Two stories for the hero of the first is the cause for the second.
Mayanan our hero is an asura architect wanted to outshine Visvakarma the divine architect who built Parama Pada. He aproached Brahma and wanted to know how this could be achieved. He was advised rightly by Brahma that he should pray to Perumal himself and seek the blessing. Mayan on look out for a suitable place went to the banks of Kaveri and came to Bhaskara kshetram where he saw Markandeya Rishi in deep meditation amidst the beautiful groves where plenty of flowers grew the place was very beautiful. He started his penance there. God was pleased and appeared before him. Mayan felt the place was just as he had imagined Chitra koota and asked the Lord to give him darshan as he had been in Chitra koota. the Lord conseded and we find the beautiful figure of the Lord as Young Rama, he is known as Kola vil Raman. Mayanan built a beautiful temple for the Lord and also the beautiful Pushkalavarthaga vimana. the Utsavar perumal is known as Srungara Sundarar representing the beautiful young king Rama who was banished from the kingdom to the forest.
Now for the second story:
The Garudalwar here is seen holding shanka and chakra. Perumal was rushing in response to the sincere prayers of Mayanan with his entire entourage of the divine consorts, Garuda and other devas. tosatisfy Mayanans request to give him darshan as Ramar as he was at Chitrakoota, the Lord is said to have given his shanka and chakra to Garudar to hold for a while so that he could be seen by Mayanan as Kola Vil Raman.
One would wonder why the Lord rushed to see Mayanan?
Was not Mayanan's wish to be able to outshine Visvakarma so that he too could build some thing as beautiful as parama pada for the Lord on earth, he wanted to make the place beautiful not a selfish need at all. so we see god also likes his devotees who are selfless in their wish wanting to beautify gods own land.
Even today it is believed that the visit to this one temple is equal to visiting all the other divya desams on earth.
Periya Thirumozhi 4-10-9 Thirumangai alwar has said:
Even as Brahma, Siva, Indra and other devas assembled in this place are singing the praise of the Lord and his qualities (visibaly high lighted here as he appeared to Mayanan )are Parathwam {exalted nature} Sowlabhyam {easy approchability} Sowseelyam {friendly nature}Vatsalyam {Love and affection quality}
the beautiful place he describes among the sugar cane and paddy crops lotus grows in full bloom. the sweet scent in the air the luscious sugar cane and paddy sheaves bend in the gentle breeze as if fanning the Lord and his consort who he sees as two loving swans among the crops. the Lord comes forth here as an enigma of mystery? How come he appeared to Mayanan? why did he rush to satisfy quickly the wish of Mayanan? What quality does the Lord look for in his devotees. Whar are his own qualities displayed here? How come the devotee gets so much importance that the Lord in his rush to satisfy the need of his devout candidate makes concessions? Qualities one should ponder on is the only answer.
Mayanan our hero is an asura architect wanted to outshine Visvakarma the divine architect who built Parama Pada. He aproached Brahma and wanted to know how this could be achieved. He was advised rightly by Brahma that he should pray to Perumal himself and seek the blessing. Mayan on look out for a suitable place went to the banks of Kaveri and came to Bhaskara kshetram where he saw Markandeya Rishi in deep meditation amidst the beautiful groves where plenty of flowers grew the place was very beautiful. He started his penance there. God was pleased and appeared before him. Mayan felt the place was just as he had imagined Chitra koota and asked the Lord to give him darshan as he had been in Chitra koota. the Lord conseded and we find the beautiful figure of the Lord as Young Rama, he is known as Kola vil Raman. Mayanan built a beautiful temple for the Lord and also the beautiful Pushkalavarthaga vimana. the Utsavar perumal is known as Srungara Sundarar representing the beautiful young king Rama who was banished from the kingdom to the forest.
Now for the second story:
The Garudalwar here is seen holding shanka and chakra. Perumal was rushing in response to the sincere prayers of Mayanan with his entire entourage of the divine consorts, Garuda and other devas. tosatisfy Mayanans request to give him darshan as Ramar as he was at Chitrakoota, the Lord is said to have given his shanka and chakra to Garudar to hold for a while so that he could be seen by Mayanan as Kola Vil Raman.
One would wonder why the Lord rushed to see Mayanan?
Was not Mayanan's wish to be able to outshine Visvakarma so that he too could build some thing as beautiful as parama pada for the Lord on earth, he wanted to make the place beautiful not a selfish need at all. so we see god also likes his devotees who are selfless in their wish wanting to beautify gods own land.
Even today it is believed that the visit to this one temple is equal to visiting all the other divya desams on earth.
Periya Thirumozhi 4-10-9 Thirumangai alwar has said:
Even as Brahma, Siva, Indra and other devas assembled in this place are singing the praise of the Lord and his qualities (visibaly high lighted here as he appeared to Mayanan )are Parathwam {exalted nature} Sowlabhyam {easy approchability} Sowseelyam {friendly nature}Vatsalyam {Love and affection quality}
the beautiful place he describes among the sugar cane and paddy crops lotus grows in full bloom. the sweet scent in the air the luscious sugar cane and paddy sheaves bend in the gentle breeze as if fanning the Lord and his consort who he sees as two loving swans among the crops. the Lord comes forth here as an enigma of mystery? How come he appeared to Mayanan? why did he rush to satisfy quickly the wish of Mayanan? What quality does the Lord look for in his devotees. Whar are his own qualities displayed here? How come the devotee gets so much importance that the Lord in his rush to satisfy the need of his devout candidate makes concessions? Qualities one should ponder on is the only answer.
