SARANATHAN TEMPLE

Singers: The shrine is praised by the three celebrated Saivite Saints, Sambandar, Tirunavukkarasar and Sundarar.  This is the 91st Lord Shiva temple on the southern bank of Cauvery praised in Thevaram hymns.  Festival: Every new moon day is a festival day in the temple. Also, Margazhi Tiruvadhirai in December-January; Maha Shivrathri in February-March and Panguni Uthiram in March-April are grandly celebrated in the temple.

Prayers On new moon days, women water the Sthala Vruksha – sacred tree near the Samadhi of Sage Gautama and worship Lord Brahmmapureeswarar then in the hope that their marriae would be materialized before next new moon day.  Devotees stay in the temple for a night and worship the Lord next day to overcome various hardships they face in life. Greatness Of Temple: Lord Shiva appointed Sage Gautama to take care of the Linga which He installed Himself.  The sage stayed in this sacred land, performed penance and sought the grace of Lord Shiva.  Granting Darshan to the sage, Lord asked him his wish.  The sage said that after his life time, nobody should see his mortal body.  As the devotees would worship him also in the temple, he wanted to become the sacred tree of the temple and sought that boon.  Lord obliged the sage.  It is on the basis of this story, women use to water the sacred tree on every new moon day and worship Lord Brahmmapureeswarar then. Karaveeram means Ponnalari a flower. The place is named after this plant-sacred tree.  Saint Tirugnana Sambandar had to stay here as night fell then.  In his hymn on the Lord of Karaveeram, in each verse he had emphasized that the devotee would be relieved of his problems-Vinai in Tamil.  Devotees therefore stay here for a night, worship the Lord next day for solutions to their problems. A donkey performed penance in this place on Lord Shiva for His darshan.  As its wish was not in sight, frustrated, it decided to fall in the sea at Nagore.  The animal heard a sound and turned back and its joy knew no bounds as Lord granted His darshan and also salvation, according to puranas.  Because of this event, there is no flag post before Lord’s shrine and houses or buildings up to Nagore from this place.  The philosophy is that Lord does not discriminate among beings to shower His grace.

Temple History: Women of the celestial world once met Lord and Mother at Mount Kailash and sought wedding boon.  Mother Parvathi looked at Lord for the reply.  Lord Shiva made a Shivalinga Himself, installed it on the southern bank of Cauvery and advised the women to worship the Linga.  They followed the advice and were rewarded with suitable matches.  Even today, women use to water the sacred tree here on new moon days and worship Lord Brahmmapureeswara then to gain wedding boon.  It is believed that their wish is materialized before the next new moon day.