Purushothaman Perumal Temple, Uttamar Koil
Thirukkarambanoor
Photo: Ssriram mt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
A rare temple housing shrines for the Trimurti (Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma) within one complex.
Sthala Purāṇam
Thirukkarambanoor, popularly Uttamar Koil, is a rare kshetra where Lord Vishnu as Purushothaman, along with Brahma and Shiva, are enshrined within one complex. The sthala puranam centres on Lord Shiva's expiation of Brahmahatya dosham. Having severed one of Brahma's five heads in anger, Shiva was afflicted by the sin, the skull (kabaala) clinging to his hand, and he wandered as a mendicant (bhikshatana) begging for alms, the curse to lift only when his begging bowl was completely filled and the food did not vanish. Roaming the holy kshetras, he found relief here when Mahalakshmi filled his bowl with food that did not disappear, freeing him from the dosham; hence the alternate name Bhikshandar Koil. The Lord here is called Purushothaman, the supreme being and ideal husband (Purushan, husband; Uthaman, the noble one wholly devoted to his consort), and the place is therefore Uttamar Koil. Karambanoor signifies the kshetra where Vaishnavas and Saivas worship together in harmony. The Thayar is Poornavalli (Poorna Mahalakshmi), revered as Goddess of fullness. The tirtham is the Kadamba Theertham, fed by the Kaveri, and the vimana over the sanctum is recorded as the Uttiyoga (Uttama) Vimana. Thirumangai Alvar consecrated this Divya Desam with his mangalasasanam pasuram.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Purushothaman with Poornavalli of Thirukkarambanoor is glorified by:
Thirukkarambanoor (Sri Purushothaman Perumal temple, also called Uttamar Koil / Bhikshandar Koil, on the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli) is a Divya Desam where the Vishnu shrine to Purushottaman (with Thayar Poornavalli) was glorified by Thirumangai Alvar in his Periya Thirumozhi. The Alvar refers to the Lord as 'Karambanur Uthaman.' This is the rare temple housing the Trimurti (Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma) and their consorts in one complex.
Verses & references (1)
- Thirumangai Alvar performs mangalasasanam on the Lord of Thirukkarambanoor (Uttamar Koil), referring to the presiding deity as 'Karambanur Uthaman' (the Supreme One / best of beings at Karambanur). He glorifies Purushottaman who stands with consort Poornavalli; tradition holds that the Alvar himself resided here and oversaw renovation work at Srirangam. — Thirumangai Alvar, Periya Thirumozhi · source ↗
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