Great Devotees of Lord Siva 11

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was a Businessman. He belonged to Pazhaiyaarai in South India. Pazhaiyaarai was

a very fertile place, surrounded on all sides by gardens and green fields. In

those days this place was very famous. Amaraneedi Nayanar was a trader in

gold, diamonds, silks and cotton goods. He used to import these goods from

foreign countries and was selling them at reasonable prices. He earned money

honestly and became rich. Though he was engaged in worldly activities, his mind

was fixed on Lord Siva. He was an ardent Siva Bhakta. He would invite Siva

Bhaktas to his house and worship them. He would give the Kowpeenam, cloth,

etc., and feed them nicely and send them away happy, with other gifts.

Roman" size="3"> He used to visit the sacred temple of Tirunallur during

festivals and worship Lord Siva with intense faith and repeat Panchakshara

Mantra daily with Bhava. Not being satisfied with this visit during festivals

only, he wanted to settle down there once for all, always enjoying the Lord’s

Darshan, and feeding Siva Bhaktas. So he left Pazhaiyaarai and migrated with

his family and relatives, to Tirunallur. He built a beautiful Mutt there to

accommodate Siva Bhaktas who visited the temple. Daily he used to invite Siva

Bhaktas and offer Kowpeenam, etc. Lord Siva was highly pleased with

Amaraneedi Nayanar’s Kowpeena charity and extreme kindness to Siva Bhaktas. He

wanted to

show to the world His Bhakta’s greatness and also shower His blessings on him.

So, one day Lord Siva in the guise of a Brahmachari, with beautiful matted

locks on his head, sacred ashes on his forehead, with a staff on his shoulder,

appeared before Amaraneediar’s Mutt. Two Kowpeenams and a small ash-bag were

tied to one end of the staff. He had a charming face. His eyes were glittering.

He walked gracefully into the Mutt. Amaraneediar, with extreme joy, welcomed him

and worshipped him. The Brahmachari said: ‘Oh friend, you are a noble soul.

People are highly praising your Kowpeena charity. I have come to you for

Darshan.’ Amaraneediar begged of him to take Bhiksha. He readily agreed and

said: ‘I shall go to the river and return after finishing my bath and Nitya

Karmas. Rain may drench my Kowpeenams. So, please keep this dry Kowpeenam

safely with you, and I shall come back for it. The Kowpeenam is very precious,

as you already

know. So, please keep it safe.’ The Brahmachari went away, and Amaraneediar

kept the Kowpeenam safely inside the house. But, the Lord willed that it should

disappear! Soon after the Brahmachari came back after his bath, etc., and asked

for the dry Kowpeenam as rain had drenched the Kowpeenam he had on the staff.

Amaraneediar could not find it. He prayed hard to the Lord. Yet, he could not

find it. He approached the Brahmachari, trembling, with another Kowpeenam, and

explained his predicament to him. But, the Brahmachari was in no mood to take

any explanation. Amaraneediar offered much wealth, etc., in compensation. But,

the Brahmachari said: ‘What have I to do with all this wealth? All these are of

no use to me. I only need a Kowpeenam.’ And, in saying so, the Lord in the guise

of the Brahmachari, uttered a very great truth. He continued: ‘I have got

another

Kowpeenam: you can give me another of the same weight.’ Amaraneediar was greatly

relieved when he heard this. He brought a balance. He put the Kowpeenam on one

side and another piece on the other. The Brahmachari’s scale went down.

Whatever Amaraneediar put on his side, the Brahmachari’s scale was heavier.

Amaraneediar was amazed: and he understood that it was God’s own Lila. All his

wealth could not equal the Brahmachari’s Kowpeenam! How could it? Lord Siva’s

Kowpeenam represents the Vedas. The fibres of His Kowpeenam represent the

Shastras. Amaraneediar was on the horns of a dilemma. He fell at the

Brahmachari’s feet and asked him to allow himself, his wife, and his child to

be weighed against the Brahmachari’s Kowpeenam. The Brahmachari agreed.

Amaraneediar got on the scale with his wife and his child, saying: ‘If I have

truly

served the Siva Bhaktas, with faith and sincerity, let this sca1e be equal in

weight to the other one.’ Immediately the two scales were equal. The merit of

Amaraneediar’s selfless service of the Siva Bhaktas was equal to the merit of

Lord Siva’s Kowpeenam. The people who witnessed this were wonderstruck. They

prostrated before Amaraneediar and praised him. Devas from the heaven showered

Parijatha flowers. The Brahmachari disappeared and Lord Parameswara with His

inseparable Sakti - Mother Parvathi appeared on Their Rishabha before

Amaraneediar, his wife and child. He blessed them: ‘I am immensely pleased with

your whole-hearted and sincere service of My Bhaktas. I am immensely pleased

with your Kowpeena charity. You three will come to My Abode and live there

happily for ever.’ On account of the Lord’s grace, the balance itself turned

into a celestial car in which Amaraneediar, his wife and his child attained

Siva’s Abode. Sivaya Namah

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