About the Temple & Location :
Naimisaranyam is located at the junction of the roads from Sitapur and Khairabad, 20 miles from Sitapur and 24 miles from the Sandila railway station. 45 miles north of Lucknow in Uttarpradesh. Naimisharanya is also known as “Nimsar” or “Nimkhar” and is located on the left bank of the river Gomati.
Specials:
1. The presiding deity here is Sri Devaraja Perumal with Mata Harilakshmi. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from the ruling kings. The temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified as Swayam Vyakta Kshetra along with Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh); Srimushnam, Nanguneri (Tamil Nadu); Muktinath (Nepal); Pushkar (Rajasthan), Badrinath (Uttarakhand); Srirangam (Tamil Nadu).
2. This Naimisaranya kshetram is said to be regarded as “Tapovanam”. There are 9 tapovams. They are Dandakaranyam, Saindhavaranyam, Jambhukaranyam, Pushkararanyam, Utpalaranyam, Badrikaranyam, Gurujangalaranyam, Aruputharanyam and Naimisaranayam. It is believed that the perumal is found in the form of forest. And this Naimisaranyam is regarded as a holy forest.
Architecture
The architectural plan of the temple is rather simple with many temples scattered around. The presiding deity is Sri Devaraja Perumal who faces east with Sri Harilakshmi by his side.
The Chakratirtha is the core Tirtha at Naimisharanya. The overflowing water is used by the pilgrims to have a holy dip in the Tirtha. It is believed that the holy waters of all the holy places in Bharatvarsha are present here at Chakratirtha.
One of the Jeeyars of Ahobila Mutt attained salvation here.Hence this place has great significance for the present and future Jeeyars of Ahobilam.
The Adi Ganga or Gomati flows to the right of this place.
Itihasa
Devarishi Narada was searching for the best Theertham in all the three Lokas. He first came to Kailash, the abode of Bhagavan Shiva,then to Parkadal (Ksheera Sagara), the abode of Bhagavan Vishnu and then finally to this famous place.
It is at this place that Indra, the king of the Devas, killed the asura Vritra with the Vajrayudha made from the spine of Maharishi Dadhichi.
Once,all the sages along with Rishi Saunaka were looking for a place to perform their rituals.Brahma made a ring out of Darbha grass and asked the sages to follow the ring where it fell. The sages came to this very spot and prayed to Vishnu who accepted their offerings.
This is the very place where the sacred Vedas were categorized into Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva and eighteen famous Puranas were composed.
Sthalapuranam
The Emperumaan of this sthalam is giving his seva as the entire form of the Vanam (forest).
In the old age, all the MahaRishis along with Sownakar went towards Brahma devan and asked him which is the best place suited for doing Yagam and tapas. As the answer, Brahma devan took a dharbai grass and made it as a wheel shape and rolled the dharbai grass. Brahma devar said after he rolls the grass, the place where it stopped is said to be the ideal place for doing tapas and yagam. He rolled the wheel and it stopped at a particular place in the Earth and that place is said to be the place which is called as “Naimisaranyam“.
Nemi means a Wheel and Naimisam means the place where the wheel landed. Aaranyam means forest. Since Nemi, the Chakkaram which landed on Aaranya the forest, the sthalam is called as “Naimisaranyam“. This Naimisaranyam is said to be the place where most of the Rishis have done sacrifices, tapas and meditation and have explained the meaning of old puranas and veda.
The Lord Emperumaan gives his seva as in the form of Nature. This sthala emperumaan, gives his seva with the name as “Sri Hari” along with Sri Hari Lakshmi and gave his audience (pratyaksham) to Devendran, Sudharma, Devarishis, Soodhapuranika and Vedavyasa.
Once, Balarama, the brother of Sri Krishna came to this kshetram. At that time, Soodhar was very busy creating puranas. He didn’t notice the arrival of Balarama. On seeing this, Balarama got angry and hit him. He got into sin by committing this. To get out the sin, he went to lots of Punya kshetras for an year and finally he came back to this kshetram and help the rishis and yogis, who were suffering from the frightening of a arakkan (Demon) by named “Vilvalan”. All the rishis and yogis thanked Balarama for making them perform austerities, tapas in peace to reach the Emperumaan.
Gayasooran, an Asura, did tapas in this sthalam. Sriman Narayanan gave His audience to him as he was fulfilled by his tapas. Sriman Narayanan asked him what boon he wanted as a result of complete tapas. But, Gayasooran answered the Almighty that he didn’t want any boon from him and he was so much more powerful than Sriman Narayana. On hearing this, Sriman Narayana sent his wheel (chakra) to kill the asura and his body was cut into 3 parts. The three parts are the Siro Gaya, (the head part), the Nambi Gaya (the middle part) and the Charana Gaya (the foot part). This sthalam, the Naimisaranyam is said to be the Nabhi Gaya. The Gaya Kshetram is said to be the Charana Gaya and Badri is said to be Siro Gaya. Offering prayers to departed souls in all these three sthalams is said to be so grateful.
The sthala vruksham, known as tree is Tapovanam and all the trees found in this sthalam are said to be sthala vruksham and because of this, the sthala vruksham is Tapovanam (Vanam means the entire forest).
The Pushkarani of this sthalam are Gomukhi Nadhi and Chakra theertham. On the shore of Chakkara theertham, separate sannadhis for Chakarathalwar, Vinayaka, Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha Piratti is located. On the way to Gomukhi Nadhi, a separate temple called as “Vyasa Ghat '' is found. On the other side of this sthalam, a temple for Suka maharishi is situated, where Suka Bhagavan’s e bronze statue lies.
Near to this Suka Maharishi temple, a temple for Hanuman on the top of the mountains which is known as the “Hanuman Ghat”. He is in a standing posture holding Sri Rama and Lakshmana on his two shoulders, in Vishwaroopa Kolam.
One of Ahobila Mutt Jeyer attained Paramapadham in this sthalam and as his remembrance, his sannadhi and a mutt of Ahobilam is opened in this sthalam. Ramanuja koodam, Vaanamamalai Jeeyar Mutt are also situated, helping the devotees who come to this sthalam to get the seva of this sthalam Emperumaan.
Thirumangai Alwar who is the only alwar who has done the Mangalasasanam on this sthala perumal explains about the life led by the human.
Unique Features
1. Vishnu and the sages exist as huge trees in this place.Hence the pujas and prarthanas are offered to these trees itself.
2. Every new moon day, a large number of people purify themselves with a dip in the holy well. If the new moon falls on a Monday, it is believed that a holy bath in the well and offering to the presiding deity Lalitha will wash away all the sins committed in lifetime.
3. There is a kund called Brahmavarta which ejects anything thrown out of it due to a strong current.The sand also takes the natural form of a Shivalinga as mentioned in Ain-I-Akbari which glorified the tyrant Akbar.
4. Thirumangai is the only Alwar saint to have mentioned this place in ten slokas of Nalayira Divya Prabhandham.
Moolavar:
The Moolavar of this Naimisaranyam Divyadesam is Devarajan. He is also named as “Sri Hari ''. Moolavar in standing posture (Nindra thirukkolam) facing east direction. Pratyaksham for Indiran, Sudharman, Devarishi, Soodhapuranikar and Vedavyasar.
Thaayar:
The thaayar of this Kshetram is Sri Hari Lakshmi. She is also named as “Pundareekavalli”.
Mangalasasanam:
Thirumangai Alwar who is the only alwar who has done the Mangalasasanam on this sthala perumal explains about the life led by the human.
Pushkarani:
Chakkara Theertham
Gomuki Nadhi
Nemi Theertham and
Divya Visrantha Theertham
Sthala Vruksham:
Tapovanam
Vimaanam:
Sri Hari Vimaanam.
