Three Temples, One Bhagavan: Idols and Symbolism at Thanjai Mamani Koil
Thanjai Mamani Koil, also known as Thirutanjai or Thanjavur
Perumal Temple, is a group of three temples in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. All three
are dedicated to Bhagavan Vishnu. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the holy
places of Vishnu praised by the twelve Alvar saints. In most Divya Desams, the
hymns are sung for one single shrine. Here, the pasurams mention all three
temples together, so devotees visit them as one sacred place.
The Three Temples and Their Bhagavan
The three shrines are Maamanikoil (also called Manikunram),
Neelamegha Perumal temple, and Thanjiyali Nagar, which is also known as Veera
Narasimha Perumal temple.
In Manikunram, Bhagavan Manikundra Perumal sits together
with his consort in the same sanctum, in a small east facing shrine. The shrine
is on an elevated structure. There is a separate shrine for Ambujavalli Thayar,
and the water body is Rama Theertham. All the pasurams of Nammalvar for Thanjai
refer to this shrine.
Neelamegha Perumal temple has a three tiered rajagopuram and
the sanctum faces east. Bhagavan is in veetrirunda posture, meaning a seated
posture. Sengamalli Thayar has her own shrine here. The water body is Amrutha
Theertham. Around the sanctum there are images of Hayagreeva, Vedanta Desikar,
the Alvars and Garuda. The pasurams of Thirumangai Alvar are traditionally
associated with the Neelamegha shrine.
Thanjiyali Nagar has a small east facing shrine with
Bhagavan and his consort in one sanctum. The temple has a flat entrance tower
and a single precinct. Veera Narasimha Perumal is seated and gives darshan to
sage Markandeya. The vimana over the sanctum is Vedasundara Vimana, and the
water body is Surya Pushkarani. All the pasurams of Bhoothathalvar for Thanjai
refer to this shrine.
Iconography of the Idols
All three forms of Vishnu are seated with their consorts.
Each Bhagavan has four arms. The hands show abhaya (the gesture of protection),
varada (the gesture of giving boons), and hold the chakra (discus) and shankha
(conch). The consorts have two arms and hold a padma (lotus). Neelamegha
Perumal and Manikundra Perumal have human faces, while Veera Narasimha has a
lion face. The utsava murtis, the processional idols taken out during
festivals, are all known as Sriman Narayanan.
Meaning of the Symbols
In Hindu belief, an idol is not a decoration or an art
object. The Agama shastras and the Shilpa shastras give exact rules for its
proportions, posture and ornaments, because the murti is made to be a proper
seat for the divine presence. After the rituals of pranapratishtha, devotees
believe Bhagavan is truly present in the idol.
The abhaya hand tells the devotee not to fear. The varada
hand shows that Bhagavan grants what the sincere devotee needs. The chakra
stands for the wheel of time and for the power that protects dharma. The
shankha stands for the primal sound of Om, and it reminds us of the call to
righteous life. The padma held by the consort stands for purity, because the
lotus grows in mud but remains clean. Thayar, who is Lakshmi, shows compassion
and grace. Devotees first pray to her, and she recommends them to Bhagavan.
This is the teaching of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
The seated posture shows calmness and steadiness. Bhagavan
is not in a hurry, and he is always available to the devotee. The presence of
the consort beside him shows that divine power and divine compassion go
together.
The Lion Face and the Human Face
The human faced forms show Bhagavan who is easy to approach,
and who came near to people as an avatar. The lion face of Veera Narasimha
recalls the story of Prahlada, told in the Bhagavata Purana. Bhagavan appeared
in this form to protect his devotee and to end the injustice of Hiranyakashipu.
The lesson is that Bhagavan always protects the one who surrenders to him. Here
he is shown seated and giving darshan to Markandeya, so the fierce form is also
a calm one for the devotee.
Water Bodies, Vimana and Other Images
Each temple has its own sacred water body, such as Rama
Theertham, Amrutha Theertham and Surya Pushkarani. In Hindu practice, water is
a means of purification, and a theertham is a place where devotees prepare
their mind and body before darshan. The vimana over the sanctum represents the
divine abode, and it directs the devotee's attention to the deity inside.
The images of Hayagreeva, Vedanta Desikar, the Alvars and Garuda also carry lessons. Hayagreeva is worshipped for knowledge, Vedanta Desikar and the Alvars show the path of devotion and learning, and Garuda is the ideal servant of Bhagavan.
The three temples of Thanjai Mamani Koil show that Hindu sculpture is a form of teaching. Every hand gesture, weapon, flower and posture carries a meaning from the scriptures. A devotee who understands these meanings does not only see a beautiful idol, but also learns about protection, grace, purity and surrender.