There lived a pious brahmana and his wife in Dwaraka. To their misfortune, they lost eight children. The moment a child was born to the brahmana’s wife, it ceased to breathe. The grieving father went to the gates of Krishna’s palace every time he lost a child, and cried out loudly as to why he had to undergo this suffering in the Lord’s own kingdom. Strangely, Lord Krishna, who is Iswara, the Karmaphaladata or the “Dispenser of the Fruits of one’s Actions” remained silent.
When his wife was expecting the ninth child, the brahmana went to the gates of Krishna’s palace and in sheer frustration of losing even this child, he started using very harsh words against the Lord. Arjuna, the Pandava prince who had come to visit Krishna heard the brahmana’s words and got extremely angry. He immediately got up and went outside to meet the brahmana. Arjuna heard all that had happened and told him not to worry about the fate of the child to be born, and assured him of his protection. The brahmana however expressed his doubts, saying that even Krishna had not been able to save his children. Arjuna full of pride and vanity told him, “Don’t you know who I am? I am neither Krishna nor Balarama nor Pradyumna. I am Arjuna, the one who has received the grace and blessings of Lord Shiva and wields the great bow called Gandiva. I will surely protect your child from the jaws of death.” Krishna heard everything and smiled!
Very confidently Arjuna went along with the brahmana to his house and built a fort around the house with arrows so that no one, not even Lord Death can enter into the house. But the nineth child also died the moment it was born. Arjuna was shocked and when confronted by the brahmana, he told him again not to worry and went to all the worlds in search of the child. From Brahmaloka to Patalaloka and even upto Yamaloka. But Arjuna was unable to trace the child. He came back very dejected and disappointed. Totally humbled and crestfallen, Arjuna felt very guilty that he was unable to keep up his words and decided to end his life by entering into fire.
When Arjuna was about to enter the fire-pit, Lord Krishna arrived. He consoled him and assured him that the brahmana’s children will all be restored back to life. Krishna took Arjuna in his divine aerial chariot across the seven mountain ranges, across the seven oceans, across the seven continents to the abode of Adi Purusha, the Purushottama, the “Substratum for all things and beings”. Arjuna saw the great Adisesha shining like the white kailasa mountain with his thousand hoods. Reclining on Adisesha, was Lord Hari resembling the dark rain-bearing clouds and clad in golden yellow peetambara. The Lord had eight arms and was adorned with the Vaijayanthi mala. He was surrounded by his saktis and the celestial beings. Arjuna was overwhelmed at this divine darshan.
The Supreme Parabrahma, the Cosmic Universal Being, told Krishna and Arjuna that they were both Nara and Narayana having taken incarnation to accomplish the great and mighty task of “parithraanaaya saadhunaam, vinaashaaya cha dushkrutaam”. Totally humbled, Arjuna realized that this was all the Lord’s divine “leela” to destroy his pride and vanity. All the nine children of the brahmana were handed over to Krishna and Arjuna. Both of them came back and handed over the children to the brahmana couple. The couple were overjoyed and overwhelmed to see all their children back. They again and again prostrated to the Lord and sought His forgiveness for doubting His love and compassion. At this juncture, before leaving for Dwarka, Sri Krishna gave a beautiful idol of Lord Vishnu to Arjuna for the purpose of worship. In sheer gratitude, the Deity was addressed as SRI SANTHAANA GOPAALA MOORTHY – the “Saviour & Protector of Infants!”
Arjuna wanted to find a suitable place for installing the deity. He in turn invoked Lord Ganesha for help. Ganesha went in search and found the divine Poorna Veda Puri, the present Tripunithura (Kerala) most suitable. Ganesha himself decided to settle there. When Arjuna came looking for Ganesha, he found him in Poorna Veda Puri. Arjuna compelled Ganesha to shift to the South of the sanctum and Sri Santhaana Gopaala Moorthy was installed there. The sanctum was conceived in the form of a chariot. In this Kshetra, the unique feature is: Lord Vishnu is seated on the coiled body of Adisesha which serves as his asana. Adisesha’s five hoods serve as a canopy for the Lord. Shankha and Chakra adorn his two upper hands. The lower left hand rests on the asana and a lotus adorns the Lord’s right hand. The Lord residing in Poorna Veda Puri (Tripunithura) is known as SRI POORNATHRAYEESA, the Lord presiding over the three Vedas (Rik, Yajur and Saama) – the embodiment of the Essence of All Spiritual Knowledge.
“Poornathrayeesa Hare! Hare Krishna! Poornathrayeesa Hare!! Poornathrayeesa Hare! Hare Krishna! Poornathrayeesa Hare!!”
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