THE SIXTH SACRED SHRINE
THIRUCHENDUR PANNEER TREE
This Temple is located at 56 Kilometers from Tirunelveli, at 36 Kilometers from Tuticorin and at
220 kilometers from Rameshwaram. This is the second holiest shrine of Lord Muruga. Here, our guru has
got the panneer tree (the thala vriksham of Lord Muruga) as his sacred tree too. The learned would say
that on applying the sacred ash kept on the panneer tree leaves/ on body, diseases would be cured. The
panneer leaf and veboothi prasatham are notable and exclusive here, panneer trees are treated as vedas,
which worship senthil andavar, according to ethinic traces, once saint vishuvamitra visited here and
worshiped muguran, then he had veboothi prasatham and got cured of his kunma disease, a paneer leaf
consists of twelve veins and also murugan has twelve hands, hence it is belived that Murugan gives
prasatham by his hands.
Tirucheeralaivai (Tiruchendur) which is on the sea shore, is a famous shrine. Here, to gain victory
over Sooran, Muruga consecreated the Panchalingam. To perform Abishekam, he created the water source
called “ Skandha Pushkarani.” Now this is called as “Naazhi kinaru.” when Muruga hurled his lance at
Soora, it plerced the latter’s chest into two pieces. Muruga transformed them into cock and peacock ;
initiated them into divine service; thus, offered Mohksham even to Soora-the-enemy. The victorious Muruga
was worshipped by the Devas here. on regaining his lost power and prestige, Devendra married his daughter
Deyvayanai to Muruga. only here, Viyazha Bhagavan (Brahaspathi -the guru of the Devas) learnt the life
history of soora padhman from Muruga, Suhabrahma Rishi and Iravatham -the-White,celestial elephant
worshipped Muruga here ; Kumaragurupara who remained mute till the age of five, found his voice only
in this shrine.
OUR GURU AT TIRUCHENDUR
Our swamigal was well aware of his impending Mukthi. He reached Tiruchendur on the divine
orders of Muruga. There he sat and meditated on Muruga. He was offered all kinds of help by one
Mr. Paramasivam pillai. Our understood that his earthly mission was over and time was ripe to reach
Muruga. He wrote to his close associates and relatives to come to Tiruchendur to full fill the rituals. All of
them went to Tiruchendur and met our guru. Swamigal welcomed them and asked them to worship the
Muruga there. They did the worship and offered the sacred ash and other holy things to Swamigal. That
day, Without speaking to other’s Swamigal concentrated his mind on Muruga.
The next day, as per the Tamil Calendar - Kali 5040- Vekuthanya year, Purattaci month 25th, on
Tuesday, Sacred day for Muruga, With the star Bharani, at chevvaai orai, in the early hours of morning, it
about 6.15 A.M., (On 11th October, 1938), there emerged a rayof light from the face of Swamigal.
Sornathammal and others, with melting eyes prayed to him, with the emergence of the sun in the East,
Sri Sathru Samhara Moorthy Swamigal attained Samadhi and merged with Tiruchendur Murugan. The
darshan (sight) offered to devotees was an everlasting one, full of divine bliss. on the south of the Muruga
Temple, a Sivalingam was consecrated and a “ Temple of peace” Swamigal was built.