Thripunithura Poornathrayisa temple.

Vamam padam prasarya shritha durithaharam

dakshinam kunchayithvaa

Janunyaadhaaya vaametharam ithara bhujam

sesha bhoge nidhaaya

Paschath panidvayena prathibhata samane

sankha chakre dadhana:

Devo bhooshadi yuktha:  thridasapathi nutha:

paadu Poornathrayisa: 

          Recently I had the fortune of visiting Thripunithura. I had heard a lot about Sri Poornathrayisa from some residents of Thripunithura with whom I have contacts. Just as I reached the city I dashed to the temple in time to have the divine darsan of the Lord. I was lucky since the doors closed as soon as I finished my darsan. Purely due to the Lord's and my guru's grace I could have that heart filling darsan. I couldn't make out His posture as the Lord was covered with flower garlands below His face.  The beauty of the smiling face will steal the hearts of everyone I must say! Oh Krishna! You are rightly called as 'Bhuvanasundara'! But then I noticed that the idol had no eyes marked, which was very strange. Coming out of the temple I asked my cousin who had taken me there about it. She gave me an abridged form of the history of the temple.

          During the time of Sri Krishna, Lord Vaikuntanatha wanted to see for Himself both Arjuna and Sri Krishna (Nara Narayana). According to His divine plans a brahmin belonging to Dwaraka lost his eight children at their birth itself. He blamed the Lord since the sin of the King reaches his citizens. Arjuna could no longer stand the brahmin's sprout of angry words. So he volunteered to save the brahmin's next child during its delivery time. But unfortunately Arjuna could not save that child too. Dejected he decided to commit suicide by jumping in to fire. Lord Krishna hearing this came at the right time to stop him from the disaster and took him to Vaikunta in search of the brahmin's children. 

       There on the divine bed of Anantha, they saw the kids playing along with the Lord and Goddess Lakshmi. Vaikuntanatha pleased by them gave them the brahmin's children to be taken back. But the children refused to leave Vaikunta their erstwhile home, and the divine couple who were their erstwhile parents! So it was decided that the form of the Lord of Vaikunta to be consecrated in the earth for the sake of the children. It is said that the Lord gave Arjuna an idol along the the children. There is another version that Lord Krishna presented Arjuna with the idol. 

         Arjuna placed the idol inside his 'pooni' or quiver (the basket of arrows) and carried the 10 children of the brahmin in both his hands. He returned the children to the brahmin and wanted to instal the deity somewhere for the kid's sake. He seeked Lord Ganesa's help in searching for a good place. Together they kept the idol in a palace half a kilometer west of the temple. It is popularly known as Poonithura kottaram. Then they found 'Poornavedapuram', perfect place. Lord Ganesa attracted by the holiness of the ancient village, Himself occupied the place. But Arjuna pushed Him to the southwest side and installed the deity there. This is the only place where we see Lord Ganesa facing the south. The place was surrounded by mustard fields. Arjuna crushed some mustard seeds to light a lamp. Even today we can see the 'valiya vilakku' in front of the idol. It is said that the burnt oil of the lamp is of medicinal value. 

      Poornathrayisa means the Lord of the three Vedas namely Rig, Yajur and Sama. As the Lord is supposed to be Santhana Gopala Murthy many childless couples come here seeking for children and many are blessed with children. The Lord has an unique posture here. Lord Vishnu, is in a sitting posture under the divine hoods of Lord Anantha, who serves as an umbrella, a throne, sandals, bed, etc. Here Anantha serves as a throne with the hoods as umbrella. We can have a closer look of Anantha through a hole at the backside of the sanctum. According to folklore the sculptor who was engaged in making the idol lost himself by its beauty that he merged in the idol before finishing it. So they say the eyes were not carved. If without the eyes being carved the Lord is so attractive then what to say if He were with those Lotus eyes! Nobody can stand His  beauty! So it must have been in the divine plan itself!

       It is also said that Lord Poornathrayisa is the elder brother of Goddesses of Chottanikkara and Pishari temples. He is also believed to have married a Nampoothiri girl 'Nangema' from Vadakkedathu mana. Blessed is the family who gave their daughter to the Lord Himself in marriage!   During the annual temple festival occasions, deities from Perumthiri kovil (Lord Siva) and Pishari kovil (Goddess Lakshmi) visit here for a combined procession. The processions are locally termed as Sankara Narayana Vilakku and Lakshmi Narayana Vilakku. The arattu or the holy bath of the deity during the uthsavam is conducted in the temple pond of Chakkamkulangara Siva temple.

       There is a big lamp which is said to be the first lamp lighted by Arjuna. Oil to this lamp is considered to be an important offering (vazhipadu). The present structure was reconstructed in the year 1921 since the entire structure was destroyed by a fire accident in the year 1920.These were the information my cousin passed on to me. As I had to return the same day itself I couldn't have darsan a second time. I pray Poornathrayisa to bless me more opportunities for the divine darsan! 

 Eranakulam Junction Railway Station, is just around 10 km from Thripunithura.
Thripunithura  is an important center between Cochin city and other places such as Kottayam, Muvattupuzha and Piravom. Frequent bus services are available to all the major places.
 Cochin International Airport is the nearest airport.
Radhekrishna Radhekrishna.