(From there He went to Rishabha Mountain, where Lord Krishna also lives, and to the southern Mathura -MADURAI. SB 10.79.11-15.)

Lord Chaitanya visits Madurai :
Daksina-mathura (Southern Mathura) is presently known as the City of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It’s ancient place name was Madura. Chaitanya charitamrita Madhya lila 9.166

When the Lord arrived at Rishabha Hill, He saw the temple of Lord Narayana and offered obeisances and various prayers.
PURPORT :
Rishabha Hill (Anagada-malaya-parvata) lies twelve miles north of Madurai City, in the district of Madurai, in southern Tamil Nadu. It is one of the mountains known as the Kuttakacalas. Nearby Rishabha Hill is the forest where Lord Rishabhadeva burned Himself to ashes.

Paramananda Puri had stayed at Rishabha Hill during the four months of the rainy season, and when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this, He immediately went to see him.Upon meeting Paramananda Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered him all respects, touching his lotus feet, and Paramananda Puri embraced the Lord in ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed with Paramananda Puri in the brahmana’s house where he was residing. The two of them passed three days there discussing topics of Krishna.Paramananda Puri informed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that he was going to see Purushottam at JagannathaPuri. After seeing Lord Jagannatha there, he would go to Bengal to bathe in the Ganges.Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then told him, “Please return to Jagannatha Puri, for I will return there very soon from Rameshvara [Setubandha].“It is My desire to stay with you, and therefore if you would return to JagannathaPuri, you would show great mercy to Me.” After talking in this way with ParamanandaPuri, the Lord took his permission to leave and, very pleased, departed for southern India.

Daksina-mathura is one of the tirthas Lord Caitanya visited twice during His journey. The significance of both these visits centers upon Mahaprabhu’s interactions with a brahmana, and His delivery to that fortunate soul, whose name was RamadasaVipra, of an original leaf manuscript of the KurmaPurana. This story is told in Madhya lila 9.178 to 218.

9.178: “When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu arrived at southern Mathura from Kamakosthi, He met a brahmana.

9.179: The brahmana who met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu invited the Lord to his home. This brahmana was a great devotee and an authority on Lord Sri Ramacandra. He was always detached from material activities.

9.180: After bathing in the river Krtamala, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the brahmana’s house to take lunch, but He saw that the food was unprepared because the brahmana had not cooked it.

9.181: Seeing this, Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu said, “My dear sir, please tell Me why you have not cooked. It is already noon.”

9.182: The brahmana replied, “My dear Lord, we are living in the forest. For the time being we cannot get all the ingredients for cooking.

9.183: “When Laksmana brings all the vegetables, fruits and roots from the forest, Sita will do the necessary cooking.”

9.184: Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu was very satisfied to hear about the brahmana’s method of worship. Finally the brahmana hastily made arrangements for cooking.

9.185: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took His lunch at about three o’clock, but the brahmana, being very sorrowful, fasted.  9.186: While the brahmana was fasting, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked him, “Why are you fasting? Why are you so unhappy? Why are you so worried?”

9.187: The brahmana replied, “I have no reason to live. I shall give up my life by entering either fire or water.

9.188: “My dear Sir, mother Sita is the mother of the universe and the supreme goddess of fortune. She has been touched by the demon Ravana, and I am troubled upon hearing this news.

9.189: “Sir, due to my unhappiness I cannot continue living. Although my body is burning, my life is not leaving.”

9.190: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “Please do not think this way any longer. You are a learned pandita. Why don’t you consider the case?”

9.191: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, “Sitadevi, the dearmost wife of the Supreme Lord Ramacandra, certainly has a spiritual form full of bliss. No one can see her with material eyes, for no materialist has such power.

9.192: “To say nothing of touching mother Sita, a person with material senses cannot even see her. When Ravana kidnapped her, he kidnapped only her material, illusory form.

9.193: “As soon as Ravana arrived before Sita, she disappeared. Then just to cheat Ravana she sent an illusory, material form.

9.194: “Spiritual substance is never within the jurisdiction of the material conception. This is always the verdict of the Vedas and Puranas.”

9.195: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then assured the brahmana, “Have faith in My words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.”

9.196: Although the brahmana was fasting, he had faith in the words of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and accepted food. In this way his life was saved.

9.197: After thus assuring the brahmana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu proceeded further into southern India and finally arrived at Durvasana, where He bathed in the river Krtamala.

PURPORT :
Presently the Krtamala River is known as the river Bhagai or Vaigai. This river has three tributaries, named Suruli, Varaha-nadi and Battilla-gundu. The river Krtamala is also mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.39) by the sage Karabhajana.

9.198: At Durvasana Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited the temple of Lord Ramacandra, and on the hill known as Mahendra-saila He saw Lord Parasurama.

9.199: Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu then went to Setubandha [Ramesvara], where He took His bath at the place called Dhanus-tirtha. From there He visited the Ramesvara temple and then took rest.

9.200: There, among the brahmanas, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu listened to the KurmaPurana, wherein is mentioned the chaste woman’s narration.

PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks that only two khandas of the Kurma Purana are now available, namely the Purva-khanda and Uttara-khanda. Sometimes it is said that the Kurma Purana contains six thousand verses, but according to Srimad-Bhagavatam the original Kurma Purana contains seventeen thousand verses. It is considered the fifteenth of the eighteen Maha-puranas.

9.201: Srimati Sitadevi is the mother of the three worlds and the wife of Lord Ramacandra. Among chaste women she is supreme, and she is the daughter of  King Janaka.

9.202: When Ravana came to kidnap mother Sita and she saw him, she took shelter of the fire-god, Agni. The fire-god covered the body of mother Sita, and in this way she was protected from the hands of Ravana.

9.203: Upon hearing from the Kurma Purana how Ravana had kidnapped a false form of mother Sita, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became very satisfied.

9.204: The fire-god, Agni, took away the real Sita and brought her to the place of Parvati, goddess Durga. An illusory form of mother Sita was then delivered to Ravana, and in this way Ravana was cheated.

9.205: After Ravana was killed by Lord Ramacandra, Sitadevi was brought before the fire and tested.

9.206: When the illusory Sita was brought before the fire by Lord Ramacandra, the fire-god made the illusory form disappear and delivered the real Sita to Lord Ramacandra.

9.207: When Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu heard this story, He was very pleased, and He remembered the words of RamadasaVipra.

9.208: Indeed, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard these conclusive statements from the Kurma Purana, He felt great happiness. After asking the brahmanas’ permission, He took possession of the manuscript leaves of the Kurma Purana.

9.209: Since the Kurma Purana was very old, the manuscript was also very old. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took possession of the original leaves in order to have direct evidence. The text was copied into new leaves in order that the Purana be replaced.

9.210: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to southern Mathura [Madurai] and delivered the original manuscript of the KurmaPurana to RamadasaVipra.

9.211-212: “When he was petitioned by mother Sita, the fire-god, Agni, brought forth an illusory form of Sita, and Ravana, who had ten heads, kidnapped the false Sita. The original Sita then went to the abode of the fire-god. When Lord Ramacandra tested the body of Sita, it was the false, illusory Sita that entered the fire. At that time the fire-god brought the original Sita from his abode and delivered her to Lord Ramacandra.”

PURPORT
These two verses are taken from the Kurma Purana. 9.213: RamadasaVipra was very pleased to receive the original leaf manuscript of the Kurma Purana, and he immediately fell down before the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and began to cry.

9.214: After receiving the manuscript, the brahmana, being very pleased, said, “Sir, You are Lord Ramacandra Himself and have come in the dress of a sannyasi to give me audience.

9.215: “My dear Sir, You have delivered me from a very unhappy condition. I request that You take Your lunch at my place. Please accept this invitation.

9.216: “Due to my mental distress I could not give You a very nice lunch the other day. Now, by good fortune, You have come again to my home.”

9.217: Saying this, the brahmana very happily cooked food, and a first-class dinner was offered to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

9.218: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed that night in the house of the brahmana. Then, after showing him mercy, the Lord started toward the Tamraparni River in Pandya-desa.”

1) Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank

This huge tank, 300m (1000 ft) by 285m(950 ft), is located 5km east of the Meenakshi Temple. This is where the Teppam Float Festival takes place, during which the deities are taken out on decorated boats in January or February. The tank is fed water from the Vaigai river through underground channels. It is usually only filled during the Teppam Festival.

2) Koodal Alagar Temple

This is a Vishnu temple located 2km west of the city, which has three altars, one on top of the other, in which Lord Vishnu is in three different poses: sitting, standing, and reclining. The main deity of the temple is Koodal Alagar, who is in a sitting posture. Above the shrine of this deity are the altars of Sri Ranganatha, in a reclining pose, and Sri Surya-narayan Perumal, in a standing pose. There are intricate woodcarvings here, including one of Lord Rama’s coronation. This is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples. There is a Navagraha (nine planets) enclosure in this temple. Koodal is another name for Madurai and Azhaghar means “the beautiful one” in Tamil. The temple is an ancient one and very close to the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple. It is one of the 108 divyadesams, the holy abodes of Vishnu.Alagar Koil is one of the most ancient divyadesam temples in India. All twelve Alwars visited this place. It is stated in the Mahabharata that both Yudhisthir and Arjuna came here.

3) Kallaalagar Temple (Kallazhagar) 

Kallazhagar temple is one among the 108 Divyadesams of Lord Vishnu. It is located 20 kms from the temple town of South India, Madurai. The presiding deity of this temple is also known as Meenakshi Amman’s brother. The temple is situated in a scenic place with Vrishabhadri hill as the backdrop for this temple.

Deities: The primary deity is Kallazhagar / Maalangkaarar / Maalirunsolai Nambi in a standing posture facing East. The Perumal is also named as “Paramaswamy” which makes us to remember Lord Shiva. The Thaayar is Sundaravalli in her own shrine.

The temple is called “Dhakshina Tirupathi”

“Kallar” in tamil means thief. The Perumal is called with this name because He steals the heart of all his devotees.

It is said that Yamadharman, the God of death, comes here daily at night to worship the Perumal.

Temple:
• The temple tower is an astounding structure with wonderful sculptures. There are 3 praharams and 3 mandapams – Sundara Pandiyan Mandapam, SooriyanMandapam and Munaiyathareyar Mandapam.
• The front mandapam, adorned with big and beautiful sculptures is one of the most beautiful ones in Tamilnadu and not to be missed. The corridor pillars are also very intricately carved with fine sculptures.
• At the entrance of the temple, we can find the Badhri Narayan temple, built similar to Badrinath in North India. The principal deity is Badhri Narayan in a meditative posture, flanked by Nara-Narayanan.
• Andal is in an unusual sitting posture.
• The Utsavar is named as “Sri Sundara Rajar”. Both the Moolavar and Utsavar are found along with the Panja Aayutham (5 weapons) namely the Sankha, Chakkaram, Vaal (Sword), Kothandam (bow) and Gadha, in their hands. Utsavar is made up of Aparanjitha gold, which is said to be the purest gold. The thirumanjanam (spiritual bath) is done only with Noopura Gangai water, the natural water spring of the hill. If it is done with any other water, the Utsavar becomes black.
• Separate shrines for Sri Sudharsana Chakrathalwar, Sri Yoga Narasimhar and Sri Andal are also present.

The Azhagar Utsavam on Chitra Pournami is a highly popular festival worldwide and is a perfect example of Shaiva-Vaishnava unison. It is celebrated for almost nine days; the first four days are being celebrated in the hill and He leaves for Madurai city on the day and return back to the hill on the ninth day.

His entrance to the Madurai city is celebrated as “EdhirSevai” and garland of Tulsi from Srivilliputhur Sri Andal is adorned over Him.

The wedding of Madurai Meenakshi and Sundareswarar popularly known as “Meenakshi Kalyanautsavam” takes place as another grand utsavam in Koodal Azhagar temple, the other divyadesam in the Madurai city. Perumal is the brother of Goddess Meenakshi and He is the one who offers his sister’s hands to Lord Sundareswarar during their marriage. It’s a very famous portrait involving the three. Kallazhagar seated on a horse vahana, witnesses the MeenakshiSundareswarar wedding, as the brother of Meenkashi and proceeds towards the Vaigai river. Azhagar getting into the Vaigai river is popularly referred as “Azhagar AattrilIranguthal” festival. Lakhs of devotees come to Madurai to witness this festival

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Specials:
As a rarity, the devotees are given the Vibhoodi (holy ash) which is the procedure only in Saivates temples.

4) Thirukkoshtiyur Divyadesam

This Divyadesam located 8 kms South-West of Thiruppathuren route Sivaganga. Main deity is Uragamellanayan also called Sowmya Narayana perumal in a reclining posture and the Thayargoddess is TirumaamagalNachiyar.

Story:
Demon Hiranyakashipu was tormenting the demigods and rishis because of his powerful boon. Once he disturbed Kadambha Maharishi in his Ashram (today’s Pattamangalam nearby) and the Maharishi cursed Hiranyakasipu that his place will be the cause of his death. Then all Devas, Rishis, Brahma and Rudra assembled in Goshti (Group) here to make a plan to eliminate Hiranyakasipu. Since they came in Goshti, this place is called Thirukkoshtiyur. As per the plan, Prahlada was born in the womb of Kayadu, the wife of Hiranyakashipu. Narad muni then gave instructions while Prahlad was in womb itself. The second part of the plan was appearance of Lord Narasimha coming out from a pillar and killing of Hiranyakashipu. This took place at Ahobilam at Andhra Pradesh.Then, on request of Kadambha Maharishi, Perumal stayed in Thirukoshtiyur as Madhavan / Sowmiya Narayan.The ashram of Kadhamba rishi is present as Adikkalam Katha Ayyanar temple at Pattamangalam nearby just outside the main Guru temple.

Temple: A 85 feet high 5 tier Rajagopuram welcomes us. The Vimanam is called AshtangaVimanam which is present in 4 tiers. Perumal is seen in these 4 tiers in “Kootradiya (Dancing), Kidandha (sleeping), Nindra (Standing), Irundha (Sitting)” postures.In the ground floor, Narthana Krishna is seen with Satyabhama and Rukmini in dancing posture.In the first floor, the main deity Uragamellanayan is found in reclining posture in response to the prayers of Kadamba Maharishi.In the second floor, Perumal is seen as UpendhraNarayanar along with Boomidevi and Neeladevi in standing posture. In the third floor, He is seen as ParamapathaNathar in a sitting posture along with Boomidevi and Neeladevi under the umbrella of Aadhiseshan.

Famous Pastime of ThirukoshtiyurNambi(Gosthipurna) and Sri Ramanujacharya took place here :

Thirukoshtiyur Nambi (Gosthipurna) was one of the Acharyas of Sri Ramanujacharya. Srila Ramanuja travelled eighteen times from Srirangam to Thirukkoshtiyur to learn the Ashtakshara manthram. Travelling from Srirangam to Thirukkoshtiyur during that time was not all that easy as is now. Every time Ramanujar informed ThirukkoshtiyurNambi, “I, Ramanujan, have come” and Nambi replied “Come back after I am dead”. He meant that the ego of “I” has to be dropped to get the learning. Only on the 18th time, Ramanujar realized and told “AdiyenRamanujan has come” and he was preached the Ashtaksharamanthram “Om NamoNarayanaya” with the condition that it should not be preached to any undeserving person without testing as he has done with Sri Ramanujar

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Sri Ramanuja agreed but he got all the villagers assembled in the street, climbed up the AshtangaVimanam of this temple just opposite the house of Thirukkoshtiyur Nambi and from the top of the temple tower preached to the mankind what he learnt in a hard way,. When ThikkoshtiyurNambi warned Ramnujar that he would reach hell by his act, Ramanujar replied he is ready to go to hell for the sake of the mankind who would reach Vaikuntam and be freed of rebirth. On knowing the kindness and care of Sri Ramanujar towards mankind even at his own cost, ThirukkoshtiyurNambi was very pleased and felt guilty that he himself didn’t do it. He then gave the title of “Emperuman” to Sri Ramanujar and accepted Sri Ramanujar himself as his master.

Sri Andal regarded Sri Ramanuja as Her elder brother. In the month of Aadi, Sri Andal festival is celebrated in which She comes in procession along with Sri Ramanujar.

5) Sri Matsayamoorthy in Thuvarimaan Agraharam (Appearance place of Matsya Avatar)
The temple is located at 10 kms from Madurai on the banks of Vaigai river. There are only a few temples dedicated to Matsya Avatar of Lord Vishnu and this holy place, considered as South Dwaraka, is believed to be the avatar sthalam of Matsya Moorthy.

This temple is maintained by Tirumala Tirupathi Devathanam. Sunray’s fall on the Lord during the Sunset (6pm to 6.15pm). Sunray’s fall at the feet on the first day, on the chest on the second day and on forehead on the third day. This happens once in a year, 12th, 13th, 14th days of Phalguna masam(March).

Matsya avatar lila took place in the vicinity of Madurai on the banks of river Kritamala. Lord appeared as a fish to great devoted king Satyavrat. (Ref Sb 9th canto)

Underground Mystery:

The floor of the entire temple is covered by neatly cut rectangular rocks. These rocks are mostly plain, devoid of any carvings. If you tap on these rocks, it does not sound hollow. But, every certain number of rocks, there are square rocks with a lotus carved on them. If you tap on these “lotus rocks”, they sound hollow! This supports the theory that there are hidden, underground structures in the Madurai Meenakshi Temple. These “lotus rocks” could be secret gateways into underground passages or cellars. It is well documented that most Indian Kings had secret escape routes and hidden treasures underground.

The Rotating Lingam: On the ceiling between the Meenakshi and Sundarar Sanctum, you can spot the rotating lingam painting. The painting is done in style which depicts three dimensional objects on (2 dimensional) the ceiling. No matter which angle you see this lingam from, you will see that the spout at the base always points towards you. The painting was not recently done, but it is centuries old. It is merely being repainted every 12 years to look new. Nataraj statue

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Above: The Nataraja statue in Madurai Temple shows reversed leg positions Adjacent to Sundarar shrine, there is a deity of Nataraja (the dancing god), but with a twist. Nataraja normally has right leg on the ground and left leg raised. In this temple, he is doing the opposite.

The temple is designed based on the human body. There are 5 main entrances based on the human senses (see, hear, smell, taste and touch). There are 9 smaller entrances to the inside complex that denote the 9 orifices of the human body (2 eyes, 2 nostrils, 2 ears, mouth, urethra and anus). The streets of Madurai are constructed as concentric circles, with the temple at the center. This is also thought of as a “Lotus Formation”. The temple is one of the masterpieces of Dravidian architecture and many recent temples abroad were constructed based on this style.Siva Subramanya Temple in Fiji is such an example.

Above picture: The southern tower of Madurai Meenakshi Temple, heavily ornated by thousands of deities.

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