Veda Narayana Temple, Nagalapuram – Legends

Veda Narayana Temple, Nagalapuram – Legends

According to Mathsya Purana, a demon king called Somukasura once stole the 4 Vedas and kept them in his custody under the sea. Brahma, who is the creator, was worried as the whole world cannot function without the presence of Vedas. He went and pleaded to Lord Vishnu to save the Vedas and the universe. At the same time, the king of Dravidas and Devotee of Lord Vishnu, Satyavrata who was later known as Manu was offering water during Sandhya Vandanam.

Lord Vishnu in the form of a small fish came into his hands and pleaded to save its life. He drops it in his Kamandalam. Overnight the fish became too big to be in Kamandalam. By the request of the fish he moved it in to another big bowl, but soon fish became too big for the vessel also. Then Satyavrata then left the fish in a pond but in no time the fish grew as large as pond. Satyavrata left it into a lake and fish started growing bigger and bigger. It went on asking for larger and larger space.

Finally, he decided to leave it into an ocean, but fish pleaded not to do so. Satyavrata got doubt how a fish can grow so big in a single day and realized it is none other than Lord Vishnu in the form of fish. He prayed to Lord Vishnu and asked why he took the form of a fish. Lord Vishnu told him that Pralayam will occur soon and at that time you will see a spacious boat approaching you and also told him to collect all variety of seeds, accompanied by Seven Saints along with Serpent Vasuki and other animals.

The fish left for fulfilling its mission. Lord Vishnu in the form of the fish killed Somukasura and brought the Vedas back and gave them to Lord Brahma to resume the creation at appropriate time. As God saved Vedas here, he is known as Sri Veda Narayana Perumal. Pralaya started and ocean began rising. A boat came near them and all of them got into it, the boat was tied to a fish’s horn using Vasuki as rope. They sailed on the water throughout the Pralaya. Thus, Vishnu saved the mankind from extinction. During this journey Sages and Manu asked Lord Vishnu several questions. The answers that Lord Vishnu gave form the text of Matsya Purana.