108 Divya-deshams: Thiruthanka

BY: SUN STAFF

Deepaprakasa Perumal Temple, Tiruththanka
Stucco of temple legend

Apr 27, 2024 — CANADA (SUN) — A tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

The Deepaprakasa Perumal Temple, also known as Tiruththanka or Tooppul, is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. This Divya Desham is dedicated to the worship of Lord Visnu as Deepaprakasar with His consort Maragathavalli (Laksmi).

Deepaprakasar appeared to Brahma at this place while he performed penance to seek the Lord's mercy. The temple is counted as one among four temples in Kanchipuram where Brahma performed penance. The others are Yathothkari Perumal Temple, Ashtabhujagara Perumal Temple and Varadaraja Perumal Temple.

Tiruththanka is another of the temples associated with legends of Saraswati getting into an argument with Lakshmi on who had superiority. The two went to Indra, who judged Lakshmi as superior. Not satisfied with his argument, Saraswati went to her husband, Brahma. He also chose Lakshmi to be the superior one. Saraswati was unhappy with the decision, and decided to stay away from Brahma. Brahma did a severe penance praying to Vishnu, and did an Ashvamedha Yagna. Saraswati remained angry because the yagna, usually done along with consorts, was performed by Brahma with Savitri, without her. She tried to disrupt the penance by sending darkness, but Vishnu interfered "like a light from the lamp", hence he is known as Vilakoli Perumal.

Temple Tank

Another version of this legend states that Saraswati sent a rakshakas to spoil the penance, which was spoiled by the stream of light from Vishnu. Since Vishnu appeared as light to overcome the darkness of the situation, he is termed Deepaprakasa Perumal.

Vedanta Desika (1268 - 1369 CE) was an ardent devotee of Deepa Prakasa Temple at Thoppul. The devotion of Desika is mentioned in Saranagathi Deepika in 59 verses. He was born at this site, and his shrine resides inside the temple, along with an image of Hayagriva that worshipped by him. Vedanta Desikar, and exalted Vaisnava, is considered to be an incarnation of the divine bell of Lord Venkateshvara of Tirmala.

Temple shrine

The temple at Thiruthanka is located in Vishnu Kanchi, along with most other Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram. It has a three-tiered rajagopuram. The temple complex has a rectangular plan surrounded by brick walls, with two precincts. The temple tank, Saraswati Tirtham, is located outside the premises.

The central shrine of the temple has the image of the presiding deity, Deepaprakasa Perumal, in sitting posture. There are shrines for Lakshmi, Hayagriva, Andal, Vedanta Desika and Alvars, and a separate shrine for Hayagreeva with Vedanta Desika, facing south.

Vedanta Desikar

Source: Wikipedia

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