sāndrānandāvabodhātmakam anupamitam kāla-deśāvadhibhyām
nirmuktam nityamuktam nigama śata-sahasrena nirbhāsyamānam
aspashtam drishti mātre punarurupurushartthātmakam brahma tatvam
tat tāvat bhāti sākshāt guru-pavana pure hanta bhāgyam janānām

"The brahma tatva, the embodiment of incessant and condensed bliss and knowledge, which is unrivalled, and transcends the limit of time and space and beyond the control of maya or illusion (of material pleasure and pain) and comprehended, by Vedas and the same time, remains uncomprehending but, attain the purushartha (or realization) even by a glance is now appeared and shining in the shrine of Guruvayur. Oh! It’s the greatest fortune of mankind in the Kaliyuga!"

(Sriman Narayaneeyam by  Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri)

 We have heard of Vaikuntha (Vai means free from and Kuntha means misery), the abode of Lord Krishna or Lord Vishnu. But many of us may not know the Vaikuntha on earth or Bhooloka Vaikuntha, where the Deity reveals Himself to His devotees in the same majestic form in which the Lord welcomes them in Vaikuntha.

This wonderful place with all its spiritual sumptuousness is situated in the farthest southern state, Kerala of India. 

 

Before going to its chronology, few questions to you.

How fortunate you will be, if you are going to see a Deity which was once worshipped by Lord Vishnu in Vaikunta and then Lord Krishna Himself in Dwaraka?

What would be within you, when you see the Deity worshipped by Devaki and Vasudev?

What would you feel, if you see a temple made by Deva Guru Brihaspati and Vayu Deva (Demigod Vayu)?

What would you be asking yourself when you reach a temple premise of 5000 years old?

Yes, you can yourself experience all these once you visit Guruvayur, the abode of Lord Guruvayurappan...!

Guruvayur Temple

Chronology of Guruvayur

The 24^th chapter of 4^th canto of the Srimad

Rudra Theertham*

Bhagavatam describes Lord Shiva’s revelation of a prayer, to the Prechatas (10 sons of King Prachinabarhi who is known as Prachapati). This prayer, praising the Lord Krishna, is transcendental, pure and most auspicious and is known as ‘rudra geetham’. The Prechetas were ordered to perform austerities and penances by their father to marry and beget children. They went towards the west to find a suitable place to execute their father’s order. While travelling they happened to see a lake full of different types of lotus flowers thrown in to the air and on its shore there were swans, cranes, chakravaka and other beautiful water birds standing about. The place was so beautiful that there were various trees and creepers on all sides of lake and there were mad bumblebees humming around them. As per the direction of the lord Shiva the Prechetas entered to this lake and chated the rudra geetham for ten thousand years under water. 

 

Mammiyoor Temple*

 This lake is mentioned in the ‘Guruvayupura Mahatmyam’ as the same lake situated on the north side of the Guruvayur temple and the lord Shiva who had given the mantra to Prechetas had relocated to the nearest place known as Mammiyoor and his presence still can be seen in the Mammiyoor Temple just near to the Guruvayur temple.  The same lake known as Rudra Theertham is seen on the northern side of the Guruvayur temple.

The king Janamejaya, son of king Pareekshit, was once afflicted by leprosy by his act of killing thousands of innocent snakes in the sacrificial fire to retaliate against Takshaka, the king of serpants, who killed his father Pareekshit. One day the great sage Athreya happened to come to Janamejaya who was  in the plight of great pain, putrefying skin and disturbed mind. Upon seeing the great sage Athreya, the king appealed him and sought his advice to heal his illness. This incident is explained in Brihad Naradeeya Purana.

kuruvamshajamenam mam

kurum tvaiyi mahatmani

kuru vrajinato muktam

gurustavamasi shadi mam

Oh Maha mune, I’ve full devotion unto you and you are the great sage. Please advise me, who born in Kuru dynasty, some means to get out of all great sins I’ve committed so far. I now accept you as my Guru. 

Then the great rishi Atreya said,

raajan! saubhadra pauthra! pramadhita vimata-

vrathadhor veerya dharppa-

prapta prastaavya keerthu pragunita kurusau-

bhagya sambathiraashe!

bhadram te bobhaveetu pravatitahari-

kaarunya shanta vyadhasya

kshetram yaahyanga sakshat gurupavanapure

staanu rogopashantyai.

O, grandson of Abhimanyu, who brought all glories and all fortune to the Kuru dynasty by subduing the arrogant of foes, may you also be blessed by Lord Krishna! You may please depart to the Guruvayur temple to alleviate your ailment.

And in next verse the sage says it is indeed the great fortune to the people on the earth that, Lord Srikrishna in Guruvayur bestows everything to those who have completely surrendered unto Him (yatraste hanta bhagyam dharanitalajusham manushanam samesham).

King Janamejaya requested “O, maha mune, kindly articulate me why the Sripathy (Mahavishnu) here is known as Guruvayurappan?”

Then the great sage Athreya narrated the story of Guruvayurappan explicitly to the king. Once there lived a king known as Sutapa and his wife Prisni. They worshipped lord Brahma and undergone severe penance for a child. Pleased Brahma gifted them with a most beautiful and attractive Deity of Lord Vishnu which could invoke the luster of cloud as in the lightning. It was shining in beautiful bluish colour of cloud. It was like a residence of all auspiciousness like Mahameru (mount meru).It was like an incomparable enchanting ode. It was eulogized and worshipped by demigods and great scholars. It was like sun which dispels the darkness. It was having lotus like eyes. And it was the greatest of the beautiful than the most beautiful.

The couple, Sutapa and Prisni, worshipped the Deity of Lord Vishnu with great devotion and one pointed attention of the Lord for a long time to get a child with all opulence. The Lord, in forehanded form carrying conch, disc, mace and lotus, appeared before them and blessed them that He Himself would be born as their child, though He is birthless, in their three rebirths in three different forms in three different situations. So, the couple was blessed to worship the same Deity in their subsequent births. In his first birth the Lord born as Prisnigarbha, to Sutapa and Prisni, Who preached and taught the world principle of brahmacharya (celibacy). In their next life Sutapa and Prisni were born as Kashyapa and Aditi and Vamana was their son. The third rebirth was Vasudeva and Devaki and they got the same Deity from Dhaumya. Lord Krishna was born to them as eighth Son. After killing Kamsa The Lord moved to Dwaraka along with the Deity which He received from His parents. There He built a temple and installed the sacred Deity.

The time of Lord Krishna’s ascension to Vaikuntha had come and He had instructed His dear most devotee and friend Uddhava to protect the Deity, after His departure, from the deluge which would engulf the entire Dwaraka. It’s also said that Uddhava thought of the difficulties and evil effects of Kaliyuga going to start then. The anxious Uddhava told Lord Krishna that the world would face utter disaster and chaose in His absence. Lord Krishna then pacified Uddhava and told him that those who worship the Deity shall get relief from the hardships of Kaliyuga.

Parasurama

After Krishna’s departure entire Dwaraka was taken away by the ocean. Uddhava sought after the Deity with Deva guru Brihaspati and they saw the Deity was floating and tossed up and down by the dreadful waves. But with the help of wind (Vayu- god of wind), which moved the deity towards Uddhava, Uddhava could  have a hold on it. Then the three, Guru (Deva guru Brihaspati), Vayu (Vayu deva or god of wind) and Uddhava, contemplated for a suitable safe place to install it so that the entire mankind would be very fortunate to see the Lord, as He is, in Kaliyuga.  Guru and Vayu along with Uddhava went on search for suitable place to install the Deity and finally they reached premises of now known Palakkad in Kerala from there they met Parashurama, who was also an incarnation of the Lord. Parassurama was on the way to bring the Deity from Dwaraka. Upon seeing Guru Vayu and Uddhava Parassurama led them to a beautiful lake full of lotuses. It was the Rudra theertha and lord Shiva and Parvati were there to welcome them.

Lord Shiva told them that the spot actually was earmarked long ago for the installation of the Deity. Lord Shiva sprinkled holy water on the Deity and worshipped it and requested Guru and Vayu to perform the installation of the sacred deity together and, lord Shiva said, by this the place would be known as Guruvayurpura. Subsequently Lord Shiva with Parvathy left for Mammiyur in the opposite bank of the lake.

Guru and Vayu then invited Viswakarma, the god of architect to build a temple. The temple was then built in such a way that the Sun god would offer his obeisances by falling his first ray directly on the lotus feet of the Deity on the day of summer equinox. The sacred Deity was installed in the month of Aquarius. The rites began on the day of Pushya star and completed on the day of Anuradha star and it is said that Guru presided over the rites.

After narrating about the Lord Guruvayurappan, Athreya muni asked King Janamejaya to set off for Guruvayur and take shelter of the Lord and said he would be free from all melancholy. The king, then, with Athreya muni immediately started to Guruvayur. The king was horripilated at once he reached the premises of Guruvayur and he completely became oblivious of his dreadful disease.

Janamejaya took shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord Guruvayurappan and sought blessings of the Lord and he worshipped Him. One day, while sleeping, he had a dream that Guruvayurappan saying him that now he is freed from all his sinful activities and his disease is cured and to go back to Hastinapur to protect the kingdom.

The presiding Deity of the temple is being worshipped as baby Krishna, Popularly known as Guruvayur Unnikkannan. The Deity is of four handed Vishnu form (chatur-bahu) with conch shell, disc, mace and lotus flower as Krishna appeared before His parents Vasudeva and Devaki, immediately after His birth in the prison of Kamsa. 

The presiding deity in the Garbhagraha (central shrine) is worshipped according to the pooja routines laid down by Adi Sankaracharya and later written in to the Tantrasamuchaya by Chennas Narayanan Namboodiri (born in 1427). The Chennas Namboodiris are the hereditary Tantri of Guruvayur temple. 

Famous devotees of Guruvayurappan

 

Seeveli *(procession of the Lord on elephant )

The glory of Guruvayurappan cannot be completed without describing about His devotees. His wonderful leelas with His devotees are very popular and still the devotees always ruminate them.

The famous devotees of Lord Guruvayurappan.

Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, Poonthaanam Namboothiri, Villuamangalam Swami, Kurooramma, Nenmini Unni, Manjula, King Manaveda.

Next time we will see the wonderful pastime of the Lord with His devotees.

Your Servant Aspirant

Sri Guruvayurappaaa Saranam..!