Great Devotees of Lord Siva 7

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Om Namah Sivaya Tiruneelanakka Nayanar

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Tiruneelanakka Nayanar Tirusattamangai was an important city in South India.

It was a place full of spiritual vibrations and Siva Bhakti. The Brahmins were

devoted to the study and recitation of the Vedas and worship of the Lord. And,

the women were devoted to their lord (the husband) and served them as they

would serve God Himself. There is a temple in this place called Ayavanthi. The

Lord presiding over this is Ayavanthi-Nathar. His Consort is Malarkanni Ammai.

In this city there lived the glorious Brahmin, Tiruneelanakka Nayanar. He was

well versed in the Agamas and was regular in his ritualistic worship of the

Lord. On

a Tiruvathirai day he was devoutly worshipping the Lord in the temple. His wife

was also with him. A spider fell upon the Siva Lingam, when the worship was in

progress. The saint’s wife, without a moment’s hesitation, blew it away, and

spat on the spot where it had fallen, on the Siva Lingam—this is what they do

when a spider falls on the body of a child or other human being. But, the

husband was enraged at the wife’s sacrilegious action: she had spoilt the

worship and polluted the temple by spitting on the Lingam. Without a second

thought, he abandoned her and returned home. The lady appealed to Lord

Ayavanthinathar for his mercy. He appeared in the saint’s dream that night and

showed him His body—all the parts of His body except that on which his wife had

spat, had been affected by the spider poison. He realised that Bhakti was

superior

to ritualistic worship. He recalled the glimpse of the Lord he had, in his dream

and rejoiced, rolled on the ground, wept out of sheer joy and danced. The next

morning he went to the temple and worshipped the Lord, and returned home with

his wife, the noble devotee to whom the Siva Lingam was not a stone, but a

Living Presence. Once Tiru Jnana Sambandar (a Great Saivite Acharya )

visited his place with Tiruneelakanta Perumbanar and Virali. Tiruneelanakka

Nayanar was very eager to meet the great saint Sambandar. He welcomed the saint

with due honours. That night, Sambandar asked Tiruneelanakkar to give some

accommodation to the other two who were with him. They were not of the ‘high’

(Brahmin) caste! Tiruneelanakka Nayanar hesitated to let them sleep inside the

house. He asked them to sleep near the sacrificial pit. As soon as they

went near the pit, the Nayanar was astounded to see that the sacrificial fire

began to burn of its own accord. He understood that, through the fire of their

devotion they had attained to a stage which was far higher than what mere

ritual could lead to. The mist of caste distinction also vanished from the eyes

of Nayanar. Next morning, Sambandar went to the temple and sang a song in which

he glorified Tiruneelanakka Nayanar also. When Sambandar wanted to leave the

place, Tiruneelanakkar also wanted to accompany him: but Sambandar instructed

him to stay there itself and serve the Siva Bhaktas. He obeyed. He was,

however, longing to be always at the feet of Sambandar. Soon his wish was

fulfilled. He heard of Sambandar’s marriage, and went to Nallur Perumanam to

witness it. When Sambandar got merged in the Light of Lord Siva (Siva-Jyoti ),

Tiruneelanakka Nayanar also got

merged in it. Sivaya Namah

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