Sthalasayana Perumal Temple (also called Arulmaakadal Perumal Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu located near Kollumangudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 2 km away from Kollumangudi, 40 km away from Kumbakonam and 10 km from Karaikal. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Sthalasayana Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Thirumagal Nachiyar. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines. There is a four-tiered rajagopuram, the temple’s gateway tower, in the temple.

Sthalasayana Perumal is believed to have appeared to sage Vyaghrapada. Three daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Brahmotsavam festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May–June), being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Legend

Shiva ordered the sage Vyaghrapada to perform penance at Srirangam requesting the god Vishnu to give him place in his abode Vaikunta. Vyaghrapada was joined by sage Patanjali in his journey. Because of his poor eyesight, the sages instead went southward, lost their way and reached Krupa Samudram, modern day Tirusirupuliyur. They prayed to Vishnu to come from Srirangam to grant them moksha (divine attainment). Vishnu is believed to have appeared for sage Vyasa also at this place.

It is believed that Vishnu originally offered a darshana (theophany) to the sages as Ranganatha, the form worshipped in the Srirangam temple. Because of their old age, the sages could not see the big image of Vishnu clearly and hence he appeared in a smaller form known as Bala Sayanam (smaller recline), the sleeping posture of a small kid. Being in smaller form, and the saint who worshipped was in the form of a tiger, this place is called Siru (meaning small) Puli (meaning tiger) yur (meaning dwelling place).

Temple

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines. There is a four-tiered rajagopuram, the temple’s gateway tower, in the temple. The presiding deity is Sthalasayana Perumal and is a small image depicted in Sayana posture. The idol of Vyaghrapada is found along with that of Kanvar in the sanctum sanctorum. All episodes connected with this place are found in the fourth chapter of the Brahmanda Purana. Saint Tirumangai Alvar visited the temple, but was not satisfied with Vishnu’s small image of “Balasayanam”, he requested him to show his gigantic pose. Vishnu asked the saint to go to Thirukkannamangai to witness his Vishvarupa. The presiding deity at Chirupuliyur is also named by the saint in his Periya Tirumoli verse. The name of the presiding deity in Sanskrit is Kripasamudra Perumal. He is also known as “Saranagatha Rakshaka Perumal”, by which name the saints have addressed the god Aamaruviyappan in Therazhundur. A separate shrine for Adhiseshan is present

near to the pushkarani – known as Ananthalwar Temple.