During the beginning of this Kali Yuga, there lived a Brahmin boy in Guruvayur. His name was Vaga and he was an orphan boy. Daily he used to beg for food near the Guruvayur Temple, and with the offerings of the devotees, he has lived a simple, but peaceful life. Though he has suffered from poverty, but he didn’t lose hope, and he kept sincere faith on Lord Guruvayurappan. Once due to his good karmic deeds, he met Rishi Narada, nearby the temple, and narrated his sad story to him.
Rishi Narada felt pity on him, and he granted a golden vessel, which is a magic one. He presented it to Vaga and told that whenever he wishes, food would be generated in sufficient quantity, and hence there is no need to worry about starvation. The little boy Vaga, happily picked up the vessel from Narada, and thereafter he didn’t suffer from starvation, since the vessel had offered plenty of delicious food to him, whenever he wishes.
In course of time, the boy’s desires have gone high. He wanted to live in a palace like place, and hence he chanted the mantra of Narada, “OM SRI DEVA RISHI NARADARE NAMAHA”. Rishi Narada immediately appeared before him, and asked him to tell his wishes. Vaga stood before Narada, and asked him to arrange a luxurious house for him to stay. Narada got angry with him, and made the Divine vessel to disappear from his hands. Then the boy had realised his mistake, and asked apology to Rishi Narada.
Narada felt pity on the boy, and asked him to chant the Narayana Mantra, “OM SRI NARAYANAYA NAMAHA”, for twelve lakh times, and disappeared from that place. Vaga also chanted the Narayana Mantra for several lakhs of times, and due to that, Lord Guruvayurappan had appeared before him, and granted the boon, that he would become the sacred Vaga Tree, and his idol would be applied with the essence of Vaga Tree, and thereafter the Vaga Tree would be considered as a holy tree of Lord Vishnu, similar to the VanniMaram and ArasaMaram, the favourite trees of Lord Vinayaka, where LordVinayaka permanently resides in the bottom of those trees.
Vaga was very happy on hearing the words of Lord Guruvayurappan, and immediately he has become a Vaga Tree, and he pleasingly serves the Lord at Guruvayur Temple.
“OM SRI GURUVAYURAPPANE NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HAR