Grand Guruvayur.

 Narayaneeyam is a stotra composed by Narayana Bhattathiri. Stotra means explaining and highlighting the prevailing good characteristics in someone. Vedas say Devas love it when yagnas are conducted, while pitrus are pleased when their descendants pray to them. It is human nature to revel in being praised as a good person. However, not everyone remains good constantly. God alone has that unique trait, which is why He is celebrated by staunch devotees such as Bhattathiri, said B. Damodhara Deekshithar.

We love to listen to scriptural discourses because we believe that God will come to our aid, as He has done for countless others. It is not possible to see God, only experience Him. Why so? The first sloka of Narayaneeyam offers an answer. The Supreme Reality, the Brahma Tatwa, which is not easy to grasp in the beginning, (we cannot see this God through our human eyes), but the realisation of which is the highest purushartha, shines right in (concrete form) as Sri Krishna at the Guruvayur temple. Wonderful indeed is the good fortune of those who seek His Grace, says Bhattathiri. If God chooses, He will appear to His true devotee, as He did to Arjuna. Chapter XII of the Bhagavad Gita says that having decided to show His Viswaroopam to Arjuna, Krishna says, “Let me empower you to see My form,” after which Arjuna is able to behold the Divine Form.

One may wonder why if He is the Brahma Tatwa, the deity at Guruvayur has such a defined form: glistening like sunrise, with long eyes that stretch nearly to the ears, reeking of kindness, teeth like pearls, neck adorned with precious garlands and necklaces, with Mahalakshmi gracing His chest. This form of the idol is said to have been in worship and when Krishna was ready to depart, He instructed Guru and Vayu to carry the idol and install it at a sacred spot. As they journeyed with the idol, Lord Siva, whose form was installed at the very place where Sri Krishna now stands in Guruvayur, instructed Guru and Vayu to leave the idol there as it was the purest place He Himself decided to move His sojourn a few metres away, in order to help devotees pray to Krishna in peace.