Guruvayur

Guruvayur: Connecting the Heaven and the Earth

The story regarding the origin of the shrine at Guruvayur temple is described in the ‘Narada Purana’ in the chapter ‘Gurupavanapura Mahatmya’. It is related to the story of Pareekshit who was killed by the Naga Chief Takshaka. In order to avenge his death, King Janamejaya, the son of Pareekshit, performed the Sapayajna in which thousands of innocent reptiles were sacrificed. Their curses caused him to suffer leprosy and utter helplessness. Saga Dattatreya advised Janamejaya to propitiate Lord Krishna at Guruvayur as a remedy to his ill-fate. He described him the story of the idol at Guruvayur. Lord Narayana was the first to worship the holy idol which was uniquely carved out of the sacred ‘Pathalanjana Shila’. He himself had handed it ti Brahma, the Lord of Creation, at the beginning of the Padma Kalpa to execute his task of Creation by its grace.

At the beginning of the Varaha Kalpa, the childless couple, Sutepa and Prisna prayed in earnest to Brahma for the gift of a son. Brahma gave them this deity assuring them of their wish if they worshipped it with sincere devotion. They did it with excellence, so much so that the Lord  Mahavishnu himself appeared before them. As a boon, they prayed to Him three times, for a son. He pacified them that he himself would be born to them as their son in three successive births. Moreover, they would also have the good fortune of worshipping the divine image in all the three  janmas (births). Accordingly, the Lord Himself was born as Prisgarbha to sutepa and Prisna in their first janmas. In their second Janma, as Kasyapa and Aditi, the couple worshipped the same image and got their son Vamana. In their third and most auspicious janma as Vasudeva and devaki, Sri Krishna was born to them.

After Slaying Kamsa, Krishna moved to Dwaraka where he built a temple, installed that image-the supreme himself and workshipped after the death of his parents. When the time came for his ‘Swargarohana (ascent to Vaikunta), Lord Krishna entrusted his devoted disciple Uddhava, to take good care of the idol. When the latter intimated him his fears regarding the fate that would befall mankind in Kaliyuga during His absence, Krishna pacified Uddhava that He would manifest Himself  and infuse His glory into the idol; He would also shield His devotees from the ill effects of Kaliyuga and bless the mankind. He apprised Uddhava that a subsequence of Dwaraka was impending and that he shouldinstall the image in an equally holy spot in consultation with Brihaspati (Guru), the preceptor of the Gods. Accordingly Guru along with Vayu (the God of Winds) set forth to Dwaraka where they recovered the image which was being tossed about in the sea by the surging waves.

The journey ends in Guruvayur

Both set out in search of a sacred place for its installation. In their quest, they came upon  a lake of lotuses, none other than the Rudratheertha, where Lord Siva and Parvathi were waiting to receive them. Siva told them that the spot was etched out for Narayana long ago; hence He and Parvathi  would moved to Mammiyur Temple. Guru and Vayu installed the image in the temple, the place came to be known as Guruvayurpura in accordance with Shiva’s wish. The name was later shortened to Guruvayur.

Moved by this story, Janamejaya proceeded to Guruvayur temple where he observed austere devotion for four months . In the night he would go to Mammiyur and bow before Siva. One night, while asleep, he felt the lord’s healing touch over his body and his pain was no more felt. He returned to his kingdom, elated, singing praises for the Lord.

The presiding deity in the Gaebhagraha (central Shrine) is Mahavishnu, worshipped according to the pooja routines laid down by Adi Sankaracharya and latter written in to the Tantrasamuchaya by Chennas Narayanan Namboodiri (born in 1427). The Chennas Namboodiris are the hereditary Tantris of the Guruvayur temple.

Sanctity of the place

Guruvayur became divine on account of the ‘tapas’ performed by Lord Siva and later by the Prechethas (the ten sons of Pracheenabarhis and Suvarna are together called Prechethas) in the Rudratheertham- the sacred tank on the northern side of the present temple-where Lord Guryvayurappan has His Arattu (holy bath) on the last day of Annual Utsavam. Siva worshipped Mahavishnu for years under the water of the Rudratheertham (hence the name Rudratheertham due to the presence of Rudra,Siva). Prechethas came to this place to do tapas to attain “ Prajapathithwam” (king of all Kings) from Lord Mahavishnu. Sensing the motive of Prechethas, Lord Siva emerged out of the Rudratheertham and revealed  to them the “Rudrageetham”, a hymn in praise of Mahavishnu. Siva suggested them to chant it with all their heart to get their wishes fulfilled. The princes won the  favour of Mahavishnu after rigorous tapas for 10,000 years under the water of Rudratheertham chanting Rudrageetham.

According to the legends, in ancient days, Rudratheertham extended up to Manniyur and Thamarayur (about 3.00 kms from Guruvayur) and was known for its lotus flowers. Melpathur’s Narayaneeyam refers to it as the lovely lake of lotuses.

The idol installation

Vishwakarma, the divine architect was requested to build the Temple, which he made in such a way that on the day of Vishu (summer equinox), the sun himself makes his obeisance. His beginning rays on that day fall straight on the Lord’s feet. The idol was installed in the solar month of kumbha. (February-March). The ceremony was begun on the seventh asterism of Pooyam (Puozhya) and completed on the day of Anizham (Anuradha).

Related posts:

1. Guruvayur Museum