beautiful Lord Thirumeni Azhagar

Saint Tirugnanasambandar has praised the Lord in his Thevaram hymns. The tower is clothed by the clouds, Mayendirapalli has many palaces, tanks with blossoming Lotus flowers where the Lord is on His bull vehicle. Let us all prostrate on His feet. This is the sixth temple on the northern bank of Cauvery River praised in Thevaram hymns.

Sri Chandikeswara graces with his consort in the prakara. There is a separate shrine for Lord Sri Vinayaka with Ragu and Ketu on both sides. Lord Muruga graces from His shrine with His consorts Valli and Deivanai. There are shrines of Sri Kasiviswanatha – Mother Visalakshi, Meenakshi Sundareswarar, Bhairavar and Saneeswarar-Saturn, Sun and Moon. There is no shrine for Navagrahas- 9 planets in the temple.

Handsome Shiva is praised as Tirumeni Azhagar and Mother as Vadivambikai for their beauty. Saint Tirugnanasambandar addresses the Lord as Azhagar. Lord Shiva is Azhagar in this temple. Lord Brahmma, Sun and Moon had worshipped in this temple. During the month of Panguni (March-April) the rays of Sun fall on the Lord. On the side wall of Shriva Shrine, Lord Dakshinamurthy graces.

For his wrong desire on Akalika wife of Maharshi Gautama, Indira was cursed by the Rishi to have eyes throughout his body. He came to Earth and prayed to Lord Shiva for relief in many places and this is one among them. As Indira – Maha Indira worshipped here the place came to be known as Mahendirapalli. A temple was erected here later.

City : Mahendirapalli, Koiladipalayam

Sri Tirumeni Azhagar Temple, Mahendirapalli – 609 101, Nagapattinam

திருமயேந்திரப்பள்ளி - Thirumurai 3.31

பாடல் எண் : 1

திரைதரு பவளமும் சீர்திகழ் வயிரமும்
கரைதரு மகிலொடு கனவளை புகுதரும்
வரைவிலா லெயிலெய்த மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
அரவரை யழகனை யடியிணை பணிமினே.

பாடல் எண் : 2

கொண்டல்சேர் கோபுரங் கோலமார் மாளிகை
கண்டலுங் கைதையுங் கமலமார் வாவியும்
வண்டுலாம் பொழிலணி மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியிற்
செண்டுசேர் விடையினான் றிருந்தடி பணிமினே.

பாடல் எண் : 3

கோங்கிள வேங்கையும் கொழுமலர்ப் புன்னையும்
தாங்குதேன் கொன்றையும் தகுமலர்க் குரவமு
மாங்கரும் பும்வயன் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
ஆங்கிருந் தவன்கழ லடியிணை பணிமினே.

பாடல் எண் : 4

வங்கமார் சேணுயர் வருகுறி யான்மிகு
சங்கமா ரொலியகில் தருபுகை கமழ்தரு
மங்கையோர் பங்கினன் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
எங்கணா யகன்றன திணையடி பணிமினே.

பாடல் எண் : 5

நித்திலத் தொகைபல நிரைதரு மலரெனச்
சித்திரப் புணரிசேர்த் திடத்திகழ்ந் திருந்தவன்
மைத்திகழ் கண்டனன் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுட்
கைத்தல மழுவனைக் கண்டடி பணிமினே.

பாடல் எண் : 6

சந்திரன் கதிரவன் றகுபுக ழயனொடும்
இந்திரன் வழிபட விருந்தவெம் மிறையவன்
மந்திர மறைவளர் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
அந்தமி லழகனை யடிபணிந் துய்ம்மினே.

பாடல் எண் : 7

சடைமுடி முனிவர்கள் சமைவொடும் வழிபட
நடநவில் புரிவின னறவணி மலரொடு
படர்சடை மதியினன் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
அடல்விடை யுடையவ னடிபணிந் துய்ம்மினே.

பாடல் எண் : 8

சிரமொரு பதுமுடைச் செருவலி யரக்கனைக்
கரமிரு பதுமிறக் கனவரை யடர்த்தவன்
மரவமர் பூம்பொழின் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
அரவமர் சடையனை யடிபணிந் துய்ம்மினே.

பாடல் எண் : 9

நாகணைத் துயில்பவ னலமிகு மலரவன்
ஆகணைந் தவர்கழ லணையவும் பெறுகிலர்
மாகணைந் தலர்பொழின் மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
யோகணைந் தவன்கழல் உணர்ந்திருந் துய்ம்மினே.

பாடல் எண் : 10

உடைதுறந் தவர்களு முடைதுவ ருடையரும்
படுபழி யுடையவர் பகர்வன விடுமினீர்
மடைவளர் வயலணி மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
இடமுடை யீசனை யிணையடி பணிமினே.

பாடல் எண் : 11

வம்புலாம் பொழிலணி மயேந்திரப் பள்ளியுள்
நம்பனார் கழலடி ஞானசம் பந்தன்சொல்
நம்பர மிதுவென நாவினா னவில்பவர்
உம்பரா ரெதிர்கொள வுயர்பதி யணைவரே.

the beautiful Lord in Mayēntirappaḷḷi where the coral that is brought by the waves, the precious diamond, the heavy chanks, the akil that is washed ashore, enter.
the beautiful Lord who discharged an arrow from the bow which was made of a mountain.
you bow to the feet of the beautiful Lord who has tied a serpent round his waist.

the tower on which cloud rests.
mansions full of beauty.
plants of water thorn and fragrant screw-pine.
tanks full of lotus flowers.
in Mayentirappalli which is made beautiful by gardens where bees are wandering.
the Lord who has a bull that can be trained in a place for exercises bow to his perfect feet.

in Mayēntirappaḷḷi which has gardens, in which there are Kōṇku, young vēṅkai, East indian Kino tree punnai having fertile flowers, koṉṟai with honey, Kuravan bottle-flower-tree with beautiful flowers, mango trees and fields where sugar-canes are growing.
bow to the feet which wear anklets, of the Lord who is there.

with the sound of conch blown to inform the safe return of ships which went to trade with distant countries when ships return it was he custom in ancient days to blow the conch in Mayēntirappaḷḷi where the incense of akil eagle-wood tree spreads its fragrance.
the Lord who has a young lady as his half.
bow to the feet of our master.

the Lord who is in the good Mayēntirappaḷḷi shining prominently where the different kinds of waves wash ashore many collections of pearls which resemble rows of flowers.
one who has a shining black neck.
after seeing him who has a maḻu battle-axe in his hand bow to his feet.

our Lord who was worshipped by the moon, sun, Intiran the ruler of the celestial world and Ayaṉ of fame fitting to his greatness.
save yourselves by bowing to the feet of the Lord of endless beauty who is in Mayēntirappalli where maṟai containing mantiram mantras are flourishing.
From the first two lines we have to infer that local legends about shrines were current ever before the time of nāyaṉmār.

the Lord who dance gladly, to be worshipped by the sages who arrange their matted locks of hair in the form of a crown, with things collected for worshipping him.
he has in his spreading matted locks of hair a crescent and flowers with honey.
save yourselves by bowing to the feet of the one who has a strong bull in Mayēntirappaḷḷi.

the Lord who pressed down the ten heads and twenty hands of Arakkaṉ strong enough to give battle, to be smashed, under the great mountain.
is Mayēntirappaḷḷi where in the sea-side gardens indian oak trees are found growing.
save yourselves by bowing to the feet of the Lord who has serpents lying on his matted locks of hair.

one who sleeps on the bed of a serpent.
one who is seated in a beautiful lotus flower.
were not capable of even reaching the feet of the Lord though they began to search his feet and head, and though they were in the form of the Lord This may refer to ēkapātamūrti meditating upon the feet of the Lord who practised yōkam, in Mayēntirappaḷḷi where the gardens touching the sky blossom flowers.
save yourselves.

those who have dispensed with clothes worn round the waist jains of the Digambara sect and those who wear robes soaked in myrtle dye, issuing an offensive smell.
have hainous blots.
you leave listening to what they say.
Bow to the feet of the master who has chosen as his place Mayēntirapaḷḷi made beautiful by fields which have flourishing small sluices for water to flow into them.

about the feet which wear anklets, of the Lord in Mayēntirappaḷḷi, in whom we can repose confidence, which is adorned by gardens where fragrance is always moving the verses composed by Nyāṉacampantaṉ.
those who repeat them often with their tongues which generally indulge in useless talk with the idea it is our duty.
they will reach the high heaven to be received by the residents of that place.