Saranagathi Kshetram - The Temple For Surrender Ourselves to the Almighty
This is the temple where Vibheesana, brother of the Demon Ravana came for refuge and surrendered to Srirama requested him for help. While the entire Vaanara Padai ( Army of Monkeys ) looked at Vibheeshana with suspicion whether he has come with a plot to attack the Lord, it was Hanuman, who with folded hands, expressed his opinion that the Lord should accept Vibheeshana. Hanuman can be seen here, at this temple, in a posture indicating Vibheeshana’s surrender to Rama and to protect him. Having accepted Vibheeshana, it was here that Lord Srirama along with the Vaanara Army deliberated ways to cross the sea and organized the way forward plan to Lanka to defeat Ravana.
Spreading Darbhai ( Sacred Grass used for religious rites ) on the banks of River Sethu, Raama undertook a fast addressing Samudhra Rajan ( King of Sea ) for Seven Days asked him for a solution to cross the sea. But he does not show any response. Sri Ramar got angry and threatened Samudhara Rajan that if he does not make them the way, he would make the entire sea become dry completely. On hearing the threatened words from Sri Ramar, Samudhara Raja was frightened and came out along with his wife Varuni and fell down on the feet of Sri Ramar as Saranagathi. Inspite of Vibheeshanan got the saranagathi, samudhara Rajan and his wife Varuni also got the saranagathi and thereby justifies that this Kshetram is given the name as "Saranagathi Kshetram". After this, the Samudhara Rajan made the ocean to become quite and asked Sri Ramar to build a bridge, so that they can travel through it to reach Lanka.
Varuna asked him to build a bridge across the sea with boulders and trees and also promised him to show the best route to build the bridge. Being the one who undertook a fast, lying on the Darbha grass, Raama here is called Darbha Sayana Raama. Since because of doing tapas on the grass and showed his sayana kolam in the pull (grass), this sthalam is called "Thiruppullanai". Pull means the grass and the Anai means the bed and later it is being called as “Thirupullani”.
Thondaradipodi Azhwar in his Thiru Maalai verse makes a reference to the role of the Squirrel in the construction of the bridge across the Sethu “Kurangugal Malaiyai Nookkak Kulithuth Thaam Purandittu Odith”.means that the squirrels which on seeing the monkeys helping Lord Rama, too wanted to help out the Lord. Being small in the shape and nature, they could not carry the trees and boulders. Hence, they did something innovative. The squirrels rolled on the sand and then ran back to the Sethu Bridge and dropped off the sand that had stuck to their body. By seeing this Lord Rama was much impressed and HE rubbed the squirrels with warmth, a mark that remains even now on the body of every squirrel. Squirrels have 3 vertical lines on their body believed to be Rama’s own finger prints.
Apart from the Moolavr, there are other two sannidhis where Sree Ramar is blessing as Pattabishga Ramar and Dharba Sayana Ramar. After defeating the demon Ravana, Sree Ramar on request of HIS devotees gave Darshan in HIS Pattabishka Thirukkolam even before HIS actual Pattabhishegam in Ayodhi.Hence HE is also called as “Pattabi Ramar”. Dharba Sayana Ramar is blessing in His Veera Sayana Posture surrounded by His warriors and Sword by His side.
Childless Couple will be blessed with a Child
This is a separate sannadhi for Sandhana Gopalan, which is found on the north of Dharbha sayana Ramar sannadhi, and the Mandapam is called as "Sandhana Gopala Mandapam". In this sannadhi, Sri Krishnar is found as a small child on Aadhisesha. It is believed that on worshipping this perumal devotees are being blessed with children.
It is also believed that Sree Rama’s father Emperor Dasharathar performed a Yagna here and had his four children after this yagna. Hence it is the belief that childless couple who bath at the Sethu River and worshipping Adhi Jaganatha Perumal here will be blessed with a child.
Perumal is daily fed with Milk Paayasam as the "Naivedhyam" in the night. On the west side of Moolavar sannadhi, there is a big Banyan tree is found and beneath that is found a lots of Siva Lingam. It is said that people can get the pregnancy by dedicating the Siva Lingam beneath the tree. |
