Sri Padalathri Narasimhar thirukovil at Singaperumal Koil

வாள்களாகி நாள்கள் செல்ல நோய்மை குன்றி மூப்பெய்தி மாளும் நாள் வருமுன்     என் செய்ய வேண்டும் ??

The founder of Pallava dynasty of Kachi was Simhavishnu also known as Avanisimha ~ he was the first soverign, who extended his influence beyond Kanchipuram.  King Mahendravarman succeeding him inherited the vast kingdom and he perhaps had a long reign of 50 years to account for all his achievements in the novel method of excavating rock-cut shrines.  Stone inscriptions too found their way to appear from his time. 

Tamil Nadu has some beautiful ancient temples and of the many, the earliest extant group belongs to  the Pallavas and the Chalukyas, while the subsequent groups fall into more or less  unbroken lines, with Pallava or Chalukyan characteristics as their basis. The rock-architecture of Pallavas start with their cut-in temples familiarly called the rock-cut cave temples.  These are essentially reproductions of mantaps which as excavations, repeat the interior aspects of  pillared halls housing the sanctum-sanctorum.  Some temples are real marvels exhibiting the contemporary arts and craft workmanship of Pallava days as the ornamental and sculptural decorations of the interiors are exceptional pieces of architecture, considering the hardness and texture of the rocks.

Today is day 5 of Pagal Pathu Uthsavam celebrated at Srivaishnavaite shrines – rendering of Thiruchanda virutham, Thirumalai, Thirupalliyezuchi, Amalanathipiran and Kanninun Siruthampu (muthal ayiram sarrumurai) and this day had the fortune of worshipping at the famed Padalathri Narasimhar Thirukovil at Singaperumal Kovil.  This famous temple is located around 50 km away from Chennai on GST Road, closer to Chingleput and has a Railway station too.  The temple is very well connected and as one gets down from the bus, the temple is around 100 meters away from the main road.

It is a rock-cut temple ~ a beautiful sannathi of Lord Narasimha housed inside the cave and devotees can do circumambulation around the hill housing the Lord.   The temple dates back to 8^th Century built by Pallavas.  Patalam means red.  Athri means hill.  As Lord Narasimha appeared here furiously with Red Eyes and huge as a mount, the place came to be known as Patalathri.  The inscriptions on the walls of the temple are from the chola regime during the 10-11^th  centuries.

Narasimha appeared here providing darshan for Maharishi Jabali after his intense penance.  Moolavar Ugra Narasimhar gives darshan  in seated posture with his right leg bent – chathur bujam (four hands) – two holding Conch and Chakra; one abaya mudra and other resting on his lap.  Lord has three eyes.  Uthsavar is the pleasing Prahlada Varadhar.  Thayar is  Ahobilavalli having a separate sannathi on the right side of the main sannathi.  There is sannathi for Sri Andal and for Alwar Acaryas.  The temple follows Thenkalai tradition of worship based on Vaikasana Agamic tradition.

வாள்களாகி நாள்கள்  செல்ல நோய்மை குன்றி மூப்பெய்தி*

மாளு நாளதாதலால்  வணங்கி  வாழ்த்தென் நெஞ்சமே*

ஆளதாகு நன்மையென்று நன்குணர்ந்ததன்றியும்*

மீள்விலாதபோகம்  நல்க வேண்டும்  மால பாதமே.  (verse from Thiruchandavirutham)

காலை சூரியன் உதித்து, நாட்பொழுது தீர்ந்து, இரவு வந்து - தினம் கடந்து செல்கிறது.  இப்படி கடக்கும் அனுதினமும், நமக்கு ஒரு தினத்தை கூட்டி, நமது ஆயுளை அறுக்கும் வாள்கள் போன்று கழிய, பலவகை வியாதிகளாலும்  மூப்பாலும்,  உடல் நலம் குன்றி - மனச்சோர்வும்,  ம்ருத்யு பயமும் சேர்ந்து, மரணமடைவதோர் நாள் நெருங்கிவிட்டதாய் மனம் அறிந்து பதைபதைக்கும்.  இவ்வுலக கவலைகளை மறந்து எம்பெருமானான ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணனுக்கு ஆட்பட்டிருப்பதே நன்மையென்று, நன்கு உணர்ந்து, அவ்வெம்பெருமானைத் தொழுது, மால பாதமெனும், அப்பெருமானுடைய திருவடிகளே, மறுபடி திரும்பி வருதலில்லாத நித்யபோகம் என நல்க வேண்டும் என்பது திருமழிசை பிரானின் வாக்கு.

In this earth,  with dawn of the Sun and  the day passing out days to our life and each day but passes like a hanging saw  as humans struggle with illness and infirmity.  With the day of death approaching for sure, there is only one way – that of worshipping the only savior Sriman Narayana – Praise only thee, do service unto Him, prostrate at His feet and pray for a permanence away from the evils of earth, a life at heavenly abode with no return.

Adiyen Srinivasa dhasan. 

23^rd Dec 2017.