Nindra Nambi Perumal Temple, Thirukkurungudi
Thirukkurungudi
Photo: Donkey.tail · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Strongly tied to Nammalvar; sometimes called Dakshina Vaikuntam.
Sthala Purāṇam
Thirukkurungudi, the Nindra Nambi Perumal temple at the foot of Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli, enshrines the Lord as Nambi, the embodiment of every righteous and gracious quality joined with beauty. The principal form, Nindra Nambi (Vaishnava Nambi, Azhagia Nambirayar), stands east-facing, and the consort Goddess is Thirukurungudivalli Nachiar, with Neela Devi also revered. The temple's signature is the Pancha Nambi, the five Nambis dispersed across the kshetra: Ninra Nambi (standing), Irundha Nambi (seated), Kidandha Nambi (reclining), Thiruparkadal Nambi near the Nambiyaru river, identified as the Vamana form and Lord of the milk-ocean, and Thirumalai Nambi upon the hill. The name Kurungudi carries the sense of the short or condensed: tradition relates it to the Lord who, even after expanding as Trivikrama, gives darshan here in a small (vamana) form, while another reading links it to the Lord assuming a condensed form. The temple's celebrated legend is that of Nambaduvan, a devout singer who each night sang to the Lord in the Kaisiki raga; waylaid by a brahmarakshasa who would devour him, he vowed to return after his singing, and, true to his word, came back to offer himself, whereupon the demon, moved by his truthfulness and the merit of his song, was liberated; this is re-enacted each year on Kaisika Ekadasi. Nammalvar is closely tied to this kshetra, the Lord having foretold his birth. The vimana is the five-tiered Panchakedaka Vimana, and the tirthams include Thiruppaarkadal and Pancha Thurai. This Divya Desam was hymned by Nammalvar, Thirumangai Alvar, Periyalvar and Thirumalisai Alvar.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Nindra Nambi (Vaishnava Nambi) with Kurungudivalli Nachiyar of Thirukkurungudi is glorified in 40 pāsurams by:
Thirukkurungudi (Nindra Nambi / Vaishnava Nambi) is one of the more heavily sung Pandya Nadu Divya Desams, glorified by four Alvars: Thirumalisai Alvar, Periyalvar, Nammalvar and Thirumangai Alvar, for a total of about 40 pasurams (Periyalvar 1, Thirumalisai 1, Nammalvar 13, Thirumangai 25). Nammalvar's dedicated decade is Thiruvaymozhi 5.5 ('enganEyO'), sung in the mood of Parankusa Nayaki who is captivated by Nambi's beauty and his divine symbols (conch, discus, lotus eyes); he also refers to Kurungudi Nambi in Thiruvaymozhi 1.10.9 ('nambiyaith then kuRungudi'). Thirumangai Alvar's verses on the Lord here are traditionally held to be among his last before attaining moksha at this kshetram. The temple is also significant as the place where Nammalvar's mother Udaya Nangai was blessed.
எங்ஙனேயோ அன்னைமீர்காள் என்னை முனிவது நீர் நங்கள் கோலத் திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பியை நான் கண்ட பின் சங்கினோடும் நேமியோடும் தாமரைக் கண்களோடும் செங்கனிவாய் ஒன்றினோடும் செல்கின்றது என் நெஞ்சமே
enganEyO annaimIrgAL! ennai munivadhu nIr / nangaL kOlath thirukkuRungudi nambiyai nAn kaNda pin / sanginOdum nEmiyOdum thAmaraik kaNgaLOdum / senganivAy onRinOdum selginRadhen nenjamE
Parankusa Nayaki (the Alvar in feminine voice) protests to her mothers: 'O mothers, why do you show anger toward me? Ever since I beheld the beautiful Nambi of Thirukkurungudi, who is complete with every auspicious quality, my heart has gone running after him along with his conch, his discus, his lotus-like eyes and his single coral-red mouth.'
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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