Radhekrishna ! The word Janardanan is referred to as a synonym for Mahavishnu in amara kosa! A group of asuras who lived beyond the sea were called as 'janam'. Since the Lord suppressed the asuras He got the name Janardana! 'Janam' also means humans. Humans pray for the 4 purusharthas - dharmam, artham, kaamam, moksham - to the Lord. So He is 'Jana-ardana' ! Lord Janardana destroys birth or 'janmam'. He destroys the janamas - bodies as Hara. He is praised in Vishnusahasranam as :-
'Sarvaga sarvavid bhanur vishvakseno janardanah.'
Lord Mahavishnu Himself is the virat purushah, Vishvaksena and Janardanah!
Varkala Sree Janardanaswamy temple is situated about a few kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram. It is a very old and popular place of pilgrimage. Among all the Vishnu temples of India it is only here, the deity of Janardana is consecrated. . The greatness of Varkala temple is referred in Brahmanta purana. This temple existed much before the Ramayana period. The history of this temple is very strange.
Brahma the grandfather of all beings was seated presiding the Brahmasabha in 'sathyaloka' amidst Indra, devas, ashtavasus, Rishis etc. At that time the great devotee 'Narada' carrying his veena 'Mahathi' singing songs in praise of Lord Vishnu came there. Enthralled by his singing the Lord was following him closely. Seeing the Lord immersed in Narada's music Brahma hurriedly got up in respect with folded hands followed by others who saw him getting up. When the Lord realised He was in sathyaloka He immediately disappeared unmindful of Brahma. The the navaprajapathis (devas) who were present, failed to see the Lord who had come there due to their ignorance. Seeing only sage Narada they felt that Brahma had broken the protocol by getting up in respect before his son. By his act they feared that the world will be misled and good manners of respecting elders will disappear from the people. So they raised their objection in strong voice.
Brahma who got upset because of the prajapathi's complaint without realising the truth behind his act and cursed them to be born as humans in earth. The prajapathis realised it was all due to their ignorance and ego that they lost their intelligence and got the curse. They became terrified since they didnt know where to stay or what to do. They pleaded with sage Narada to help them. Sage Narada moved by their fear advised them to go to the divine Bhargava kshethra (Kerala) on the banks of the southern seas. There near Kanvashramam is an aswatha (pipal) tree! He told them to do penance in that place and get relieved of their sins. To help them find their place saint Narada threw a 'valkalam' - clothing to the earth. The prajapathis followed the valkalam and reached the pipal tree. So this place got the name 'valkala kshethram' which turned out to be Varkala now.
Meanwhile Narada reached Vaikunta and informed the Lord of the state of the prajapathis. Bhagavan told Narada that all has happened due to their prarabdha karma only. He said moksha will not be granted to them until He is convinced of the purity of their bhakthi. The prajapathis sat under the pipal tree chanting the ashtakshara manthram of the Lord in full penance. Pleased by their penance the Lord sent His Sudarsana disc to where they were doing penance. The disc with brilliance equal to 1000 suns brought the sacred Ganges along with it from Patala. It became a small pond near the pipal tree. The prajapathis became very happy and praised Sudarsana who is a weapon in the Lord's hand. Sudarsana uttered 'Om' and disappeared.
Blessed by Sudarsana the prajapathis took bath in the divine pond and became blemishless. They returned to their abode. Brahma also blessed that a bath in the pond would remove all the sins of humans and the place where Narada's valkalam fell down will be full of sanctity. This kshethra was there much before Lord Janardana came here. Once Brahma conducted a Vishnu Yagam in this place, to bring prosperity to the earth . At the conclusion of the Yagam Brahma wanted to offer unlimited food made to somebody who deserves that. He did not feel the devas, or maharshis qualified to receive his offering. He waited patiently even forgoing his 'srishti karma' or creation. Knowing this the Lord appeared as an old brahmin before him. Seeing Him Brahma felt He was the right person to accept his offerings. So he invited the old brahmin to accept the food items as much as He wanted from the Yagasala.
The brahmin entered the kitchen and within a short time finished all the food items prepared and kept there. Then Brahma realised this was no ordinary man. Immediately He hurried towards the brahmin. By this time the brahmin was about to finish the last morsel kept on His right palm. Brahma caught hold of the hand and stopped Him from finishing that morsel of food. He prayed to the Brahmin that he knew it was Sri Hari Himself. He knew that if the Lord finished the last morsel then the world will disappear.and so begged Him not to do so. He agreed to obey whatever the Lord orders. Bhagavan attained His divine form and told Brahma that he was pleased with Brahma's yagam and ordered him to start srishti or creation. He was ready to fulfill Brahma's any wish now.
Immediately Brahma bowed before Bhagavan and requested Him to be present in this divya kshethra as Lord Janardana with His unfinished food on His right palm. The Lord agreed and stayed there as Lord Janardanan. Brahma did abhishekam to the Lord with the divine water from the 'chakra thirtha'. All these happened during thretha yuga much before Ramavathara period. This place was popular during dwapara yugam too. The deity worshipped by Brahma in the long run of time got under sea due to sea erosion or so. It was reinstalled by a Pandya king named Shubhra yasass.
Due to brahmahathya papa the King Shubhra yasass became a lunatic and wandered all over the country. He was followed by his minister who was sincere and true to the King. The minister took the king to almost all punya kshethras in Bharatha. Finally they reached Agasthyashramam in Varkala. Immediately there was sudden changes in the king's behaviour. When they reached under the Pipal tree the king's insanity vanished and he became normal. The minister bathed him in the Chakra thirtha and his brahmahathya sins were lost. The king was very happy.
He saw a Rishi doing penance in the ashram built by the Prajapathis. They approached the saint and seeked his blessings. He smiled and blessed the king. He told the king that he has an important accomplishment to do. On enquiry the Rishi told him he dreamt that the deity of Lord Jagannatha was lying under the sea. The deity had lost its right hand. Lots of flowers will appear on the sea where the deity was lying underneath. The deity should be taken out, right hand refixed and consecrated in the temple again.
Next day when the king went to the sea they saw numerous flowers floating far away on the sea.The king ordered the place to be searched. Attendants spread nets in the sea and searched. The deity with its right hand damaged was caught. The king made the necessary repairs on the deity and consecrated it beside the pipal tree. A temple was built over it. A Siva linga brought from Mandara mountain was also consecrated there along with Sastha and Ganapthy. Jagadguru Sankaracharya has visited this temple.The deity was consecrated on uthram star in the month of 'Meenam'. The annual festival is conducted on this day every year. On the 'arattu day the Lord is taken in procession to the sea for the holy bath and again at the Chakra thirtha.
The funeral ashes of the loved ones are offered by people in the sea sanctified by the Lord's presence. It is believed that the pithru karmas done here bring moksha for their loved ones. The temple surrounded by natural beauty stands defying time and sea erosion attracting pilgrims. The sacred river Ganges rising from the Lord's feet as papanasini here destroys the sins of devotees. Visitors to Trivandrum should necessarily visit this punya kshethra and get the blessings of Lord Janardana ! !
Meanwhile Narada reached Vaikunta and informed the Lord of the state of the prajapathis. Bhagavan told Narada that all has happened due to their prarabdha karma only. He said moksha will not be granted to them until He is convinced of the purity of their bhakthi. The prajapathis sat under the pipal tree chanting the ashtakshara manthram of the Lord in full penance. Pleased by their penance the Lord sent His Sudarsana disc to where they were doing penance. The disc with brilliance equal to 1000 suns brought the sacred Ganges along with it from Patala. It became a small pond near the pipal tree. The prajapathis became very happy and praised Sudarsana who is a weapon in the Lord's hand. Sudarsana uttered 'Om' and disappeared.
The brahmin entered the kitchen and within a short time finished all the food items prepared and kept there. Then Brahma realised this was no ordinary man. Immediately He hurried towards the brahmin. By this time the brahmin was about to finish the last morsel kept on His right palm. Brahma caught hold of the hand and stopped Him from finishing that morsel of food. He prayed to the Brahmin that he knew it was Sri Hari Himself. He knew that if the Lord finished the last morsel then the world will disappear.and so begged Him not to do so. He agreed to obey whatever the Lord orders. Bhagavan attained His divine form and told Brahma that he was pleased with Brahma's yagam and ordered him to start srishti or creation. He was ready to fulfill Brahma's any wish now.
Immediately Brahma bowed before Bhagavan and requested Him to be present in this divya kshethra as Lord Janardana with His unfinished food on His right palm. The Lord agreed and stayed there as Lord Janardanan. Brahma did abhishekam to the Lord with the divine water from the 'chakra thirtha'. All these happened during thretha yuga much before Ramavathara period. This place was popular during dwapara yugam too. The deity worshipped by Brahma in the long run of time got under sea due to sea erosion or so. It was reinstalled by a Pandya king named Shubhra yasass.
Due to brahmahathya papa the King Shubhra yasass became a lunatic and wandered all over the country. He was followed by his minister who was sincere and true to the King. The minister took the king to almost all punya kshethras in Bharatha. Finally they reached Agasthyashramam in Varkala. Immediately there was sudden changes in the king's behaviour. When they reached under the Pipal tree the king's insanity vanished and he became normal. The minister bathed him in the Chakra thirtha and his brahmahathya sins were lost. The king was very happy.
He saw a Rishi doing penance in the ashram built by the Prajapathis. They approached the saint and seeked his blessings. He smiled and blessed the king. He told the king that he has an important accomplishment to do. On enquiry the Rishi told him he dreamt that the deity of Lord Jagannatha was lying under the sea. The deity had lost its right hand. Lots of flowers will appear on the sea where the deity was lying underneath. The deity should be taken out, right hand refixed and consecrated in the temple again.
Next day when the king went to the sea they saw numerous flowers floating far away on the sea.The king ordered the place to be searched. Attendants spread nets in the sea and searched. The deity with its right hand damaged was caught. The king made the necessary repairs on the deity and consecrated it beside the pipal tree. A temple was built over it. A Siva linga brought from Mandara mountain was also consecrated there along with Sastha and Ganapthy. Jagadguru Sankaracharya has visited this temple.The deity was consecrated on uthram star in the month of 'Meenam'. The annual festival is conducted on this day every year. On the 'arattu day the Lord is taken in procession to the sea for the holy bath and again at the Chakra thirtha.
The funeral ashes of the loved ones are offered by people in the sea sanctified by the Lord's presence. It is believed that the pithru karmas done here bring moksha for their loved ones. The temple surrounded by natural beauty stands defying time and sea erosion attracting pilgrims. The sacred river Ganges rising from the Lord's feet as papanasini here destroys the sins of devotees. Visitors to Trivandrum should necessarily visit this punya kshethra and get the blessings of Lord Janardana ! !
