Parthasarathy Temple, Thiruvallikeni (Triplicane)
Thiruvallikeni (Brindaranya Kshetram)
Photo: Mohan Krishnan (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
The only Divya Desam where the deity is shown with battle scars; among the oldest temples in Chennai.
Sthala Purāṇam
The Parthasarathy Temple at Triplicane (Thiruvallikeni), Chennai, dates to the Pallava era of around the eighth century and is among the oldest structures in the city. The presiding deity is Venkatakrishnan, worshipped as Parthasarathy, the charioteer (sarathi) of Partha (Arjuna) at the Kurukshetra war. According to the sthala puranam, a king named Sumati prayed to Lord Venkatesa at Tirupati to behold Vishnu in the form of Arjuna's charioteer; he was directed to this forest of tulasi, where the Lord granted that vision. The site is associated with sage Atreya, credited with the temple's origin, and with rishis who performed penance here. The name Thiruvallikeni derives from Alli-keni, a pond of water lilies. Uniquely among Vishnu temples, the main image bears a prominent moustache and carries a conch, and a mark on the face is linked to the wound Krishna sustained from Bhishma's arrows while shielding Arjuna, refusing to bear arms himself. The temple enshrines five forms of Vishnu: Yoga Narasimha, Rama, Gajendra Varadaraja, Ranganatha, and Krishna as Parthasarathy. It was glorified by Thirumangai Alvar and by the early Pey Alvar in the Divya Prabandham. The temple tank is the Kairavini Pushkarini, associated with several tirthas, and the sanctum bears the Ananda (Anandha) Vimana.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Venkatakrishnan (Utsavar: Parthasarathy) with Rukmini Thayar; Vedavalli Thayar of Thiruvallikeni (Brindaranya Kshetram) is glorified in 12 pāsurams by:
Thiruvallikeni (Triplicane), the abode of Sri Parthasarathy (Venkatakrishnan), is one of the Divya Desams of the Thondai Nadu region and received Mangalasasanam from three Alvars. The bulk of its glorification comes from Thirumangai Alvar, who dedicated a full decade (10 pasurams) in his Periya Thirumozhi (2.3) to Parthasarathy, recalling Krishna's slaying of Kamsa and his wrestlers and his standing as Arjuna's charioteer. Pey Alvar and Thirumazhisai Alvar each contributed one verse, bringing the temple's total to 12 pasurams. Traditionally Sri Ramanuja and Manavala Mamunigal are also said to have offered worship here.
விற்பெரு விழவும் கஞ்சனும் மல்லும் வேழமும் பாகனும் வீழச் செற்றவன் தன்னை புரமெரி செய்த சிவனுறு துயர் களை தேவை பற்றலர் வீயக் கோல்கையில் கொண்டு பார்த்தன் தன் தேர்முன் நின்றானைச் சிற்றவை பணியால் முடி துறந்தானைத் திருவல்லிக்கேணிக் கண்டேனே
viRperu vizhavum kanjanum mallum vEzhamum pAganum vIzhach cheRRavan thannai purameri seydha sivanuRu thuyar kaLai dhEvai paRRalar vIyak kOl kaiyil koNdu pArththan than thEr mun ninRAnaich chiRRavai paNiyAl mudi thuRandhAnaith thiruvallikkENik kaNdEnE
He who destroyed Kamsa's bow-festival, his wrestlers and the elephant Kuvalayapida along with its mahout; who relieved the great suffering Shiva had to endure; who took a mere goad/whip in hand and stood before Arjuna's chariot as his charioteer so that his enemies would perish; and who, at the word of his stepmother (in the Rama avatar), renounced his crown — that very Lord, Sri Parthasarathy, I have beheld at Thiruvallikeni.
Tamil text & meaning sourced from divyaprabandham.koyil.org and other Śrī Vaiṣṇava authorities — please cross-check the linked source for the canonical reading.
Read the pāsurams ↗Gallery
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