Devanathaswamy Temple, Thiruvanthipuram – Literary Mention

Devanathaswamy Temple, Thiruvanthipuram – Literary Mention

Thirumangai Azhvaar:

The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabhandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Azhwar in eleven hymns. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Thirumangai mentions about the location of the temple under the foothills and glorified the scenic location surrounding the temple. He also mentions the various avatars of Vishnu.

He had sung 11 Paasurams on the Lord. In his Periya Thirumozhi verses, Thirumangai Azhvaar refers to Lord of Thiruvaheendrapuram as Deiva Nayakan. In the very last verse, he refers to the Utsava deity of the temple - Moovar Aagiya Oruvan. Thirumangai Azhvaar refers to both the Moolavar and Utsavar deities in his Periya Thirumozhi verses.

இருந்தண்  மா நிலம்  ஏனம் அது ஆய்

வளை  மருப்பினில் அகத்து ஒடுக்கி

கருந்தண் மா கடல்கண் துயின்றவன் இடம்

கமலநல் மலர்தேறல்

அருந்தி இன் இசை முரன்றுஎழும் அளிகுலம்

பொதுளி அம போழிலூட

செருந்தி நாள்மலர் சென்று அணைந்து உழிதரு

திருவயிந்திரபுரமே

Vedanta Desikar:

Also, Acharya Maha Desikan had sung the glory of Perumal in his hymns. Sri Desika had lived in this place for about 4 decades and wrote many books on Lord. The house he resided here is still praised as Desikan Thirumaaligai. He had also dug a well himself. His hymns on Perumal is on the Nayaka-Nayaki Bhava, considering himself as the spouse of Lord Perumal. He also made his own idol. Sri Vedanta Desikar has sung songs and Paasurams on Deva Nayaga Perumal and is called as "Devanayaka Panjasath" and Achyutha Sathakam in Sanskrit.

Also written Mummanikovai, Pandhu, Suzhal, Ammanai, Oosal, Eysal, Navamani Maalai are the short poems written by him. Almost all of these works have indirect and direct mention of the temple. The image of Vedanta Desikar is housed in a separate shrine, with a separate Dwajasthambam, a flagstaff. Desika has also praised Rama, whose shrine is in the temple, in his works in Raghuvira Gadayam. Vedanta Desikar has eulogized Hayagriva in his works.

Srivillputhurar:

Srivillputhurar, in his Villibharatam narrates that the temple was visited by Arjuna, the Pandava prince during his pilgrimage.

Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar:

Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar in his Ashta Prabandha states that heavens shower flowers on the devotees of the temple.