3. Sri-Vallabha-kshetra-mahatmyam

The Sri-Vallabha-kshetra-mahatmyam^[1] is a Sanskrit metrical account of the origin of the Maha Vishnu temple in Thiruvalla, comprising 244 slokas in four chapters, in the form of a dialogue between Suta and Saunaka.

There is a reference the river Nila with the temples of Tirunavay and Tiruvilvamala to the north and south of it. Five Yojanas to the south of that river there is the celebrated Siva temple of Rushabhadri (Trichur in Cochin). Thirty Yojanas to the south of its is a grama (or Brahmin village) called Thiruvalla. Mahatmya refers the grama is also known as Chakrapuram.

Legendary History about Thiruvalla and Sri-vallabha Kshetram

There is a legendary narrated in this Mahatmya in four chapters. In that village lived a very devout Namboothiri widow. She had no children, and so she was regularly observed fast on all Ekadasi days and entertaining Brahmins on the following morning with one half of the food offered by her to Vishnu. But the inhabitants of Tiruvalla (Thiruvalla) fled from the place one by one out of dread of the Asura Toliya, and finally no Brahmin came one day to be entertained by the venerable widow of Sankaramangalam. She was extremely sorry. Immediately Vishnu himself appeared as her guest in the form of young Nambudiri, who gave cut his name as Vasudeva. Inspite of the lady’s remonstrances he went to bathe in the Vishaghana river (Manimala River) close by and encountered Toliya in that river. In the struggle that ensued Toliya was worsted and he dived down into the depths of it followed by the discus of Vishnu, who then returned to the lady’s house after having made Brahma offer Pushpanjali (worship with flowers) to the great Linga set up by Toliya on the bank of the river and regularly worshipped by him.

The devout lady set before the young Vasudevan Namburi food offered by her that morning to Vishnu. Immediately the Rishi Durvasas and four of his disciples appeared before the guest, who divided the food among the new Brahmin guests without tasting it himself. Lakshmi herself appeared before the five guests and served amlam (sour curry called truppuli in Malayalam) prepared by her. The poor widow stood aghast for a moment and enquired of the young man who he really was. “Neither father nor mother have I”, said the wonderful youth, “nor do I belong to any particular place. Everything is possible for me; what can I do for you?” “Be my son” was the lady’s request, and young Vasudeva agreed. She then fell on the ground saying, “Vasudevatvamevadya gaith”, and was absorbed into Vishnu’s from.

Toliya and the discus of Visnu fought in the depths of the Vishaghana river and in his despair he devoured the weapon, which immediately made short work of him and returned to the young Vasudeva’s hand. Having regard to all the miracles that took place there, Durvasas entreated Vasudeva to stay in Tiruvalla itself. Vishnu consented, saying “I am bound to stay here as I have already become the Sankaramangalam ady’s son.” “There is an image of mine”, he added “made by Visvakarma for Satyaki Since the time of Satyaki’s death Garuda has been keeping it safe in the depths of a river. Bring that image by the agency of Brahmins and set it up here. Give half the food offered to me to the Brahmins, and you yourself put everything in order here, Vishnu then commanded his Sudarsana discus to remain there, facing the west, to guard his temple, and set it up in Mallikavana. Immediately he disappeared from the presence of Durvasas. The grama was thence-forward known as Chakrapuram.

One night Garuda appeared to her as a Brahmin at the instance of Durvasas and asked her to request her husband to set up in Chakrapuram the image of Vishnu that some Brahmins would bring to the palace the following day from Prabhasa tirtha (holy water) where Garuda had been keeping it safe. The very same night Garuda in the form of an ascetic asked the Brahmins of the Tulu country one by one in a dream to take to Kulasekhara the following day the image of Vishnu treasured in the depth called Bhadra in the river Netravati. Next morning the Tulu Brahmins dived for the image but failed to discover it until at last Garuda himself in the guise of an aged Brahmin came and lifted up the image in no time from the depth of the river. The Tulus were wonderstruck and recognising him to be none other than Garuda himself resolved to set up his image also in Chakrapuram close to Vishnu’s.

The vast riches of the widow of Sankaramangalam was set apart for the performance of special puja to Vishnu on Dvadasi days. After having arranged all these and given munificent gifts of land for the daily, monthly and yearly pujas of the god. King Kulasekhara returned with his wife Vallabha to his own city. Chakrapuram thereafter came to be known as Sri Vallabha Grama because Sri Vallabha (Lakshmi’s husband) took up his abode there.

List of various kinds of offerings to be given to the god to please him and to acquire merit. Quotes the instance of the wicked Brahmin Durdama who was received into Vishnu’s heaven because he called his wife Vallabhe (O my darling) at the last moment (and this chance to utter a portion of the name Sri-Vallabha of the god of Thiruvalla temple).

There is a reference to the king Kulasekhara and his queen Vallabha. Who set up the image in Tiruvalla. According to T.K. Joseph^[2] the reference king Kulasekhara, like Cheraman Perumal, is not a proper name. We do not know whether the proper name of the Chera king who set up the image in Thiruvalla was Vira kerala as recorded. That is believed to have been the name of the first Perumal or Chera king, and the kings of Cochin who claims to be the direct descendants of that Perumal use it even now as part of their title Gangadhara vira kerala, Tirukoviladhikarikal. It may be that tradition, which generally makes a mess of ancient events and celebrities, assigned the setting up of the image to the very first perumal from whom Kerala is said to have derived its name.

He and his councellors set off without delay along with loads of money on packoxen and caused the image to be set up in Chakrapuram by the Tulu Brahmins whom he declare to be noble and appointed Pujaris of the image. The kings of his line were made the protectors of the temple and the Brahmins of the locality were appointed trustees.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Not pub. A translation of the work in Malayalam is in Tiruvalla. Manuscript Copy in the library of Rao Bahador K.V. Rangaswami Ayyankar, Vice President of the Kerala society. Then summerised by T.K. Joseph in K.S.P -P -87 -90

[2]:

T.K. Joseph -KSP series No. 2, 1929 -Pp -87 -90