Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Thiruvallur
Thiruvevvul (Veeksharanya)
Photo: Ssriram mt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
A healing shrine where devotees offer engraved metal plates of afflicted body parts; administered by the Ahobila Mutt.
Sthala Purāṇam
The Veeraraghava Perumal Temple at Thiruvallur, anciently called Thiruvevvul (Thiru Evvul), is a Divya Desam of the Tondai Nadu group, where Vishnu is worshipped as Veeraraghava Perumal, reclining in the Bhujanga Sayana posture upon the serpent Adishesha, with his consort as Kanakavalli Thayar (Vasumati). According to the sthala puranam, drawn from the Markandeya Purana, sage Salihotra, a devoted worshipper of Vishnu, lived here practising extreme charity, grinding rice flour and giving half to the needy while keeping the rest. When a stranger arrived seeking food, the sage offered him all his provisions; the guest then stretched himself out at that very spot and revealed himself as Vishnu, blessing the selfless devotee. The place-name arises from this episode, for the Lord is said to have asked Evvul in Tamil, meaning where to rest, and so it became Thiru Evvul Oor, which later became Thiruvallur. Because the Lord is believed to cure diseases, including fever and ailments of the body, he is venerated as Vaidya Veeraraghava Swamy, the divine physician. The temple also enshrines Lakshmi Narasimha, Hanuman, the Alvars, and Ramanuja. The sacred tank is the Hritha-Thapa-Nasini, believed to relieve mental anguish and physical illness for those who bathe in it, and the sanctum tower is the Vijayakoti Vimanam, signifying victory over demons. It was sung by Thirumangai Alvar and patronised by the Pallavas, Cholas, and Nayaks.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Veeraraghava Perumal (Vaidya Veeraraghava Swamy) with Kanakavalli (Vasumathi) Thayar of Thiruvevvul (Veeksharanya) is glorified in 12 pāsurams by:
The Veeraraghava (Vaidya Veeraraghava) Perumal temple at Tiruvallur — the Divya Desam Thiruvevvul (Veeksharanya) in Thondai Nadu — is praised in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Thirumangai Alvar and Thirumazhisai Alvar. The temple's traditional Mangalasasanam comprises twelve pasurams. Thirumazhisai Alvar includes Thiruvevvul among the reclining abodes of the Lord in his Naanmugan Thiruvandhadhi (verse 36), and Thirumangai Alvar glorifies the Lord here in his Periya Thirumozhi. The reclining Lord here, who acted as the messenger (dhoothan) of the Pandavas in the Krishna avatara, is revered as a healer of disease ('Vaidya Veeraraghavan').
Verses & references (2)
- Thirumazhisai Alvar declares that the primordial, boundless Lord (Adi Nedumaal) reclines upon the serpent-couch (Adisesha) at Thirukkudandhai, Thiruvekka, Thiruvevvul (Tiruvallur), Thiruvarangam, Thirupper (Koviladi), Thiruvanbil, and the Milk-Ocean (Thirupparkadal), in order to enter and dwell in the hearts of those devotees who long to embrace Him. (This verse simultaneously sanctifies Thiruvevvul and Thiru Vekka.) — Thirumazhisai Alvar, Naanmugan Thiruvandhadhi 36 · source ↗
- Thirumangai Alvar performs Mangalasasanam to the reclining Lord of Thiruvevvul, recalling that the Lord who served as the Pandavas' envoy in the Krishna avatara now graciously reclines at Tiruvallur for his devotees. Exact decade/verse reference not confidently sourced. — Thirumangai Alvar, Periya Thirumozhi · source ↗
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