Essay name: Sucindrasthala-mahatmya (critical edition and study)
Author:
Anand Dilip Raj
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies in English the Sucindrasthala-mahatmya which represents a significant Sthalamahatmya from South India detailing the origins and development of the Trimurti temple at Suchindram in Tamil Nadu. The study reveals its legends, customs, and religious practices.
Chapter 1 - Sthala-mahatmyas of South India
34 (of 39)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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The eleventh canto deals with the various tirthÄs which directly relates to the Padmanabhaswamy temple. There are 72 thirthÄs. Many of them are located far away from the temple. Of them the major tirthÄs are Matsya tirtham, Varaha tirtham, Pada titham, Padma tirtham and Sanka tirtham. Holy bath in these tirthas would release one from the sin in this world. Thus the poem ends with the description of the holy baths of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. A Comparison between SSM and Anathasayanasketramahatmya As their name indicates both these texts are SthalamÄhatmayas. There are certain similarities between them. Both are tÄ«rthamahatmyas. Both of them tell about the stories of great sages. In SSM the story of Atrimuni and in AnantÅ›ayanakhetramÄhÄtmya of Divakaramuni occupied prominent place. There are description in kṣētravá¹›ka, AnantÅ›ayanakhetramÄhÄtmya about the Illupa tree. Visnu appeared in this Vrkska and there is the reference of his vá¹›ksaká¹›ti. In the SSM the trimutris appeared in Asvadh and later it transformed into konrai. Both the texts contain so many references about various holy tirthas. Both works commonly use anuá¹£tup. differences between them. There is also some AnantÅ›ayanakhetramÄhÄtmya describes about only one temple ie, Sripadmanabhaswamy temple. That text is Vaisanvaite one. Even though SSM describes the Sucindrum temple it also refers more than 13 other places of worship. The work is mainly saivaite in nature. 43
