Friday, January 4, 2008

Thirukkarugaavoor Sri Garbharakshaambigai

Thirukkarugaavoor is about 20 kms from Kumbakonam. This is an unique temple Lord Shiva and Parvathi who bless the world as Sri Mullaivana Naathar & Sri Garbharakshaambigai here.

Legend has it that, thousands of years back this place was called Mullaivanam (forest filled with Jasmine creepers).

There lived a saint by name Nidhruva Rishi along with his wife Vedhika in Mullaivanam. They remained childless for years which was making them depressed. They took the advice of Gautama & Karthikeya Rishis and started worshipping Lord Shiva and Parvathy at the temple here.

Out of sincere prayers Vedhika became pregnant. The couple were too happy. When Vedhika was in the final trimester of pregnancy, Nidhruva Rishi had to be out of home to visit Sri Varuna.

One day, after a tiring house hold chores and the pain due to pregnancy, Vedhika was lying down and taking rest. When she was half asleep, a Rishi called Urdhvapaadha came at the door calling for Bhiksha. Vedhika didn’t notice the Rishi and didn’t respond to him with her hospitality. Saint Urdhvapaadha, without knowing the pregnancy of Vedhika, thought that she is ignoring him and cursed her to be affected with a serious disease.

The curse started spoiling not only Vedhika’s health and also the baby in her fetus. The fetus got deformed and Vedhika realized that it was because of the curse by Saint Urdhvapaadha. She prayed Goddess Parvathi Devi at the temple for rescue. The Goddess with her fullest mercy collected the deformed embryo in a divine pot and made it to evolve as a healthy baby.


Vedhika was blessed with a beautiful male baby and they named him Naidhruva. As there was no mother’s feed for the baby, Goddess sent Kamadhenu to arrange milk for the baby. Kamadhenu appeared and scratched her legs on the ground and a milk pond formed there on the earth, for the baby.

The pond then formed is called as ‘Khseera Kundam’ (Milk Pot) which is today’s temple tank in front of this temple.

Vedhika’s husband Nidhruva came back and was thrilled to hear the whole story and the mercy of the Goddess. The couple prayed the Goddess to take abode in the same village and bless every couple who pray them, with the child and safe pregnancy.

The Goddess agreed to them and settled down in Mullaivanam in the name of Sri Garbharakshaambigai (meaning the savior of fetus). From then, the village also got its name as Thirukkarugaavoor (Thiru – God, Karu – Fetus, Kaa – saves).

Even today Sri Garbharakshaambigai blesses the childless couples with the child and also the pregnant women for safe delivery of baby. According to the native villagers, to their knowledge, none of the women at Thirukkarugaavoor has ever had a miscarriage or any fatality during delivery.

In this temple Ghee is offered as Prasadham for the childless couple which they have to take everyday for about 48 days. Also a Sloka (given below) is given at the temple to be chanted by the expectant mother to pray Sri Garbharakshaambigai, everyday till delivery.

“Hey Sankara samarahaa Bramadhaadhinaadhari
Mannaadha saramba sarisooda
harathirisoolin Sambo sugaprasava
grudh bhavamey dhayaalo
hemadavi vanesa paalayamaam namaste!

Himavath yudhdharey paarsvey
suradhara naama yaashinee
Thasyaaaa smarana maathrenaa
vichalya gharbinee bhavethu!!”


Transliteration :

ஹே ஸங்கர ஸமரஹா ப்ரமதாதி
நாதரி மன்னாத சரம்ப சரிசூட
ஹர திரிசூலின் சம்போ சுகப்ரஸவ
க்ருத் பவமே தயாளோ
ஹேமாதவி வனேஸ
பாலயமாம் நமஸ்தே!

ஹிம்வத் யுத்தரே பார்ஸ்வே
ஸுரதர நாம யாஷினீ
தஸ்யா ஸ்மரண மாத்ரேணா
விசல்யா கர்ப்பிணி பவேது!!


Castor oil is offered as Prasadham here, to the pregnant women to be applied on their abdomen during pregnancy for a safe labor.

Everyday, one can witness many couples happily coming back to the temple with their new born to thank the Goddess and seek her blessings by keeping the baby at her Lotus Feet.


Lord Shiva here, is in the form of Lingam. It is said that the idol here is made of ant hill mud (Putru MaN) and is a Swayambu Murthy (which evolved on its own). Hence there are no Abhishekams here for the Lord. Instead a rare fragrant herb called Punugu is applied on the Lingam (Punugu Chattam).

It is believed that by offering Punugu Chattam to Mullaivana Nathar, one gets relieved of any kind of skin diseases.

One can see the impression of the Jasmine creeper on the Shiva Lingam here, as this place was full of Jasmine creepers which were covering this Lingam.

Another rare feature is the moon rays falls directly on the Lingam here during the Full moon day of Thamizh month, Panguni.

Temple Address:
Sri Mullai Vananathar Thirukkoil, Thirukkarugavur, Papanasam Taluk.Thanjavur Distict. Pin : 614 302. Tel : 04374 – 273423.

29 comments:

  1. VEry interesting posting. Thanks a lot. Even I have been blessed by Sri Garbha Rakshambigai with a son. Not only me but also many people including foreigners have been blessed by this Devi to whoever we recommended about this temple. Your effort of spreading information about this temple is really great and appreciated.
    I have a small doubt. Ihave a booklet supplied by the temple to me, but the slokas in that is slightly different from what u have given. and also the translation to Tamil (in some places)is not correct as per who knows good sanskrit. (anyway, i may be wrong too, u can just overlood this). My fear is whoever reads in tamil should not chant the wrong mantra. (even i chanted this mantra in tamil only).
    thank you once again for the wonderful effort.

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  2. Several times I visited this temple. I will get peaceful and my parents are living in a near by village by name Milattur about 5km away from Thirukarugavoor towards Tanjore. I appriciate your efforts. It is excellent.

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  3. Thanks a lot...this information will surely help a lot of people.I have been to the temple and it is really a powerful temple. My sister and bro-in-law was blessed with a baby after 8years of marriage...One of my Colleague was blessed with a baby after 11 years..Even for marriages, they do pooja there...I got a good match after doing the pooja there...Thanks foe the effort taken
    [b]Binu Krishnaprasad[b]

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  4. Thank you Saravana for giving us information about this temple. And also congratulating you for doing such a good thing

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  5. Dear Saravanan, thank u for this wonderful information. I got this at the correct time. I want to know whether any website/mail id is there to send money to do pooja for my daughter in law. Since i am staying in mumbai it is difficult to go at present to the temple. Please help me

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  6. It was very interesting to read about this temple. I had absolutely no idea about it and was under the impressing that the only temple in south India was the Manarshala Temple where devotees go to be blessed with children. Thanks a lot for the new info. May Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna bless all of you.

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  7. Its beautiful.
    May more and more childless couples be blessed by Sri Mullaivana Naathar & Sri Garbharakshaambigai to have the children they desire.
    May their blessings be with all of us.
    Thank you for sharing this.

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  8. Thanks mr. Saravanan. I was looking desperately for this temple's address. May god bless us all.

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  9. Thank You for the informations of the temples It will be of great help to many in the world who wish to pray at these temples and gain the Lords blessings.This site will be of great importance to many who will surely make use of this site,and benifit from it.

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  10. Thank You for the informations of the temples It will be of great help to many in the world who wish to pray at these temples and gain the Lords blessings.This site will be of great importance to many who will surely make use of this site,and benifit from it.

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  11. Thanks for the information
    it will be of great help to my daughter who is expecting a baby

    bhargavan

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  12. Dear Saravanan,
    May the Lord Mullaivananathar bless you & your descendents with good health.Very good advice for pregnant women and for childless couples.The sloham is perfect!
    The way sanskrit slohas written is different from tamil-hence we need to split according to the meaning.The sloha is to be chanted 18 times daily till delivery.You could mention about the service of the golden cradle for children born with Her grace.

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  13. Dear Saravanan,

    Thanks for the wonderfull info. Even we got our son after praying there. As someone asked, www.eprarthana.com accepts online poojas for this temple.

    Thanks

    Senthil

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  14. I just got my prasadham in mail today.
    To apply send a Money order/DD/Postal Order to the temple address and get the prasadhams for the below prices.

    Temple Address:
    Sri Mullai Vananathar Thirukkoil, Thirukkarugavur, Papanasam Taluk.Thanjavur Distict. Pin : 614 302. Tel : 04374 – 273423.

    Enriched Ghee (for child blessing)-
    (Inland) - Rs 100
    (Foreign) - Rs 250
    Enriched Castor Oil (for child birth)-
    (Inland) - Rs 100
    (Foreign) - Rs 250

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  15. please can anyone advice me from where should i preform the puja online

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  16. Hi,
    This is a great piece of work u have done. Congratulations!!. To make this information complete suggest that you the Google map for the places mentioned.

    Regards
    NK

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  17. Nice posting with useful information. I'm going to visit this temple by Dec-18,hoping to be blessed with baby soon.
    Thanks.,
    Siva

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  18. Enriched Ghee (for child blessing)-
    (Inland) - Rs 100
    (Foreign) - Rs 250
    Enriched Castor Oil (for child birth)-
    (Inland) - Rs 100
    (Foreign) - Rs 250

    mirradivine@gmail.com

    Is it the same as of now? Kindy reply.

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  19. Plz tell me ghee should be consume in day or night

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  20. we do need more people who could enlighten us insuch aspect. God bless you and your effort

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  21. Thanks Saravanan for all your efforts.
    I am blessed with a girl baby after offering prayers there and reciting the slokams.

    Your news about punugu and lingam curing skin disease really helps at the right time for me.

    Thanks Much

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  22. I have received the ghee prasadam yesterday in the mail,the temple very promptly sent the prasadam in due time,im so thrilled because it came in a time i was very depressed,im hoping amma will bless us soon witha child,sarvejanaho sukhinobavantu!!may amma and lord shiva bless all..

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  23. I tried calling the temple many times to do archanai but I could not able to get proper response. I gave order prasadam from one website which is www.garbarakshambigai.org and I got prasadam soon. it is more cost than temple but service is fast and according to our need.

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  24. Hello,

    One can perform the online puja at www.garbarakshambigai.org to get oil and ghee prasadam

    Regards,

    Usha

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  25. Hi!

    Thanks for collating such valuable inputs as a ready reckoner!

    God Bless you!

    Shivakkumar, A. S.

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  26. Thanks a lot for this input.I would like to know is it compulsory to go couple together or only wife can i go and pray for God.Please do reply me.

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  27. How many days should i recite & how many times in a day i should recite the sloka. Can i just read the sloka by praying amma without going to the temple as i'm staying in Msia.

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  28. Thank you Mr.Saravanan for taking this effort to explain about many temple.Really informative...

    KamakshiKarthik

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  29. pls update me - old temples in chennai to visit

    ReplyDelete