
anupallavi
samudrathIrarasikam shvEthavastradhAriNam
The One who delights in the shores of the ocean, the One clad in white garment
sharaNAgathajana uddhAraNagOtram
The One who is busy protecting the people surrendering to Him
charaNam
bhUmi nILA dEvi sahitham jalaja vilOchanam
The One with bhuma Devi and neela Devi; The One with lotus-like eyes
jhanjhala jhala jhala nUpura bhUShitham
The One adorning tingling anklets
pAnjchajanyadharam pArttha sArathim
The charioteer of Arjuna holding the conch Panchajanya
bhAvukamuraLIdhara priyadaivatham
The dear deity of emotion-filled Muralidhara
