Various legends are associated with this temple.

The Adi Kesava Perumala Temple is associated with the legend of Samudra Manthan or the churning of the ocean. It is said that when Lakshmi came out of the churning of the ocean, Vishnu instructed her to go to the ashram of Sage Bhrigu, who had no progeny, and was doing penance to appease Lord Vishnu. She appeared in the ashram of Sage Bhrigu as his daughter and was known as Bhargavi. It is in this form that she was offered to Lord Vishnu in marriage by Sage Bhrigu. The temple is supposed to be the place where the ashram of Bhrigu was located and the marriage took place here.

This temple is also believed to be the place where Lord Shiva absolved himself of Brahmahatya, the crime of killing a Brahmin, when he had cut off one of the heads of Brahma.

The temple tank or the Chitra Pushkarini also has a legend of its own. Once the moon god, Chandra, committed a sin and ... More

Various legends are associated with this temple.

The Adi Kesava Perumala Temple is associated with the legend of Samudra Manthan or the churning of the ocean. It is said that when Lakshmi came out of the churning of the ocean, Vishnu instructed her to go to the ashram of Sage Bhrigu, who had no progeny, and was doing penance to appease Lord Vishnu. She appeared in the ashram of Sage Bhrigu as his daughter and was known as Bhargavi. It is in this form that she was offered to Lord Vishnu in marriage by Sage Bhrigu. The temple is supposed to be the place where the ashram of Bhrigu was located and the marriage took place here.

This temple is also believed to be the place where Lord Shiva absolved himself of Brahmahatya, the crime of killing a Brahmin, when he had cut off one of the heads of Brahma.

The temple tank or the Chitra Pushkarini also has a legend of its own. Once the moon god, Chandra, committed a sin and thus fell under a curse. He wandered from place to place in search for the absolution of his sin. Vishnu asked all the holy rivers of India to confluence at the tank in the Adi Kesava temple and help Chandra to get rid of his curse. The rivers obeyed Vishnu and flowed into the tank. Chandra took a dip in the holy waters and got rid of his curse. Due to this legend the holy water of this tank is called Sarva Theertham and the tank is also called Chandra Pushkarini. Over the years it has come to be called Chitra Pushkarni, or even Chitrakulam.

The temple is also said to be the birthplace of Pei Alwar, one of the three great Alwar saints associated with the Vaishnvaite sect. He is believed to be born in a crimson-coloured lily flower and was found in a well, known as Mani Kairavani, located in a flower garden belonging to the Adi Kesava Perumal Temple. He is also considered to be an incarnation of Nandakanam, the sword of Lord Vishnu.