Twelve (Dwadasha) Narasimha Kshertams of Tamil Nadu- Part 2


4. Patalathri Nrsimha of Kanchipuram

Pataltri Narasimha, Singaperumal , Kanchipuram 
Singaperumal Kovil near Chengalpet which is Situated in Kanchipuram District of Tamil Nadu is Singaperumal Kovil  which is home to a frequently visited ancient Patalathri Nrsimha. Patalam means red.  Athri means hill.  As Lord Nrsimha appeared here furiously with red eyes and huge size of a hill so the place came to be known as Patalathri.

Lord here graces with four arms, two of them holding Sudarsana and Panchajanya and
the third in "Abaya Hastha" Mudra with the fourth pointing towards the earth. in sitting posture He graces along with Sridevi and Bhudevi.  Lord Patalatri Nrsimha has has three eyes,and wears the Salagrama and Sahasranama garlands. It is believed that if one gets the darshan of the Third Eye, all misery in life would be removed. You can get darshan of the third eye during arati when the priest would lift tilaka.

The Legend

This temple has been referred in Brahmaanda Purana. This place was surrounded by dense forests during the period of Nrsimha avatar. Maharshi Jabali performed intense penance in this place seeking the desire to see Lord Nrsimha . Lord granted the sage's desire and appeared in front of him during the twilight time. Based on the event, Abhisheka is performed to the Lord at this time on Pradosha days.
Appachiaranna and Annavillappan
Another legend says that Appachiaranna a great devotee of Lord Nrsimha had a son named Annavillappan who learnt Ubhaya Vedantham from Daasarathi Appai and Kandadai Appan. Annavillappan was extremely devoted to his Kuladevta Nrsimha. Patalathri Nrsimha appeared in his dream and told him to spruce the jungle and bring out his temple drowned in sand dune at Patalathri. This place is now known as 'Singa Perumal Kovil '.
Annavillappan  rehabilitated the Patalathri Nrsimha deity which had drowned under sand dune, as per Lord Nrsimha 's directive and created the village as also brought and settled people to serve the Lord in Temple. He constructed tower, etc. and worshiped him.

5. Lakshmi Nrsimha of Poovarasankuppam
One of the most foremost shrines of Lakshmi Nrsimha is Poovarasan Kuppam, near Villupuram district Tamil Nadu; The presiding deity is Lakshmi Nrsimha . This temple is approximately 1200 years old. It is said that for the first time, after killing Hiranyakashipu at Ahobilam, Lord Nrsimha appeared at Poovarasankuppam in the same form and gave Darshan to the Sapta Rishis as Lakshmi Nrsimha . therefore it is believed that one who cannot have darshan of Nrsimha at Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh Can Have The Blessings By Visiting This temple In Poovarasankuppam. A unique feature here is the posture Mahalakshmi, who is seated on the lap of Lord Nrsimha has one eye of towards the Lord and the other eye is gracing devotees.

The Legend

Lord Nrsimha took an instant incarnation as answering the prayers of his devotee Prahalada to slay the demon Hiranyakashipu. After slaying the demon, his anger did not subside and he roamed all over India. At Poovarasankuppam on the Northern shore of the river South Pennai in South India, the Saptha Rishis prayed to the Lord to have his darshan lord appeared here in front of the Sapta Rishis. However, Rishis could not bear the intensity of heat emitting from the Lord and requested his consort to calm him down. Goddess Lakshmi, obliged and sat on the Lord’s lap and looked at him with one eye and the Rishis with the other. This act of the Goddess Lakshmi brought a soothing and tranquil effect on the Lord. To this day, it is only at this temple in the whole world does the Lord Lakshmi Nrsimha appear in such a pose.

6. Yoga Nrsimha of Sholingur
Yoga Nrsimha of Sholingur
Located about 90 kms west of Chennai and about 25 kms from Arakkonam , atop a hill on a single stone is the Yoga Narasimha temple in Sholingur, also called Thiru Kadigai. There are three separate shrines of Vishnu in the form of Narsimha, Bhaktavatsala Perumal and Hanuman . They are situated on the larger hill, at the base of the larger hill and on the smaller hill respectively.  Vishnu Purana and Padma Purana refer this place as Kadigai and since Vishwamitra got his Brahmarishi title here, it became Simhapuram

The Legend

Here at Solingur Sage Vishwamitra undertook penance here and was blessed by Lord Nrsimha who appeared within fraction of time (one Kadigai) and also he gained Brahmarishi title with his prayers to Lord Narasimha . Ages Past by towards end of Rama Avatar, Following the footsteps of the Vishwamitra, Some Sages too undertook penance here at Sholingur wanting a darshan of the Nrsimha Avatar and hoping to get the darshan within the fraction of time. It is said that even if we sleep for 1 Kadigai in this Dham, we will get liberation. That kind of nature and specialty, this Kshetram has got. The sages doing penance here were troubled by demons named Kalan and Keyan in the region and they prayed to Lord Rama, for protection.

Yoga Anjaneya
At the end of the Rama Avataara, Hanuman wanted to join Rama in his abode at Vaikuntam. However, Rama had other thoughts and asked Hanuman to go to Sholingur to protect the Sages from demons Kalan and Keyan. Hanuman could not initially kill the demons and he prayed to Lord Nrsimha . Lord Nrsimha appeared before Hanuman and gave him Shanka and Chakra with which Hanuman Killed the Demons also Lord Nrsimha asked Hanuman to remain here, as Yoga Anjaneya, with the assurance that he would take Hanuman into Vaikunta Dham during Kali Yuga.

Abiding by the Lord’s wishes, Hanuman is said to have remained here atop the small hill and is seen here with four hands in a Yoga posture with Conch, Chakra, Japa Maala and the fourth hand with a counting the Japa.

This is the only Divya Desam with such special prominence for Lord Hanuman.

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