Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thiru Ooragam

Sthala Purāṇam

The presiding deity at Thiru Ooragam is Ulagalantha Perumal, Vishnu as Trivikrama, 'the one who measured the worlds,' the cosmic form taken after the Vamana avatar. The towering murti stands over 35 feet (about 11 m) high, with the left leg raised at a right angle skyward to denote the stride that measured the heavens; the Thaayar is Amuthavalli. The sthala puranam is the Vamana-Mahabali story. The asura king Mahabali, grandson of Prahlada and devoted to Narayana, grew proud and coveted Indra's heaven, performing a great yagna to seize it. To curb his pride, Vishnu descended as Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin, and at the sacrifice begged only three feet of land. When Mahabali granted it, Vamana expanded into the gigantic Trivikrama: with one stride He measured the earth, with the second the heavens, and for the third there was no space left. Mahabali humbly offered his own head as the third measure; Vishnu set His foot upon it, pressing him to Patala yet blessing him. The name 'Ooragam' (serpent) is linked to the smaller serpent-form vision granted thereafter. This is the principal and largest of the Kanchi shrines and now encloses four Divya Desams: Tiru Ooragam, Thiruneeragam, Thirukaaragam and Thirukaarvanam. It is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Thirumangai Alvar and Thirumazhisai Alvar.

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