Trisulam is a small village situated about 3 km. from the railway station
of Pallavaram near the city of Madras. The local Siva temple faces east.
The original temple consisted only of the garbhagriha and the
ardha-mandapa. It is apsidal both in the garbhagriha portion and in its
superstructure. The Amman shrine and the madil are later additions.
Dharmapurisvara (Tiruch-churam Udaiya Nayanar) temple
There is an inscription on the lintel of the entrance to the temple. It
reads “Tiruch-churam Udaiyar”, which seems to be the old name of the deity
of this temple. With the exception of an inscription of the 38th regnal
year of Maravarman Kulasekhara Pandya of the 13th century, all the other
(thirteen) inscriptions belong to the Later Chola period. They range from
the time of Kulottunga I to that of Rajaraja III. The earliest is one of
the 36th year and 107th day of Kulottunga I (SII, VII, No. 538; ARE 312 of
1901). It concerns a tiru-mukham (a royal order) of ‘Sungam tavirtta
Kulottunga sola deva’. The temple is called that of ‘Udaiyar Tiruchchuram
Udaiya Nayanar situated in Pallapuram alias Vanavan Mahadevi
chaturvedimangalam in Churattur nadu, a subdivision of Puliyur kottam alias
Kulottungasola valanadu, a part of Jayangondasola mandalam. According to
the inscription, the priest and the temple servants petitioned that the
worship in the temple had come to a stand-still and prayed for the revival
of the celebration of the temple festival. At the request of Vanarajan, the
king made a gift, as devadana, of 41 velis of land in the village of
Munnalur which was renamed Tiru-nirru-chola-nallur (after one of the
surnames of Kulottunga I). Another, of his 38th regnal year (ARE 317 of
1901), makes provision for two twilight lamps, while a third inscription
(whose regnal year is lost) mentions a gift of land by the local Mahasabha
for the midnight service of the Lord (ardhajamam).
There are four inscriptions of the days of Vikrama Chola in this temple. In
the inscription of his ninth regnal year, the ‘Urom of Manarpakkam made a
gift of land (972 kuli in extent) called Tiruch-chura-vilagam for food
offerings (ARE 314 of 1911). One, of his 14th regnal year, mentions a gift
of land for food offerings to Palliyarai Nampirattiyar,the Consort of the
Lord. In the 37th regnal year of Tribhuvana Vira deva (Kulottunga III, a.d.
1215), the Vanigar-nagar attar of Poondamalli alias Uyyakkondasolapuram
made a gift of various temple utensils to Tiruchchuram Udaiya Nayanar; all
other inscriptions relate to gifts for lamps.
The following chart brings out the features of the devakoshta figures and
the respective torana figures of this temple:
Devakoshta figures: Ganesa
Description of features: with chhatra and chamara
Torana figures: Vali-Sugriva fight.
Devakoshta figures: Dakshinamurti
Description of features: seated figure with right leg on Apasmara; sages on
either side; aksha-nala and fire are held in two hands; front right hand in
abhaya pose and front left hand resting on the thigh.
Torana figures: Somaskanda
Devakoshta figures: Lingodbhavar
Description of features: with Vishnu in boar-form with sankha and chakra at
the bottom; with Brahma as a flying swan at the top; with a ketaka flower.
Torana figures: Rishabhantika with Uma
Devakoshta figures: Brahma
Description of features: a standing figure with three heads and four arms,
akshamala and kundika held in two arms.
Torana figures: Ardhanarisvara
Devakoshta figures: Durga
Description of features: a standing four-armed figure on a pedestal, with
sankha and chakra with flames.
Torana figures: Kaliya-Krishna.
The kirtimukha of the sikhara has an inset figure of Subrahmanya, and the
other niche-figures of the griva are: Vinadhara Dakshina-murti in the
south, Yoga Narasimha in the west and a seated Brahma in the north. Brahma
has lotuses in the two upper hands, and the other two hands are in the
abhaya and the varada poses. There are some interesting panels of
sculptures above the and in line with the vyala-vari at the corners; they
are, on the right: a cow pouring milk over a Linga (Gokarnesvara), Brahma
worshipping a Linga, and Kannappa pulling out his eye; and on the left: an
elephant worshipping a Linga, Vali worshipping a Linga, and a monkey riding
a crocodile.
This temple, built in the northern part of the (Chola) empire, in the
region known as Tondaimandalam, also belongs to the days of Kulottunga I,
and its interesting feature is its apsidal structure, a regional
characteristic of Tondaimandalam.
Symbology of Trisula (the trident)
Volume 2 - Nampi Arurar and Mythology
Shiva is said to hold the “Trisula” or trident in His hand. This trisula is
traced sometime to the universal symbol of a cross or a svastic. In the
engraved seals of the Mohenjodaro and Harappa, there are forms of human
faces with two inward bent horns and the head-dress. They are said to be
representations of divinity. An examination of these figures bring out
their similarity with the trisula. At Mamallapuram, such faces as the
crowning head of the rathas, have been found lying on the sands, nearby, by
Longhurst. We are familiar with the “Cakradevata” represented in a human
form with a number of hands, round which, we find the cakra. Similarly
these forms found at Mamallapuram may be taken as ‘Suladevata’, the
personification of Trisula, where the central sphere appears as the head,
and the side spheres as horns. This representation is exactly like the
representation found at
Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Such personification of other weapons are referred
to by the old commentators.
This weapon of destruction, so frightful, has been transformed into a
weapon of love. The story of Andhakasura and the part the trisula played
therein, have been mentioned in a different place. The trisula destroys all
our obstructions towards redemption and salvation, obstructions which are
personified as demons.
The association of Shiva with the Trisula is found in the Cankam works
themselves. The invocatory verse of Akananuru speaks of the “Muvay
vel”—‘the three mouthed spear’ which is no other than the trident. What is
considered to be the invocatory verse of ‘Patirru-p pattu quoted by
Naccinarkkiniyar mentions the very word ‘Sulam’ and speaks of Shiva as
“Teriya sulam pititta cutarppatai-k katavul”—‘the Lord of Time, of
resplendent weapons holding the clear trident’. This trident is the
characteristic weapon of Sakti and in the ‘Vettuvar vari’ of
Cilappatikaram, we find this emphasized.
Arurar’s reference to this trident in connection with Andhakasura has
already been mentioned. The form of Mahisasura mardhani, so beautifully
sculptured at Mamallapuram and in Kailasanatha temple represents the heroic
use of this trident by the Mother Goddess. The sculptures of Kailfisanatha
temple represent Shiva holding the trident.
There are eleven references to trisula, the trident. Arurar calls it
“Sulam” from the root ‘sul’ to pierce. He calls it, “Patai-t talai-c culam”
—the head or the king of weapons. It is a threeheaded spear. The spear-head
is usually said to be in the form of a leaf and the three-headed spear is
naturally in the form of three leaves—“Ilaikol culam”. Therefore, our poet
calls this ‘Culam’—“Muvilai vel”. He calls it simply, “Mupilai”, a
metaphorical expression for the trident. The poet has formed out of this a
“peyareccam”—‘a relative participle with the genitive significance’
—‘muvilaiya pantankan and “Muvilaiya pankaya pa tan”. He also makes this
“Muvilaya” descriptive of ‘Culam’ in the phrase, “Muvilaiya Culattinan” The
poet speaks of its radiating rays of light, “Katir muvilaiya” Its
destructive aspect is also emphasized: “Kollum muvilai vel” —‘the trident
which kills’; “Alaikol culam” —‘the teasing trident’; and also “Alaiyar
Katir muvilai” Its swift movement is also referred to “Virai-yar katir
muvilai” —‘the light radiating trident full of swift movement’. It is made
of iron—“Irumpuyarnta muvilaiya culattinan”. That it is a weapon is also
clearly described by calling “Pataittalai-c culam” and “Culappatai”. The
Lord is catching hold of it in one of His hands, “Culam parriya kaiyar” It
is inside His palm —“Ankaiyil muvilai vel” He has the trident in His
hand—“Kai-yir culamatutaiya”.
The trisula is spoken of as the characteristic feature of Shiva and the
lady love speaks of Shiva as the Lord of the trident—“Cula-p patai Adigal”.
The trident is mentioned in juxtaposition to the heroic feat of the Lord
conquering ‘Kalan’ or ‘Yoma’ in one place, “Kollum muvilai utaiyanai-k
kotiya kalanaiyum kumaittanai”, In another place it is mentioned when
referring to the ‘Pantaranka’ dance of Shiva. It is also mentioned in
Andhakasura samhara—“Irul mevum Andhakanmel tiriculam paicci” which we have
already referred to. In other places it is difficult to say to what
particular murtas the culam is referred to.
We have been noticing that descriptions of Shiva being made applicable to
Sakti. In one place, it is possible to interpret the trident as being held
by Gangadevi, a Sakti of the Lord.
Power of bringing about prosperity. Beginning :
trisulam damarum khada़े panapatram trilocanam | umradamstram vapurbhimam
vibhradindramaniprabham || sarvabhusanasampannam sphuranmakarakundalam | *
mailaraya namastasmai bhogarupaya midhuse || suta uvaca End: margasirsa
subhe mase suklapakse mamanaghe | bhanuvarayutayantu sasthyam
satabhisagdhrtau || purva vadaratma ca krtva tasyarghasamyutam | mailara
iti vikhyatam laksmibhumipradayakam || mamilam rati
bhutebhyastasmanmailarasamjnitah | anena vidhina yastu pujayenmanujo bhuvi
| sa sarvakama sampannassukhi bhavati sarvada || ksamapanam ||
K RAJARAM IRS 30126
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