thiruvekkA

Popularly known as yathOkthakAri sannidhi, this dhivya dhEsam is located in kAnchIpuram.

In this dhivya dhEsam, emperumAn is in a lying down posture. He descended here to facilitate brahmA complete his yagyam. When brahmA was conducting a yagyam without his wife saraswathy, saraswathy becomes very upset, assumes the form of a river named vEgavathy, flows with great force towards the yagya vAtikA (the place of the yagyam) with the intention to completely wipe it off. brahmA prays to SrIman nArAyaNan to protect the yagyam and emperumAn descends here in his lying down posture and stays as a protective boundary for the yagyam. vEgavathy river fails to breach emperumAn and thus emperumAn becomes to be known as vEgasEthu (dam/bridge that stopped vEgavathy river).

This dhivya dhEsam is the birth place of poigai AzhwAr (the first of AzhwArs). The pond from which poigai AzhwAr appeared is still preserved in this dhivya dhEsam.

emperumAn is named yathOkthakAri as he fully obeyed the orders of thirumazhisai AzhwAr. During the life time of thirumazhisai AzhwAr, he stayed in this dhivya dhEsam for some time. He had a dear sishya (disciple) named kaNi kaNNan. When the king had a rift with kaNi kaNNan, he asked kaNi kaNNan to leave his kingdom. kaNi kaNNan comes to AzhwAr, reports the incident and prepares to leave. AzhwAr says, he would also follow kaNi kaNNan and goes to emperumAn. He asks emperumAn to leave along with them after wrapping up his sEsha paryangam (serpent bed). emperumAn obliges and wraps up his bed and leaves along with kaNi kaNNan and AzhwAr. The whole town becomes covered with darkness as soon as they all leave. The king realizing his mistake follows them and finally spots them near a place named “Or irukkai“. He begs for forgiveness from kaNi kaNNan and on his request kaNi kaNNan agrees to return to thiruvekkA. Seeing that AzhwAr says to emperumAn that he can now return to thiruvekkA temple, spread his serpent bed and lie down there. emperumAn again obliges and follows AzhwAr‘s orders. Thus he becomes yathA uktha kAri or sonna vaNNam seytha perumAL – both meaning the emperumAn who acted according to the orders of AzhwAr. He is also known as periya perumAL in this dhivya dhEsam.

vEdhAnthAchAryar compiled vEgAsEthu sthOthram in glorification of yathOkthakAri emperumAn.

Subsequently, maNavALa mAmunigaL arrives here to perform mangaLAsAsanam to the emperumAn  here. Per the orders of his AchAryan thiruvAimozhi piLLai, he studies SrI bhAshyam under the guidance of kidAmbi nAyanAr in this dhivya dhEsam. During the course of his study, nAyanAr becomes amazed at mAmunigaL‘s ability to grasp the principles and wonders about the true identity of mAmunigaL. mAmunigaL reveals his true Adhi sEsha form to kidAmbi nAyanAr at this time and kidAmbi nAyanAr becomes amazed to learn about the true identity of mAmunigaL.