They say that at the beginning of Kali Yuga, the Navagraha had greater control and when it crossed the limit, the Almighty made the Siddhar Idaikadar place them in specific directions where they don’t face each other. This also let the decision of them being worshipped in the temples, approved by the Lord.
While saying ‘Do not live in a place where there is no temple’ as the guidelines to humans, it is meant to live a happy life and not come under the spell of these grahas.
If a Saligrama is at home, there should be daily pooja done to it (Nithya Pooja). It comes from the Kandagi river and is considered the swaroopa of Narayana, contains the various forms of Narayana. If nithya pooja is not done to it, it will affect the family of the house.
Agastya collected 12000 of such Saligrama and made the idol of Padmanabha Swamy with 10008 Saligrama. He then made Mahalakshmi Mata, Brahma and Adi Sesha with the remaining Saligrama, took 9000 herbs and made a herbal paste called in Tamil as ‘Kattu Chakra Yogam’, and applied this paste on Padmanabha’s idol. Therefore there is no abisheka performed to Padmanabha. They remove the flowers adorned to the Lord with peacock feathers.
All the Saligrama being in one place gave a powerful effect, gave a protective layer to Bharat. No one could go near Padmanabha. As per the wish of Diwakara Muni to have darshan and do pooja, the Lord reduced His size to the present state. Even after this the Tejas of the Lord was so much that no one could go near. Then again as per Diwakara Muni’s prayers, the Lord asked all the 4 Vedas to become the walls, made three entrances and asked to be worshipped through these three gates only. The Head and Hand can be viewed through one gate, the stomach through one, and His holy feet through the third gate. Even the munivars did not get to have darshan of Lord Padmanabha in His full form.
We know that Maha Guru Agastya is like the right hand of Lord Padmanabha. If the Lord had given Him the honour of making his idol, to make this Shrine and to make His Siddha Samadhi, Lord Hanuman gave another honour.
When approaching the Eastern entrance to have darshan of Lord Padmanabha, one can see an Anjaneya’s Shrine near the Kodi Maram. Butter will be smeared all over Him. Everyone can have darshan but none can see the feet because they are in Agastya’s shoulders!
When Hanuman came to know about Lord Padmanabha’s avatar being worshipped and exclaimed by the Deva, Muni, Gods, and Siddhas, He came out of His penance and came here. As there were so many of them to have the darshan, Hanuman could not see the Lord’s feet even. Lord Padmanabha knew this and He nodded to Agastya Guru who welcomed Hanuman.
“Welcome O Rama Dootha! We all are very pleased having the darshan of Lord Padmanabha. Have darshan yourself too!”
“O Agastya, thank you. I am but doubtful if I will get His darshan, on seeing this crowd. I will be very happy if I get to have darshan of His Holy Feet. But I cannot see anything.” – said Anjaneya.
“Ah ok! Please stand on my shoulders and have darshan of the Lord.” and He stood before Hanuman. He had a delightful darshan of the Lord by standing on Agastya’s shoulders. It is depicted in this idol that Hanuman’s feet are in Agastya’s shoulders where we cannot only see His feet but not also Agastya!
~ stay blessed!