Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thiru Ooragam
Thirukkachi Ooragam
Photo: User:Tshrinivasan · CC BY-SA 1.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Principal shrine of the four-Divya-Desam Ulagalantha complex, with a colossal Trivikrama form roughly 35 feet tall.
Sthala Purāṇam
The presiding deity at Thiru Ooragam is Ulagalantha Perumal, Vishnu as Trivikrama, 'the one who measured the worlds,' the cosmic form taken after the Vamana avatar. The towering murti stands over 35 feet (about 11 m) high, with the left leg raised at a right angle skyward to denote the stride that measured the heavens; the Thaayar is Amuthavalli. The sthala puranam is the Vamana-Mahabali story. The asura king Mahabali, grandson of Prahlada and devoted to Narayana, grew proud and coveted Indra's heaven, performing a great yagna to seize it. To curb his pride, Vishnu descended as Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin, and at the sacrifice begged only three feet of land. When Mahabali granted it, Vamana expanded into the gigantic Trivikrama: with one stride He measured the earth, with the second the heavens, and for the third there was no space left. Mahabali humbly offered his own head as the third measure; Vishnu set His foot upon it, pressing him to Patala yet blessing him. The name 'Ooragam' (serpent) is linked to the smaller serpent-form vision granted thereafter. This is the principal and largest of the Kanchi shrines and now encloses four Divya Desams: Tiru Ooragam, Thiruneeragam, Thirukaaragam and Thirukaarvanam. It is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Thirumangai Alvar and Thirumazhisai Alvar.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Ulagalantha Perumal (Trivikrama) with Amudhavalli Nachiyar of Thirukkachi Ooragam is glorified in 6 pāsurams by:
Thirukkachi Ooragam (Ulagalantha / Thiruvikrama Perumal temple, Kanchipuram) commemorates the Lord's Trivikrama avatar, where he measured the three worlds. It received Mangalasasanam from two Alvars: Thirumazhisai Alvar (two pasurams, in his Thiruchchanda Viruttam) and Thirumangai Alvar (four pasurams), for a total of six. Thirumangai Alvar names the shrine in his Thirunedunthandakam (verse 8) with the phrase 'niRaindha kachchi UragaththAy' — the Lord who abides at Ooragam in prosperous Kanchi.
நீரகத்தாய் நெடுவரையின் உச்சிமேலாய் நிலாத்திங்கள் துண்டத்தாய் நிறைந்த கச்சி ஊரகத்தாய் ஒண்துறைநீர் வெஃகா உள்ளாய் உள்ளுவார் உள்ளத்தாய் உலகமேத்தும் காரகத்தாய் கார்வானத்து உள்ளாய் கள்வா காமருபூங் காவிரியின் தென்பால் மன்னு பேரகத்தாய் பேராதென் நெஞ்சின் உள்ளாய் பெருமான் உன் திருவடியே பேணினேனே
neeragaththAy nedu varaiyin uchchi mElAy nilAththingaL thuNdaththAy niRaindha kachchi UragaththAy oNthuRai neer vehkAvuLLAy uLLuvAr uLLaththAy ulagamEththum kAragaththAy kArvAnaththuLLAy kaLvA kAmarupUngAviriyin then pAl mannu pEragaththAy pErAdhen nenjin uLLAy perumAn un thiruvadiyE pENinEnE
O Lord who abides in Thiruneeragam; atop the lofty hill; at Thiru Nilathingal Thundam; who is enshrined at Thirukkachi Ooragam in prosperous Kanchi; who reclines at Thiruvehka of bright watery shores; who dwells in the hearts of those who meditate on You; who stands at Thirukkaragam praised by the whole world; who is at Thirukkaarvaanam, O captivating thief; who abides at Thirupperagam on the southern bank of the lovely Kaveri; and who never departs from my heart — O Lord, it is Your sacred feet alone that I have sought. (The clause 'niRaindha kachchi UragaththAy' specifically glorifies Thirukkachi Ooragam.)
Tamil text & meaning sourced from divyaprabandham.koyil.org and other Śrī Vaiṣṇava authorities — please cross-check the linked source for the canonical reading.
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