Punnai-vana-nathar

Punnai-vana-nathar

One of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalangal

Paadal Petra Sthalangal are Shiva temples sung in the hymns of the 3 Tevaram saints — Tirugnana Sambandar, Tirunavukkaracar (Appar), and Sundaramurti (Sundarar). Composed 7th–9th c. CE, the Tevaram is the sacred geography of Tamil Shaivism and foundational to the Shaiva-Siddhanta philosophy.

This Temple

• Location: Thirupunavasal, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu (10.25°N, 78.6167°E)
• Shiva-form: Punnai-vana-nathar (Shiva of the ironwood-tree forest)
• Ambal (Goddess): Alli-valli-ammai
• Tirtham: Nakula-tirtham
• Sthala-vriksha: Punnai (Alexandrian laurel)
• Sung by: Sung by Sambandar, Sundarar
• Built: 9th c. CE

Sthala-Puranam

Sacred punnai (ironwood) tree here; local Pandya sthalam. Nakula the Pandava is said to have worshipped here.

Worship Tradition

Daily 5-fold puja (ushat-kalam at dawn, kala-santi 6 AM, ucchikalam noon, sayaraksha dusk, ardha-jama 9 PM). Principal offerings: jala-abhisheka, panchamrita (milk/curd/ghee/honey/jaggery), vibhuti, bilva leaves.

The Tevaram Tradition

Every Paadal Petra's sanctity rests on WHICH saint sang of it and HOW MANY pasurams. Tamil Shaiva tradition treats the Tevaram as Dravida Veda — equivalent in holiness to the Sanskrit Vedas.

Festival Cycle

• Maha Shivaratri — night-long 4-phase puja
• Arudra Darshanam (Margazhi full moon) — abhisheka of Nataraja
• Brahmotsavam — annual 10-day utsavam on Adhi-rudra, Nandi, Peacock, Garuda vahanas
• Pradosha — fortnightly evening puja