Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram – Legends

Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram – Legends

Lord Vishnu darshan to Vilwamangalam Swamiyar:

Ananthapuram Temple in Kasargod is believed to be the 'Moolasthanam' of the Temple. The sage Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar, who resided near Ananthapuram Temple in Kasargod District, prayed to Lord Vishnu for his darshan. The Lord is believed to have come in the guise of a little boy who was mischievous. The boy defiled the Idol which was kept for Puja. The sage became enraged at this and chased away the boy, who disappeared. After a long search, when he was walking on the banks of Arabian Sea, he heard a pulaya lady threatening her child that she would throw him in Ananthankadu.

The moment the Swami heard the word Ananthankadu he was delighted. He proceeded to Ananthankadu based on the directions of the lady of whom he enquired. The Sage reached Ananthankadu searching for the boy. There he saw the boy merging into an Iluppai tree (Indian Butter Tree). The tree fell down and became Anantha Sayana Moorthi (Vishnu reclining on the celestial snake Anantha). But the edifice that the Lord assumed was of an extraordinarily large size, with his head at Thiruvallom, navel at Thiruvananthapuram, and lotus-feet at Thrippadapuram (Thrippappur), making him some eight miles in length.

The Sage requested the Lord to shrink to a smaller proportion that would be thrice the length of his staff. Immediately the Lord shrank to the form of the Idol that is seen at present in the Temple. But even then, many Iluppai trees obstructed a complete vision of the Lord. The Sage saw the Lord in three parts – Thirumukham (Face), Thiruvudal (Body) and Thiruppadam (Feet). Swami prayed to Padmanabha to be forgiven. The Swami offered Rice Kanji and Uppumanga (salted mango pieces) in a coconut shell to the Perumal which he obtained from the pulaya woman.

The spot where the Sage had darshan of the Lord belonged to Koopakkara Potti and Karuva Potti. With the assistance of the reigning King and some Brahmin households a Temple was constructed. Koopakkara Potti was made the Tantri of the Temple. The Ananthankadu Nagaraja Temple still exists to the north west of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The Samadhi (final resting place) of the Swamiyar exists to the west of the Padmanabha Temple. A Krishna Temple was built over the Samadhi. This Temple, known as Vilvamangalam Sri Krishna Swami Temple, belongs to Thrissur Naduvil Madhom.

References in Hindu Scriptures:

Several extant Hindu Texts like the Brahma Purana, Matsya Purana, Varaha Purana, Skanda Purana, Padma Purana, Vayu Purana, Bhagavata Purana and the Mahabharata mention this shrine. According to the Bhagavata, Lord Balarama visited Phalgunam (commonly known as Thiruvananthapuram), took bath in Panchapsaras (Padmateertham) and made a gift of ten thousand cows to holy men. Though the sannidhyam of Lord Padmanabha has always been present in the holy land of Thiruvananthapuram making it a pilgrim spot even during the time of Balarama, the Temple for the Lord came up much later.

Indra, Varuna & Ekadasa Rudrars got relieved of their curses here:

The Indira Loka (or) otherwise called as Swarga is ruled by Indira and Varuna, the rain god is one of the important person who belong to the Indra Lokam. The rain God, Varuna is necessary for giving the rain to this entire world and thereby making the land fertile and rich in its wealth. Similarly, Indira is necessary for making all the Grahams (the planets) to revolve. Likewise, Ekadasa Rudrars, the Hamsa of Lord Shiva, the Rudra. All these 3 persons (i.e) Indira, Varuna and Ekadasa Rudrars were affected by the curses given to them for doing some misdeeds. All these three persons were relieved from their curses by praying to the Lord of this Temple.