Thirukoshtiyur

2026-08-01T07:02:43Z

1.38.196.29: One person name also Thirukostiyur

{{Short description|Village in Tamil Nadu}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}

'''Thirukoshtiyur''' is a village located near [[Tirupathur, Sivaganga|Tirupathur]] (on Tirupathur-Sivaganga road) on the way to [[Sivaganga]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is 9 km from Thirupathur. One person name also Thirukostiyur K Manikandan he was a educationist, career guidance analyst and state resource person

This place has an importance among [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavas]] on account of the [[Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple]], which is one of the 108 [[divya desams|Divya Desams]], the holy shrines of [[Sri Vaishnavism]] that were glorified by the hymns of the poet-saints called the [[Azhwars|Alvars]].

==Legend==

According to the village's [[Sthala purana|regional legend]], during the [[Satya Yuga]], the [[rishis]], [[deva (Hinduism)|devas]], and humans were tortured by the [[asura]] [[Hiranyakashipu]] as vengeance for his brother [[Hiranyaksha]]'s death at the hands of [[Lord Vishnu|Vishnu]], in the form of his boar-avatar, [[Varaha]]. The devas and rishis then approached [[Brahma]] and [[Shiva]] for a solution. In response, Brahma, [[Shiva]], all the devas, and the [[Saptha Rishis|sapta rishis]] decided to meet at a place to discuss the issue. Finally, they chose Thirukotiyur as the place for this meeting. They came together as a group, for which the village was named (''Tiru'' - sacred, ''kōṣṭi'' - group, ''ūr'' - town).

[[Periyalvar]], in his work [[Periyalvar Tirumoli]], visualises Thirukoshtiyur as the birthplace of [[Krishna]].

==Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal Temple==
{{Main articles|Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple}}
Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal Thirukovil, surrounded by high walls on its four sides, with a raja[[gopuram]] (Main tower) at the entrance is spectacular to behold. The inner infrastructure, mainly sannidhis (separate shrines) are unlike other temples. Inside the temple complex, the shrine for [[Narayana]] is constructed in three stages, similar to that of three floors in a building. These stages represent [[Loka|Bhulokam]] (earth), [[Kshira Sagara|Tirupparkatal]], and [[Vaikuntha|Vaikuntham]]. Narayana is represented in three stages in three forms. On the ground floor, Narayana appears as Krishna in a dancing posture. In the next level, he is seen in the ''shayana tirukolam'' posture, where he reclines upon his serpent-mount, [[Adhisesha|Adhishesha]]. And at the top most level, Narayana is seen standing as Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal. These forms of Narayana has been poetically described as ''Nindran'' (means Standing posture), ''Kidanthan'' (means sleeping posture), ''Adinan'' (means dancing posture) by [[Alwars]].

According to Sri Vaishnava tradition, [[Ramanuja]] was advised by Thirukachi Nambigal to visit Thirukoshtiyur and learn the [[Om Namo Narayanaya|Ashtakshara mantra]] from Thirukoshtiyur Nambigal. He was taught the mantra after being rejected seventeen times because of his egocentric use of the word "I" while introducing himself. Despite receiving an explicit command not to reveal his knowledge of the mantra to anyone else on threat of going to [[Naraka (Hinduism)|hell]], Ramanuja climbed to the top of temple, summoned the whole village, and recited the mantra. When Thirukoshtiyur Nambigal demanded to know why Ramanuja had defied him, Ramanuja said that if knowledge of the mantra helped people to attain [[moksha]], he was only too glad to go to hell. Nambigal was overwhelmed by this kindness showed by Ramanuja and he bestowed the epithet "Emperumanar" on Ramanuja. This event happened in front of the Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswami sannidhi, small shrine present on the way towards the Sowmya Narayana Perumal sannidhi.

==See also==
* [[Ramanuja]]
* [[Divya Desams]]

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Thirukkottiyoor.jpg|The [[Pushkarni|Temple tank]]
Image:Thirukkottiyur3.jpg|Temple tower
</gallery>

{{coord missing|Tamil Nadu}}
{{Famous Vishnu temples}}

[[Category:Divya Desams| ]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Sivaganga district]]
[[Category:Villages in Sivaganga district]]

== External links ==
{{commons}}[Https://youtube.com/@thiru-7m?si=obI-nKwRrryv8KFd Thirukostiyur K Manikandan]
* [http://divyadesam.com/hindu/temples/pudukkottai/tirukostiyoor-temple.shtml '''Thirukoshtiyur Divya Desam''']
* [http://thirukoshtiyur.com '''Thirukoshtiyur History and Festival Dates''']
* [http://srivaishnavam.com/ramanuja_lifehistory.htm Ramanuja history]
* [http://www.southindiatourtravel.com/tamil-nadu/tourist-places-tamil-nadu/sivagangai-tour.html Thirukoshtiyur]
* [https://www.dinamalar.com/koil_english/63_Soumyanarayana_Thirukoshtiyur_vaishnava.asp Sri Sowmiya Narayana Perumal]
* [http://www.pravaham.com/divyadesangal Thirukoshtiyur - Etymology and Significance]
* {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130222095354/http://www.thirukoshtiyur.ramanujartemples.net/]}}

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Thirukoshtiyur