Lord Vinayagar showed the direction to Sundarar

Rathnapureeswarar

Temple Information 

The temple is praised in the Thevaram hymns of Saint Sundarar.  This is the 118th temple on the southern bank of Cauvery praised in Thevaram hymns.

Kotpuli Nayanar one among the celebrated 63 Nayanmars and a native of this place was the commander of the Chola army.  He was a furious tiger (Puli in Tamil) before the enemies, hence called Kotpuli.  He used to spend a major part of his earnings in procuring paddy to be used for temple renovation purpose.  Once, when he left for a war against the enemies, he left strict instructions to members of the family all stocks of paddy should be in tact saying that they belonged to Lord and warned that any personal or misuse by anybody would end in their death.  Meantime, they can use it for temple use genuinely, he said.

After his departure, famine engulfed the country.  The family had but to use the paddy meant for temple use. Nayanar returned victoriously but was shocked that the paddy in store had been used by his people.  He asked his security to see that none escape from the house.  He called his parents, wife and children and mercilessly murdered them with his sword.  One little boy was in a corner. The security asked Nayanar to spare him as he did not take food for days.  Nayanar simply replied that though he did not eat the rice kept for the Lord, he would have been breast fed by his mother who misused God’s paddy and cut him into two pieces.  Lord appeared before him with Mother Parvathi on His bull vehicle Nandhi and said that all his people had reached His Lotus feet and asked Nayanar to join them.  He granted salvation to Kotpuli Nayanar. 

When Saint Sundarar came to the temple he was shocked that Lord and Mother were absent.  Lord Vinayaka showed the saint the northeastern direction where Lord and Mother were planting paddy siblings.  Sundarar with the right of a devotee asked the Lord to stop the work for the day and requested to return and that He could do the pending planting next day.  Responding to the appeal of the devotee they came in to the temple.

An elephant created a spring here, bathed daily and was worshipping Lord Shiva and attained salvation. That spring is known as Kari (elephant) theertham.

Kotpuli Nayanar offered to Sundarar his daughters Singadi and Vanapagai as maids to serve him.  Sundarar accepted them as his daughters.  All the Murthys in the temple are wearing a Rudraksha called Makarakandiga.

Temple Miracle

King Ratnendra Chola and his brother wanted to partition the diamonds left by their parents.  They did not agree with the value determined by various assessers.  Only confusion continued.  Both sought the help of Lord of the temple to decide the issue.  Lord came in the guise of diamond merchant and solved their problem and also in sharing the kingdom.  As Lord came as diamond (Rathna in Sanskrit and Gem in English) merchant, He is praised as Rathnapureeswarar.

Thirumurai 7.15 

1. பூணாண் ஆவதொ ரரவங்கண் டஞ்சேன்

புறங்காட் டாடல்கண் டிகழேன்

பேணா யாகிலும் பெருமையை உணர்வேன்

பிறவே னாகிலும் மறவேன்

காணா யாகிலுங் காண்பன்என் மனத்தால்

கருதா யாகிலுங் கருதி

நானேல் உன்னடி பாடுத லொழியேன்

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

2. கச்சேர் பாம்பொன்று கட்டிநின் றிடுகாட்

டெல்லியி லாடலைக் கவர்வன்

துச்சேன் என்மனம் புகுந்திருக் கின்றமை

சொல்லாய் திப்பிய மூர்த்தீ

வைச்சே இடர்களைக் களைந்திட வல்ல

மணியே மாணிக்க வண்ணா

நச்சேன் ஒருவரை நான்உனை யல்லால்

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

3. அஞ்சா தேஉனக் காட்செய வல்லேன்

யாதினுக் காசைப் படுகேன்

பஞ்சேர் மெல்லடி மாமலை மங்கை

பங்கா எம்பர மேட்டீ

மஞ்சேர் வெண்மதி செஞ்சடை வைத்த

மணியே மாணிக்க வண்ணா

நஞ்சேர் கண்டா வெண்டலை யேந்தீ

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

4. கல்லே னல்லேன் நின்புகழ் அடிமை

கல்லா தேபல கற்றேன்

நில்லே னல்லேன் நின்வழி நின்றார்

தம்முடை நீதியை நினைய

வல்லே னல்லேன் பொன்னடி பரவ

மாட்டேன் மறுமையை நினைய

நல்லே னல்லேன் நானுனக் கல்லால்

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

5. மட்டார் பூங்குழல் மலைமகள் கணவனைக்

கருதா தார்தமைக் கருதேன்

ஒட்டா யாகிலும் ஒட்டுவன் அடியேன்

உன்னடி அடைந்தவர்க் கடிமைப்

பட்டே னாகிலும் பாடுதல் ஒழியேன்

பாடியும் நாடியும் அறிய

நட்டேன் ஆதலால் நான்மறக் கில்லேன்

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

6. படப்பாற் றன்மையில் நான்பட்ட தெல்லாம்

படுத்தாய் என்றல்லல் பறையேன்

குடப்பாச் சில்லுறை கோக்குளிர் வானே

கோனே கூற்றுதைத் தானே

மடப்பாற் றயிரொடு நெய்மகிழ்ந் தாடு

மறையோ தீமங்கை பங்கா

நடப்பா யாகிலும் நடப்பனுன் னடிக்கே

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

7. ஐவாய் அரவினை மதியுடன் வைத்த

அழகா அமரர்கள் தலைவா

எய்வான் வைத்ததொர் இலக்கினை அணைதர

நினைந்தேன் உள்ளம்உள் ளளவும்

உய்வான் எண்ணிவந் துன்னடி யடைந்தேன்

உகவா யாகிலும் உகப்பன்

நைவா னன்றுனக் காட்பட்ட தடியேன்

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

8. கலியேன் மானுட வாழ்க்கைஒன் றாகக்

கருதிடிற் கண்கள்நீர் மல்கும்

பலிதேர்ந் துண்பதொர் பண்புகண் டிகழேன்

பசுவே ஏறினும் பழியேன்

வலியே யாகிலும் வணங்குதல் ஒழியேன்

மாட்டேன் மறுமையை நினைய

நலியேன் ஒருவரை நான்உனை யல்லால்

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

9. குண்டா டிச்சமண் சாக்கியப் பேய்கள்

கொண்டா ராகிலுங் கொள்ளக்

கண்டா லுங்கரு தேன்எரு தேறுங்

கண்ணா நின்னல தறியேன்

தொண்டா டித்தொழு வார்தொழக் கண்டு

தொழுதேன் என்வினை போக

நண்டா டும்வயல் தண்டலை வேலி

நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ.

10. கூடா மன்னரைக் கூட்டத்து வென்ற

கொடிறன் கோட்புலி சென்னி

நாடார் தொல்புகழ் நாட்டியத் தான்குடி

நம்பியை நாளும் மறவாச்

சேடார் பூங்குழற் சிங்கடி யப்பன்

திருவா ரூரன் உரைத்த

பாடீ ராகிலும் பாடுமின் தொண்டீர்

பாடநும் பாவம்பற் றறுமே.

the supreme being of Nāṭṭiyattāṉkuṭi!

I wont be afraid of the cobras which are your ornaments and waist-cord.

I wont despise you knowing that you are dancing in the cremation ground which is in the out skirts of the city.

even though you may not love me intensely I shall understand your greatness and love you.

though I may not be born again I shall not forget you.

though you may not see me with benign looks I shall see you in my mental eye to my complete satisfaction.

even if you do not think of me and bestow your grace.

I shall not stop from singing the praises of your feet thinking of them for my part.

see 1st verse.

Civaṉ who has a divine visible form!

the superior god who can create and root out sufferings!

one who has the colour of the ruby!

I shall fix permanently wishing it, in my mind your form of dancing in the night in the burial ground tying as a girdle a cobra that is raising its hood high!

please tell me the reason for having entered into the mind of mine who is very low;

I wont like anyone else except you.

see 1st verse.

Civaṉ who has as a half the daughter of the big mountain, who has soft feet made beautiful by being painted with the dye prepared from redcotton flower!

our Lord who is in an exalted place!

the great gem who placed on the red caṭai a white crescent which moves on the clouds!

one who has the colour of the ruby!

one who has a neck in which there is poison!

one who holds a white skull!

I am capable doing service to you without fear, though there are reasons, to be afraid of.

as a result of that what should I long for?

I wont wish for anything.

see 1st verse.

I am not a person who has not learnt your fame.

I learnt many acts of slavery without learning from-others, as you indicated them to me staying with me.

I am not a person who will not tread the path shown by you.

I have not the capabality to think about the right conduct of those devotees who tread the path shown by you.

I wont think of the next world, heaven, as a prize for praising your golden feet.

I am not in good relationship to anyone else except to you.

see 1st verse.

the husband of the daughter of the mountain who has tresses of hair with flowers full of fragrance, tucked in!

I would not esteem those who do not think of you.

I your slave, will betake myself for protection even if you are not friendly towards me though I am a slave to the devotees who have approached your feet.

I shall never cease singing your praises, being proud of that greatness.

I befriended you singing your praises and investigating your greatness to be known to all.

therefore I am incapable of forgetting you.

see 1st verse.

as all the sufferings that I underwent were not my lot.

I wont give vent to my sorrow as it was my fate to suffer, accusing you to be their cause.

the chief who dwells in pāccil in the west!

the cool cloud that rains!

the master of all!

one who kicked the god of death!

one who chants the vētams and bathes with joy in the milk, curd and ghee which are kept in the house of devotees!

one who has a young lady as a half!

Even if you forsake me I shall try to approach your feet Such is my love towards you.

see 1st verse.

Beautiful god who placed the cobra of five hoods along with the crescent!

the master of the immortals!

so long as my mind lasts.

I thought of reaching the object in view that I had in my mind.

I approached your feet thinking of saving myself.

though you may not like me I shall like and love you.

it is not for suffering that I, you slave, became your protege.

see 1st verse.

I shall not become puffed with pride thinking the hum an life as a thing worthy of regard.

If I ponder over its transience tears flow from my eyes.

I wont despise you knowing your nature of eating by collecting alms.

I would not speak reproachful words though you ride on a bull.

though it may give me strength by not bowing to you I would not cease from paying homage to you.

I shall not thing of the happiness in the birth here after.

I would not trouble anyone else except you.

the distinctive god in nāṭṭuyattāṉ kuti which has fields in which crabs are playing, and is bounded on all sides by gardens!

though I come to know that the camaṇar and cakkiyar who are like peys and who take upon themselves obstinacy in their doctrines.

and though I see in person their nature.

I would not think of it as having any substance.

Civaṉ who is as precious to me as the eye, and who rides on a bull!

I know of no other god except you.

I worshiped you with joined hands to make the acts of mine leave me, seeing the devotees to worship you with joined hands doing service to you, by initating them.

Devotees!

if you forget to sing other songs.

sing the verses composed by tiruvārūraṉ, the father of cinkaṭi who has beautiful tresses of hair wearing flowers, and who never forgets the eminent Civaṉ in nattiyattaṉ kuṭi which has old fame and is in the country of the coḻa monarchs and which is the native place of Kōṭpuli who conquered the confederacy of enemies by capturing them without escaping like a pair of pincers.

if you sing your sins will lose their grip over you.