Akshaya Patra

The Lord of the temple is praised in the hymns of Saint Thiru Nyana Sambanthar, Saint Tirunavukkarasarar and Saint Sundara Moorthy. This is the 13th Shiva temple on the southern bank of Cauvery praised in hymns.

Entering the temple, a vast prakara welcomes the devotee. Southeast of this prakara is the Shrine of Mother Ambica facing east.  She is praised Oppilambikai and Annapoorani.  As Lord Shiva-Chottruthurai Nathar is pouring endless wealth on His devotees, He worshipped as Tholaya Selvar.  Mother Annapoorani is half of Shiva taking all care of Her devotees.  Poverty and ailments vanish from those who place themselves at Her feet.

Lord Vinayaka and Lord Muruga are on the two sides of Rajagopuram.  Next is the large Mandap with Lord Nataraja Sabha, leading directly to the sanctum sanctorum.  Lord Arumugha’s shrine is on the south prakara facing east and shrine of Lord Mahavishnu facing east followed by a sculpture depicting Sage Gautama worshipping the Lord.  Proceeding further after worshipping Adhikara Nandhi we have the darshan of Tholaya Selvar-Chottruthurai Nathar.

Sri Chottru Thurai Nathar Temple, Tiruchottruthurai Post-613 202. Via Kandiyur, Tiruvaiyaru Taluk, Thanjavur district

Moolavar :Odhavaneswarar, Chottru Thurai Nather, Tholaya Selva Nathar
Historical Name :Tiru Chottru Thurai
City :Thiruchottruthurai
District :Thanjavur

As the very name of the Lord Chottruthurai Nathar suggests, Lord not only offers adequate food to His devotees but it also means that He ensures total salvation to the souls.  The place, Tiru Chottru Thurai is one among the seven places where Lord fed His devotees.  This is the third among the Ezhur-seven places beginning from Tiruvaiyaru, Tirupazhanam.  Saints Ramalinga Vallalar and Arunagiriar had praised this temple in their hymns.   Lords Brahmma and Vishnu, Sage Gautama, Sun God and Indira worshipped Lord in this temple.  Indira got a highest position.  Sage Gautama attained salvation.

The wedding festival of Nandhi Bahagwan and Suyam Prakasai daughter of Sage Vyakrapada is celebrated on the Punarvasu star day in the month of Panguni-March-April.

Brahmmotsavam is celebrated for Lord Aiarappar in Chithirai-April-May.  On the final day of the festival, Nandideva-Suyam Prakasai and Aiyarappar-Aramvalartha Nayaki begin their festival journey in separate palanquins from Tiruvaiyaru at about 6.00 a.m. and reach Tirupazhanam where they are received by Lord Aabathsahayar and Mother Periyanayaki.  They join the group and proceed to Tiruchottruthurai.  They are received at the border by Lord Chottruthurai Nathar and Mother Annapoorani.  Feeding takes place here.  The procession continues towards Tiruvedikudi.

Once, a severe famine struck the place.  A Shiva devotee, Arulalan by name, men, women and children were suffering from starvation.  Arulalan cried to Lord that He should come to rescue the people to save them from starvation deaths.  The priest  stopped coming to the temple long back.  A temple staff coming to light a lamp in the evening also fell down due to hunger.  The temple was dark.  Arulalar, sitting in the dark temple wept and dashed against the entrance steps and cried for help.  It suddenly began to rain incessantly and the whole place was inundated with flood water.

A bowl came floating in floods.  Arulalar picked it up.  He heard a voice saying that it was a Akshaya Patra which will never go dry and would be feeding the people to quench their hunger.  Rice, dal, ghee and curry poured from the divine bowl.  People’s joy knew no bounds.

திருச்சோற்றுத்துறை

Thirumurai 7.94

பாடல் எண் : 1

அழல்நீர் ஒழுகி யனைய சடையும்
உழையீர் உரியும் முடையான் இடமாம்
கழைநீர் முத்துங் கனகக் குவையும்
சுழல்நீர்ப் பொன்னிச் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 2

பண்டை வினைகள் பறிய நின்ற
அண்ட முதல்வன் அமலன் னிடமாம்
இண்டை கொண்டன் பிடைஅ றாத
தொண்டர் பரவுஞ் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 3

கோல அரவுங் கொக்கின் இறகும்
மாலை மதியும் வைத்தான் இடமாம்
ஆலும் மயிலும் ஆடல் அளியும்
சோலை தருநீர்ச் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 4

பளிக்குத் தாரை பவள வெற்பில்
குளிக்கும் போல்நூற் கோமாற் கிடமாம்
அளிக்கும் ஆர்த்தி அல்லால் மதுவம்
துளிக்கும் சோலைச் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 5

உதையுங் கூற்றுக் கொல்கா விதிக்கு
வதையுஞ் செய்த மைந்தன் இடமாம்
திதையுந் தாதுந் தேனுஞ் ஞிமிறும்
துதையும் பொன்னிச் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 6

ஓதக் கடல்நஞ் சினைஉண் டிட்ட
பேதைப் பெருமான் பேணும் பதியாம்
சீதப் புனல்உண் டெரியைக் காலும்
சூதப் பொழில்சூழ் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 7

இறந்தார் என்பும் எருக்குஞ் சூடிப்
புறங்காட் டாடும் புனிதன் கோயில்
சிறந்தார் சுற்றந் திருவென் றின்ன
துறந்தார் சேருஞ் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 8

காமன் பொடியாக் கண்ஒன் றிமைத்த
ஓமக் கடலார் உகந்த இடமாம்
தேமென் குழலார் சேக்கை புகைத்த
தூமம் விசும்பார் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 9

இலையால் அன்பால் ஏத்தும் அவர்க்கு
நிலையா வாழ்வை நீத்தார் இடமாம்
தலையால் தாழுந் தவத்தோர்க் கென்றும்
தொலையாச் செல்வச் சோற்றுத் துறையே

பாடல் எண் : 10

சுற்றார் தருநீர்ச் சோற்றுத் துறையுள்
முற்றா மதிசேர் முதல்வன் பாதத்
தற்றார் அடியார் அடிநாய் ஊரன்
சொற்றான் இவைகற் றார்துன் பிலரே

Cōṟṟuttuṟai which is on the bank of the river Poṉṉi in whose eddies heaps of gold and pearls of fine quality got from bamboos are whirling.
is the place of Civaṉ who has a caṭai which is like fire that flows like water, a deer, skin flayed from a tiger and an elephant.

Cōṟṟuttuṟai where devotees with uninterrupted love praise god offering circlet of flowers.
is the place where Civaṉ, the origin of all the worlds, who is there to remove the old karmam-s of living beings, and who is the spotless one, stays with desire.

Cōṟṟuttuṟai of plenty of water where the gardens brings up dancing peacocks and wandering gold-coloured beetles.
is the place of Civaṉ who placed on his caṭai beautiful cobra, crane`s feather and the crescent that rises in the evening

cōṟṟuttuṟai which has gardens which not only feed sumptuously the bees with honey but also drip it in drops.
is the place for the king who wears a sacred thread which resembles a white stream descending from a mountain of coral mountain of coral is the chest of Civaṉ;
the white stream is the pure white sacred thread.

cōṟṟuttuṟai on the bank of the river, Poṉṉi, where spreading pollen, tēṉ and ṉimiṟu abound in large quantities and numbers.
is the place of the youth who kicked the god of death and tormented Piramaṉ who does not slacken in his function.

cōṟṟuttuṟai surrounded by mango-groves which put forth red tender leaves like fire, having drunk cool water by their roots.
is the place which is desired by the god who is ignorant enough to drink the poison which rose in the ocean of water.
Civaṉ thought only about saving the Tēvar without thinking of the danger to himself by drinking the poison so this is praise in the apparent form of abuse

cōṟṟuttuṟai where people who have renounced their dear wives, and children, other relations and wealth, gather.
is the temple of spotless Civaṉ who dances in the cremation ground, adorning himself with the bones of dead people and yārcum flowers

cōṟṟuttuṟai where the smoke of the incense burnt in their houses by ladies having soft tresses of hair adorned with flowers having honey;
fill the sky.
is the place desired by Civaṉ who has many sacrificial fires spread out like the ocean and who winked the frontal eye to reduce Kāmaṉ to ash.

cōṟṟuttuṟai which grants wealth which does not perish, to ascetics who worship bowing their heads.
is the place of Civaṉ who removes the transient life in this world, for those devotees who worship him piously with at least leaves if not with flowers and grants permanent life in civalōkam.

those who have learnt the verses composed by ūraṉ who follows the feet of devotees who are completely without any attachment dedicated at the feet of the eminent Civaṉ who wears a crescent in cōṟṟuttuṟai surrounded on all sides by water, will be without any suffering.