Kola Valvill Ramar Temple - Where The Garuda Is In Chaturbhuja Roopam!



The next temple in the list of Divya Desham is the Kola Valvill Ramar temple situated on the Kumbakonam - Chennai highway in Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity is Maha Vishnu as Shree Rama in Bhujanga-shayanam (reclining posture) and His consort is named Devi Maragathavalli. 

The legend of this temple is associated with the Vaamana Avatar of Maha Vishnu. As we all know, Shukracharya was the Guru of the Asuras. The Asura Bali, the grandson of Prahlad was a devotee of Maha Vishnu. Once he was performing a yagnya that would give him limitless power over the whole world. Fearing him, the gods requested Maha Vishnu to disrupt the yagnya and to stop Bali from becoming the most powerful being in the world. 

Maha Vishnu took the avatar of a dwarf - Vaaman and approaching Bali, he requested for land worth 3 feet space. Bali agreed however Shukracharya, his Guru, realized that it was Maha Vishnu who had come to trick Bali. The Guru warned Bali but the later was only too delighted to realize that his beloved deity had come to his yagnya and agreed to do everything for him. 

To stop Bali from agreeing to the wishes of the Vaaman, Shukracharya took the form of an insect and blocked the outlet of the Kamandalu through which Bali was about to offer water and thereby the three feet of promised land. When no water came out of the Kamandalu, Vaaman took a straw of grass and pricked the insect blocking the outlet. Through this action, Shukracharya lost an eye. To get back his vision, he is said to have done severe penance at the place where the temple is currently situated. It is believed that the light the Guru attained as vision is still glowing inside the temple in the form of a lamp called as Nethra Deepam. 

As per another legend, the celestial architects Vishwakarma and Mayan were having a debate as to who is the better architect among those two. Lord Brahma declared that since Vishwakarma had designed the abode for Maha Vishnu at Vaikuntha, he was a better architect and advised Mayan to build something that would be equal to Vaikuntha in its glory and splendour. After searching many places, Mayan found the place where the temple is currently situated and where Rishi Markandeya was meditating at that time. He arranged for the construction of the temple there. 

The temple has been known by many names in various Yugas. It was called Brahma Putram in Sathya-yuga, Parasharam in Threta-yuga, Sainthiranagaram in Dvapara-yuga and Bhargavapuram in Kali-yuga. 

The Garuda of this temple deserves special mention. It is one of the unique instances where Garuda is seen in Chatur-bhuj form, holding the Shankha and Chakra of Maha Vishnu. As per one legend, it is believed that Maha Vishnu was in the process of alighting from Garuda and His Vaahan held His Shanka and Chakra so that the Lord could comfortably get down from His mount. As per another legend, it is stated that the architect Mayan meditated on Maha Vishnu and got His divine Darshan. However, the architect wished to see the Lord as Shree Rama. Hence Maha Vishnu gave His Shankha and Chakra to Garuda and granted the architect the vision as Shringara Sundara (the one who adorns beautifully). 

It is said that there is a rock near this temple from which a plaintain tree grows and yields fruits once in a year. 

It is believed that worshipping the Lord here is equivalent to worshipping Him in all His 108 Divya Desham. 

Om Namo Narayana! Om Devyai Namaha!

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