A temple that needs no introduction, famous for its recent press releases and treasures found in the underground vaults, and is the world’s richest temple! However, in this article, we are not discussing the mystery or the treasure found there. Anatha Padmanabha Swamy, meaning Infinite Being, where creation started from his navel with the birth of Brahma inside the lotus flower. This divine dham is one among the 108 divya desam, a sacred abode of Lord Vishnu, the Supreme God of all.
To learn more about the divine temple, we need to travel back to 330 BCE. Before we dive deep into the devotional journey, let’s remember the Supreme Lord Mahavishnu, who resides in Vaikunta on his serpent bed, Adishesha, beautifully roped with a yellow silk cloth around his waist and adorned with Kaustubha on his chest, along with a garland and jewels on his body, with a beautiful smile on his face, with closed eyes in his cosmic slumber.
|| OM NAMO NARAYANAYA ||
Why is the main idol special?
The temple architecture differs from that of other temples in Kerala. It resembles the architecture of Tamil Nadu temples. The Gopuram at the entrance of the temple is 100 feet tall. This divine Dham Gopuram is an architectural marvel that bewilders tourists and devotees around the world. On the day of the equinox, when daytime and night are equal, the Sun’s rays pass through all five windows of the Gopuram, offering devotees a spectacular view of the architectural Marvel. This phenomenon occurs twice a year.
When it comes to the main Idol, the magnificent form of Lord Padmanabha is 18 feet long. Devotees have to see the Lord through three doors, as it is impossible to see the entire idol from one door due to its magnificent form. The Idol is made up of 12,008 Saligramas, which are found only in the Gandaki River in Nepal. Also, a sacred Katusarkara yagam, an ayurvedic paste mix of crushed mustard, lime powder, jaggery, and some herbs, is applied to hold the Saligramas together. On top of it, the idol is adorned with diamonds, rare rubies, and other precious gems found around the world. Due to this, they never perform abikshem to the idol. Instead, they perform abikesham to Utsava Murti.
Legends of Anatha Padmanabha Swamy
This divine temple is described in numerous Puranas. Once, there used to live a Tulu Brahmin by the name Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar; he is also called Divakara Muni. A great devotee of Lord Vishnu, he had a very strong desire to see the Lord, so he started performing tapas.
One fortunate night, he had a dream to look for a child; that child would lead him to Lord Vishnu. The next day, as usual, he went to perform his daily ritual, praying to Lord Vishnu. He found a handsome, charming child wandering in the forest. He requested the child to come with him. The child had a condition to visit his home; if he scolded the child for his mischief, he would go away.
He agrees to it and takes the boy and goes home. The boy tested the sage’s patience with his playful pranks and games. Many days went by; one day, the boy started playing with the idol, which the sage performed daily prayers. The sage lost his cool and started scolding the child for his mischief; the boy started running into the forest. The sage, who had developed an affection towards the boy, felt sad and started following him. In front of his eyes, the boy merged into the Iluppai tree.
Later, the tree fell on the ground and formed a huge Idol of Lord Vishnu in Anatha Sayanam Pose, where the Lord is resting on Adhishesha. The bewildered sage folded his hands and was in horripilation. The sage requested the lord to show mercy and reduce the size so that he could see him. The reduced size is 18 feet idol. Even today, all the devotees see the Lord in three parts: face, navel, and foot due it humangous size.
Another Legend is that Lord Parashurama, an Avatar of Lord Vishnu, used to pray to the idol of Lord Anatha Padmanabha Swamy; later, he gave the idol to the Local Brahmins in that area.
Conclusion
Anatha Padmanabha temple is not just about the treasure that they found in the year 2011, estimated at around 22 billion. Nor is it about what is beyond Vault B? Will a tsunami come when it is opened, or is it really guarded by serpents?
It is a divine abode of Lord Vishnu in its real form. This is one among 108 divya desam, also known as Moksha Dham. Visit the divine place and get the blessings of Lord Padmanabha.
|| Om Namo Narayanaya||
I will write Part 2 of this blog, not about any mystery nor about treasure. If God permits me to visit his divine abode. I will write about my visit and my experience. I wish I could get a chance to visit him and immerse myself in his devotion.
Beautiful bond between King Thondaman and Lord Venkateshwara – Brahmatatsattva
