Adhi Moolamey!

First of all, I am sorry to have taken so long to write about Kanchi. My patti always told me that things will happen in their own time like the arul of Emperuman which can only be got at some moments when He deems it. Same with this post.

Talking about Varadar, Gajendra Varadar is the first connotation of this Lord. When the raja, immersed in His prayers was cursed to be an elephant, he patiently waited his time knowing that the Lord shall come to his succor. When the crocodile clutched his legs, the Lord at Vaikunta heard the cry "Adhi Moolameyyy", He rushed to the aid of His devotee.

It is said that Garuda, the steed was not able to match the speed of His Lord and was left behind to catch up later giving a clue to the response of the Lord to His devotee's calls. The Lord rushed to the spot, killed the crocodile and gave succor to both the celestials ensconsed in their inhuman form.

The Lord at Thiru Kacchi, is Lord Varadarajar. Pratyaksham to Brahma. The story behind the temple is very interesting.

Once the eternal debate of the greatest among the trinity's better halves ensued afresh. It presented itself to Lord Brahma. Saraswati went to Brahma and asked him to procliam the greatest. Brahma did so and said "Lakshmi was the greatest for the virtue of being Lord Narayana's wife". Saraswati became livid and snatched from Him the "Brahma dandam"- the staff that aided creation and disappeared promptly.

Now. Creation stopped and Knowledge left the world for good. Lord Brahma was in serious trouble and the poeple of the world soon were in ruins. They appealed to Lord Vishnu. He directed Lord Brahma to do 1008 "Ashwamedha Yaga". Some quote it as "Chatra yaga". Once they were done, He would appear and give the staff anew to Him. Lord Brahma was dismayed. To do even one it would take long long years. But to do 1008, it was unimaginable. Totally. Even for Brahma.

So He renewed His prayers. Lord Vishnu now directed Him to a place on the earth where to pray once to pray 1008 times. So He dould just do one yaga and get the Brahma danda. Lord Brahma arrived at the place. He started the yaga. Saraswati was watching this. The yagay takes a long time and it was easy to make mistakes. She was waiting for this to happen. But Brahma was very diligent. As the yaga was nearing completion, knowing that Her wrath would be in vain, when Brahma got the staff back, She took the form of a torrent of water and rushed towards the spot were the Yaga was being conducted; Brahma prayed to Vishnu to save Him.

The Lord went to the spot and lay down before the stream. Saraswati, so that she may not touch the body of an "anniya purusha" moved away from the path and the homam was saved.

The Yaga was completed and the brahma danda returned to the creator. The Lord appears in a Punya koti Vimanam and Saraswati realising Her mistake prays to the Lord. Creation was resumed and knowledge restored to the world. The place where Saraswati realises Her fault and the spot where the Lord laid don is worshipped as "Thiru Vekka" and is in Kanchi. We shall learn of it soon.

Brahma prays to the Lord to stay at the spot and grant speedy relief to His devotees.(Akin to tatkal:no pun intented). In this kshetra, if we pray even once it is equivalent to praying 1008 times. The Lord called Varada, which literally means the Lord who grants all our wishes. Anything prayed for in this kshetra, if it is for the good of us, is granted immediatly.

Thus was the world saved from disharmony by the infinite mercy of the Lord.

Swami : Varadarajan(a.k.a PeRaruLaLan, Lord of infinite mercy)
Thayar: Perundevi thayar(Thanni kovil Nacchiyar, Padi thanda Pathini)
Other Sannithis: Chakrathalwar Sannithi, Azhagiri Singar sannithi , Andal Sannithi, Danvanthri Sannithi, Alwar matrum Aacharyan sannithi, and Athi Varadar sannithi(inside pushkarini)
Sannithi : Hastagiri ennapadum athigiri
Vimanam: Punya koti Vimanam
Pushkarini: Vegavathi theertham(The river whose form Saraswati took)
Anantha saras
Sesha Theertham
Varaha Theertham
Brahma Theertham

Vaazhi Arulalar Vaazhi ani Atthigiri

Vaazhi YethirAsan vachagathor --

Vaazhi Saranagathy yenum saarvudan maRRonRai

aranahak-kollathaar anbhu

--Swami Desikan