Jaganatha Perumal Temple (Nathan Koil), Thirunandhipura Vinnagaram
Thirunandhipura Vinnagaram
Photo: Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Sthala Purāṇam
The Jaganatha Perumal Temple at Nathan Koil, near Kumbakonam, is the twenty-first of the hundred and eight Divya Desams, where Vishnu is worshipped as Jaganatha, also called Nathanathan, with his consort as Shenbagavalli Thayar. The principal sthala puranam centres on Nandi, the sacred bull of Shiva. Nandi once failed to show proper reverence to Vishnu's dwarapalakas, the divine gatekeepers, and was cursed so that his body burned with oppressive heat. Distressed, he sought counsel from Shiva, who directed him to Shenbagaranyam, the forest of shenbaga (champak) trees that is the present temple site, where Lakshmi herself was performing penance to be received into Vishnu's chest. Pleased by Nandi's austerities, Lord Narayana appeared, relieved him of the curse, and simultaneously welcomed Lakshmi into his heart. Because Nandi attained grace here, the place is named Nandipuram and the temple Nandhipura Vinnagaram, vinnagaram meaning heavenly temple; the sacred tank is called Nandi Theertham, with another water body named Nandi Pushkarini. A secondary legend recalls Emperor Sibi, who offered his own flesh to save a pigeon from a pursuing eagle; witnessing this selflessness, Vishnu blessed him and is held to face west to honour the deed. The temple vimana is the Mandara Vimanam. Thirumangai Alvar sang eleven pasurams glorifying this shrine in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Jaganatha Perumal (Vinnagara Perumal) with Shenbagavalli of Thirunandhipura Vinnagaram is glorified by:
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