Lord Parthasarathy darisanam at Aranmula in Kerala .

Among the 108 SriVaishnava Divya desam ,  Aranmula (Tiruvaaranvilai) is located in Kerala  state   (counted in  Malai nadu divyadesams near 6 kms from chenganoor ) Aranmula is a beautiful village located further inland from Chengannur, (9 km west) on the Ernakulam  Quilon railroad.

  The temple is located on the left bank of the Pampa river, it is from here that the sacred jewels of Ayyappan are taken in procession to Sabarimalai each year. Aranmula is also known for the watersports   festival  involving a spectacular procession of snake boats.

Among the Lord Krishna temples in Kerala, the most important ones are at Guruvayur, Trichambaram, Tiruvarppu, Ambalappuzha and Aranmula.

Aranmula is one of the  great five ancient shrines in the Chengannur area of Kerala, connected with the  epic Mahabharatam.

 

Legend has it that the Pandava princes, after crowning Pariksit left on a pilgrimage of India, and reached Kerala .

Each of the brothers installed Lord  Maha Vishnu deities  on the banks of the Pampa river and nearby places and offered worship.

Chengannur – Yuddhishtra,

Tiruppuliyur – Bheema,

Aranmula – Arjuna,

Tiruvamundur – Nakula and

Tirukkadittaanam – Sahadeva 

It is said that Arjuna built this  Aranmula temple at Nilackal near to Sabarimalai, and the deity was brought here in a raft made of six pieces of bamboo to this site, and hence the name Aranmula (six pieces of bamboo). Legend has it that Arjuna built this temple, to expiate for the sin of having killed Karna on the battlefield, against the dharma of killing an unarmed enemy. It is also believed that Lord Vishnu (here) revealed the knowledge of creation to Brahma, from whom the Madhu kaitapa demons stole the Vedas.

There is yet another legend associated with Lord Parthasarathy here. On the ninth day of the battle of Kurukshetra, the Kauravas reigned supreme under the leadership of Bheeshma, when Lord Krishna motivated Arjuna to take initiative and vanquish his foe. Arjuna hesitated to do so and in the process was about to be defeated .

Lord Krishna jumped down in rage and took up his sudarshana chakra ; seeing this sight Bhishma surrendered to him and Arjuna pleads LORD not to kill Bheeshma, as it would have been against Krishna’s vow to take up arms in his battle. It is believed that Lord Krishna gives darshinam , with a discus.