PERIYA TIRUMOZHI - 1.7.

PERIYA TIRUMOZHI - 1.7

PASURAMS 1008 TO 1017

angkaN njAlam (singkavEL kunRam)

AHOBILAM

⛰In NaimishAraNyam, where azhvAr kept lamenting about his vices and it’s consequences, he felt miserable and saddened. In order to elevate the azhVAr from his plight, emperumAn advised azhvAr not to worry and directed him to visit SINGKAVEL KUNRAM where He is present taking an unique form of Nrisimha to protect His bakthan Prahlad and the mankind thereafter.

⛰These 10 pAsurams lie between NaimishAraNyam and TiruvEnkatam.

Nava Nrisimha ksEtram.

1.JwAlA

2.AhObilA

3.MAlOla

4.KrOda

5.KArancha

6.BhArgava

7.YogAnandha

8.Chatravata

9.PAvana

1008 * angkaN njAlam anjcha * angkOr ALariyAy * avuNan 

pongka Agam vaLLugirAl * pOzhndha punidhanidam ** 

paingkaN Anaik kombu koNdu * paththimaiyAl * adik kIzhch 

sengkaNALi ittiRainjchum * singkavEL1 kunRamE (1) (2)

1008.

At the very same place where the cruel HiraNyan challenged the absence of lord Vishnu, He appeared taking a unique form of Nrisimha making the whole world tremble with fear and split open his body into two using His sharp nails. In this holy place singkavEL kunRam, the fiery lions with its red eyes, bow down and pray offering the tusks of the elephants at the feet of the Lord. (1)

1009 alaiththa pEzh vAy * vAL eyitROr kOLariyAy * 

avuNan kolaik kaiyALan nenjchidandha * kUrugirALanidam ** 

malaiththa sel sAththeRindha pUsal * vanthudivAy kaduppa * 

silaik kai vEdar thezhippaRAdha * singkavEL2 kunRamE (2)

1009.

With a Waggling tongue, bright teeth and exhibiting great valour, Lord Nrisimha, who resides in ‘singkavEL kunRam’, split open the chest of HiraNyan who has an  ever harrowing nature, using His nails. This is a place where you can see hunters (silaik kai vEdar)(the native chenchus) with their arrows, the sound of the small drum and the yelling of those who plunder the wayfarers. (2)

#Senchu Lakshmi was born as the daughter of the king of hunters and She married the Lord here. Therefore, they consider Lord Narasimhan, who married Chenchu Lakshmi as their kulam's son-in-law (MaappiLLai Swamy).

1010 Eyndha pEzh vAy * vAL eyitROr kOLariyAy * avuNan vAyndha Agam vaLLugirAl * vagirndha ammAnadhanidam ** Oyndha mAvum udaindha kunRum * anRiyum ninRazhalAl * thEyndha vEyum alladhillAch * singkavEL3 kunRamE (3)

1010.

Lord Nrisimha who resides in ‘singkavEL kunRam’, appeared with immense strength having a wide mouth, sharp sword like teeth and tore open HiraNyan’s body with His nails. Here one can find nothing other than resting tired animals, broken hillocks and half burnt bamboo shoots making it difficult for the faint hearted to tread upon. (3)

1011 evvam4 vevvEl pon peyarOn * Edhalan innuyirai

vavvi * Agam vaLLugirAl * vagirndha ammAnadhidam ** kavvu nAyum kazhugum * uchchip pOdhodukAl suzhanRu * dheyvam allAl sella oNNAch * singkavEL5 kunRamE (4)

1011.

Lord Nrisimha, who ripped apart the body of HiraNyan the holder of horrifying spears with His nails, is seated in ‘singkavEL kunRam’, where the hounding dogs and eagles are waiting to pounce upon the weary pilgrims . Here, the scorching heat and hurricane allows none other than the devas and His ardent devotees to visit. (4)

1012 menRa pEzh vAy * vAL eyitROr kOLariyAy *

 avuNan ponRa Agam vaLLugirAl * pOzhndha punidhanidam ** 

ninRa senthI moNdu sURai * nIL visumbu Udiriya6 * 

senRu kANdaRkariya kOyil * singkavEL7 kunRamE (5)

1012.

As the hurricane gobbles up the fire and spreads it all over the place, (the jwAlai, similar to jwAlA Nrisimha) it is not so easy to visit ‘singkavEL kunRam’, where Lord Nrisimha, who appeared with a huge mouth, along with sharp sword like teeth that can chew up and claws with great valour, opened HiraNyan’s body, abodes. (5)

1013 erindha paingkaN ilangku pEzh vAy * eyitRodu idhu evvuruvenRu * irindhu vAnOr kalangki Oda * irundha ammAnadhidam **

nerindha vEyin muzhaiyuL ninRu * nIL neRivAy uzhuvai *

thirindha Anaich suvadu pArkkum * singkavEL8 kunRamE (6)

1013.

Beholding Lord Nrisimha, with his fiery eyes and gory teeth in a horrendous mouth, the devas, trembled in fear saying , “ what an horrific form is this?”, and started running away. This Lord stays in ‘singkavEL kunRam’. The tigers in this place hide behind the bamboo bushes and keep tracking for elephant’s foot that has travelled before. (6)

1014 munaiththa sItRam viN sudap pOy * mUvulagum piRavum *

anaiththum anjcha ALariyAy * irundha ammAnadhidam **

kanaiththa thIyum kallum allA * villudai vEdarumAy *

thinaiththanaiyum sella oNNAch * singkavEL9 kunRamE (7)

1014.

The anger that arose grew multifold , literally scorching the sky and all the three lOkAs trembled with fear. Thus appeared Lord Nrisimha who is seated in ‘singkavEL kunRam’. The fire that breaks out here, even burn the stones. Further, as armed hunters will always be on the vigil, reaching out to this place is arduous. (7)

1015 nAththazhumba nAnmuganum * IsanumAy muRaiyAl Eththa * 

angkOr ALariyAy * irundha ammAnadhidam ** 

kAyththa vAgai netRolippak * kalladhar vEyngkazhai pOy * 

thEyththa thIyAl viN sivakkum * singkavEL10 kunRamE (8)

1015.

As Brahma and Shiva chanted incessantly the thousand names of the Lord developing welts (tazhumbu) in their tongue, He, incarnated as Nrisimha and resided in ‘singkavEL kunRam’. Here the long dried fruits of the (siris tree or woman’s tongue as it is commonly called) vAgai tree burst open due to the fire and shoot out the seeds noisily all around. The bamboo shoots that grow tall envelopes fire over the sky due to friction making the whole place turn reddish. (8)

1016 nallai11 nenjchE! nAm thozhudhum * nammudai namperumAn *

alli mAdhar pulga ninRa * AyiranthOLanidam **

nelli malgik kalludaippap * pullilai Arththu * adharvAych

sillu sillenRollaRAdha * singkavEL12 kunRamE (9)

1016.

Oh gracious heart, let us reach ‘singkavEL kunRam’, where our Lord Nrisimha with his thousand shoulders exhibit himself embracing the Goddess (Periya PiraaTTi) and pray. It is in this place that gooseberry trees are well grown and the sounds of the breaking stones are heard along with the rattle of the palm leaves. All along the path, one can hear the constant sounds of the crickets. (9)

# In all the verses above AzhvAr has been descriptive about the place being treacherous and the fiery nature of the Lord. Whereas in this verse, he calls the heart to reach out to Him saying that, He is easily reachable for His devotees and there is no need to have any fear.

PHALA SRUTI 

1017 * sengkaNALi ittiRainjchum * singkavEL13 kunRudaiya *

engkaL Isan empirAnai * irunthamizh nURpulavan **

mangkaiyALan mannu thol sIr * vaNdaRai thArk kaliyan *

sengkaiyALan senjsol mAlai * vallavar thIdhilarE (10)

1017.

The ruler of Tirumangai, well versed Tamil poet has praised in these verses about Lord Nrisimha of ‘singkavEL kunRam’, where the valorous reddish eyed Lions offer their bait in the feet of the Lord. Those who recite these garland of verses by the generous Kaliyan who wears a garland of swarming bees will be void of any sin. (10)

🦁Ugram, Veeram, Mahavishnum, Jwalantham,

Sarvathomukam, Nrisimham Beeshanam

Badram mrutyo mrutyum Namamyaham.

This Anushtup mantra mentions the nine forms of

Narashimar i.e. Nava Narashima. They are Ugra (angry)

Veera (fighting), Mahavishnu (Lakshminarashima),

Jwalanatha (figure emitting flames), Sarvathomukha

(Narashimar with number of faces), Narashima (ordinary

Narashima avatara), Bheeshana (frightful), Bhadra

(terrible), Mrutyo mrutyu (killer of death).

THE READY RECKONER TO AHOBILA KSETRAM


1. KARANJA NARASIMHA SWAMY

This shrine is situated at a distance of one kilometre

from the Upper Ahobilam and one furlong from the road

leading to Lower Ahobilam. The image of the deity is

installed under a tree, called 'Karanja Vruksham'.

Hence this Lord is called Karanja Narasimha Swamy.

2. MALOLA NARASIMHA SWAMY

Nearly two kilometres from the main temple of Upper

Ahobilam, is the famous shrine of Malola Narasimha

Swamy. The deity here appears in 'soumya' (graceful)

form. As Lord Narasimha is seen with his consort,

Lakshmi, He is known as Malola Narasimha Swamy. The

word 'Malola' means beloved to Lakshmi (Ma=Lakshmi,

Lola= beloved). 

3. PRAHALADA METTU

The small shrine, situated in a cave on the hill, is

in between Ugra Sthambham and the Upper Ahobilam. It

is dedicated to Prahlada Narashimha Swamy. The image

of the Prahlada is installed in a small cave.

4. UGRA STHAMBHAM

(This is the most difficult place for one to reach) At

a distance of eight kilometres from the Upper Ahobilam

temple, we can see a cleft of the mountain dividing it

into two visible parts. It is a long-held view that

from the cleft, the Lord appeared in the form of

Narasimha and this cleft is known as 'Ugra Sthambham'.

5. JWALA NARASIMHA SWAMY

The temple of Jwala Nrisimha Swamy, lies higher up the

above temple, on a hill called, 'Achalachaya Meru'.

This is about four kilometres from the Upper Ahobilam

temple. This place is said to be the actual spot, where the fierce anger of the Lord reached its

culmination when he tore Hiranyakasipu.

6. KRODAKARA (VARAHA) NARASIMHA SWAMY

The temple of this Lord is one kilometre away from the

main temple of Ahobila Nrisimha Swamy on the Upper

Ahobilam. The image of the deity has the face of a

boar (varaha or kroda) and the Lord is seen along with

his Consort, Lakshmi. Hence the Lord of the temple is

known as Krodakara (Varaha) Narasimha Swamy here. 

7. SRI RAMANUJAR SANNADHI

The shrine dedicated to Sri Ramanajuar is very close

from Varaha Narasimha Swamy temple.

8. AHOBILA NARASIMHA SWAMY

The temple, situated on the Upper Ahobilam, at a

distance of eight kilometres from the Lower Ahobilam,

is the main temple and the earliest of all the nine

temples there. The Lord here appears in his fierce

aspect, called Ugra Narasimha, who is the presiding

deity of the temple and is known as Ahobila Nrisimha

Swamy. It is firmly believed the Lord Narasimha was

'Svayambhu' (self-manifest) here. 

9. CHATRAVATA NARASIMHA SWAMY

About three kilometres from lower Ahobilam, the image

of the deity is installed under a peepal tree,

surrounded by thorny bushes. Hence, the Lord is called

as Chatravata Narasimha Swamy.

10. YOGANANDA NARASIMHA SWAMY

This temple is to the south-east of Lower Ahobilam at

a distance of 2 kilometres. The popular legend is that

after killing Hiranyakasipu, Lord Narasimha taught

Prahlada several yogic postures. Therefore, the Lord

in this aspect is called Yogananda Narasimha.

11. BHARGAVA NARASIMHA SWAMY

The Bhargava Narasimha Swamy is situated at a distance

of two kilometres from the Lower Ahobilam, on a hill,

near the sacred pond, known as 'Bhargava Theertham',

where Bhargava Rama performed his penance. Hence the

Lord of the temple is known as Bhargava Narasimha

Swamy. 

12. PAVANA NARASIMHA SWAMY

Nearby to the Lakshmi Narashimar temple at lower

Ahobilam, is the shrine of Pavana Narasimha. People

say visiting this temple and have darsanam of Uthsavar

(Pavana Narashimar) at lower Ahobilam is equalent to

visiting the temple which is 6 kms above Upper

Ahobilam.

13. LOWER AHOBILAM (LAKSHMI NARASHIMAR)

The temple surrounded by three prakaras in the Lower

Ahobilam is dedicated to Prahlada Varada i.e., the

Lord whose grace bestows on Prahlada.