Devanathaswamy Temple, Thiruvanthipuram – History

Devanathaswamy Temple, Thiruvanthipuram – History

The Epigraphical Department has found more than 50 inscriptions in the temple belonging to the Medieval Chola period. The inscriptions indicate grants to the temple from Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120), Vikrama Chola (1118–1135), Rajaraja Chola III (1216–1256), Jatavaraman Sundara Pandyan (1251–1268), Vikrama Pandya, Vira Pandya III, Vijayanagar king Achyuta Deva Raya (1529–1542 CE) and Kopperunjinga.

The Chola country was under siege during the rule of Rajaraja Chola III and he was imprisoned by Kopperunjinga, a Pallava scion. Vira Narasimha II (1220-1234) came to the rescue of the Chola and ultimately killed the Ceylon king Parakramabahu. A temple tower was erected during the reign of Kopperunjinga, while the procedures of worship were accorded similar to other temples during the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandyan.

The idols of Sri Rama, Sri Sita, Sri Lakshmana and Sri Hanuman were brought to Vandalur in Chennai, in the year 1868, on Oct 5, by Mudumbai Ramaswamy Iyengar, from the Tanjore Palace. When Ramaswamy Iyengar migrated to Bangalore, he had all these Gods installed in the Sri Devanatha Swamy Temple, since Chetti Punniyam, was his native village.

As per the legends, the first Mysore Dewan Veeravalli Rangachar (1831-1883) also hailed from this village. Sita Kalyanamu, a work in Telugu and Sanskrit, composed in praise of Lord Rama at Chettipunnyam by Shahji Maharaj of the Serfoji dynasty is said to be preserved in the Saraswathi Mahal Library at Thanjavur. In the year 1848, the idols of Yoga Hayagriva and Devanatha Swamy were brought here from Thiruvandipuram (Devanatha Swamy Temple) near Cuddalore to protect them from alien invasion.

In Thiruvanthipuram, Sri Vedanta Desika recited the Garuda Mantra taught to him by his uncle, Sri Kidambi Appular and was initiated into the worship of Hayagriva by Garuda. Sri Vedanta Desika composed the Hayagriva Stotram in 33 verses. Apart from the `phalasruti' there are 32 verses. There is a reason for Desika writing the Stotram in 32 verses. The Brahma vidyas are 32 in number. His composing the Hayagriva Stotram in 32 verses is to show that Hayagriva is the repository of all vidyas. 

The 32^nd verse of the Hayagriva Stotram which is the 'Dhyana Sloka', speaks of Hayagriva's right lower hand as 'Vyakhyamudra' - the elucidating pose and the left lower hand holds a book. Desika says that Sri Saraswathi, Sri Dakshinamurthy and sages like Vyasa reflect a fraction of Lord Hayagriva's effulgence). 

The descendants of Ramanuja were given special provisions for worship during the period of Vijayanara Empire. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.