Temples of Tamilnadu - 22 - Rasi Temples - Part 6 - Rishabam

Sivayoginathar temple – Thiruvisainallur  

Rasi                       :        Rishabam

Temple timings    :        6.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. 5.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.  

Phone                   :        0435-200 0679, 94447 47142

Location               :        Korukai 12 kms 

Nearest town       :         Sorna Bairavi sametha Sornakala Bairavar Temple 300 mtrs - Sri Karkadeswarar Temple, Tirundudevankudi – 1 km

Important days   :        Prathosham, Tuesdays, Sivarathri

Since the Nandhi safeguards as Rishaba Vaahanam, this kshetram help remove the dosha of the people belonging to Rishaba zodiac sign (Kritigai, Rohini and Mrigaseersham stars).  

The temple has seen the four yugas and hence the deity is named differently in the yugas legend says that this sacred place has seen all the four yugas.  

Kritha Yuga Puraathaneswarar

Tretha Yuga Vilvaaranyeswarar

Dwaapara Yoganandeswarar

kali yuga Sivayoginathar

It is believed that Sage Agasthya worshipped this deity on the Sivarathiri days.  Here Perumal appears as Lakshmi-Narayanan, along with His spouse Lakshmi.  During the fight with Ravana, Jatayu’s feather fell in the ‘Jatayu Theertham’ here.

Bhairavar in this place is called ‘Chaturkaala Bhairavar’ who manifests in different form in the yugas. Near Jnanakaala Bhairavar is Dakshinamoorthi and Mahalakshmi is near Swarnakarshana Bhairavar. Baalasani is in a short distance of Unmaththa Bhairavar and Uththara Kailaaya Lingam is close to Yoga Bhairavar.  To worship them all in the ashtami day is significant..

Lord Brahma, the God of Creation was born as a son among 7 sons to one Vishnu Sharma.  They performed tapas to Lord Siva who, on the Sivarathiri day, appeared before them, made them as seven lights and merged them with Him.  Hence, the deity of this place is  ‘Sivayogi Naathar’ and we can see even today in the body of the Sivalingam seven hair-locks.

Once a person who had committed numerous sins, called out for the Lord in dying moment.  When Lord Siva asked Nandhi to check, Nandhi turned to find out. (Hence the Nandhi here is in the turned posture).  It was a ‘Pratosha Day’ and all his sins vanished when Nandhi set his vision on him.  When Lord Yama came there to end his life, Nandhi stopped him and a quarrel began.  Nandhi won and sent Yama out, away from the flag-post.  Though usually Nandhi will be seen inside the flag-post but here he is outside.

Near the southern temple wall is seen the Sun-Dial fixed some 700 years ago which measures the route of the sun from sunrise to sunset. A semi-circle and the numbers from morning 6.00 to evening 6.00 are carved around with a brass nail in the centre and the fallof sunlight on the nail and number determines the times.