Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple
|Thiruppuliyur Mahavishnu Temple|
|Temple tank||Pragnya saras, poonsunai theertham|
|Architectural styles||Dravidian architecture|
The Thirupuliyur Mahavishnu Temple is one of the five Vishnu temples associated with the five Pandava brothers, the principal characters of the Mahabharata. It is believed that Bheema, one of the brothers, performed penance at this site. It is one of the "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.
Earliest references to this temple appear in the poems and hymns composed by the greatest of Alvar saints - Nammalvar, in circa 800 AD. Stone inscriptions in the temple date it back to the Second Chera Empire (800 - 1102 AD). Another of the Azhwars, ThirumangaiAzhwar has mentioned Thirupuliyur in one of his verses in his Siriya Thirumadal(2673,71).
It is said that this sthalam is constructed and built by Bhima, one of the Panja - Paandavaas. He worshipped this sthalaperumal, Maayapiraan. Sapta Rishis - Atthri, Vasishtar, Kaasyapar, Gouthamar, Bharadwajar, Vishvamitra and Jamadagni got the seva of this Maayapiraan along with porkodi Naachiyaar and through Indra, it is said that all these Saptarishis got their Mukti towards the Emperumaan.
Once, Virukshadharbi, who was the son of Sibhi Chakravarthy, ruled an empire where there was flood and there was no proper vegetation and the wealth and the beauty of the entire empire seems to be decreasing. At that time, the king thought, if any Dhaanam (things that are given to any rishis,devotees to increase any thing) is given to Sapta Rishis, it might increase the wealth and beauty of the Empire. As a result of this, he thought of giving the Dhaanam to Saptha rishis. But, Sapta Rishis did not accept his Dhaanam, Since if any flood (or) decrease in the wealth and health in the entire empire is due to some reasons of the ruling king. So, they found some problem might by with virukshadherbi and did not accept the Dhaanam.
But, he wants them to accept his Dhaanam, and as a result of this, he asks his palace officials to keep some gold inside the fruits and give them that, so that they will accept that and simultaneously his Dhaanam is also accepted. But, knowing the truth that some golds are placed inside the fruit through their yogic power, they did not accept the fruits also.
After the fruits which are given as Dhaanam is being rejected by the Sapta Rishis, Virukshadharbi got angry on all 7 rishis and tried them to kill and as a result of this cruel mind, he started an Yaagam in which a lady Pishacha by named "Kiruthyai" arose and he ordered the demon to kill all the sapta Rishis.
But, knowing this, Emperumaan sends Indra to destroy Kiruthyai and to protect the Sapta Rishis. Likewise, Indra killed the demon and all the Sapta Rishis got the seva of the Emperumaan and got their Mukthi.
During Mahabharata war, Bhima underwent penace worshipping the lord here. Bheema was the powerful among the five brothers and this temple is large indicating his largess. Also the Gatha, the weapon used by Bheema is believed to be present in the temple.
Paasurams from Nalyaira Divyaprabandam
pEraali thaNgaal naraiyoor thiruppuliyuur Araamam suzhntha arangam 
karumANikka malai mEl * maNiththadam thAmaraik kAdugaL pOl * thirumArvu vAy kaN kai * undhi kAludai AdaigaL seyya pirAn ** thirumAl emmAn sezhunIr vayal * kuttanAttuth thiruppuliyUr * arumAyan pEranRip pEchchilaL * annaimIr idhaRku en seygEnO? 1
3536 annaimIr idhaRku en seygEn? * aNimEruvin mIdhulavum * thunnusUzh sudar njAyiRum * anRiyum palsudargaLum pOl ** minnu nILmudiyAram * palkalan thAnudai emperumAn * punnai ampozhil sUzh * thiruppuliyUr pugazhum ivaLE 2
3537 pugazhum ivaL ninRu irAppagal * porunIrkkadal thIppattu * engkum thigazhum eriyodu selvadhoppach * sezhungkadhir Azhi mudhal ** pugazhum porupadai Endhip * pOr pukku asuraraip ponRuviththAn * thigazhumaNi nedumAda nIdu * thiruppuliyUr vaLamE 3
3538 UrvaLam kiLar sOlaiyum * karumbum perunjchennelum sUzhndhu * ErvaLam kiLar thaNpaNaik * kuttanAttuth thiruppuliyUr ** sIrvaLam kiLar mUvulaguNdumizh * dhEvapirAn * pErvaLam kiLarndhanRip pEchchilaL * inRu ippunaiyizhaiyE 4
3539 punaiyizhaigaL aNivum * Adai udaiyum pudhukkaNippum * ninaiyum nIrmai adhanRu * ivatkidhu ninRu ninaikkap pukkAl ** sunaiyinuL thadanthAmarai malarum * thaNthiruppuliyUr * munaivan mUvulagALi * appan thiruvaruL mUzhginaLE 5
3540 thiruvaruL mUzhgi vaigalum * sezhunIr niRak kaNNapirAn * thiruvaruLgaLum sErndhamaikku * adaiyALam thirundhavuLa ** thiruvaruL aruLAl * avan senRu sEr thaNthiruppuliyUr * thiruvaruL kamugu oNpazhaththadhu * melliyal sevvidhazhE 6
3541 mellilaich selva vaNkodip pulga * vIngkiLanthAL kamugin * mallilai madal vAzhai * Inkani sUzhndhu maNam kamazhandhu ** pullilaith thengkinUdu * kAlulavum thaNthiruppuliyUr * mallalam selvak kaNNan thAL adaindhAL * immadavaralE 7
3542 madavaral annaimIrgatku * en sollich sollugEn? mallaich selva * vadamozhi maRai vANar * vELviyuL neyyazhal vAnpugai pOy ** thidavisumbil amarar nAttai maRaikkum * thaNthiruppuliyUr * pada aravaNaiyAn than nAmam allAl * paravAL ivaLE 8
3543 paravAL ivaL ninRu irAppagal * paninIr niRak kaNNapirAn * viravAr isai maRai vEdhiyar oli * vElaiyin ninRolippa ** karavAr thadanthoRum thAmaraik kayam * thIvigai ninRalarum * puravAr kazhanigaL sUzh * thiruppuliyUrp pugazhanRi matRE 9
3544 anRi matROru upAyam en? * ivaL anthaNthuzhAy kamazhdhal * kunRamA maNimAda mALigaik * kOlakkuzhAngkaL malgi ** thenthisaith thiladhampurai * kuttanAttuth thiruppuliyUr * ninRa mAyappirAn thiruvaruLAm * ivaL nErppattadhE 10
3545 * nErppatta niRai mUvulagukkum * nAyagan thannadimai * nErppatta thoNdar thoNdar thoNdar * thoNdan satakOpan sol ** nErppatta thamizh mAlai * AyiraththuL ivai2paththum nErppattAr avar * nErppattAr * nedumARku adimai seyyavE
- 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu. M. S. Ramesh, Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.
- Temples of Kerala. S. Jayashanker, Directorate of Census Operations, Kerala (Census of India, Special Studies) (May 1997). Temples of Kerala, page 304-305.
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