2. Kerala-kshetra-mahatmyam

The Kerala Kshetra Mahatmya^[1], wrongly attributed to Vilvamangalam^[2]. The date of the work is later than the 17th century AD. This Mahatmya describe in the various temples of Kerala.

The work reffers^[3] the river at Thirunavay in the list of Tirthas or Holy waters in kerala.

nadī nadāśca pāpaghnāḥ
keraleṣu viśeṣataḥ
nagarābdhiviśeṣā ye
tān bravīmi samāsataḥ
vrīhimukhanadī puṇyā
bhāratī ca śubhā nadī
nāvānadī puṇyatamā
tathā varamukhī nadī |

The third chapter of this work deals at length, with the river Nila or Bharatapuzha, which flows throw, Thirunavay, and with the temple of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva there.

nilānadī puṇyatamā
seyaṃ kalyāṇadāyinī |
trimūrtināṃ madhyabhāga
vāhinī puṇyavardhinī,
gaṅgāsamānodakā ca
snānamātreṇa pāvanī
bhāratākhyā nadī seyaṃ
nityaṃ paścimavāhinī
yatra snāntyamarā nityaṃ
śuddhaye śuddhavarcasaḥ

At Thirunavay the river Nila, equal to the Gangas in Sancity, flows between Vishnu on its northern bank, and Brahma and Siva on the southern bank. Even the holy Devas come and bathe in the river in order to purify themselves.

pratiṣṭhā brāhmaṇo bhūmau
durlabhā nātra saṃśayaḥ
atra trayāṇāṃ bhavati
pratiṣṭhā cātipāvanī
atyatbhutamidaṃ manye
trimūrtināṃ sahāsanam || ^[4]

Brahma temples, says the author, are very rare in the world, and it is a great wonder that all the gods of the Hindu traid reside close to one another in Tirunavay.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Pub. from Trichur 1929

[2]:

Kerala Sanskrit Literature -P -142

[3]:

Keralaksetra Mahatmya -P -108

[4]:

Keralaksetra Mahatmya -P -21