Tiruvarur - A virtual journey

1.Achaleshvara

The kriti sadAcaleshvaram in bhUpAla was composed on the deity here.This is one of the Tiruvarur panchalingas.This kriti contains several puranic references.
See Dr.Raghavan's article

2.Anandeshvara

The second of the the tiruvarur panchalingas.The kriti AnandeshvareNa in Anandabhairavi was composed on this deity.This kriti is an advaita para kriti and does not contain any specific puranic references

3.SiddhIshvara

The third of the Tiruvarur panchalingas.The kriti siddhIshvarAya namaste in nIlAmbari was composed on this deity.This kriti too does not contain any specific references.


4.hATakeshvara

The fourth of the Tiruvarur panchalingas.There is just a yantra here without the linga.It is inside a cavity or a bhila called hAtakabhila.The stalavriksha pAtali tree is right next to the fane of hAtakeshvara.Dikshitar refers to that in the bilahari kriti hAtakeshvara samraksha as 'pATalI pAdapa mUla prakAsha' and also refers to the bhila as 'pAtALa bilahari hayAdyamaranuta' ie worshipped by Indra.It is interesting to note that the sthalapurana of refers to Indra who worshipped this linga and once sealed off its entrance.

5.The pATali tree at the entrance of the hATakeshvara shrine

6.KamalAmbA

This deity inspired the famous kamalAmba navAvaraNas and the rAgamAlika pUrNacandra vijaya bimba vadane.One can see the navavaranas etched on the walls of this shrine.

7.TyagarAja

Tyagaraja or Tyagesa has cast an incredible influence on a hallowed list of devotees, saints, savants and seers through the ages.The spiritual significance of this deity and the miracles and puranic traditions associated with  it are equally amazing.Dikshitar composed a set of vibhakti kritis and a few other miscellaneous kritis on Tyagaraja.A special update Dikshitar's tributes to Tyagaraja and the spiritual symbolism behind veeti viTanka will soon follow.