SreeKrishna Temple Guruvayur

The Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple (Malayalam: ഗുരുവായൂര്‍ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണ ക്ഷേത്രം) is one of the most important and sacred pilgrim centres of India. It is located in the town of Guruvayur in Thrissur district of Kerala. The presiding deity is Sree Krishna, in the standing posture with four hands (Chaturbahu) which carry a Sankhu (conch), Sudarshana chakram (a serrated disk), lotus and mace . The Lord is worshipped in his many manifestations, the favorite with devotees being the 'Sankalpa' of the Lord as 'Unnikrishnan' (Infant krishna). For devotees Guruvayur is "Bhooloka Vaikuntham" and Dakshina Dwaraka. The idol is made of a rare stone known as Patala Anjanam. Official Website : www.guruvayurdevaswom.org
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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Sree Krishna Temple, Guruvayur





Puranam

According to legends Bhagwan Vishnu himself had worshipped the idol that we see now at Guruvayur, before donating it to Brahma. Prajapati Sutapa and his wife Prsni worshipped Brahma, and pleased at their devotion Brahma gave them this idol. Sutapa and his wife Prsni worshipped the idol with such devotion that Mahavishnu Himself appeared before them for granting them a boon. In their over enthusiasm they asked thrice "We need a son equivalent to thou" . Mahavishnu told them that He Himself would be born as their son in three different janmas (births) and in all those three janmas they would get the vigraha given to them by Brahma .
In the first janma in Satya Yuga, Mahavishnu was born as Prsnigarbha, as son of Sutapa and Prsni. Psrigarba instructed the world the importance of Brahmacharya to the world. In the second janma, Sutapa and his wife Prsni were born as Kashyapa and Aditi and Mahavishnu was born as Vamana. In Dwapara Yuga, Krishna was born to Vasudeva and Devaki. This idol was given to them by Daumya for worship. Sri Krishna established a big temple at Dwaraka and installed this idol there. At the time of swargaarohana Krishna instructed his devotee Udhava to install the idol at a sacred place with the help of Brihaspathi, the guru of the Devas and Vayu, the God of the winds. They (Guru and Vayu) took the idol and came down to a place down south and installed it. This is why the place got its name Guruvayu, where ur means place. It is also said that Bhagavan Shiva and his consort Devi Parvati were present at the auspicious moment and because there was a lack of space in the temple premises, Shiva moved a little further away, and gives his blessings from Mammiyoor Temple, which is near the Guruvayoor Temple. Every devotee who goes to Guruvayur is supposed to go to Mammiyoor also, as the ritual goes. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple premises. The temple tank is known as Rudra Thirtham.

Places of Interest

Anakkotta
Punnathur Kotta is located in Kottapadi, a small place near Guruvayoor in Thrissur district of Kerala, South India. This was a palace of a local ruler and now this place is famous for the elephant pound (Anakkotta in local language, literally translated as "Elephant Fort") where the elephants belonging to the Guruvayoor temple are kept. Elephants are trained here for purposes related to temples. The pound currently has about 64 elephants.
Mammiyur Temple
Mammiyoor temple is a Shiva temple near Guruvayoor temple, Kerala, south India. Every devotee who goes to Guruvayoor is supposed to go to Mammiyoor also, as the ritual goes. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple premises.

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