Janardhanan is a Hindu name of Sanskrit origin, primarily used in India. It
is a compound name derived from two words: "Jana" meaning "people" or
"mankind," and "Ardana" meaning "one who pleases, helps, or harasses".
Therefore, Janardhanan translates to "one who pleases or helps people," or
sometimes interpreted as "one who torments the wicked." It is a significant
epithet of Lord Vishnu, one of the principal deities in Hinduism,
signifying his role as the preserver and protector of humanity. Derivable
or associated names include Janardan, Janardhana.
Janardhana Swamy Temple
Varkala has several old names and is also known by other names. It has been
referred to as Southern Varanasi or Dakshin Kashi due to the presence of
the 2,000-year-old Janardana Swami Temple, an important Vaishnavaite shrine
according to trivandrum.nic.in, which is considered the Benares of the
South. Another old name for Varkala is Thenkasi. It was also known as Udaya
Marthandapuram. Additionally, it was referred to as Balita in the ancient
Greek text The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.
JANARDHANA Section LXVIII: Sanatsujata Parva Mahabharatham Ganguly
edition
"Sanjaya said,
'Those adorable bowmen, Arjuna and Vasudeva, who are perfectly equal
unto each other in respect of their godlike nature, have taken their births
of their own will. O lord, the discus owned by Vasudeva, of abundant
energy, occupies a space full five cubits in diameter, is capable also of
being hurled at the foe (in forms large or small) according to the will of
the wielder himself, and it depends on illusion. Always conspicuous by its
effulgence, it is invisible to the Kurus; and in ascertaining the strength
or weakness of the Pandavas, that discus offers the best ground. Indeed,
that scion of Madhu’s race, endued with great might, vanquished with an
effort and in seeming playfulness the formidable Naraka and Samvara and
Kansa and (Sisupala) the chief of Chedis. Possessed of divinity and of soul
superior to everything, that most exalted of male beings can, by his will
alone, bring the earth, firmament, and heaven under his control.
You askest me repeatedly, O king, about the Pandavas for knowing
their strength and weakness. Listen now to all that in brief. If the whole
universe be placed on one scale and Janardana on the other, even then
Janardana will outweigh the entire universe. Janardana, at his pleasure,
can reduce the universe to ashes, but the entire universe is incapable of
reducing Janardana to ashes. Wherever there is truthfulness, wherever
virtue, wherever modesty, wherever simplicity, even there is Govinda. And
thither where Krishna is, success must be. That soul of all creatures, most
exalted of male beings, Janardana, guids, as if in sport, the entire earth,
the firmament, and the heaven.
Making the Pandavas the indirect means, and beguiling the whole world.
Janardana wishes to blast your wicked sons that are all addicted to sin.
Endued with divine attributes, Kesava, by the power of his soul causes the
wheel of Time, the wheel of the Universe, and the wheel of the Yuga, to
revolve incessantly. And I tell you truly that glorious Being is alone the
Lord of Time, of Death, and of this Universe of mobile and immobile
objects. That great ascetic Hari, though the Lord of the whole Universe,
still betakes himself to work, like a humble labourer that tills the
fields. Indeed, Kesava beguiles all by the aid of His illusion. Those men,
however, that have attained to Him are not deceived.'" KR IRS 6825
On Wed, 6 Aug 2025 at 07:56, Rajaram Krishnamurthy <[email protected]>
wrote:
> (108) “At the time of offering obeisances to Lord Viṣṇu
> <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vishnu#vaishnavism>, a foolish
> person chants viṣṇāya namaḥ (this is improper due to faulty grammar) and a
> learned person chants viṣṇave namaḥ (this is the correct form). But both
> achieve equal piety by their offering of obeisances, because Lord Śrī
> Janārdana <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shri-janardana#history> sees
> the sentiment of the living being, in other words, He sees the degree of
> devotion, or in other words, He awards the result accordingly (He does not
> see one’s foolishness or intelligence). K Rajaram IRS 6825
>
> On Tue, 5 Aug 2025 at 19:55, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
>> JANARDHANA SWAMY TEMPLE VARKALA, TRIVANDRUM DISTRICT, KERALA-Compiled
>>
>> Dear friends,
>>
>> Sri Janardhana Swamy temple is located at Varakala, in the Trivandrum
>> District of Kerala and is a 2000-year-old temple dedicated to the worship
>> of Lord Vishnu. The temple faces the Papanasam beach and the alluring sea
>> wind adds to the spirituality of the temple. Today my posting is about this
>> temple.
>>
>> Hope a divine reading,
>>
>> Gopalakrishnan 5-8-2025.
>>
>> Who is the God Janardhana?
>>
>> Janardana is a name of the Hindu god Vishnu, often used as an epithet or
>> title. It signifies his role as the protector and maintainer of all living
>> beings. The name also appears in various scriptures and is associated with
>> Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, and Rama, another avatar.
>>
>> Meaning:The name Janardana is derived from the Sanskrit words "jana"
>> (people) and "ardana" (one who pleases or satisfies). It can also be
>> interpreted as "one who destroys the cycle of birth and death".
>>
>> Vishnu's Role:
>>
>> In Hindu scriptures, Janardana is one of the many names of Vishnu, who is
>> revered as the preserver and protector of the universe.
>>
>> Krishna and Rama:
>>
>> The name Janardana is also used to refer to Krishna, who is an avatar
>> (incarnation) of Vishnu. Similarly, it can be associated with Rama, another
>> important avatar of Vishnu.
>>
>> In Scriptures:
>>
>> The name Janardana appears in the Mahabharata, where Sanjaya uses it to
>> describe Vishnu's power. It also appears in the Bhagavad Gita, where Arjuna
>> addresses Krishna as Janardana.
>>
>> Temples: There are temples dedicated to Janardana, such as the
>> Janardanaswamy Temple in Varkala, Kerala, which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu
>> in his Janardana form.
>>
>> Festivals: The Janardanaswamy Temple in Varkala celebrates festivals like
>> Arattu, Ram Navami, and Vaikuntha Ekadashi, all of which are related to
>> Vishnu.
>>
>> Speciality
>>
>> This temple is a good example of the Kerala architecture. The temple is
>> situated on top of a small hill overlooking the sea. The presiding deity
>> appears to be standing *facing east* and his right hand is raised to his
>> mouth as if he is about eat. Some say that the hand seems to be getting
>> closer to the Lord’s mouth and that if he eats that would be the end of the
>> world.
>>
>> It is believed that praying at the temple and taking a bath at the nearby
>> Papanasam beach will wash away one's sins. Varkala is also considered as
>> the best place to do pitrukarma, which is why it is sometimes also called
>> "Dakshina
>> Kashi" (literally the "Kashi of the South"). *It is also called "Gaya of
>> the South". Varkala draws hundreds of pilgrims and visitors all year round.*
>>
>> Legends
>>
>> Several myths, legends and stories are associated with the origin and
>> history of the temple. Most popular among them is the story related to Lord
>> Brahma and Sage Narada. Once lord Brahma descended to earth to perform
>> a Yaga (fire sacrifice). He chose the present Varkala as the Yaga Bhoomi
>> (place to perform the sacrifice). The striate of lignite and mineral
>> waters found in Varkala are attributed to this sacrifice. Engrossed with
>> the ritual Brahma forgot his divine job of creation.
>>
>> Lord Vishnu became aware of this situation and came to Varkala to remind
>> Lord Brahma about his duty. Lord Vishnu entered the Yagashala in the
>> disguise of an old man. The Brahmins assisting Lord Brahma received the
>> old man and gave him food. But whatever he ate, his hunger was not
>> satiated. Lord Brahma’s assistants went and told him about it. Realising
>> that the old man is none other than Lord Vishnu Brahma came immediately to
>> see him but was shocked to see Vishnu eating aabhojanam.
>>
>> Lord Brahma then prevented Lord Vishnu from eating it and told him,
>> “Lord, if you eat it, then the final deluge will swallow this world. “ Lord
>> Vishnu then requested Lord Brahma to stop the Yaga and recommence his job
>> of creation.
>>
>> One day Sage Narada followed by Lord Vishnu was walking in the sky over
>> Varkala. Lord Brahma who came there saluted Lord Vishnu. The nine
>> prajapathis (Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha,
>> Prachetas or Daksha, Bhrigu (Narada is the tenth prajapathi, they are the
>> ten lords first created by Brahma) were watching this. who were watching
>> this started laughing for they couldn’t see Lord Vishnu. They thought
>> that Lord Brahma was saluting his own son Sage Narada. Then Lord Brahma
>> corrected them. They felt sorry at having committed a sinful deed. Lord
>> Brahma told them that the proper place to pray for their redemption would
>> be shown to them by sage Narada. Sage Narada threw his Valkalam (cloth made
>> of deer’s skin) that he was wearing towards the earth. The Valkalam landed
>> in a place which was later called by the name Varkala. Later Lord Vishnu
>> made a pond there using his Chakra (wheel) at the request of Narada for the
>> Prajapathis who wanted it to do the atonement. The Prajapathis did thapas
>> there and were pardoned for their sins.
>>
>> *The Janardhana (Janardhana is another name of Lord Vishnu) temple is
>> believed to have been built by the devas*. But this temple became
>> dilapidated and was later reconstructed by a Pandya king. The king was
>> once affected by a ghost. He went on a pilgrimage but couldn’t cure himself
>> from the sway of the evil spirit. When he came to the present day Varkala, he
>> saw the remnants of a dilapidated temple by the side the sea. He prayed to
>> God promising he would rebuild the temple there. Next day he had a dream
>> in which he was told to go to the sea and stand near the dilapidated
>> temple. Nearby he would see huge number of flowers floating in the sea,
>> if he searches there he would get an idol. The present Janardhana idol
>> was recovered from the sea by him. He built the temple and laid down the
>> rules for maintenance of the temple.
>>
>> The idol of Janardhana has Aabhojana in its right hand. People believe
>> that this hand is rising slowly toward his mouth. The day that the idol
>> Janardhanaswami eats the aabhojana the Kaliyuga will be over and the world
>> will face the great deluge.
>>
>> History
>>
>> Though the original date of construction of the temple is not available,
>> there are some inscriptions which indicate that the renovation of the
>> temple had been carried out at different periods of history. *One of the
>> inscriptions says that the temple was renovated by Umayamma Rani, who ruled
>> this region in the later 17th century.*
>>
>> An ancient inscription dated 1252 has also been found on the temple
>> premises. It is seen engraved on the lower part of the mandapa before the
>> temple. Tall granite posts and heavy brass bells hung from ceilings too
>> evoke interest in a connoisseur. The oil trays cut in the granite posts
>> hold lighted wicks during evenings and it is a treat to the eyes.
>>
>> Architecture
>>
>> Varkala Janardhana Swamy Temple is popular not only as a pilgrim centre
>> but it also allures everyone with its architectural splendour. The
>> temple faces Papanasam beach and the proximity to the sea adds to its
>> spiritual as well as aesthetic aura. *A flight of broad steps lead to
>> the Janardhana temple and on the way, you will be greeted by a high
>> entrance arch with tiled roof*. An old banyan tree stands on the temple
>> ground and idols of several serpent gods and goddesses are also installed
>> here. *Naga pushpam plant is also there, and one can see the flowers
>> appearing like hood of snakes.*
>>
>> Brightly painted idols of Hanuman, Garuda, Lord Shiva and others greet
>> you once you are about to enter the sanctorum. The main shrine Lord
>> Janardhana (Vishnu) has four arms in which are placed shanghu (the holy
>> conch shell) chakra (wheel), gada (mace) and one hand towards mouth.
>>
>> The temple has many attractive features and it has a circular sanctum
>> sanctorum surmounted by a conical dome of copper sheets. The mandapa or
>> pavilion is square in shape and it has wooden carvings of Navagrahas (nine
>> planets) on the ceiling. There is a hall in which the bali peetha is
>> situated and this too is an important feature of the temple architecture.
>>
>> The temple is a fine example of Kerala art and architecture. Aspects of
>> the temple—including the circular "sanctum sanctorum" surmounted by a
>> conical dome of copper sheets, the square mandapa with wooden carvings of
>> Navagrahas on the ceiling and copper-plated roof, the quadrangular
>> enclosures (prakaram) around them, and a hall containing a Bali Pitha in
>> front of the inner temple—are characteristic features of Kerala
>> architecture and the highly embellished temples of South India
>>
>> My note- Now one can reach the western gate through bus/auto/car. A few
>> steps are to be get down to reach the temple
>>
>> Chief Deity
>>
>> The presiding deity of this temple, Janardanaswamy, is found standing and
>> facing east. His right hand performs "Aachamanam" and is raised towards his
>> mouth; as per legend, the world will come to an end when his hand reaches
>> his mouth. It is believed this will happen at the end of the Kali Yuga. The
>> main idol has a striking appearance with four arms having all the
>> attributes of Vishnu. Main deity Lord Janardhana is locally known as
>> Varkaleswara . The idol is always dressed in sandals and flowers, either in
>> the form of Janardana, Narasimha, Venugopala, or Mohini.
>>
>> Sub deities
>>
>> The temple sits on a tableland adjoining the sea and is reached by a long
>> flight of stairs. The entrance to the inner shrine is flanked by the idols
>> of Hanuman and Garuda on either side. In the main shrine is the idol of
>> Janardana with Sridevi and Bhudevi.
>>
>> There are small temples of *Shiva, Ganesha, Shastha, and Naga devata in
>> this temple*.
>>
>> In the south-western corner and on the north-eastern side of the outer
>> enclosure are *the shrines of Sasta and Shiva with Nandi.*
>>
>> Poojas
>>
>> Four poojas are conducted each day. The temple's chief priest is a Tulu
>> Brahmin, who should not be a native of the place where the temple exists.
>>
>> Festivals
>>
>> Every year during the months of March – April, the Arattu festival is
>> celebrated in at the temple. The festival commemorates with a flag hoisting
>> and ends with the procession of grandly decorated elephants through the
>> streets.
>>
>> Other than this the usual festivals which are celebrated in honour of the
>> Lord Vishnu such as Ram Navami and Vaikunta Ekadashi are also celebrated
>> here.
>>
>> Ashtami Rohini, the birthday of Krishna in the month of Chingam
>> (August–September), is celebrated as a festival here.
>>
>> Every year, in the Malayalam month of Meenam (March–April), a ten-day
>> Arattu festival is celebrated at the Janardanaswamy Temple in Kerala's
>> beach town of Varkala. The festival starts with a Kodiyettam flag hoisting
>> ceremony, and ends with a procession of five decorated elephants through
>> the streets. During the fourth and fifth days of the festival, the
>> celebrations include all-night performances such as traditional Kathakali
>> dancing. The arattu (holy bath) of the deity is conducted on Uttaram day in
>> the Arabian Sea behind the temple.
>>
>> Apart from this festival, the days of the appearance of Vishnu's avatars
>> (e.g.: Rama Navami, Ashtami Rohini, Narasimha Jayanti), Karkidaka vavu
>> (Amavasya day in the month of Karkidakam, which comes in July or August),
>> and Vaikuntha Ekadashi are also celebrated in the temple. The days of
>> Thiruvonam star, Ekadashi, and Thursdays are also considered important,
>> since according to popular custom, these days are dedicated to Vishnu.
>>
>> My note- A few repetition of festivals is there. Re- writing takes a lot
>> of time. Pl excuse me.
>>
>> Ritual/ Function
>>
>> Karkidaka vavu too is an important function and the priests of this
>> temple help the devotees perform homage to their ancestors during that day.
>> People believe that ancestors worshipped in this temple will be pleased.
>> Possibly because of this, the Janardana is also called 'Pitru Mokshakan'.
>>
>> My note- Not only on Karkitavavu day, on all Amavasya days and normal
>> days priests are available in the beach nowadays to conduct Balikarma
>> of the devotees coming there.
>>
>> Literature
>>
>> Varkala, a seaside suburban town of Thiruvananthapuram, is also known as
>> Janardanapuram or Udayamarthandapuram or Balit, and is a sacred pilgrim
>> centre. The Varkala Janardanaswamy Temple is among the 108 Abhimana
>> Kshethrams, a group of Vaishnavite shrines that are considered among the
>> foremost existing Vishnu Temples, and are repeatedly mentioned in extant
>> ancient texts like the Puranas and Itihasas.
>>
>> *The Bhagavata Purana and the Mahabharata mention that Balarama, the
>> elder brother of Krishna, visited this shrine during his pilgrimage to the
>> Kanyakumari Temple and other temples in the south.*
>>
>> Temple Pond
>>
>> There is a pool called `Chakra Theertha’ on the northern part of the
>> temple which is about 240 ft in circumference.
>>
>> The Dutch Bell
>>
>> There is a huge bell placed in this temple on which it is marked as 1757
>> (probably the year in which it was cast). The story behind this bell
>> goes like his. It is said that the bell was offered to the temple as an
>> oblation. While sailing to Europe a Dutch ship refused to move as it
>> passed by the temple. Hearing the chiming of the bell from the temple
>> the captain of the ship promised to offer the bell in his ship as an
>> oblation to Janardhana swamy if he allows the ship to continue its journey.
>>
>>
>> Soon a wind came and moved the ship and the crew safely to the next port.
>> The captain returned and kept his promise. The names inscribed in the
>> bell are 'Peter von Belson' and 'Michelle Evarald'.
>>
>> Timings
>>
>> The temple functions between 4.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 5.00 pm to 8.00
>> pm
>>
>> Dress Code
>>
>> No specific dress code is recommended for a visit to this temple. Still,
>> costumes covering upper arms and legs are suggested as a mark of respect to
>> the temple customs.
>>
>> The temple remains open from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
>>
>> Address of Temple phone number
>>
>> Address: Janardhana swamy temple, Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram District,
>> Kerala 695141, · Phone: +91-4712607575 · 0471 -2321132
>>
>> Location
>>
>> The temple is situated about 10.9 km west of Kallambalam on NH 66 near
>> the sea, 25 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city, 2 km from Varkala Railway
>> Station and 14 km northwest of Attingal municipality.
>>
>>
>>
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