Sukra Bagavan Temple

Sage Bhirugu was the mind-born son of Lord Brahma.  Sukran was the son of sage Bhirugu and Pulomisai. He went to Kasi and constructed a Linga for worship, which prayers he held for a long time and learnt Amirtha Sanjeevini Manthra from Lord Siva with which he revived the dead.  Asuras honored  him by accepting Sukran as their master; Lord Siva, who is easily pleased, made Sukaran as one among nine Grahas, the sixth of nine planets.  He shines in the eastern side.  He is many times brighter than Budhan, and has growth and decay in his phases, like the moon.

Hymn

Preceptor of Suran, Vanan and Asuras
progeny of poet, lord of the clouds, giver of the gold, praised by celestials
Bhagavan who gives life to the dead Sukrachari
I praise your floral feet.

The colour of Sukaran is silver like.  He sits in a pentagonal posture.  He is mounted upon a falcon, on his hands is a white lotus.  Sukran has also crocodile as his mount.  His chariot is driven by ten horses.  He was blessed with luminosity by lord Siva himself.  He destroyed the kingdom of Thandan and gave life to Kasan.  He removed the grief of Bhagirathan; made the Asuras victorious.  His consort is Subhakirthi.  Sukran has four arms.  He is called Bhagavan and Sukracariyar.

The propitiation of Sukra Dasa

The period of Sukaran's influence is for 2 years.  He is the lord of Rishabam and Thulamm (Libra).  Sukra is an auspicious graha.  Lack of harmony in married life, disease due to cold, are overcome by the worship of Rajarajeswari and Gajalakshmi.  Giving a white dress, sliver and bengal grams as gift, the wearing of diamonds and recital of Devi Mahatmiyam are equally effective.

The Shrine of Sukra, Kanjanur

Location :  One travels on the road from Pandanallur to Kumbakonam and turns left after one has passed Kadiramangalam.  Kanjanur is reached after passing Thriukodikaval en route.  There is also bus service to this ancient shrine from Thiruvavadurai.

Reigning Deity : Agniswarar with his consort Karpagambigai.

Holy tree : Palasa tree.

Holy waters : Agni Theertham, Parasaratheertham.

Devotees who have profile from this shrine: Parasarar Lord Brahma, Agni, Chandran, Kalikkamar, Manakkanjara Nayanar, Harathatha Sivachariyar.

Saint who has sung Hymn : Appar.

Uniqueness of the shrine : Sudarsanar was the child of Vasudevar, a vaishnavite of Kanjanur.   The child longed to have sacred ashes on his forehead.  This was denied by the orthodox Vainavites of the village.  To convince them of the truth, the child saton a red hot chair and sowed them that the lord was one.  Dakshinamurthy showed grace upon the child who became Haradatta and then recited the holy names of lord Siva.  Kanjanur is also the birth place of Mana Kanjaranayanar. It is at Kanjanur that Lord Siva played Kalikamanayanar gave Parasarar the vision of Lord Siva's Dance.

Festivities : Masimagam Haradatta day.

The history of Kanjanur :  The temple is on a road with houses in both sides on it.  The tower of the temple is five-tiered.  It is a ancient temple.  Lord Vinayaka is at the left of the hall.  The sanctum of divine mother is to the right.  One passes Vinayaka, Lor Subramaniyan on his peacock and Mahalakshmi's shrines and reaches the inner sanctum or lord Agniswarar.  Lord Agniswarar showers his grace under the holy tree of his shrine.  There is no sanctum for Sukran.  The lord Agniswarar is himself to be prayed as Sukra.  It is similar to worship of Some Sundarar at Madurai as Budha and Lord Siva at Kalahasti as Raghu and Kethu.

In the temple, there are also the idols of Manakkamcharar, Kalikamar and Surakkai pathar with his wife, staunch devotees of Lord Siva, History has it that Lord Siva took fruits from the latter.  There are also subsidiary shrines for Bhairavar, Suriyan, Sani and Chandran.  In the hall of Nataraja, Lord Siva has mother Uma embodied in his own self.  This is unique sculpture found at Kanjanur.  It is this deity who gave the vision of the dance of enlightenment to sage Parasurar.

As one circumambulates this shrine, one sees that Kanjanur is a twin temple.  Mother Uma is dressed with bridal vests in her shrine, which faces east.  The vision of the holy mother of universe in this shrine is one of a unsurpassed beauty.

There is a tale associated with Nandhi at the foot of the temple's flag pole.  A brahmin threw a bundle of grass on a cow which expired.  The Brahmin's of the village were against him and expelled him from the temple.  He fearfully confessed his error to Harasatta, who told the Brahmin to offer a clump of grass to the stone Nandhi.  Nandhi took the grass offered to it.  Then the Brahmin went into the temple and was accepted by the community. Since it was stone Nandhi which ate the grass, the tongue is not out of the mouth in the Nandhi of this temple.  This is an unique feature to be found only in the temple of Kanjanur.

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