The Sathya-moorthi (சத்தியமூர்த்தி, lord-of-truth) temple is a highly
venerated shrine and is regarded by local Vaishnavites to be second in
sanctity only to the temple at Srirangam. It is called Adhi-rangam
(‘original-Rangam’) and is claimed to be older than the temple at Srirangam.
Actually there are two Vishnu shrines. One is the cave temple and
contains one of the most complete and the largest Anantha-sayi groups in
India, conforming, almost to the detail, to agamic specifications of
Anantha-sayi (அனந்தசாயி). The other is a structural temple in which Vishnu
is worshipped in the form of Sathya-moorthi.
The rock-cut shrine is a natural cavern modified and enlarged into a
cave temple with the tall facade pillars inserted. It may be ascribed to a
date not latter than the first half of the 8th century.
The fact that the celebrated Vaishnava saint, Thiru-mangai-azhvar (திருமங்கை
ஆழ்வார்), sang hymns in praise of the deity at Thirumayam Vishnu temple has
enhanced its sanctity. The following are the stanzas sung by the azhvar:
1095: peNNaagi
1206: maNavaaLaa
1524: kattERu
1660: aruvisOr
1760: vEyirunjOlai
1852: sudalaiyil
2015: piNdiyaar
2016: mayyaar kadalum
CLICK HERE to read those stanzas (available in Tamil-Unicode and English
Transliteration formats).
THE TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
 A
view of the Vishnu Temple and the of pushkarani with the fort in the
background
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The south facing temple has a main gopuram, which has many of the
features of the late Pandya (13th - 14th AD) style.
The first mandapam, as one enters the temple, has tall pillars
containing sculptures. It belongs to the Nayak period (16th century). The
fine, life-size sculptures are in amazing details which only Nayak-s could
master. The sculptures of Madurai-veeran (மதுரை வீரன்) kidnapping Bommi (பொம்மி),
Manmatha (மன்மதன்), Kuravan (குறவன்), Kuraththi (குறத்தி), a Nayak
chieftain, ladies in dancing poses, etc are a few to name.
In this mandapam, to the left are three shrines facing east, containing
Chakrathaazhvar (சக்கரத்தாழ்வார், the ‘discuss’ of the presiding deity,
Vishnu), Andal (ஆண்டாள்) and Krishna. On the right side are the shrine of
Lakshmi-Nara-simha (லக்ஷ்மி நரசிம்மர்) and the room where the vahana-s
(processional vehicles) are kept.
Entering the second mandapam, the visitor turns to the Amman shrine to
the left.
Uyya-vandha-thaayar (உய்ய வந்த தாயார்) or Ujjivanith-thayar (உஜ்ஜிவனித்
தாயார்), the Amman, is believed to be very propitious. To the right is a
long narrow shrine containing sculptures of the Vaishnava Acharya-s,
Ramanuja (இராமானுஜர்), Madhura-kavi (மதுரகவி) and others and the azhvar-s.
The pillars in front of this contain the Dasavatharam (தசாவதாரம்) of Vishnu
carved in bas-relief. There is a dhvaja-sthambham (கொடிமரம்) in front of the
entrance, in this mandapam. Behind this is the maha-mandapam of the
Sathya-moorthi shrine, of which the south and west side have walls.
Palli-konda-perumal (பள்ளி கொண்ட பெருமாள்) of Thirumayam
Thiru-meyyar, Palli-konda-perumal
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Taking the pradakshina path from the Amman shrine, through the corridors
of this mandapam, one reaches the sannidhi of the Yoga-sayana-moorthi (யோகசயன
மூர்த்தி, ‘God-in-a-recumbent-posture’) or ‘Palli-konda Perumal’
(paL-Li-koN-da-pe-ru-maaL) in Tamil.
There is a sort of maha-mandapam (மகா மண்டபம்) in front of the shrine.
It has two dvara-palaka-s (துவார பாலகர்). Beyond this mandapam is the
rock-cut shrine, which may be ascribed to a date not latter than the first
half of the 8th century. It consists of an ardha-mandapam (அர்த்த மண்டபம்)
and the garbha-griham (கர்ப கிரகம்). The floor of the garbha-griham is about
3 feet above that of the ardha-mandapam. It has got two pillars and two
pilasters.
The main idol lying on a serpent couch is an imposing sculpture. It is
about 15 feet long. The five hoods of the serpent, which covers the God’s
head as a canopy, are half drawn backward. The God has two arms, one
stretched behind him over the serpent Adisesha (ஆதி சேஷா), and the other
folded at the elbow and held above his breast. All around the main idol,
there is a wealth of sculptures, including Garuda (கருடன்), Chitragupta (சித்திரகுப்தன்),
Markandeya (மார்கண்டேயன்), Brahma, the Deva-s, the Vasu-s, and the Kinnara-s
(கிண்ணரர்கள்). Near the eastern wall are two demons, and, sheltered near the
God’s feet, is the figure of Bhumi-Devi (பூமி தேவி), the Earth Goddess.
The legend that is associated with this group of sculptures is that when
the demons Madhu (மது) and Kaithabha (கைடபர்) approached in an aggressive
attitude, Brahma, Lakshmi and Bhumi-Devi were frightened. Adisesha, in his
sudden wrath, spat poison, which consumed the demons, but was immediately
stung with remorse at his hasty action without so much as asking his Lord’s
permission. However the God comforted him with an assurance of his approval
of the act.
Garudaazhvar
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To the right of the corridor leading to the rock-cut shrine, is the
maha-mandapam of the Sathya-moorthi shrine. It contains a shrine for Garuda,
on the southern side. This mandapam is a structure of the late Pandya
(13th-14th century AD) period. The recess to the north is called Sundara-Pandya
Kuradu (சுந்தர பாண்டியன் கூராடு) (Kuradu = annexe), and leads to the main
shrine of Sathya-moorthi.
The shrine consists of a garbha-griham and an ardha-mandapam in front.
They are surrounded by another covered hall. The garbha-griham, which
adjoins an overhanging cliff, belongs to the late Pandya (13th-14th AD)
period. In the shrine, Lord Sathya-moorthi stands between the life-size
images of Garuda and a king with Sathya-rishi (சத்யரிஷி) and his wife
kneeling in front. There is a narrow path between the rock cliff and the
covered hall of the shrine, behind the shrine.
To the east of the Sathya-moorthi shrine are those of Vishwak-senar (விஷ்வக்சேனர்)
(also called Sena-mudhali, சேனா முதலி) and Rama. Both these sub-shrines have
ardha-mandapam and a small maha-mandapam in front. In the maha-mandapam of
the Rama shrine is a portrait sculpture of a chief, probably a Nayak. Behind
these shrines, close to the rock, are varieties of Naga images.
Further east is svarga-vaasal (ஸ்வர்க வாசல், 'gate-of-heaven') the holy
gate through which the principal processional idol is taken out on the
Ekadasi (வைகுண்ட ஏகாதசி) day in Margazhi (மார்கழி) (December-January).
The Sathya-pushkarani is a fine octagonal temple tank in the east side
of the temple. It is in a reasonably good state of preservation with granite
steps and walls.
The utsava-moorthi, (உத்சவ மூர்த்தி, processional bronze idol) of Lord
Sathya-moorthi is a fine example of Pallava-style sculpture, and one of the
Amman statues is an early Chozha bronze.
Another interesting point to note is that all the celebrations in this
temple are for the Sathya-moorthi, even though it is much later than the
‘Palli-konda Perumal’.
At the southern end of the street leading to this temple is a shrine to
Vedanta Desika, the famous Vaishnava saint and founder of the Vadakalai sect
of Ayyangar-s.
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