Praised by Gnanasambandar and Apparswamigal in Thevaram
hymns. Daughter of hills was afraid When Lord fleeced the skin of elephant He
is in Sivapuram This is the 67th temple on the southern banks of Cauvery.
It is worth recalling that the beautiful Nataraja idol was
stolen years back from this temple and smuggled to a foreign country and had
been recovered after stiff legal battle. Sage Arunagiriar has praised Lord
Muruga of this temple in his celebrated Tirupugazh hymns.
The place is also known as Kuberapuram, Bhoo Kailas and
Shanbagaranyam. Lord Vishnu as Swedhavaraha (white swine) worshipped here. Also
Kubera (the authority for wealth), Ravana and Agni the God of Fire worshipped
here. The temple is also noted for the Angapradakshinam undertaking by the
devotees.
Nardana Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Lingodhbava, Brahmma and
Durga grace from their respective shrines in the corridor. A painting depicting
the worship of Lord Vishnu of Shiva with lotus flowers is on the nearby wall.
On the outer wall are the shrines for Vinayaka, Subramania and Gajalakshmi.
Saint Tirunavukkarasar in Thevaram hymns mentions the event
of Lord Vishnu in white swine form worshipping Lord Shiva in this temple in the
song beginning with the lines Paaravankan.
It is believed that a there is a Shivalinga under the earth
in this place. Following this belief, Saint Thirugnanasambandar, while visiting
this place, did the Angapradakshina so that the feet did not touch the ground
and worshipped the Lord. Arisil river flows nearby. The place where
Gnanasambandar performed the Angapradakshina is called Arisil Thurai.
Sage Pattinathar appears in a sitting form in the Vinayaka
temple nearby.
Moolavar: Sivagurunathaswami,
Sivapureeswarar, Brahmmapureeswarar, Sivapuranathar
Amman / Thayar: Aryambal,
Singaravalli, Perianayaki
Thala Virutcham: Shenbagam
(not existing now)
Theertham: Chandrapushkarini,
Sundaratheertha opposite to the other
Pathigam: Thirunavukarasar, Sambandar
Old year: 1000-2000
years old
Historical Name: Kuberapuram, Bhookailas, Shenbagaranyam are other
names
This sivasthalam temple is located 5 Kmsfrom Kumbakonam town. Bhrama is said to have worshipped Shiva here before he
undertook his task of creation. It is also said that Vishnu in his Varaaha
Avataram (Boar) worshipped Shiva here. Carvings of these 2 legends can be seen
in the walls of this temple.
The Lord is a swayambumurthy. This is one of the temples
noted for Angapradakshinam (rolling physically around the temple). The rays of Sun fall on the Lord on 3,
4, 5 of Chithirai month (April-May).
Tamil New Year day on Chithirai first (April-May)
Aani
Tirumanjanam (June-July)
Vinayaka Chaturthi in Aavani (August-September)
Navarathri in Purattasi (September-October)
Skanda Sashti and Aipasi
Annabishekam (October-November)
Tirukarthikai and Karthikai Somavaras-Mondays,
in (November-December)
Danur month pujas and Tiruvadhirai in Margazhi in
(December-January)
Thai Pongal falling almost on January 14, Mahashivarathri in
(February March) and Panguni Uthiram in (March-April) are the festivals being
celebrated in the temple.
Devotees pray to Mother-Goddess for child boon by performing
abishek and observing fast for 11 Fridays with Archanas to the Goddess. They
also pray for the removal of doshas (adverse aspects) and for health of the
children.
On realizing their ambitions, devotees perform abishek with
Vastras. Those financially well, contribute for the maintenance and renovation
of the temple and do poor feeding.
The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 4.30
p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Sri Sivagurunathaswami Temple, Sivapuram, Sakkottai Post ?
612 401, Kumbakonam Taluk, Tanjore district. Contact Number - +91 98653 06840.
Do:
- Do pray your Ishta Devata before pilgrimage to Temple.
- Do contact Temple Devasthanam information centre for enquiry, temple information and for Pooja details etc.
- Do reserve your travel and accommodation at Temple well in advance.
- Do bath and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
- Do concentrate on God and Goddess inside the temple.
- Do maintain silence and recite Om Namahsivaya or your Istamantram to yourself inside the temple.
- Do observe ancient custom and traditions while in Temple.
- Do respect religious sentiments at Temple.
- Do deposit your offerings in the hundi only.
Don't s:
- Do not come to Temple for any purpose other than worshipping of God and Goddess.
- Do not smoke at Temple.
- Do not consume alcoholic drinks at Temple.
- Do not eat non-vegetarian food in the Kshetram.
- Do not approach mediators for quick Darshanam. It may cause inconvenient to others.
- Do not carry any weapon inside the temple.
- Do not wear any head guards like helmets, caps, turbans and hats inside the temple premises.
- Do not perform Sastanga Pranama inside the Sanctum Sanctorum.
- Do not take much time while performing Sparsa Darshanam to God in Garbhagriha.
- Do not buy spurious prasadams from street vendors.
- Do not encourage beggars at Temple.
- Do not spit or create nuisance in the premises of the temple.