KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2008
SriVilliputhur - Part - I

Sri Andal and Rangamannar

SriVilliputur is otherwise known as Dhanvipuram in Sanskrit. Dhanvi denotes one who handles the bow with dexterity. Lord Vishnu once exhibited his prowess over his Sharngam – the bow at Dhanvipuram. Once there was an asura by name Kalanemi. His demoniac rule harassed one and all. The Devas too overpowered by him, took refuge at SriVilliputhur. By the advice of Brahma the Devas surrendered at the feet of Lord Vishnu. Blessed by the lord, the Devas fought against Kalanemi, however in vain. This time too they could not win over Kalanemi. It was at this juncture that Lord Vishnu came to the rescue of Devas. He shielded the bow and struck Kalanemi with just a single arrow. Kalanemi was dead, victory to the lord. Thus the deity Sarangapani has been installed at SriVilliputhur.

It was at SriVilliputur under a banyan tree that sage Markandeya meditated upon the Lord for several years in succession. One fortunate day the lord appeared before the sage and spoke thus “Oh! Sage may you ask of a boon”. The sage humbly replied “Oh Lord The greatest boon of all boons is to have your Darshan. How can I ever ask of a greater boon. However I would like to know and see Maya. I’am unaware of what Maya is. I would like to see it.” Strange indeed is this boon. All people in this materialistic world know of only maya, not the lord. Contrarily Markandeya is knower of the Lord and not the clutches of maya.

On one fine day while the sage was performing his morning ablutions he had a strange vision. There was water all around, in the streets, through the village, overflowing through all the cities and towns. It looked as if it was the Pralaya waters – waters of destruction. The water grew in size, volume and magnitude destroying everything, all around, the trees, animals, soil, people, house almost everything. The world was engulfed by the enormous flow of the waters. Markandeya gazed with dizziness. The waters came close as if engulfing him and ho! He was now floating in the midst of a huge ocean of water. Markandeya now trembled in fear, now a wave of fear, now in ecstasy, now in awe, in fright in deflusion. There in the midst of the huge water, small baby lay on single banyan leaf – Alilai. The wonderful, lovely baby was sucking his toe. The baby blue in complexion, radiant as the sun and cool as the moon. All the waters seamed to flow into this baby’s mouth. The vision disappeared. All was over. Now Markandeya stood as before in his own small house before his kamandelu and dhanda. Herealised Oh! All this was just Maya. The Lord has fulfilled my wish. This lord however for the sake of Markandeya graced `SriVilliputhur as Vatapathracayi in the form of Archa Thirumeni.