In the past, it was believed that the gods were the ones who caused diseases and cure diseases. Because of that, the gods who cause disease and the gods who cure disease were worshiped at that time. Vasurimala is an evil deity belonging to the category of disease-causing deities.
The legend of the Vasurimala god is related to the death of Darikasura. In the past, when the Devasura war was going on, the Asuras were suffering a heavy defeat. When the Asura race was destroyed by the gods, the Asura women took their husbands and hid in the underworld. In order to protect their race, the demon women Darumati and Danavi appeared to Brahma through penance. They prayed to Lord Brahma that they would have children who would increase the Asura clan and be extremely powerful. As they requested, Brahma blessed them with boons. As per Brahma’s blessing, a son was born to both of them and they were named Danavan and Darika.
When Darika and Danava grew up, they decided to take revenge on the gods who destroyed their race. They performed severe penance and manifested Brahma. They received the strength of a thousand elephants, the weapon Brahma Danda, and the two mantras Mayavati and Tamasi as boons from Lord Brahma. They also obtained the boon that they would die only from women.
When Darika and Danava grew up, they decided to take revenge on the gods who destroyed their race. They performed severe penance and manifested Brahma. They received the strength of a thousand elephants, the weapon Brahma Danda, and the two mantras Mayavati and Tamasi as boons from Lord Brahma. They also obtained the boon that they would die only from women.
Finally God Parama Shiva created Bhadrakali from his third devine eyes and sent her to kill Darika. A fierce battle took place between Bhadrakali and Darika. Knowing that Darikan would die in the battle, Darikan’s wife Manodari prayed to Lord Shiva and cried to save her husband. Devastated by Manodari’s grief, Goddess Parvati asked Lord Shiva to help her. Lord Shiva took some drops of sweat from his body and gave it to Manodari, and Lord Shiva told Manodari that if you sprinkle these drops of sweat on people, your troubles will end. Manodari, who was leaving with a drop of sweat, saw Bhadrakali coming with Darikan’s neck. Unable to bear the grief and anger, Manodari sprinkled that drop of sweat on Bhadrakali’s body. Bhadrakali became ill and collapsed as soon as the sweat fell on her body. Blisters appeared all over Bhadrakali’s body. On hearing this information Lord Shiva got angry and created a fierce idol. The idol that originated from Lord Shiva’s throat(Kandam) and came out through ear(Karnam) was named Kandakarna. Shiva told Kandakarna to cure Bhadrakali’s illness.. Shiva told Kandakarna to cure Bhadrakali’s illness. Kandakarna approached his sister Bhadrakali and licked all the boils on her body and cured swells. But Kandakarna could not heal the sores on her face as she was a sister and was not allowed to touch face to face. It was later believed that this is the reason why even if all the scars on the body of those who have smallpox are removed, only the scars on the face remain.
Kandakarna brought Manodari to Bhadrakali, who had recovered from her illness. Enraged, Bhadrakali cut off Manodari’s eyes, ears and legs. He told her that you should never again see, hear or walk around and harm people. But later, Bhadrakali took a liking to Manodari and gave her the name Vasuri Mala and took her offspring as a companion. In later times it was believed that smallpox was spread by the VasuriMala.
It is the VasuriMala in this story that is tied as VasuriMala Theiyam in North Malabar.
