Located 35kms West of Chidambaram in the Kattu Mannar Koil Taluk is the historical Bhoo Varaha Swamy temple in Sri Mushnum. Unlike typical moolavar deities in Vishnu temples, the Lord here is in the form of a small vigraham signifying the Varaha Avataaram. A visit even once to this temple and sincere prayers to Lord Bhoo Varahaswamy is said to help attain moksham in this lifetime, such is the power of Bhoo Varahar.
Srimushnum is one of the 8 Swayambu Kshetrams in India. The others are Srirangam, Tirupathi and Vanamaamalai in South India and Saligramam, Naimisarinyam, Pushkaram and Badri in North India. Bhoo Varaha Perumal is a Saligrama moorthy and the speciality of the temple is that there is a Thirumanjanam every day for the Lord.
Hiranyaksha, the brother of Hiranyakashipu, wanted to be a dominant force. To achieve this, he rolled over the earth and took it into the nether world, from where he ruled. Bhoo Devi undertook penance seeking help from Lord Narayana to protect her from the Asura. Lord Vishnu took the form of Varaha (a boar), went into the sea and killed the asura. He brought back the earth on his Adhisesha and appeared here as a Swayambu vigraham. Legend has it that he created the Pushkarani with the sweat emanating from his body after his battle with Hiranyaksha. On his death bed, Hiranyaksha prayed to the Lord and as his final wish wanted the Lord to turn to turn in his direction. Hence Bhoo Varahan’s face is seen turned in the direction of the asura towards the South. An interesting feature of the moolavar deity at this temple is that the face, in the form of a boar, is turned towards South, while the body bearing a human shape is facing West in the direction of the devotees
Goddess was worried that people may turn away from here because of the Lord’s pig face. Hence, she undertook penance and requested him to display his handsome stature. Answering her prayers, Lord’s Utsavamoorthy features as Yagya Varahaswamy with conch and chakra. This is a Prarthana Sthalam for childless couples. Ladies, who have bath in the Nithya Pushkarani, go around the Arasa tree 12times, offer milk and fruits to small kids and recite the Varaha Kavacham are said to be blessed with Children. This is also a prarthana sthalam for the unmarried.
There is a seperate shrine of saptha kannigai in this temple . It’s a prathana sthalam and those who does annadhanam is believed to be rescued from sins and will attain moksha .
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