The temple is called Tiru Arul Thurai – Home of Divine Blessings.  Mother Mangalambikai graces from the sanctum sanctorum with Her four hands in a standing form.  The mandap where the panchayat took place between old man Shiva and Sundarar still exists in the temple.  Lord Vinayaka of the temple is praised as Polla Pillayar.

Lord Shiva blesses the devotees with total mental peace, oratory skill and excellence in education, above all His full blessings.  Polla Pillayar in the temple is not a man-made idol but a swyambu.  He taught the great Saivite Acharya Meikanda Thevar when he was 5.  Those dumb pray to Him to gain speech skill.  People also light lamps with a mixture of four oils – ghee, iluppu, coconut and gingely oil – for wedding boon, child, job and professional success boons.

The celebrated Saivite Epic Periapuranam by Sekkizhar begins with the story of Alala Sundarar in Mount Kailash who came to earth at the direction of Lord Shiva assuming the name Sundarar.  The epic also ends at Mount Kailash with the return of Sundarar after his earthly life.

Sundarar was in his wedding attire ready for the related rituals at Tirunavalur.  Suddenly, an old man, no less a person than Lord Himself intervened and claimed that Sundarar had been assigned to him as His attendant by his forefathers and proved his case.  After verification of the signature in the document produced by the old man, the panchayat men asked Sundarar to go along with the old man as his servant.  Sundarar in his fury, called the old man a lunatic.  The old man took Sundarar to Tiruvennainallur and disappeared at the sanctum sanctorum.  Sundarar was shocked and came to realize that the old man who demanded his service was Lord Shiva.  He cried apologetically.  Lord asked him to sing his praise.  When Sundarar said how he could without any knowledge, Lord asked him to use Pitha (lunatic) as the first word and start singing.

The first song of Sundarar – Pitha Pirai Soodi – thus came into being and was followed by hundreds later in various Shiva temples he visited then.  He was one responsible for the resurgence of Saivism in south challenged by rival faiths then.

The Panchayat Mandap where the case was argued by Lord Shiva and Sundarar is on the north of the right side of the entrance.  The pillar on which the old man was leaning during the panchayat proceedings is still warm. People use to collect the sand in the mandap and keep it in their puja rooms.  There are three Lingas in the temple, the Vijaya Linga worshipped by Arjuna seeking child boon, Sundaralingam worshipped by Devendra and Sankaralingam worshipped by Lord Vishnu.

Lord Muruga-Shanmuganatha granted darshan to saint Arunagiriar in a dancing form with His peacock vahan in this temple.  It is here Mother bathed in the river to cool Herself from the fury of destroying demon Mahishasura.  Mother graces with all features of Mother Mahalakshmi with Sanga Nidhi, Padma Nidhi and also with Sri Chakra.  It is here Arujuna cleansed himself from the guilt of interfering in the privacy of his brother Dharma with Panchali and sought child boon.   A Brahmin got relief in this temple from the sin of using a pregnant cow for sacrifice in a yajna, by bathing in the Arul Thurai sacred spring.

All description of the reputation of Tiruvennai Nallur would be incomplete if we fail to recollect the life of and contribution of great philanthropist Sadayappa Vallal who was instrumental for the writing of Ramayana in Tamil by Kavi Chakravarthy Kambar.  Kamba Ramayanam came into being with the support of Sadayappa Vallal whom Kambar has used in select episodes for some examples.

The Rishis of Tharukavana grew proud of their penance and conducted a yajna to destroy Lord Shiva.  But the Lord absorbed their evil designs and kept them under His control.  The Rishis realized their folly, performed penance and were forgiven by the Lord.  This is also a story behind the name of the name of the Temple Tiru Arul Thurai – Place of Blessings.  As He showered His Krupa-forgiveness, the Lord is praised as Krupapureeswarar.  Vedas performed penance here as directed by the Lord and were granted darshan in the form of Fire as begged by them and became a swayambulinga.