by: Sri Swami Sivananda
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar
was born in Tirukadavur in the Chola kingdom. The Lord of this place is called
Amirda Ghateswarar. Once Devas and Asuras came to this place with nectar in a
pot. They wanted to take bath. So, they left the pot on the ground and went to
the river. When they came back to the place, they could not lift the pot. The
pot itself had been transformed into a Lingam. Hence this Lingam is known as
Amrita Lingam. Markandeya worshipped this Lingam and became an immortal boy of
16 years.
The Goddess in this place
is called Abhirami Amman. Abhirami Pattar, a great devotee of Mother, sang
beautiful songs in praise of Her: and the Mother Who was highly pleased with
this, changed the new moon day into a full moon day, in order to save him from
the kings wrath.
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar
was a Brahmin by caste He got the name because he was always holding a pot (an
incense pot) in his hand. He considered burning of incense before the Lord was
the best service to Him. Lord Siva was highly pleased with the Nayanars
intense devotion and his wonderful service. He wanted to put it to test, so
that the true glory of his supreme devotion to the Lord may be understood by
all.
By the will of Lord Siva,
Nayanar became poor suddenly. He sold all his property. His family was
starving. Still, he continued to burn incense before the Lord. One day his
dutiful wife thought: Everything has been sold. Only this Mangalyam (a
sacred thread with a pendant, which every married woman must always have on her
person, till the husband dies, when it is removed), is left. I will give it to
my Lord: though it is inauspicious to do so. Let him sell it and obtain some
rice, with which we could feed the children who may die of hunger otherwise.
She removed the Mangalyam and gave it to her husband, who gladly
received it. As he was proceeding to the market to sell it, Lord Siva Himself
appeared before him, in the guise of a hawker and said that he had very good
incense. The word incense at once made Nayanar forget himself and the
mission! He quickly bought incense for the price of the Mangalyam, and
went to the temple to burn it before the Lord.
His wife patiently waited
for his return, and, not finding him even after nightfall, put the children to
bed and remained praying. The Lord was immensely pleased with this noble
couple. The faithful wife was prepared to part with even the most sacred
ornament for the service of her lord, her husband. The Kural says: Rain
falls at the bidding of her who, on waking from sleep, worships no other God
but her husband. That night Lord Siva appeared in her dream and blessed
her with all wealth.
She woke up from her
sleep and was amazed to find all types of wealth in the house. She sang His
glories. Immediately she prepared a nice meal and was waiting for her lords
return.
After blessing the
Nayanars wife, thus, Lord Siva appeared before Nayanar in the temple and said:
Oh noble soul, I am immensely pleased with your devotion. Your dutiful wife is
anxiously waiting for you in the house with milk and food. Kindly go to your
house. It was only then that Nayanar became aware of this world! He returned
to the house and found that it had been transformed into a heaven, by the grace
of the Lord. Siva Bhaktas, too, had assembled in the house in large numbers.
They all sang the glories of the Lord. The Nayanar treated the wealth that the
Lord had bestowed upon him as the property of Siva Bhaktas and served them.
One day Nayanar wanted to
visit the temple at Tiruppanandal. The Lord of this temple is Arunasatesar.
Thatakai was the daughter of an Asura. For getting a son, she worshipped the
Siva Lingam regularly. One day at the end of the worship, she wanted to garland
the Lingam. As she lifted the garland with both her hands, her cloth began to
slip from her waist. She held it with her elbows, and hence could not raise her
hands (and the garland) high enough. To relieve her, the Lord leaned to one
side and accepted the garland.
Many people tried to pull the Lingam straight:
but it could not be done. Nayanar heard that the king of the place was upset
about it and wanted the Lingam to be straightened. Nayanar wanted to help the
king. He tied the Lingam to his neck with a rope (the rope of God-love) and
gently pulled it. The Lingam became upright! Devas rained flowers from heaven.
All were amazed and recognised the glory of the Nayanar and his great devotion
to the Lord.
After spending some more
time in the service of Lord Siva and His Bhaktas, Nayanar reached His Abode.
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