Sri Abathsagayeswara Swamy (Guru Bhagavan) - Alangudi near Needam

History:

Alangudi is regarded as a 'Gurustalam' where Dakshinamurthy is held in great reverence, attracting huge crowds when Jupiter transits between zodiac signs. The festival image here is that of Dakshinamurthy & this stalam is held as one of the 9 Navagrahastalams.

Dakshinamurthy is said to have preached to the Devas who had swooned under the impact of the poison that came out of the churning of the milky ocean. Parvati is said to have been reborn on the banks of Amrita Pushkarini and later on reunited with Shiva. Viswamitrar is believed to have worshipped Shiva here.

About Jupiter - The planet of success:

Jupiter or Guru is the planet of good luck, optimism, success and generosity. Jupiter brings joy to life. The position of Jupiter in your birth chart can indicate where your fortunate opportunities are to be found. This benevolent planet shows where you have the most room to expand and the areas in which you will get the best out of life. Jupiter has always been identified with the idea of expansiveness and abundance

When Jupiter is prominent in your horoscope you tend to be well liked and popular, friendly, broadminded, and cheerful, successful in career and business. Jupiter can also be too much of a good thing, for its influence can make you extravagant, lazy and luxury loving, profligate with money, and blindly optimistic. If things fall into your lap too easily, you never develop strength of character or spiritual wisdom. Jupiter is the planet of blessings - blessings that we must learn to use wisely.

Guru is the Lord of Dhanusu and Meena Rasi and he faces North direction.His colour is yellow and his vahana is elephant. The grain assciated with him is kadalai; the flower - white mullai; fabric - yellow cloth; gem - pushparagam(white topaz); food - rice mixed with bengal gram dhal powder.

Budan Bagavan is attired in green, offering him with full green moong dhal, white kanthal flower and green cloth is believed to bring Sasthra Gnanam to devotees.

About Temple:

Sri Abathsagayeswara Swamy Temple, the sthalam of Guru Bagavan is Alangudi, It is located in Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu, India. Alangudi is 17 kms away from Kumbakonam enroute to Mannargudi.

There are as many as 15 theerthams in this temple which occupies an area of about 1.25 acres, surrounded by lofty walls. One of the theerthams is a well located inside the temple and it is referred to as the Jnana koopam. East of the temple is the Poolaivala river, whose waters are used in abhishekam ceremonies in the Tamil month of Aippasi.

Features:

Inscriptions dating back to the period of Vikrama Chola (1131), referring to Alankudi as Jananatha saruppedimangalam, and to the Chidambaram Natarajar temple, are seen here.

There are shrines to Surya, Gurumoksheswarar, Somanathar, Saptarishi nathar, Someswarar, Vishnunathar and Bhrameesar, Kaasi Viswanathar and Visalakshi.

Deities:

Lord Shiva as Abath Sahayar and Goddess Parvathi known as Aelavarkuzhali, are the main deities here.

Offerings for worshipping the God:

When one visit Guru they should offer 24 ghee or oil lamps which can be got at the temple and after offering the lamps one should walk 24 times around him.

Wearing yellow clothes, giving away yellow clothes as charity, observing fast on Thursdays are the proper way of worshipping Guru, for propitiation and getting relief from adverse effect of Guru, such as illness and financial difficulty. The choicest flower fro Guru is White Jasmine.

Special Poojas:

Four worship services are offered each day.

The annual Bhrammotsavam is celebrated in the month of Chittirai. In addition, Navaratri, Skanda Sashti, Aadi Puram, Arudra Darisanam, Kartikai Deepam, Thai Poosam and Pankuni Uththiram are celebrated here.

Mantra for Jupiter:

Aum Brim brahaspataye Namah Aum

Opening Hours:

6.00 A.M. to 1.00 P.M.
4.00 P.M. to 9.00 P.M.

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