A story on one of the greatest devotees of Shiva

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Thank you Nanda and all for keeping up the bhava of Shiva. Here is

my contribution to our bhava - this is the story of one of the

greatest devotees of Lord Shiva. It is my personal favorite and I

wanted to share it with you all.

Hope you enjoy it.

JAI SHIVA

Vasantha

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Nanthanaar aka ThirunaaLai Poovaar is one of the 63 Naayanmaars

(devotees of Shiva ). His story is mentioned in Sundara Muurthy

Naayanaar's (9th century) Thiruth Thondath Thokai as well as in

Seekizaar's Periya Puraanam. Nanthanaar was born in a place called

Athanuur in an untouchable caste. Right from his young age, he was

devoted to Lord Siva. He spent most of his time helping fix the

musical instruments of the Athanuur temple.

 

Once he took some members of his caste to Thiruppunkuur to have a

darshan of Lord Siva. Nandi was obstructing him from having His

darshan. Lord Siva ordered Nandhi to stand aside so that Nandanaar

and others could have His darshan.

 

Nanthanaar was always talking and making plans to go see Kanaga

Sabaapathi (another name of Shiva) of Chithambaram. He kept telling everyone

that he would go tomorrow and hence the name of Thiru Naalai Poovaar (One who

would go tomorrow).

 

Once he asked permission from his master to go to Chithambaram. His

master refused and asked him to take care of sowing seeds and

harvest related work in the paddy fields. Lord Siva's "angels"

(bhutas and ganas) worked overnight and made the fields ready for

harvesting the very next day. Perplexed by this miracle, the master

gave permission to Nanthanaar to go visit Chithambaram.

 

Nanthanaar reached Chithambaram. The Lord appeared in the dreams of

the temple priests and told them about Nanthanaar. The priests

brought Nanthanaar with full honor. Nanthanaar finally had the

darshan of his beloved Lord Nataraaja (Shiva)!

 

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