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{{short description|Form of the Hindu god Vishnu}}
{{Short description|Form of the Hindu god Vishnu}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
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{{more citations needed|date=October 2017}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=October 2022}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox deity<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology-->
{{Infobox deity<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Hindu mythology-->
| type = Hindu
| type = Hindu
| image = File:Guruvayoorappan.jpg
| image = GURUVAYURAPPAN - OIL PAINTING BY RAJASEKHARAN.jpg
| caption = Guruvayurappan
| name = Guruvayurappan
| name = Guruvayurappan
| Sanskrit_transliteration = Guruvāyūrappan
| Sanskrit_transliteration = Guruvāyūrappan
| script_name = [[Malayalam]], [[Tamil script|Tamil]], [[Kannada]] <!--Enter name of local script used-->
| affiliation = [[Vaishnavism]]
| script = ഗുരുവായൂരപ്പന്‍, குருவாயூரப்பன், ಗುರುವಾಯೂರಪ್ಪ
| god_of = God of Preservation<hr />God of [[Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kerala|Guruvayur]]
| affiliation = [[Vishnu]] (Worshipped as [[Krishna]])
| god_of = Health, healing and welfare
| abode = [[Vaikuntha]]
| abode = [[Vaikuntha]]
| mantra =Om Namo Narayanaya
| mantra = [[Om Namo Narayanaya]]
| weapon= [[Sudarshana Chakra]] (Disc), [[Panchajanya]] (Dextral Conch), [[Kaumodaki]] (Mace), Padma (Lotus)
| weapon = [[Sudarshana Chakra]], [[Panchajanya]], [[Kaumodaki]]
| consort = Shri [[Lakshmi]]
| consort = [[Lakshmi]]
| mount = [[Garuda]]
| mount = [[Garuda]]
| planet = [[Earth]]
| planet = Earth
| symbol = [[Padma (Vishnu)]]
}}
}}
{{Hinduism small}}
{{Hinduism small}}
{{Vaishnavism|small}}
{{Vaishnavism|small}}
'''Guruvayurappan''' ({{lang-ml|ഗുരുവായൂരപ്പന്‍}}, (transliterated guruvāyūrappan)) also often written '''Guruvayoorappan''', is a form of [[Vishnu]] worshipped mainly in [[Kerala]]. He is the presiding deity of [[Guruvayur temple]],<ref> https://web.archive.org/web/20080120132148/http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/27/stories/2007072750030100.htm</ref> who is being worshiped as Shri [[Krishna]] in his child form, also known as Guruvayur Unnikkannan (literally, <i>'little-Krishna'</i>). Even though the deity is that of ''chaturbahu'' (four handed) [[Vishnu]], the concept (''Sankalpam'') of the people is that the deity is the infant form of Lord Krishna. The deity represents the ''purna rupa'' (full manifestation) revealed by baby Krishna to his parents [[Vasudeva]] and [[Devaki]] immediately after his advent in [[Kamsa]]'s jail.  So this is the reason why baby Krishna is worshipped on a Vishnu deity. The temple is located in the town of [[Guruvayur]], [[Thrissur district]], [[Kerala]], [[India]], which is named after the deity itself.
'''Guruvayurappan''' ({{langx|ml|ഗുരുവായൂരപ്പന്‍}}; {{Transliteration|ml|guruvāyūrappan}}) (lit. Lord / Father of Guruvayoor) also rendered as '''Guruvayoorappan''', is a form of [[Vishnu]] worshipped mainly in [[Kerala]], India. He is the presiding deity of the [[Guruvayur Temple]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/27/stories/2007072750030100.htm |title=The Hindu : Front Page : Dress code relaxed in Guruvayur |website=www.hindu.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120132148/http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/27/stories/2007072750030100.htm |archive-date=20 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> who is worshipped as [[Krishna]] in his child form, also known as Guruvayur Unnikkannan ({{Lit|Little Krishna}} of Guruvayoor). The temple is in the town of [[Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kerala]], which is named after the deity.


The word ''Guruvayurappan'', meaning Lord of Guruvayur, comes from the words [[Brihaspati|Guru]] (ഗുരു) referring to [[Bṛhaspati|Brihaspati]], the [[Guru]] of the [[deva (Hinduism)|Devas]], [[Vayu]] (വായു), the God of Wind and ''Appan'' (അപ്പന്‍), meaning 'father' or '[[Lord]]' in [[Malayalam]]. Since Guru and Vayu installed Krishna's deity, the name Guruvayurappan was given to the deity.<ref>http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org</ref>{{better source|date=October 2017}}
==Regional myths==
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2024}}


It is believed that the idol of Guruvayurappan was worshipped by Vasudeva and Devaki, the parents of Krishna, and represents the full manifestation of Vishnu, and later was worshipped by Krishna, an Avatar of Vishnu Himself. The deity is made of a stone called "Patala Anjanam" or black bismuth and is in the standing pose with four arms, carrying the ''Panchajanya'' (''shanku'' or conch), the ''[[Sudarshana Chakra]]'' (''chakra'' or disc), the ''Koumodaki'' (''gada'' or mace) and ''padma'' (lotus).<ref name="G1">http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org/minstallation.shtml</ref>{{better source|date=October 2017}}
=== King and the cobra ===
An astrologer told a [[kerala]] King that he was destined to die from a cobra bite on a particular day. He was advised to go and pray before Guruvayurappan. The king spent years in meditation and prayer at the feet of the deity. One day, the King realized that the time of his death had passed. He came back to his palace and asked the astrologer why the prediction was wrong. The wise man showed him the mark on his left foot where the cobra had bitten him. Since the king was wholly absorbed in God, Who alone can dispense with fate, he did not feel the sting. In gratitude, the King built the temple at Guruvayur and set apart funds for the daily routine of the temple.


==Story of the Deity==
Most of the current temple building dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, although devotees funded extensions and additions later. The deepastamba (column of lights) was erected in 1836 by a devotee from Thiruvananthapuram. The temple has gopurams in the east and the west. The eastern gopuram has an inscription which refers to the town as "Gurupavanapura". The western gopuram was built in 1747.<ref name="G3">{{cite web |title=Guruvayur Devaswom |url=http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org/htemple2.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050216164630/http://guruvayurdevaswom.org/htemple2.shtml |archive-date=2005-02-16 |website=www.guruvayurdevaswom.org}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Origin of Guruvayoorappan |url=https://guruvayoorlive.in/origin-of-guruvayoorappan/ |website=GURUVAYOORAPPAN}}</ref>[[File:Krishnanattam (théâtre rituel du Kerala).jpg|thumb|Krishnanattam]]
{{Refimprove section|date=July 2018}}
[[File:Sri Guruvaayoorappan Temple Morganville NJIMAG0383.jpg|thumb|300px|Sri Guruvaayoorappan Temple in [[Morganville, New Jersey|Morganville]], [[New Jersey]], [[United States]]]]
[[File:SREE GURUVAYURAPPAN TEMPLE, SALEM - panoramio (2).jpg|thumb|250px|Sree Guruvayurappan Temple, Salem]]
Though the main story about the idol is just starting since the story of Lord Krishna, its antiquity goes long back, since it is believed to have constructed by Lord Vishnu himself. The story is told in detail in the section 'Gurupavanapura Mahatmyam' from [[Narada Purana]]. King [[Parikshit]], the grandson of [[Arjuna]] and the son of [[Abhimanyu]], died of a bite by the poisonous snake [[Takshaka]], due to a curse which fell upon him. King [[Janamejaya II|Janamejaya]], his son, wanted to avenge his father's death by killing all the snakes, including Takshaka, and for that, he conducted a fierce yajna called 'Sarpaahuti Yajna' (Snake sacrifice). Thousands of innocent snakes died in the yajna fire, but Takshaka could not be killed because he had consumed [[amrit]]. Due to this act, Janamejaya was affected by the curse of snakes, and got affected by [[leprosy]]. He tried numerous ways to cure his disease, but none of them worked. He lost his hope to live. At that time, sage Atreya (the son of sage [[Atri]]) came to visit him and told him to worship Lord Mahavishnu in Guruvayur. He then also told the glory of the temple. It is as follows:


Long ago, in the beginning of [[Padma Kalpa]],{{efn|[[Kalpa (Vedanga)|Kalpa]] is a time period in Hinduism. There are 14 Kalpas, which are divided into 14 [[Manvantaras]], which are themselves divided into 71 [[Yuga Cycle|Chaturyugas]] each. It is believed that a Kalpa is one day for [[Lord Brahma]], who is the Creator god in the Hindu mythology.}} when Lord [[Brahma]] was undergoing his work of creation, Lord Mahavishnu appeared before him. When the Creator{{efn|According to Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma is one among the [[Trimurti]]s, along with Lord Vishnu and Lord [[Shiva]], though worshipped rarely. He undergoes the job of creating the universe, while Lord Vishnu preserves it and Lord Shiva destroys it.}} told that he and his creations want '[[mukthi]]' without the bondage of '[[karma]]', Lord Vishnu made an idol of himself and presented it to his friend. Lord Brahma worshipped the idol with deep obeisances for a long time, and in [[Varaha Kalpa]], he gifted it to a sage named [[Sutapas]] and his wife [[Prsni]], who were meditating upon Lord Vishnu for begetting a child. Sutapas and Prashni continued their prayer after getting the idol, and finally the Lord appeared before them. When they expressed their wish, which was that they want a son just like the Lord, he told that would himself be born as their son in three successive births, and in all the three births, they could worship his idol made by himself.
=== King Manaveda and Vilwamangalam ===
King Manaveda told [[Vilwamangalam]] about his ambition to view [[Krishna]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sangeethasabha.blogspot.in/2010/08/manavedans-krishnageethi-story.html|title = Sangeethasabha: Manavedan's 'Krishnageethi'-the story|date = 5 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.templepurohit.com/guruvayoorappan/|title = Guruvayoorappan - Story, Miracles, Slokas, Guruvayur Temple|date = 13 March 2017}}</ref> The next day, the Swamiyar told him that Guruvayurappan has given his consent—Manavedan was permitted to see (but not touch) Guruvayurappan playing in the early hours of the morning at the platform of the Elanji tree. But, when Manavedan saw Guruvayurappan in the form of little child Krishna, he was so excited that he forgot himself and rushed to embrace little Krishna. Guruvayoorappan immediately disappeared saying, "Vilwamangalam did not tell me that this will happen". However, Manavedan got one peacock feather from the headgear of Bhagavan Krishna.


As he said, in the first birth in [[Satya Yuga]], the Lord took birth as [[Prsnigarbha]], the son of Sutapas and Prsni. In that birth, he prophesied the importance of [[brahmacharya]] and gave darshan to his devotee [[Dhruva]], to whom he made a special universe called 'Dhruvaloka'. When Sutapas and Prsni were reborn as [[Kashyapa]] and [[Aditi]], the Lord took birth as their son [[Vamana]] in [[Treta Yuga]]. Finally, when they were reborn as Vasudeva and Devaki, the Lord took birth as their eighth son Krishna. In all the three births, they had the fortune to worship the holy idol of Lord Vishnu made by the Lord himself.
The peacock feather was incorporated in the headgear for the character of Krishna in the dance drama [[Krishnanattam]], based on his{{Whose|date=January 2024}} own text ''[[Krishnanattam#Krishnageethi|Krishnageethi]]''.<ref>[http://www.chintha.com/kerala/krishnanattam-history-origin.html Krishnanattam - History and Origin] chintha.com
{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029034755/http://chintha.com/kerala/krishnanattam-history-origin.html |date=29 October 2018 }} .</ref> It was performed near the sanctum sanctorum of the Guruvayur Temple. On the ninth day, one play (Avatharam) of the drama was repeated, as the Samoothiri felt that it was not auspicious to end the series with the demise of Krishna. The blessed art form is still maintained by Guruvayur [[Devaswom boards in Kerala|Devaswom]] and staged as an offering by devotees.


After coming back from his studies, Lord Krishna took the idol worshipped by his parents to [[Dwarka]], his new abode. He built a temple for the idol here, and daily worshipped the idol with deep obeisances, despite being an avatar of Lord Vishnu himself. Finally, [[Dvapara Yuga]] came to an end. Now it was time for the Lord to return to his [[Vaikuntha|original abode]]. Before leaving to Vaikuntha, he called his friend and disciple [[Uddhava]] and told that Dwarka would be affected by a serious [[Tsunami]] a week later, and the lone non-natural survivor of the flood will be the divine idol worshipped by his parents in three births. He also advised him to hand over the idol to [[Brihaspati]], the Guru of Devas who would come at that moment, and leave to [[Badrinath|Badrikashram]] for doing penance for the rest of the lifetime.
=== Shopkeeper and boy ===
Once, a poor, hungry boy stole a banana from a nearby fruit shop. Being a devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan, he dropped half the banana into the 'hundi', and he ate the other half. The shopkeeper caught hold of the boy and accused him of the theft. The boy admitted his guilt. The shopkeeper did not have the heart to punish this innocent boy, but to teach him a lesson, he ordered him to walk around the temple a certain number of times. The shopkeeper was aghast when he saw Lord Guruvayurappan follow the little boy around the temple. That night, God came to the shopkeeper in a dream and explained, "Since I have also had a share in the stolen banana, I am bound to share the punishment, too. So, I followed the boy around the temple."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070417154306/http://www.madhuramurali.org/swamigal/bok/jun00_bok.html Lilas of Lord Guruvayurappan] madhuramurali.org</ref>


As the Lord prophesied, there came a huge Tsunami on the week followed. Dwarka, which was filled by beautiful palaces, gardens and lush greenery, was completely destroyed in the Tsunami. Only the top of a huge mountain survived. Uddhava had already left to Badrikashram for doing penance, and before leaving, he called Brihaspati and informed him about the idol. By the time Brihaspati reached Dwarka, everything was over. But soon, he saw the holy idol of Lord Vishnu floating on the seawater. Brihaspati was overjoyed, but he could not go near the idol due to the nature of the Tsunami and also it was floating towards the other side. Then he called [[Vayu]], the wind god and one among his important disciples. Vayu, with the help of [[Varuna]], the sea god, created huge waves towards the point where Brihaspati was standing. Brihaspati took the idol in his hands, but he could not answer where to install it. Suddenly, sage [[Parashurama]] appeared there and told them to install the idol in an apt location in Bhargava Kshetra.{{efn|Bhargava means the descendant of [[Bhrigu]]. Sage Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was a descendant of sage Bhrigu, and thus he was called Bhargava or Bhargava Rama (The latter being told to differentiate him from Lord [[Rama]], the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who was called Raghava and Raghurama being the descendant of King [[Raghu]]. Bhargava Kshetra is considered to be the land between [[Kanyakumari]] in the south and [[Gokarna, Karnataka|Gokarna]] in the north, which mainly includes the present-day [[Kerala]], but now also includes parts of [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Karnataka]] states too.}} the land made by him with his [[axe]].
=== Nenmini Unni ===
Once, a Nenmini Namboodiri, the main priest ({{Transliteration|ml|melsanthi}}) at the Guruvayur Temple, instructed his twelve-year-old son, Unni, to offer the ''[[nivadyam]]'' to God. There was no assistant priest ({{Transliteration|ml|keezhsanthi}}) on that day and the Nenmini Namboodiri had to go out on an emergency. The son offered a ''nivedyam'' of cooked rice to God; in his simplicity, he believed that the deity would eat the food, but the deity did not move. Unni bought some salted mangoes and curd from a neighborhood vendor, thinking that God would prefer this, mixed the curd with rice and offered it again. The deity again remained unmoved. Unni cajoled, requested, coaxed and in the end threatened, but the deity remained unmoved. He wept because he believed he had failed and shouted at God, exclaiming that his father would beat him. God could not bear it anymore and made the ''nivedyam'' disappear. The boy left the temple satisfied. Unni did not know that the ''nivedyam'' offered to God was the Variyar's prerequisite. When Variyar returned to the temple, he saw the empty plate and became angry with Unni. Unni insisted that God had eaten the offering, but his words made Variyar furious, as he believed the boy had eaten the offering himself and was lying. His father was about to beat Unni, but just then an ''Asareeri'' (celestial voice) was heard saying, "What Unni told is right. I am guilty. Unni is innocent. I ate all the food that he had offered me. There's no need to punish him".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sevak |date=2013-01-31 |title=Stories Related to Guruvayur {{!}} Holy Dham |url=https://www.holydham.com/stories-related-to-guruvayur/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>


According to the wishes of the Sage, Brihaspati and Vayu took the idol on their hands, and travelled by sky southwards through the sky to find an apt location in Bhargava Kshetra. Suddenly, they saw a large, beautiful lake on the western side of Bhargava Kshetra, very close to the sea. Nearby it, there was lush greenery. Birds chirped allover. Animals were running happily. Breeze spread everywhere. Brihaspati and Vayu realised something divine there. No sooner, they saw Lord [[Shiva]] and Goddess [[Parvati]] dancing on the lake shore. Brihaspati and Vayu landed on the ground and prostrated before the divine parents of the world. Lord Shiva told them that he was waiting for their arrival, and that the apt location for installing the idol of Lord Vishnu was none other the place where they were standing. He also told that it was there the ten princes called Prachetas came for penance upon Lord Vishnu for attaining the status of Prajapati, and he discoursed [[Rudra Gita]] to them. Lord Shiva then declared that since the idol is to be installed by Brihaspati, the Guru and Vayu, the place will be called as 'Guruvayur', and devotees will find solace from the troubles of [[Kali Yuga]].
Nenmini family is still lives in Guruvayur, and is wealthy. It also sponsors the [[Saptami]] (7th day) Vilakku during the annual [[Guruvayur Ekadasi|Ekadasi]] festival in the Malayalam month of [[Vrischikam]].


After hearing this, Brihaspati called [[Vishwakarma]], the divine architect and told him to construct a temple for the deity. Vishwakarma constructed the temple within minutes, with all the necessary components. Brihaspati and Vayu installed the idol with all necessary rituals. Lord Shiva performed the first pooja to the deity. Demigods headed by [[Indra]] showered flowers. [[Narada|Sage Narada]] sang songs. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, who were present throughout the divine moment, later shifted themselves to [[Mammiyur]], a place on the opposite bank of the lake, where they appeared as a Swayambhu [[Shivalinga|Linga]] along with their children [[Ganesha]], [[Kartikeya]] and [[Shasta (deity)|Shasta]]. Since the idol was installed by Brihaspati and Vayu, the place came to be known as Guruvayur, and the deity came to be known as Guruvayurappan, meaning 'The Lord of Guruvayur'. It is considered that Lord Vishnu resides here with his full power as in Vaikuntha, and thus the place is called 'Bhuloka Vaikuntha'. A darshan here is considered to be complete only by worshipping Lord Shiva in Mammiyur. All problems will be solved by this, and even if you die, it is considered great.
[[File:Statue of Poonthanam Namboothiri, Guruvayur, Kerala.jpg|thumb|Statue of [[Poonthanam]] Namboothiri, Guruvayur]]


After hearing this story, Janamejaya proceeded to Guruvayur along with his family, and stayed there for a year. During these days, he worshipped the Lord with deep obeisances and also visited Mammiyur temple to worship Lord Shiva. Finally, on the day before the end of his worship, he had a darshan of Lord Krishna, after which his disease was cured. He returned to his country, and lived happily thereafter.
=== Poonthanam and Melpathur ===
 
[[Poonthanam]] was a contemporary of [[Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri]], another famous poet associated with [[Guruvayur]]. Melpathur, the author of the Sanskrit work ''[[Narayaneeyam]]'', was a famed scholar who out of pride refused Poonthanam's request to read his ''Jnanappana'', a work in Malayalam.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stage for Bhakti|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article677733.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=September 17, 2010}}</ref> Legend has it that Guruvayurappan, impressed by Poonthanam's humility and devotion, preferred his works to those of Bhattathiri's, and once even rebuked Bhattathiri for ignoring Poonthanam's ''Santhanagopala Paana'', saying he preferred Poonthanam's genuine ''[[bhakti]]'' to Bhattathiri's ''vibhakti''.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|title=To lovers of Krishna, in Tamil|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article3657486.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=July 19, 2012}}</ref>
==Construction of the temple==
[[File:Guruvayoor Temple 1.jpg|thumb|left|Guruvayoor temple]]
An astrologer told a [[Pandya]] King that he was destined to die from a cobra bite on a particular day. He was advised to go and pray before Guruvayurappan. The king spent years in meditation and prayer at the feet of the deity. One day, the King realized that the time of his death had passed. He came back to his palace and asked the astrologer why the prediction was wrong. The wise man showed him the mark on his left foot where the cobra had bitten him. Since the king was wholly absorbed in the Lord, Who alone can dispense with fate, he did not feel the sting. In gratitude, the King built the temple at Guruvayur and set apart funds for the daily routine of the temple. Most of the current temple building dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, although rich devotees funded extensions and additions later. The deepastamba (column of lights) was erected in 1836 by a devotee from Thiruvananthapuram. The temple has gopurams in the east and the west. The eastern gopuram has an inscription which refers to the town as "Gurupavanapura". The western gopuram was built in 1747.<ref name='G3'>http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org/htemple2.shtml</ref>{{better source|date=October 2017}}
 
==Legends==
[[File:Krishnanattam (théâtre rituel du Kerala).jpg|thumb|Krishnanattam]]
 
'''King Manaveda and Vilwamangalam''':King Manaveda told [[Vilwamangalam]] about his ambition to view [[Krishna]]<ref>http://sangeethasabha.blogspot.in/2010/08/manavedans-krishnageethi-story.html</ref><ref>https://www.templepurohit.com/guruvayoorappan/</ref> The next day the Swamiyar told him that Guruvayurappan has given his consent and Manavedan can see Guruvayurappan playing in the early hours of the morning at the platform of the Elanji tree.He could only see and not touch Him. When as per this agreement, Manavedan saw Guruvayurappan in the form of little child Sri Krishna, he was so excited that he forgot himself and, rushed to embrace little Sree Krishna.Guruvayoorappan immediately disappeared saying, "Vilwamangalam did not tell me that this will happen ". However, Manavedan got one peacock feather from the head gear of Bhagavan Krishna.
 
The peacock feather was incorporated in the headgear for the character of Sri Krishna in the dance drama [[Krishnanattam]] based on his own text krishnageeti which is composed of eight chapters viz, Avatharam, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam.<ref>[http://www.chintha.com/kerala/krishnanattam-history-origin.html].</ref> It was performed near the sanctum sanctorum of the Guruvayur Temple. On the ninth day, Avatharam was repeated as the Samoothiri felt that it was not auspicious to end the series with the demise of Lord Krishna. The blessed art form is still maintained by guruvayur devaswom and staged as an offering by devotees.
 
'''Shopkeeper and boy''': Once, a poor boy could not get even a morsel of food to appease his hunger, and stole a banana from a nearby fruit shop. Being a devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan, he dropped half the banana into the 'hundi' and he ate the other half. The shop-keeper caught hold of the boy and accused him of the theft. The boy admitted his guilt. The shop-keeper did not have the heart to punish this innocent boy, but to teach him a lesson, he ordered him to walk around the temple a certain number of times. The shop-keeper was aghast when he saw Lord Guruvayurappan follow the little boy around the temple. That night the Lord came to the shopkeeper in a dream and explained, "Since I have also had a share in the stolen banana I am bound to share the punishment, too. So, I followed the boy around the temple." [https://web.archive.org/web/20070417154306/http://www.madhuramurali.org/swamigal/bok/jun00_bok.html]
 
'''Nenmini Unni''': Once a Nenmini Namboodiri, the main priest (melsanthi) at the Guruvayur temple, instructed his twelve-year-old son to offer the Nivedyam to the Lord. There was no assistant priest (keezhsanthi) on that day and the Nenmini Namboodiri had to go out on an urgent engagement, as called by a devotee. The son, Unni, offered a Nivedyam of cooked rice to the Lord; in his simplicity, he believed that the deity would eat the food, but the deity did not move. Unni bought some salted mangoes and curd from a neighborhood vendor, thinking that the Lord would prefer this, mixed the curd with rice and offered it again. The deity again remained unmoved. Unni cajoled, requested, coaxed and in the end threatened, but the deity remained unmoved. He wept because he believed he had failed and shouted at the Lord, exclaiming that his father would beat him. The Lord could not bear it any more, and made the Nivedyam disappear. The boy left the temple satisfied. Unni did not know that the Nivedyam offered to the Lord was the Variyar's prerequisite. When Variyar returned to the temple, he saw the empty plate and became very angry with Unni, but Unni insisted that God had, in fact, eaten the offering. Unni's innocent words made Variyar furious, as he believed the boy had eaten the offering himself and was lying. His father was about to beat Unni, but just then an Asareeri (celestial voice) was heard saying, "What Unni told is right. I am guilty. Unni is innocent. I ate all the food that he had offered me. There's no need to punish him". [http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org/lnenmini.shtml] Nenmini family is still there in Guruvayur, and is still wealthy. It also sponsors the [[Saptami]] (7th day) Vilakku during the annual [[Guruvayur Ekadasi|Ekadasi]] festival in the Malayalam month of [[Vrischikam]].
 
[[File:Statue of Poonthanam Namboothiri, Guruvayur, Kerala.jpg|thumb|Statue of [[Poonthanam]] Namboothiri, Guruvayur]]
'''Poonthanam and Melpathur''':  [[Poonthanam]] was a contemporary of [[Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri]], another famous poet associated with [[Guruvayur]]. Melpathur, the author of the Sanskrit work ''[[Narayaneeyam]]'', was a famed scholar who out of pride refused Poonthanam's request to read his ''Jnanappana'', a work in Malayalam.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stage for Bhakti|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article677733.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=September 17, 2010}}</ref> Legend has it that Guruvayurappan, impressed by Poonthanam's humility and devotion preferred his works to those of Bhattathiri's and once even rebuked Bhattathiri for ignoring Poonthanam's ''Santhanagopala Paana'' saying he preferred Poonthanam’s genuine [[bhakti]] to Bhattathiri’s ''vibhakti''.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|title=To lovers of Krishna, in Tamil|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article3657486.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=July 19, 2012}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Guruvayoor Temple]]
* [[Guruvayoor Temple]]
* [[Guruvayoor]]
* [[Guruvayoor]]
* [[Abhimana Kshethram]]
* [[Divya desam]]


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
Line 78: Line 65:


==External links==
==External links==
* http://www.gurupavanapuri.com
* [http://www.gurupavanapuri.com Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223033630/http://gurupavanapuri.com/ |date=23 December 2007 }}
* http://www.thanjavurpaintings.com/lguruvayur.html
* [http://www.narayaneeyam.com Bhaktaranjini – A Commentary on Srimad Narayaneeyam]
* http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org/lnenmini.shtml
* https://web.archive.org/web/20070417154306/http://www.madhuramurali.org/swamigal/bok/jun00_bok.html
* http://www.narayaneeyam.com


{{DEFAULTSORT:Guruvayurappan}}
[[Category:Forms of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Forms of Vishnu]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Kerala]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Kerala]]
[[Category:Guruvayur]]
[[Category:Guruvayur]]

Latest revision as of 21:17, 9 March 2026


Guruvayurappan
God of Preservation
God of Guruvayur
Sanskrit transliterationGuruvāyūrappan
AffiliationVaishnavism
AbodeVaikuntha
PlanetEarth
MantraOm Namo Narayanaya
WeaponSudarshana Chakra, Panchajanya, Kaumodaki
SymbolPadma (Vishnu)
MountGaruda
ConsortLakshmi
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Closeup of Vishnu, seated in the lotus position on a lotus. From depiction of the poet Jayadeva bowing to Vishnu, Gouache on paper Pahari, The very picture of devotion, bare-bodied, head bowed, legs crossed and hands folded, Jayadeva stands at left, with the implements of worship placed before the lotus-seat of Vishnu who sits there, blessing the poet.
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Guruvayurappan (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; guruvāyūrappan) (lit. Lord / Father of Guruvayoor) also rendered as Guruvayoorappan, is a form of Vishnu worshipped mainly in Kerala, India. He is the presiding deity of the Guruvayur Temple,[1] who is worshipped as Krishna in his child form, also known as Guruvayur Unnikkannan (lit. 'Little Krishna' of Guruvayoor). The temple is in the town of Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kerala, which is named after the deity.

Regional myths[edit | edit source]

King and the cobra[edit | edit source]

An astrologer told a kerala King that he was destined to die from a cobra bite on a particular day. He was advised to go and pray before Guruvayurappan. The king spent years in meditation and prayer at the feet of the deity. One day, the King realized that the time of his death had passed. He came back to his palace and asked the astrologer why the prediction was wrong. The wise man showed him the mark on his left foot where the cobra had bitten him. Since the king was wholly absorbed in God, Who alone can dispense with fate, he did not feel the sting. In gratitude, the King built the temple at Guruvayur and set apart funds for the daily routine of the temple.

Most of the current temple building dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, although devotees funded extensions and additions later. The deepastamba (column of lights) was erected in 1836 by a devotee from Thiruvananthapuram. The temple has gopurams in the east and the west. The eastern gopuram has an inscription which refers to the town as "Gurupavanapura". The western gopuram was built in 1747.[2][3]

Krishnanattam

King Manaveda and Vilwamangalam[edit | edit source]

King Manaveda told Vilwamangalam about his ambition to view Krishna.[4][5] The next day, the Swamiyar told him that Guruvayurappan has given his consent—Manavedan was permitted to see (but not touch) Guruvayurappan playing in the early hours of the morning at the platform of the Elanji tree. But, when Manavedan saw Guruvayurappan in the form of little child Krishna, he was so excited that he forgot himself and rushed to embrace little Krishna. Guruvayoorappan immediately disappeared saying, "Vilwamangalam did not tell me that this will happen". However, Manavedan got one peacock feather from the headgear of Bhagavan Krishna.

The peacock feather was incorporated in the headgear for the character of Krishna in the dance drama Krishnanattam, based on his[whose?] own text Krishnageethi.[6] It was performed near the sanctum sanctorum of the Guruvayur Temple. On the ninth day, one play (Avatharam) of the drama was repeated, as the Samoothiri felt that it was not auspicious to end the series with the demise of Krishna. The blessed art form is still maintained by Guruvayur Devaswom and staged as an offering by devotees.

Shopkeeper and boy[edit | edit source]

Once, a poor, hungry boy stole a banana from a nearby fruit shop. Being a devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan, he dropped half the banana into the 'hundi', and he ate the other half. The shopkeeper caught hold of the boy and accused him of the theft. The boy admitted his guilt. The shopkeeper did not have the heart to punish this innocent boy, but to teach him a lesson, he ordered him to walk around the temple a certain number of times. The shopkeeper was aghast when he saw Lord Guruvayurappan follow the little boy around the temple. That night, God came to the shopkeeper in a dream and explained, "Since I have also had a share in the stolen banana, I am bound to share the punishment, too. So, I followed the boy around the temple."[7]

Nenmini Unni[edit | edit source]

Once, a Nenmini Namboodiri, the main priest (melsanthi) at the Guruvayur Temple, instructed his twelve-year-old son, Unni, to offer the nivadyam to God. There was no assistant priest (keezhsanthi) on that day and the Nenmini Namboodiri had to go out on an emergency. The son offered a nivedyam of cooked rice to God; in his simplicity, he believed that the deity would eat the food, but the deity did not move. Unni bought some salted mangoes and curd from a neighborhood vendor, thinking that God would prefer this, mixed the curd with rice and offered it again. The deity again remained unmoved. Unni cajoled, requested, coaxed and in the end threatened, but the deity remained unmoved. He wept because he believed he had failed and shouted at God, exclaiming that his father would beat him. God could not bear it anymore and made the nivedyam disappear. The boy left the temple satisfied. Unni did not know that the nivedyam offered to God was the Variyar's prerequisite. When Variyar returned to the temple, he saw the empty plate and became angry with Unni. Unni insisted that God had eaten the offering, but his words made Variyar furious, as he believed the boy had eaten the offering himself and was lying. His father was about to beat Unni, but just then an Asareeri (celestial voice) was heard saying, "What Unni told is right. I am guilty. Unni is innocent. I ate all the food that he had offered me. There's no need to punish him".[8]

Nenmini family is still lives in Guruvayur, and is wealthy. It also sponsors the Saptami (7th day) Vilakku during the annual Ekadasi festival in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam.

Statue of Poonthanam Namboothiri, Guruvayur

Poonthanam and Melpathur[edit | edit source]

Poonthanam was a contemporary of Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, another famous poet associated with Guruvayur. Melpathur, the author of the Sanskrit work Narayaneeyam, was a famed scholar who out of pride refused Poonthanam's request to read his Jnanappana, a work in Malayalam.[9] Legend has it that Guruvayurappan, impressed by Poonthanam's humility and devotion, preferred his works to those of Bhattathiri's, and once even rebuked Bhattathiri for ignoring Poonthanam's Santhanagopala Paana, saying he preferred Poonthanam's genuine bhakti to Bhattathiri's vibhakti.[10]

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "The Hindu : Front Page : Dress code relaxed in Guruvayur". www.hindu.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Guruvayur Devaswom". www.guruvayurdevaswom.org. Archived from the original on 16 February 2005.
  3. ↑ "Origin of Guruvayoorappan". GURUVAYOORAPPAN.
  4. ↑ "Sangeethasabha: Manavedan's 'Krishnageethi'-the story". 5 August 2010.
  5. ↑ "Guruvayoorappan - Story, Miracles, Slokas, Guruvayur Temple". 13 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Krishnanattam - History and Origin chintha.com Archived 29 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine .
  7. ↑ Lilas of Lord Guruvayurappan madhuramurali.org
  8. ↑ Sevak (31 January 2013). "Stories Related to Guruvayur | Holy Dham". Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "Stage for Bhakti". The Hindu. 17 September 2010.
  10. ↑ "To lovers of Krishna, in Tamil". The Hindu. 19 July 2012.

External links[edit | edit source]

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