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Saturn in transit
The idol of Saneeswara at the Thirunallar temple.
WHEN ONE mentions the name Thirunallar, the temple that comes to one's mind is that of Saniswara or Sanaischara (one who moves slowly), though he is not the presiding deity there. Housed in a sub-shrine near the inner tower known as `Kattai Gopuram' in the Dharbaranyeswarar temple there, he faces east with `Abhaya Varada Hastham' and is considered the `Anugraha Murthi' (one who bestows good things).
One of the 274 places sanctified by the Thevaram songs, Thirunallar's original name was Darbaranyam or the place in a forest of Kusa grass (Darbam). According to legend, Brahma and many sages worshipped Lord Siva at the place, and the Lord, who appeared before them, took the form of the Lingam after teaching them the Vedas. Brahma asked the divine sculptor to establish a temple in the place, and also named it Adhipuri. Later, Emperor Musukunda installed in the temple `Nakavidangar,' one of the seven `Vidangars' obtained by him from the celestial king, Indra, and worshipped the Lord. Hence the place also came to be known as `Nakavidangapuram'.
When Saint Thirugnanasambandar won the religious duel with Jains in Madurai, known as `Analvaadham' and `Punalvaadham', he put in the fire the manuscript containing his hymn in praise of the Lord of Thirunallar, but fire did not consume the same. Hence the place is also known as `Pachai Padhigam Petra Thalam' or the place that got hymns that were indestructibleThough sanctified in the Thevaram songs as one of the holy places, Thirunallar is more famous for its shrine dedicated to Saniswara, as the planet Saturn is known. The Puranas say that Yama, the god of death, hit him in his leg and he lost the sight in one of his eyes as he participated in the Yagna conducted by Daksha, ignoring Lord Siva. When Saturn passes through the `Janma Rasi' in one's birth chart, he is said to cause hardship to a person. When he passes through the eighth house — from one's Janma Rasi (Ashtamathu Sani) — he throws more challenges. But the adverse effects can be warded off through prayer and by performing propitiating puja. When he transits from one house to another every two-and-a-half years it is known as `Sani Peyarchi'. And this year, Sani Bhagavan transits from Rishaba (Taurus) Rasi to Mithunam (Gemini) on May 22 at 8.27 a.m. The temple at Thirunallar, which is five kilometres west of Karaikal on the Karaikal-Mayiladuthurai-Kumbakonam bus route, will be a beehive of activity, and thousands of devotees will throng it on that day.
Though almost all Siva temples and even some Vishnu temples have a shrine dedicated to the Navagrahas or nine planets, Thirunallar is the only place where Saniswara is accorded a special status as it was here that the legendary king, Nala of Nishadha country, worshipped Lord Darbaranyeswarar and Saniswara and got relieved of the evil effects due to the affliction of Saturn. The king prayed to Saniswara, according to Puranas and "Nalavennba" (a great Tamil work by Pugazhendi), to grant him a boon not to afflict those who heard his story and worshipped the Lord here.
Another legend connected with the Thirunallar temple says that a shepherd, who was grazing the cattle belonging to the temple, used to obtain milk from the cows and remit it with a temple official. But the official reported to the king that the shepherd had not given the milk. When the king initiated action against him, he prayed to Lord Darbaranyeswarar to save him. When the case against the shepherd came up for enquiry before the king, the temple official repeated the lie and the Lord, who was infuriated by this, threw His Trident towards the official, whose head was severed and fell in a place known as Mandaikulam.
The Lord, on the shepherd's appeal, revived the temple official. A shrine on the southern side of the sanctum sanctorum, where the idols of the shepherd, his wife and the temple official are found, stands testimony to this episode. Nandi and the Balipeedam are also found moved a little away from the sanctum sanctorum, as they did not want to block the Trident thrown by the Lord.
The Lord is known as Darbaranyeswarar and Nallarappar and His Consort's names are Pranamambika and Bogamartha Poonmulaiammai. She is worshipped in a separate shrine near the one dedicated to Saniswara. The temple has a five-tiered Rajagopuram and faces east. At the southern entrance is the Thyagarajar shrine and in front of it is the emerald `Nakavidangar,' installed by Musukunda Chakravarthi. Abishekams and aradhana are performed to Nakavidangar.
The main festival, apart from the one held during the `Sanipeyarchi,' is held for 18 days in the Tamil month of Vaikasi.
Further particulars about the Sanipeyarchi, during which special Abishekam and Aradhana will be performed to Saniswara, can be had from the Executive Officer, Sri Darbaranyeswara Swami Devasthanam, Thirunallar-609607 (phone no: 04368-236530 or 236504).
T. A. SRINIVASAN
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