Thiru
Kannappa Nayanar
Thinnan was taught archery, martial arts and other skills by his father
and other elders of the tribal group. Thinnan in Tamil means strong, as the
name suggest he grew into strong young boy who mastered archery in a very short
period of time.
Nagan felt that he was getting old and the hunting group needed a young
Chieftain. So he consulted with all the elders and appointed Thinnan the next
Chieftain. Thinnan discharged his duties well and led the tribes on hunting
expeditions successfully.
On one such hunt, Thinnan was separated from his friends, and he found
himself in an unknown part of the jungle. Trying to find his way out, he came
across a Shiva Lingam [Kaalahastheeswarar]. Thinnan found himself mysteriously attracted to the Lingam. He was
filled with a desire to make an offering to the deity and stay back with the
lingam. Thinnan immediately asked his friend to make a fire and cook the boar.
After the meat was cooked, he chose the perfectly cooked meat pieces and placed it before the Lord with great love.
Thinnan did not want to leave the Lord due to inexplicable affection he
had towards Shivan. He decided to stay back, so he asked his friend to convey
the same message to his parents and stayed with the Lord.
Every day, Thinnan went for hunting, catch some prey, cook the meat and
offered it with great love to Lord Shiva. He did not have any utensils, so he
filled up his mouth with water and pluck wild flowers and bring them in his
matted hair as he would be carrying the meat in his hands. He spit the water on
the Lord doing the abishekam and placed the cooked meat in front of the Lord.
He would decorate the Lingam with the wild flowers and adorned the beauty of
the lord, this was his daily routine.
This Shivalingam was taken care by a Brahmin who lived in a nearest town.
He was a great devotee of the Lord, who did the Pooja everyday with great
devotion. The Brahmin returned to the shrine the day after Thinnan had made his offerings, and was shocked to
see the meat lying next to the lord! He assumed that some animals must have
left the meat there, and cleaned it well with fresh water from a nearby stream
before continuing with his routine. The Brahmin left that day, satisfied that
he had done his duty.
The next time the Brahmin returned to the shrine, he was repulsed by the
sight he saw! There was meat all over the place again, and this time, the Lingam was covered by spittle! This was not the work of an animal, but a human
being! How could anyone thus defile the Lord? He patiently cleaned up the shrine
before chanting the mantras and purified the Lingam before making his
offerings. Again, he left, having done his duty, hoping that such sacrilege
would not occur again.
Disgusted by the situation, he could not control his tears and addressed
the lord aloud, “O Lord, you are the purest of all, the greatest of all Gods.
How can you allow such indignities to happen to you yourself? You are the
protector of the universe. Please help me solve this mystery.”
Lord Shiva was moved by the Brahmin’s plea, and spoke out to his devotee, “My dear devotee, what you consider
indignities is the offering made to me by another devotee. He knows nothing of
rituals and correct practices, but, like you, he loves me with all his heart. I
am bound by his devotion, and have to accept all that he offers me. If you wish
to see the extent of his love for me, hide somewhere and see what happens. It
is time for him to come.”
The Brahmin was curious about this devotee whom the Lord himself praised
and hid behind the tree. Thinnan came very soon, as usual carrying meat in his
hands and water in his mouth. As he poured the water from his mouth on the
lingam and made his offerings, the Brahmin was shocked.
Thinnan pleaded the Lord to accept his offerings, at that time he looked
closely at the Lord. Suddenly, he noticed that there was something oozing from
the Lord’s left eye! Horrified, he collected herbs and applied them to the eye,
hoping to cure the problem, but it only made it worse, for blood started oozing
out of Lords eyes. He tried out a few more remedies, none of which worked.
Finally, he decided that the only way he could solve the problem was by offering the Lord
his own eye. Taking one of his knives, he cut his left eye out of its socket,
and placed it on the lord! At once, the blood stopped oozing, and Thinnan was
relieved.
Suddenly, he was shocked to notice that the right eye was now bleeding the same way! He now knew
the solution and decided to offer his other eye too. But once he had taken his
right eye out, how would he see where to place it? He pondered for a minute,
and came up with a solution. Lifting his leg, he placed it on the place where
the Lord had his right eye, and with his knife, proceeded to take out his right
eye from its socket!
Even the lord could not bear to see this great sacrifice by his devotee, and appeared in front
of him. The Lord addressed, “Halt,
Kannappa, Halt!”, you are Kannappa as you have offered your eye to me!”. The Brahmin too came out from hiding, and
bowed before the Lord.
image source: google images
image source: google images
Lord Shiva blessed both of them and praised them for their
devotion, in their own way. He especially lauded Thinnan, and declared him to
be a saint – a Nayanar, as
the greatest of Shiva’s devotees were known. Since he had given up his eyes (kann is one of the words for
eye) for the Lord, he would henceforth be known as Kannappa Nayanar.
OM NAMAH SHIVAYA
THIRUCHITRAMBALAM
