Yoga Narasimha Temple, Thirukkadigai (Sholingur)

Sthala Purāṇam

The Yoga Narasimha Temple at Sholingur, known as Thirukkadigai or Ghatikachalam, is a Divya Desam where Vishnu is worshipped as Yoga Narasimha atop the principal hill (periya malai), with his consort as Amruthavalli Thayar in a separate shrine. According to the sthala puranam, after Vishnu incarnated as Narasimha to slay the demon Hiranyakashipu, the Sapta Rishis performed penance here, and the Lord granted them his darshan as the serene Yoga Narasimha within a single kadigai, a measure of time of about twenty-four minutes (one nazhigai); from this episode the kshetra took the name Thirukkadigai or Ghatikachalam, ghatika meaning a span of time and achalam meaning hill. It is held that Lakshmi, Brahma, Vishvamitra, Budha, and Valmiki worshipped here; sage Vishvamitra is especially said to have attained the rank of Brahmarishi at this place. Devotees believe that worshipping the Lord here for twenty-four minutes frees one of sins. On the smaller adjacent hill (chinna malai), Hanuman is enshrined as Yoga Anjaneya, facing Narasimha in a rare four-armed seated form bearing the conch and discus, for Narasimha is said to have asked him to remain and protect his devotees. The temple is revered in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, with pasurams by Thirumangai Alvar and Pey Alvar. The temple tank is the Brahma Theertham, linked to Brahma's penance, and the sanctum tower is the Hemakoti Vimanam.

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