Vibhuthi Prakara of Thiruvanaikaval temple

Vibhuthi Prakara of Thiruvanaikaval  temple

(Obviously all  Trichy people would know about it.)

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

Vibhuthi prakara  ? Like you it was strange sounding to me. On searching I understood  that it is the fifth and last precinct (Just as soon    as we enter the temple) of Jambukeswaram temple   in Trichy. Though I have visited this temple several times , I never knew that the outermost walls were   built by Lord Shiva himself and doing Pradakshina  in the last Prakara is extremely divine  and God would give you anything  you want for doing that 

Vibhuthi Prakara  of Jambukeswara

(From  Padma  Purana)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Wiki  mentions that Chola King “Ko Chengata Cholan” (He is also called as Chenganan) constructed this temple in 1st Century B.C. Ko Chengata Chola had built 70 other Shiva temples all over Tamil Nadu and he is one among the 63 “Nayanmars” (Holy Saivite saints). Thiruvanaikoil temple was built according to 'Saiva Aagama Sasthra'. According to Saiva Agamam, the temple reflects the human body and the idol of Lord Shiva are considered as the soul. Many other kings like Pandiyas and Nayakkars of Madurai later renovated this temple

The massive outer wall covering the fifth precinct, known as the Vibhuti Prakara, stretches over a mile and is two feet thick and over 25 feet high. Legend maintains that the wall was built by Shiva working with the laborers. 

Here  is  story  of how   this was built   and  it also tells you  the special benefits of going round the temple   through  this 5^th and last Prakara   called Vibhuthi prakara

Chathur vise  nrupeswara  mukhyaa   prakaara  mandapaan,

Akurvan bhoothi salanthu  swayam  aabandhyacchivvva

Chola   chera   pandya  vikrama  sthuthi ghatta

The place where  The Chozha, Pandya , Chera and Vikrama  king praised    lord Shiva

Sonaksha   chola:-

   Hey khanda paraso, sasi khanda  chooda, gangadhara   sri pathi  vandhithangre,

Praseedha   kakodhara  haara   shambho   sri jambu kesaana  lalochanaadhyaa

Chozha    with red eyes

Oh God  who holds   the cutting axe , who wears a piece  of moon,

Who carries   the ganges, whose feet   is worshipped   by  Lord Vishnu,

Become pleased with us  oh Lord   Shiva who wears  a garland of snakes,

Oh  Lord Jambukesawara   who has   fire   as his eyes.

Chera:-

Hey Viswanadha  ,karunakara  dheena bandho,

Sri Jambukesa sasi dhama kalaalalaama,

Grahi trilochna sanathana deva deva ,

Sri Jambukesa   dhayayaa paripalayaadhyaa

Chera prayed:-

Hey  lord of universe , who does kindness  and who is the friend of oppressed,

Catch hold of me , Oh Lord  of Jambukeswara, who has  crescent as his  thilaka,

Oh three   eyed God , the god of gods from time   unknown,

Oh Lord of Jambukeswara  ,  with kindness  look after me

Pandya:-

Hey Viswadhika deva deva Bhagawan, sri Jambu kesavama,

 Malakyaasu Dhayaa kadaksha  lahari  pareena dhuryam kuru,

Sarvaani ramana prabho thava sadaa  padambuje man mano,

Lagnam  magna mabooth  vichiram  modhaaya khedham  nutha.

King Pandya said:-

Oh God of Gods  to places more than the universe, Oh God  of  Jambukeswara ,

Please save me and make  me float in the wave  of    your  kindness,

Oh Lord of Goddess Parvathi  let my mind be at your lotus  like feet,

And please   make the thoughts   in this world always happy.

Vikrama:-

Hey Viswanadha   giri raja  vadanaambujaarkaa,

Vahnindu bhanu vilasth trithyajvalaksha,

Kshipram   praseedha bhagwan  bhava bhoothanadha,

Sri Jambukesa  , kuru mamadhunanukampyam.

King Vikrama said:-

Oh Lord of universe, the sun  who opens the lotus like face of Parvathi,

Oh Lord who has eyes made of sun, moon and fire     which glitters ,

Oh Lord of Bhoothas show    your kindness with speed to me,

Oh Lord of Jambukeswara, make me benefit from your mercy.

Sutha

Evam they  thushtuvu devm  nrupaschathvaaraa easwaram,

ThathaKhadha bhavad vani Jambu naadhasya   soolina

Sutha told

  Like this   these   four  kings  pleased  the God  by their words,

Then the  voice of the   God Jambunadha     was heard from the sky

Vani:-

Prakaaram  maa kuruthwam  may hyahameva karomi tham,

Yooyam  maam  agratha scharu  devyaa thath parsvayo  sthadhaa,

Prasada gopura mahalaya  mandapamschaa ,

Kurvanthu sarvam  mama bhoomi pala,

Saraamsi  thatheera gama poatapaani,

Prakaramekam  paritho   vihaya

The voice said  :-

Ok kings do not build these  walls of fifth outer  wall ,

For I intend to built it  myself ,and all of you please,

Build walls  in front and back of the shrine of Goddess ,

Outer walls , towers, Big temple   halls and stands,

Nine  sacred waters, halls   on its shore  but leave ,

The fifth wall     to be built  using sacred ash by me.

Bhoothyaakhyamekam  rachamamyaham  ganai,

Saccchilpimisvacha sithai ssilaapi,

Yooyam  samarthaa  na hi samsayo athra,

Thadhaapi mad vakhyamidham  kuru thwam.

Using my   Ganas , who have  great knowledge of  temple architecture  

I would build this section  using white stones   of ash,

Though I know each of you are   capable of ,

Building these but I tell you , please obey me

Ithyam vachomi  paramesithusthe,

Thushtaa  param  silpi varai   shilaabhi,

Devyaa  mahesagraga mantapani,

Babhandura kriyaani  sarasichasmabhi

Hearing   these words of  God Parameshwara ,

They became  very satisfied and using great  architects ,

They built the halls  of the goddess  as well as  the God,

Outer walls    as well as   tanks of the temple

Anyairvai   kanakair  giresthata gathairaneeyasacchilpabhi ,

Paathaalaakhyaa  khanaayya   bhoomi vivaram   chabandha  yacchankara

Saayam  srikara  padhukojjwala padha prakara maarge charan,

Bhoomyya  thathsamathaam  chakara  bhagawan  thath  vedana bhasthrikaa

The  god  then employed   great architects   who dug the earth    very deeply.

And got   stones from the mountains and   set them up to the depth of Pathala,

And built  the foundation  and that evening  he  came as a supervisor

Wandered all  the places  wearing   his divine slippers and made  ,

The foundation raise   up to the level  of earth  and

Gave bags of sacred   ash as wages   to  all the workers  .

Kshara   sankara   hasthasthu   nidadhe  shilpeshu mudhahishu,

They gathwaa  apancha veedhikaam pana ganaakaram  graheethwaa  vrajan.

Yavcha charathira bhoocha theshu   bhavathi   sri bhoothikaa  saankari  ,

Thavad dravyananee  parasparamithi  prochurvee  chithram  dwijaa

The ash that was given by lord Shiva’s hand , which made them happy,

When it was   handed  over   to the cashiers of shops in markets,

Became the same amount of wages , that they would have normally got,

And each of them seeing this   were greatly struck with   wonder

Sutha:-

Sutha said

Yevam sankara  hastha bhoothidha mahaa parka amisovyadhaath,

Bhoothyaakhyam  parichankra  manyadhi  narasweeyai  karai  kobhuvi,

Kshepthurvajimakhasya yathphalamaho  bhooyaatha  devathra vai,

Nathyaa   koti phalam  thadhaga lutanairno garbha vaso  bhaveth

Like this Lord Shiva gave sacred ash by his hands which do only good,

And  got built this Prakara  by the bhoothas   inspecting them by walking  around,

Any man keeping a stone  in this section  would get effect of doing aswamedha  yaga,

If he salutes  there he would get effect of doing great yaga   and if he ,

Rolls around, he would get salvation and will  never live in a womb.

Srimath punya thame pradosha samaye , syaath  punya parvasvapi,

Dhanam koti gunam  bhavanna bhavithaa syaath desa kala kramaa,

Annam  sikthamupagatham  yathi bhavet viprapitham   sankare,

Bhopyadeva sumerudhamupagatham kailasa   yevasyahi.

In the time of Pradosha which grants punya and during full moon  and new moon days,

Which also grants us blessings, if you give charity  there ,  the returns to you ,

Would be one crore times of normal and there is no rule of time and place,

To give charity  in this place and be giving rice mixed with ghee  here ,

To the Brahmins , that rice would grow like  Maha meru mountain ,

And that person  after his death   would reach  Kailasa mountain itself.

   It further  says:-

1,Any one who does pradakshina of this vibhuthi prakara, would be   worshipped by devas

2.Any one who does Pradakshina here would achieve   his purpose immediately

3.God Jambunatha also would bless any one who advises others to do Pradakshina of Vibhuthi prakara

4.any one who does  pradakshina of this prakara daily   will not have   any future births

5.If couple do this  pradakshina wanting a child , they would be blessed   with a child

6.If you cannot do it, you can also make others do it for you

The Comments  made by my friend Vasu  Iyengar   in Tamil   with my translation , With a humble  thanks to  him.

ஊதியமாய்த் திருநீற்றைத் தந்தெயிலொன் றமைத்தானை
வேதியனை வேண்டுபவர்க் கருள்வோனை மின்னொளிரும்
சோதியனைத் தூயவனைத் துயரறுக்கும் நாயகனை
ஆதியந்தம் ஆனவனை ஆனைக்காக் கண்டேனே. 

He   built  a  Prakara  , by giving sacred   ash as  wages ,

He is the God who  blesses  the Brahmins , the lord who cuts off  sorrow,

And t he  lord   whose light  is like lightning  .

And I saw   this God who is the  chief of Thiruvanaikaval

திருநீற்றுப் பிரகாரம் (விபூதி பிரகாரம்) உண்டான சம்பவம்.

 சித்தராக வந்த சிவன்- மதுரையைப் போல, இத்தலத்திலும் சிவபெருமான்,சித்தர் வடிவில் வந்து திருவிளையாடல் நிகழ்த்தினார்.

இப்பகுதியை ஆண்ட மன்னன், கோயிலின் ஐந்தாம் பிரகாரத்தை கட்டினான். அப்போது, போர் செய்ய
வேண்டிய சூழல் ஏற்பட்டது. ஆனாலும், அவனது மனம் போர் செய்வதில்  லயிக்கவில்லை.
அவன் சிவனைவேண்டினான்.

சிவன் விபூதிச்சித்தராக வந்து, பிரகாரம் கட்டும் வேலையை முடித்தார். இதையறிந்த மன்னன் மகிழ்ந்தான்.

சிவன் கட்டிய மதில் "திருநீற்றான் திருமதில்' என்றும்,
பிரகாரம் "விபூதி பிரகாரம்' என்றும் அழைக்கப் படுகிறது.

How the Bibhuthi Prakara  was built?

Lord Shiva came  as Sidha like  Madurai  in this place also ,

And played a sport,

The king who ruled this ares built the  fifth prakara  but ,

He was needed to fight a  war to protect   his country,

But his mind was  not in it, and he prayed Lord Shiva,

And the Lord came as   a Sidha and finished  the job of building

The compound wall   built by him was   called  as  “The wall of the lord   with sacred ash.”

And the Prakara  was called  “Vibhuthi  Prakara “