Saturday 9 March 2019

THE NAYANMARS & UNION WITH ERAI 6

The following stories are sourced from Sri Swami Sivananda's "Sixty three Nayanar Saints" published by The Divine Life Society, India.

16. Muruga Nayanar

Muruga Nayanar was a devout bakta of Lord Siva.
He got the great good fortune of attending Sambandar’s wedding when he, the bride and all others including Muruga Nayanar got merged in the Divine Effulgence of the Lord. Muruga Nayanar’s devotion won for him Sambandar’s friendship, and, through that, God-realisation.
17. Rudra Pasupathi Nayanar

There is no account of his last moments given.

18. Tiru Nalai Povar Nayanar

Nandanar as a servant would stand before his employers asking permission to visit Chidambaram temple. His employer would explain that he would not be allowed in due to his status. When Nandanar kept repeating his request his employer too would give all kinds of excuse and task to prevent him from going. 
The desire now arose in him that he should go to Chidambaram and have Darshan of Lord Nataraja. The love of the Lord had grown so intense that he would shed tears of love and tell his companions: ‘I will surely go to Chidambaram tomorrow.‘ This expression earned for him the name Tiru Nalai Povar (one who would go tomorrow).
Finally when Nandanar was told that he could go provided he sowed and harvested the yield Nandanar fainted. The Lord came and worked on the field. When Nandanar woke up he was surprised to see the grounds harvested and the yield stacked up. His employer seeing the miracle released him to go to Chidambaram.
Nanadanar prayed:
"Oh Lord, I want to see your Cosmic Dance in Your Nritya Sabha. But, how can I? On account of my low birth they will not allow me to enter the temple."
For days he went on praying like this. The Lord, pleased with his devotion, appeared in his dream and said:
"Oh noble soul, do not grieve. You will come to Me. Take a fire bath. Then come to My Kanaka Sabha along with the Brahmins."
Nandanar woke up and was highly pleased. At the same time, the Lord appeared before the Brahmins of Tillai, in their dream, and said:
"O Brahmins, My dearest devotee, Tiru Nalai Povar, has come to Tillai. Prepare a sacred fire. Nandanar will take bath in it and then come to Me."
The next day, the Brahmins prepared the sacred fire. They went to Nandanar, prostrated before him and related their dream.
Nandanar went round the fire, and with His Name on his lips and his mind fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord, he jumped into the fire. He emerged from the fire with a new holy body, with sacred ashes smeared all over, the holy thread and matted locks.
He was then taken inside the temple. In the Kanaka Sabha, he worshiped the Lord. He went into a divine ecstasy and was completely absorbed in the dance of the Lord. A dazzling light was seen in the room, and Nandanar had disappeared. He had become one with Lord Nataraja. 
19. Tiru Kurippu Thonda Nayanar

Tiruthondar by profession, launders cloths. Seeing the the Lord who was in the guise of a Siva Bhakta, a man in rags, Tiruthondar offered to wash his cloth.
The Siva Bhakta agreed to let him do so on one condition: the rag should be washed, dried and returned to him before sunset, otherwise his emaciated body would perish in the cold.
When Thondar accepted the work, there was brilliant sunlight. He had washed the rag and immediately, it began to rain heavily. It was nearing sunset time. There was no hope of getting the rag dried. Thondar was greatly upset. Instead of serving the Siva Bhakta, he was going to put him to great hardship. Thinking of this sin, Thondar, dashed his head, prayerfully, on the washing stone, and began to weep.
Lord Siva appeared before him, held his hand and said:
"Oh noble soul, I am highly pleased with your sincere devotion. You will soon come to My Abode and live happily there forever."