THIRUVALLIKENI

SHRI PARTHASARATHY PERUMAL KOVIL - Divya Desam

Any traveller who visits Chennai, would be definitely directed by a Madras native to visit the Triplicane Parthasarathy Kovil and the adjacent Marina beach along with many other places. Once you reach Triplicane, you will be welcomed by the narrow by-lanes, lots of cows and the old Madras houses (cannot be called “Apartments” deliberately!) with many houses in one, a “Ondukuduthana veedu” as we fondly call it. As you pass through these lanes you will reach the most beautiful and ancient 5000-year-old Parthasarathy Kovil. Once you enter the temple, you will be pleasantly surprised by the expanse and beauty of the architecture with many intricately carved pillars and multiple sannadhis in a single kovil. You have come to one of the most divine and famous ShriVaishnava Divya Desams, the 60^th among the 108, classified under the Thondai Nadu Divya Desams.

Rukmini Devi Sametha Shri Parthasarathy Perumal

along with Balarama, Sathyaki, Pradhyumna & Aniruddha

LOCATION

This Temple is located in Triplicane, near Marina Beach, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This is roughly 5 km from Chennai Central and also from Chennai Egmore Railway station.

DEITIES

Moolavar or the Main Deity:  Shri VenkataKrishnan Perumal along with Rukmani Devi Thayaar.  He is also known as “Geethacharya”. A majestic 9-foot Lord, appears as the Sarathy (Charioteer) to Partha (Arjuna) during the Mahabharatha War, rendering the BhagavadGita.  He is seen with a sword and arrow tucked in his waist band. Perumal is found in a “Ninrathirukkolam” (standing position) with a conch in his right hand and the left hand pointing to his Holy Feet signifying the famous Shloka of the BhagavadGita:

“Sarva Dharman Parithyajya Mamekam Saranam Vraja

Ahamthwa Sarwa Papebhyo Mokshayishyami Ma Suchaha”

(BhagavadGita chap18-66)

OTHER DEITIES IN THE TEMPLE

1. SHRI RAMAR SANNADHI

2.      SHRI RANGANATHAR SANNADHI

3.      VEDHAVALLI THAYAAR SANNADHI

4.      SHRI GAJENDRA VARADHAR SANNADHI

5.      SHRI YOGA NARASIMHAR SANNADHI

6.      ANDAL SANNADHI

INTERESTING FACTS

This is the Only temple where the Moolavar Vishnu is with Mustache.  Also, the Sthalam where the Perumal shows his seva along with his three generations. Swami Parthasarathy is seen with his brother Balarama on his right, Sathyaki, son Pradhyumna , Grandson Aniruddha on his left.

Legend says that the Perumal, Parthasarathy protected Arjuna by taking the arrows shot on him by Bhishma in the Kurukshetra battle. Hence Scars can be seen in the Moolavar’s face even now.  To heal those scars Ghee is used in Naivedyam in the temple.

Two Dhvaja Sthambams and two separate entrances are there in this temple. One for the main deity and another for Yoga Narasimhar Sannadhi.

This Temple has the idols of three avatars of Vishnu: Narasimha, Rama, and Krishna.

This temple inspite of being a Vaishnava Sthalam, has a Vinayagar Vigraham hereby indicating the oneness in the Vaishnava and Shaiva sampradaayam.

 STHALAPURAM

According to Brahmanda Purana, the five Deities or the Pancha Veeraal in the temple are said to have been worshipped by the Saptha Rishis, Bhrigu, Manchi, Atri, Markandeya, Sumathi, Saptharoma and Jabali. This Sthalam is called as “Brindaaranya”.

Once, a King named Sumathy prayed to Lord Srinivasa of the Thirupathi to give him darshan.  Perumal appeared in his dream and asked him to go to “Brindaarayana” where he would give him Darshan in the form he wished. Elsewhere during the same time, Athreya Maharishi requested his Acharya Vedavyasa for a place fit for doing Thapas. He was directed by his Acharya to go to Brindaaranya on the banks of the Kairavani Theertham overgrown with Thulasi plants and where king Sumathy was doing Thapas. Saying so, Vedav vyasa gave Athreya a Divya-Mangala Vigraha with a conch in his right hand and Gnana Mudra in the left hand pointing to his Holy Feet.  Athreya Maharishi reached the Ashramam of Sumathy and narrated to him in detail, the circumstances that led him to go there. Sumathy was pleased with the Divya Mangala image of Sri Parthasarathy Swamy and hence froth worshipped the Lord in this Sthalam. The deity is believed to be installed by Veda Vyasa and worshipped by Aathreya maharishi.

OTHER NAMES OF THIS KSHETHRAM

This sthalam is also called as “Brindaaranya Sthalam” . A place in the midst of Brinda (Thulasi Plant) forest.

Since this place has main five deities, Parthasarathy, Rukmini Devi, Balarama, Pradhyumna and Anirudha it is also called “Pancha Veerya Sthalam”.

The place is called “Thiru Allikeni”, meaning a pond of lily as it is believed that historically the place was full of lily ponds.

HISTORY

The Temple was built by Pallavas between 6^th and 8^th century. It is built by Narasimhavarman I and expanded by Cholas and later by the Vijayanagara Kings in the 15^th Century.  The temple’s entrance tower or gopuram is an impressive structure that rises to a height of 40 meters The Temple finds a glorious mention in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.

It is in this holy place, that Shri Asoori Kesava Somayaji, father of Shri Ramanujacharya, performed the Puthra kameshti Yagam and prayed to the Perumal for a child.  Lord Parthasarathy appeared in his dreams and promised him that the Lord himself will be born as his son to impart the teachings of Bhagavad Gita for the benefit of mankind.  Thus was born the great Aacharya Ramanujar. The “Bhagavad Gita Bhaashya “was written by him later.  During the annual festival, one can see Aacharya Ramanujar’s procession both in the morning and evenings.

AZHWAAR PAASURAM

A total of 12 paasurams have been sung by three Azhwars in this Divya Desam. Also, this Sthalam is where   Poigai azhwar, Pei azhwar and Boodhathazhwar met.

      1.       Thirumangai Azhwar – 10 Paasurams

      2.       Pei Azhwar – 1 Paasuram

      3.       Thirumazhisai Azhwar– 1 Paasuram  

வில் பெருவிழவும் கஞ்சனும் மல்லும் வேழமும் பாகனும் வீழச்

செற்றவன் – தன்னை புறம் ஏரி செய்த சிவன் உறு துயர் களை தேவை

பற்றவர் வீயக் கோல்கொண்டு பார்த்தன் – தன் தேர்முன் நின்றானை

சிற்றவை பணியால் முடி துறந்தானை – திருவல்லிக்கேணி கண்டேனே

ADDRESS:

Shri Parthasarathy swamy Temple,

Triplicane,

Chennai -600 005.

Image of the Deity : Hand drawn by me based on the reference form the internet.

Information Source:  Bhakthas who have visited the temple, Internet and Self.