Champakaranya Kshetram

Mannargudi, situated on the banks for the river Haridra, was referred as Champakaaranyam, Vanduvarapatti(filled with bees) and Vasudevapuri. Sri Rajagopalaswami temple was built by the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070-1120 AD). After the Chola kings the Nayak kings of Tanjore took interest in the renovation of temples built earlier and as a result the temple at Mannargudi was improved with many gopurams and outer prakarams.

It was the seventh day of Navarathri celebrations at Shri Rajagopalaswami temple and the utsava moorthy Shri Rajagopalan along with the Nachiyars were out in the vasantha mandapam to bless the gathering in the Kalyana thirukolam. This temple is referred as Dakshina Dwarka and it is believed that this place was a Champaka forest in the puranic days and the granthas call this area as “Champakaranya Kshetram”.

As a procedure of worship in Vaishnavite shrines, we took the permission from Hanuman seated in the outer gopuram with the gadha in one hand and Sanjeevi Mountain on the other and Garuda in the inner prakaram before visiting the sanctum sanctorum. It is believed that Garuda informs Mahalakshmi about our visit and she inturn request the Lord to bless their children. We prostrated near the Garuda Stambha placed in front of the Lord's shrine, 54 feet high and is made of a -single stone. This is again a procedure followed in Vaishnavite temples to propstrate at the Dwajasthambam before we enter the temple.

In stand at ease “Tribhangi” pose (3 curves in his body) surrounded by calves and with whip in one hand (cattle rearing pose) he is in command of his creation and creatures leading us to his home and the other one pointing towards his feet showing the Charanagathi tatwa – “Maam Ekam Charanam Vraj:” A bunch of 3 keys hanging from his waist represent the trigunas (Rajo, Tamo, Satwa) gives us an opportunity to choose the right key to enjoy the gifts of life. Perumal in Kali Yuga manifested in this kshetram as Sri Rajagopala and performed the same lilas as he did in Mathura and Dwakara for the sincere Rishis who missed them in the Dwapara Yuga because of their penance. The whip that he is holding in his right hand is not pointed at the cattle or at us and it is not to harm or inflict cruelty to his children, but rather the whip points towards him and is to attract people.

The beautiful gold Golusu (ankle bracelet) adorning his anklet, earring in one ear shows that there is no difference between him and Lakshmi. This tatwa also reestablishes that the nirguna, nishkala of the soul is and that there no bedha between male and female soul and all of us being a part of him. Utsavar is called “Shri Vidya Rajagopalan”. We can see the same message being conveyed in Shaivism where Devi resides on the Vamabaga of Shiva and they are together in the rupa of Ardhanareeshwara. Whether you call him Shiva or Vishnu and whether you call her Parvati or Lakshmi the tatwa is the same. There is a very beautiful kriti “Ardhanareeshwaram” in the raga Kumudakriya.

Muthuswami Dikshithar in his krithi describes this swarupa of Perumal as

nArIvESadhara vAmabhAga murArE
shrIvidyArAjaharE shrIrukmiNI satyabhAmAshrita

It is believed that once Radha had left her jewels and clothes on the shore and had gone down to bathe in river Yamuna and Krishna at that time cross dressed as Radha and played a prank on her. Radha didn’t realize that it was Krishna and she made noise about her missing clothes and jewels. Krishna quickly tried to undress but before he could finish he was shooed away by the villagers. Thus the ankle bracelet and earring stayed with his forever.

A solid gold Mahalakshmi pendant adorning his chest and 2 inch oval Emerald (astrology and gemology believes that emerald represents Mercury and Vishnu is represented by Mercury in all horoscopes) laced with diamonds in the periphery looked more beautiful on his chest.

The Thayar is called “Seng (red) Kamalam (lotus) with ravishing smile effusing karunyam in her eyes. Her names in Sanskrit are Hemabjanayaki and Raktabjanayaki. On her sides are Rajanayaki on the right and Dwaranayaki or, the left. She has four arms. The utsava moorthy, Mahalakshmi seated on a Padmam manifest as Gajalakshmi with elephants on either side. She wears a beautiful pendant etched in gold with the image of Sri Rajagopalan in the standing posture with a whip sat in the center of the diamond pendant.

The 7 feet high dwi-bhujam moolavar Paravasudevan is of Salagramam accompanied by Sri Devi and Bho Devi on either side. The little Santhanakrishna lying on top of the coiled Sarpa with the right toe in his mouth smirks at the Maya (cosmic creation). It is believed that issue less couples are blessed with children upon lifting and praying to the Santhakrishna by reciting Bala Mukundhashtakam written by Adi Shankara with atmost devotion and sincerity. There are small shrines in the temple dedicated to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Garudalwar, etc.
The temple signifies the unison of all three 3 sects of Hindu philosophy – Advaita, Dvaita, Vishistadvaita. Muthuswami Dikshithar in his krithi “Sri Rajagopala” refers to this temple as
vishiStAdvaitAdvaitAlaya mAm pAlaya.

There are many Vahanams in the temple of which Panchamukha Hanuman (Hanuman with five faces) is worth mentioning. Garuda Vahanam and Horse Vahanam are plated with gold and are said to have been donated by a European officer who was cured of his colic on offering worship to the Lord. Many festivals take place in this temple throughout the year and theBrahmotsavam is celebrated in the month of Panguni (Marc April). The Utsavar in Vennai Thazhi (Krishna in a seated pose with a pot of butter) falls on Panguni Ammavasya and attracts large crowds from all over the country. Sri Rajapogalan dressed as Mohini avataram in one of the ustavam days and on Hanumantha vahanam parading around the town also draws a lot of crowd.

This is a very ancient temple and has figured in the Mahabharata, Brahmanda Purana, Skanda Purana, Narada Purana, Sriranga Purana and Tirupati Purana.Though Azhawars have not visited this shrine there is a beautiful kriti by Sri Muthuswami Dikshithar, one of the Trinity Composers “Sri Rajagopala” in raga Saveri sung in praise of this deity and the temple.

Raga: sAvEri / Tala: Adi
P: shrI rAjagOpAla bAla shRHNgAralIla shritajanapAla

A: dhIrAgragaNya dInasharaNya
cArucampakAraNya dakSiNadvArakApurInilaya
vishiStAdvaitAdvaitAlaya mAm pAlaya

C: smErAnana sEvaka caturAnana
nArAyaNa tAraka divyanAmapArAyaNa kRta
nAradAdinuta sArasapAda sadAmOda
nArIvESadhara vAmabhAga murArE
shrIvidyArAjaharE shrIrukmiNI satyabhAmAshrita
pArshvayugaLa kambujayagaLa nIrasampUrNa
haridrAnadItIra mahOtsava vaibhava
mAdhava mArajanaka natashukasanaka
janaka vIraguruguhamahita ramAsahita

When I asked a Vaishnavite scholar why Azhawars have not sung in praise of Rajagopalan and Paravasudevan, they had convincing reasons.

4000 Divya Prabandham vanished for 1000-2000 years and it was Nadha Muni who brought back the Prabandham. Some Paasurams could have gone missing.

Azhawars must have visited this Kshetram and must have been spell bound by the beauty of this perumal they never found words to express his beauty in the form of Prabandhams. Sweetness of sugar, honey, jaggery can only be tasted but can never be described in words.