Pandaripuram - Sri Pandarinathar Temple

gokulkr · November 24, 2008

</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td width="78%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" bgcolor="#993333"></td></tr> </tbody></table>  In previous times, this location (where now Pandaripuram is found) is known as "Thandiravanam". There was a large forest area, close to this place is found and an aged couples named Muthabhai and Sanadevan led their life there. They had a beautiful child by named "Pundareegan" and he had a great love towards his parents.

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="20%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="textsmall" align="center" bgcolor="#993333" nowrap="nowrap" width="96%">Sthalapuranam :</td> <td width="2%">

Since, Indiran killed an Asuran, Virutharasuran, he was given a sabham that he would become a brick / stone because of his sin and as a stone, he was thrown in front of the house of Pundaleegan.

Sri Krishnar wanted to test the love and affection of Pundareegan.

When Bhagavan came towards his house, Pundareegan was serving his parents. Sriman Narayanan asked him to come out of the hut, but Pundareegan, doesn't want to break the service that he is doing to his parents and asked Sri Krishnar to stand on the stone that is placed in front of their hut.

But, soon after, Sriman Narayanan's divine feet placed on the stone, Indiran got his original appearance and thanked both Sri Krishnar and Pundareegan. And after serving his parents, Pundareegan came out of the hut and worshipped the perumal. By fully convinced on the bhakti of him, Sri Krishnar stood in that place and as asked by Pundareegan, the perumal stood there as "Vittalan". Since, the perumal gave his seva for Pundareegan, the perumal is also called as "Pundareega Varadhan".

Gorakkumbhar and Pandarinathan:

Once, in this place, there lived a person called "Gorakkumbhar". He had a great faith and bhakti towards Sri Pandarinathan. Like how, we breathe and release air, he expressed Vittalans thiru Naamam and chanted it. (He led his life by making pots).

To make pots, the clay, sand and water needs to be mixed together and they usually mix it using their feets. One day while he stamping for it, his small kid just happened to come near the place where he was stamping the clay. Because of over joy and the bhakti along with the clay, he accidentally stamped his small child also. And after a small time his wife returned and searched for the kid but could see only the cloth of it, which got mixed with the clay. And after then only, she realized that her child has been killed in the process of making the pots Gorakkumbhar and his wife cried and the Perumal as Sri Pandurangan came in front of the couples. He gave back the life of the child because of the great bhakti of Gorakkumbhar.

The Paintings and the expressions of this story can been seen in Pandaripuram temple.

http://divyadesamonline.com/purana-temples/pandaripuram-temple.asp