- Vishnu
Pundarikakshan Temple
- Tiruvellarai,Tamil Nadu
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The Pundarikakshan Temple is located in Tiruvellarai and is dedicated to God Pundarikakshan. While having a conversation in the Milk Ocean, God Vishnu praised Mother Mahalakshmi for blessing all the beings with prosperity. He offered her a boon. She responded saying that she would like more rights in the Milk Ocean, which is her place of birth. The God said he could grant her boon only on earth when he would be appearing before emperor Shibi. On earth, emperor Shibi was preparing to battle the demons in order to protect the people. During the journey, a white boar appeared before the army and caused chaos. The army was unable to capture the boar. When the king chased the boar around the hill, he met sage Markandeya and narrated the incident. The sage told the king that the boar was none other than the God himself. The sage instructed the king to perform milk abhishekam to the ant hill there. The emperor obeyed and the God appeared before them all. The God also told the Mother who was present then that he had given her the rights to the place and that he would reside there only as an idol or Archarupa. Emperor Shibi then prepared to proceed to the war but Sage Markandeya stopped him saying the God Vishnu was going to destroy the kingdom of Ravana as God Rama. He asked the king to return and build a temple for the God. Following the instructions, the king brought 3, 700 families to perform worship. When one died on the way, the God assured the emperor that the deceased would be replaced to retain the number as the emperor wished. The sanctum sanctorum has an idol of Mother Sengamalavalli. The temple is located on a hill of white rocks so it is known as Thiruvellarai. Once a yogi called Pundarikakshan grew a flower garden in which he grew tulsi plants to use for worship to the God and Mother. The God blessed the yogi and also came to be known as Pundarikaksha Perumal.
Significance
Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-
- For the gift of childbirth
Shlokas
Achutham Keyshavam Rama Narayanam Krishna Damodaram Vasudevam Harim Shridharam Madhavam Gopika Vallabham Janaki Nayakam Ramachandram Bhajey
Meaning -Oh Lord who cannot be perished, who also has names like Keshava, Rama, Damodara, Narayana, Sridhara, Madhava, Krishna, Ramachandra the beloved of Janaki, let me say your name regularly.
Vasudeva Sutham Devam Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam Devaki Paramanandham Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum
Meaning -I bow to you O Krishna, the ultimate guru, Devaki and Vasudeva's son, and the destroyer of Kamsa and Chanur.
Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Mathuraa Dhipate Rakhilam Madhuram
Meaning -Meaning - Sweet are Your lips, sweet is Your face, sweet are Your eyes, sweet is Your smile, sweet is Your heart, sweet is Your gait, O Lord of Mathura, everything about You is sweet.
Alokya Mathur Mukha Madarena Sthanyam Pibantham Saraseeruhaksham Sachinmayam Devam Anantha Roopam Balam Mukundam Manasa Smarami
Meaning -I think of this Balamukundan as the one who looks lovingly at his mother's face while taking milk from her, who has eyes similar to the red lotus, who is the embodiment of truth and intelligence and other forms.
Timings
7 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.