Thoyadri Kshetra (Thiruneermalai) - Swayam Vyakta Kshetra

• Meditation:

आद्यं रङ्गमिति प्रोक्तं विमानं रङ्गसंज्ञितम् । श्रीमुष्णं वेङ्कटाद्रिं च साळग्रामं च नैमिशम् ।
तोयाद्रिं पुष्करं चैव नरनारायणाश्रमम् । अष्टौ मे मूर्तयः सन्ति स्वयंव्यक्ता महीतले ॥
- Swayam Vyakta Sthalams (Thiruneermalai is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra)

► Vishnu: I meditate on Sri Ranganatha Perumal abiding in Thiruneermalai.

• Sloka: Swayam Vyakta Sthalam (Thiruneermalai is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra)
(Chennai district, Tamil Nadu)

• Greatness:

• Thiruneermalai is primarily a Vishnu Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Vishnu):
- Lord Vishnu abides in Thiruneermalai which is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra (Where Lord Vishnu is self-manifested) [Srirangam, Srimushnam, Venkatadri, Salagrama, Naimisha, Thoyadri or Thotadri, Pushkara, Nara Narayana Ashrama]
- Lord Vishnu abides in Srirangam which is also a Divya Desam (Glorified by Alvars) [Thiruneermalai Divya Desam]

• Thiruneermalai is also a Rama Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Rama):
- Sri Rama is said to have given darshan to sage Valmiki in this place.

• The divine Hill of Thiruneermalai has four Images of Perumal. Sri Ranganatha Perumal, Sri Ulagalanda Perumal (Trivikrama) and Sri Santa Narasimha on the top of the Hill, and Sri Neervanna Perumal (Sri Rama) on the foot of the Hill. The name Thiruneermalai is derived from Thiru (Divine), Neer (Water) and Malai (Hill). So it means a divine Hill full of water. Ancient Thiruneermalai was a place of great natural beauty full of groves, flowers and roaming animals as mentioned in the hymns of the Alvars. Thiruneermalai is also known as Thoyadri. The name Thoyadri is derived from Thoya (Water) and Adri (Hill). So it means a Hill full of water. In Thiruneermalai the Lord is seen in four postures - Standing (Ninran) as Sri Neervanna Perumal, Sitting (Irundan) as Sri Santa Narasimha, Lying down (Kidanthan) as Sri Ranganatha Perumal and Walking (Nadanthan) as Sri Ulagalanda (Trivikrama) Perumal. Thirumangai Alvar sings in his pasuram that, the Lord is seen in the standing posture in Thirunaraiyur (as Sri Thiru Naraiyur Nambi); the Lord is seen in the sitting posture in Thiruvali (as Lord Narasimha); the Lord is seen in the lying down (reclining) posture in Sri Thirukkudanthai (as Sarangapani); and the Lord is seen in the walking posture in Sri Thirukkovalur (as Trivikrama); but the Lord can be seen in all the four postures at Thiruneermalai.
- Neervanna Perumal is in Standing posture facing East.
- Pratyaksham: Thondaiman, Bhrigu, Markandeyar
- Mangalasasanam: Thirumangai Alvar, Bhoothath Alvar (20 Pasurams)
- Vimanam: Thoyagiri Vimanam
- Pushkarini: Manikarnika Teertham, Ksheera Pushkarini, Karunya Pushkarini, Siddha Pushkarini, Swarna Pushkarini

• Sacred Geography:

◆ Thiruneermalai Hill or Thoyadri Hill
◼ Ksheera Pushkarini: Pushkarini of the temple. It is said that four streams of water are present in the temple tank. The first is the water of the Milky Ocean (Ksheera Pushkarini). The second is the waters of the tears of compassion of Lord Narasimha for Prahlada (Karunya Pushkarini). The third is the water of river Ganga from the matted hairs of Lord Shiva (Siddha Pushkarini). The fourth is the water collected in golden vessels from river Virajai by the Nityasuris for the holy bath of the Lord (Swarna Pushkarini).

• Puranic Events:

1. Presence of Lord Vishnu in Thiruneermalai:
• Thiruneermalai is identified as a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra (where Lord Vishnu is self-manifested).

2. Presence of Sri Rama in Thiruneermalai:
• Sage Valmiki prayed to the Lord here and got the darshan of Sri Rama.
- Events: Once sage Valmiki came to Thiruneermalai and had the darshan of Sri Ranganathan at the top of the hill. The sage then came down to the foot of the hill to the temple tank and prayed to Sri Rama. Sri Ranganathan appeared before the sage as Sri Rama himself. Devi Lakshmi took the form of Devi Sita and Adisesha took the form of Sri Lakshmana. The Chakra (Discus) and Sankha (Conch) took the forms of Bharata and Satrughna. Sri Garuda took the form of Sri Hanuman and Sri Vishwaksena took the form of Sri Sugreeva. On the request of the sage, Sri Rama abided there permanently as Neervannan.

• Temples (Summary):

• Vishnu:
Sri Ranganatha Perumal: The Image of Sri Ranganatha Perumal on the top of the Hill in Manikka Sayanam posture facing South.

• Trivikrama:
Sri Ulagalanda Perumal (Trivikrama): The Image of Sri Ulagalanda Perumal (Trivikrama) on the top of the Hill in Walking posture.

• Narasimha:
Santa Narasimha: The Image of Sri Santa Narasimha on the top of the Hill in Sitting posture.

• Devi:
Sri Ranganayaki Thayar: The Image of Sri Ranganayaki Thayar on the top of the Hill.

• Rama:
Sri Neervanna Perumal: The Image of Sri Neervanna Perumal on the bottom of the Hill in Standing posture.

• Location:

• Thiruneermalai is located in Chennai in the Chennai district of Tamil Nadu. This is in Thondai Nadu. The temple can be visited from Chennai. It is around 5 km from Pallavaram.

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