Thiruthanka Divya Desam - Deepaprakasha Perumal Temple

• Meditation: I meditate on Sri Deepaprakasha Perumal and Sri Maragadavalli Thayar in Thiruthanka Divya Desam.

• Greatness: Thiruthanka is a Divya Desam. It is the 45th Divya Desam and is located in Thondai Nadu. Deepa means Lamp (signifying the Source of Light) and Prakasha means Light. The Lord here assumed the form of a huge Light to dispel the darkness during an yagna of Brahma. So he is known as Deepaprakasha. The symbolic meaning is that the Lord dispels our darkness of ignorance when we invoke him and enable us to do righteous actions.
- Perumal is in Standing posture facing West.
- Pratyaksham: Saraswati
- Mangalasasanam: Nammalvar, Thirumangai Alvar (2 Pasurams)
- Vimanam: Srikara Vimanam
- Pushkarini: Saraswati Teertham

• Puranic Events:

1. Lord Vishnu & Brahma: Lord Brahma performed an yagna worshipping Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu protected his yagna from darkness created by Devi Saraswati.
- Events: Once there was a controversy who among the goddesses Lakshmi or Saraswati is greater. Indra took the side of goddess Lakshmi. Lord Brahma also favoured goddess Lakshmi. Goddess Saraswati became angry and left the abode of Lord Brahma. Later, once Lord Brahma started performing a yagna meditating on Lord Vishnu. Goddess Saraswati then started creating impediments in the yagna by enveloping the place with darkness. Lord Vishnu appeared as a great Light and dispelled the darkness. Hence the Lord is known as Deepaprakasha.

• Deities:
- Deepaprakasha Perumal: The Image of Sri Deepaprakasha Perumal in standing posture facing West.
- Maragadavalli Thayar: The Image of Sri Maragadavalli Thayar.

• Sacred Geography:
- Saraswati Teertham: Pushkarini of the temple.

• Location: Thiruthanka is located in Kanchipuram in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu. The temple can be visited from Kanchipuram (within Kanchipuram city).

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