Guruvayur Temple Story

The Guruvayur Temple has an interesting legend tied to its origin. In Dwarka, there was a special idol of Lord Vishnu that had been gifted to Brahma by Vishnu himself. The story goes that King Sutapa and his queen prayed to Brahma for a child. Pleased with their devotion, Brahma gave them the idol and instructed them to worship it regularly. The king followed these instructions with great dedication. Lord Vishnu, delighted by their worship, promised to be born in many forms to their family. In their next birth, King Sutapa and his queen were born as King Kashyap and Queen Aditi, and Lord Vishnu was born to them in the form of Vamana. In another subsequent birth, Sutapa was born as Vasudeva, and Lord Krishna was born to his wife Devaki. After Krishna defeated Kansa, he gave the idol to Sage Dhaumya, who installed it in Dwarka. Later, when Dwarka was about to be submerged in the ocean, Krishna sent a message through his friend Uddhava to Guru Brihaspati. Krishna informed him that the idol was extraordinary and would be highly beneficial for devotees in the age of Kali. When Brihaspati arrived, Dwarka had already sunk. With the help of Vayu Dev (the deity of wind), he recovered the idol and searched for a suitable place to install it. Eventually, the idol was established in Kerala at a location where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati had enjoyed serene moments by a beautiful lake. With Shiva’s approval, Brihaspati installed the idol there. Since Guru Brihaspati and Vayu Dev were involved in the installation, the temple was named Guruvayur. This temple in Kerala is considered divine, and its beauty is unmatched. Visiting the Guruvayur Temple is said to be a truly blessed experience. Alternatively, devotees can offer their prayers and donations from home through services connected to other famous Krishna temples.