Cool Stories 4 kids...

Illayankudi Maara Nayanar visualized Lord on the very appearance of his devotees on their smeared mark of ashes, Rudraksha and matted hair. He receives his guests – devotees of Lord Shiva with utmost reverence, he prostrates before them and wash their feet with water, he consumes the Charanamrita Thirtha of the devotees, he worships the devotees with Deepam, Dhoopam, Nivediyam as similar to the offerings made to Lord. He pleases his guests – devotees of Lord with his nectar like speeches and send them off after paying due respect and honor. This Sadhana is known as Maaheswara Puja (or worship of the devotees of Maheswara or Lord Siva).

Ilayankudi Mara Nayanar firmly believed that the wealth he had possessed were the blessings of Lord and it belonged to lord Shiva. He was very meticulous to utilize them only for serving Lord and his devotees. Lord Shiva was pleased at the devotion of Ilayankudimara Nayanar and desired to reveal his sincere devotion to the world.

Years passed by, Ilayankudi Mara Nayanar’s wealth started to melt away, but his virtues remain the same. Though he found it difficult to meet both the ends, his self-less devotion to Lord and his devotees grew more intensely. Finally, he was left with no wealth; he had to sell everything to meet the daily needs and receive his guests – Shivan Adiyaars.

Ilayankudi MaraNayanar and his wife punithavathi in Rajendra Choleeswarar temple, Sivagangai

Nayanar and his virtuous wife Punithavathi had to face the dreadful face of poverty. They had to spend several days without food; they amicably handled the awful state of their living. Once it was raining heavily, Nayanar and his wife had no food and soon they both fell asleep due to hunger. Immediately, they heard a knock at the door. Nayanar rushed to open the door and found a devotee of Lord; he was all soaking wet due to heavy rain. At that time Ilayankudi Maranar did not know that Lord Shiva has come in disguise to his house to show the world about the greatness, selflessness and happiness Maaranar finds in feeding the people.

Read more about Nayanmars here...

Nayanar forgot all his tiredness and received his guest with utmost respect and offered him with fresh clothes to wear. Nayanar requested his guest to relax for some time and promised to be back with food to appease his hunger.

Though Nayanar promised to be back with food to his guest, he became very uneasy at the thought of nothing has left at home to offer his guest. His wife Punithavathi suggested that they could go to the backyard and collect the grain-seeds that they had just sown that very day.

Rajendra Choleeswarar temple, Sivagangai

He set off in the dark and heavy torrential rain, the whole village was in sleep and there was not enough light to pick the seeds sown. He found all the grains were floating on the flooded water and he picked up the grains with a basket. His wife hurried to kitchen and agonizingly realized the truth that there was no firewood to cook. Nayanar plucked one of the strong pieces of wood from the roof - top of their house and handed to his wife. She created cooking fire instantly, she fried the grains and crushed them, within seconds. Nayanar joined her with some thandukeerai[amaranth] and pumkin picked up from their backyard. Within a short time his wife cooked a fine meal for their guest. The couple felt happy and grateful to Lord Shiva for having prepared the meal for the Shivan Adiyaar.

Rajendra Choleeswarar temple, Sivagangai

Nayanar with greatest pleasure approached the place where his guest was relaxing. Maara Nayanar tried to wake up the Sivan adiyaar saying, “please wake up, you can have the meal and then go back to sleep”. Shivan adiyaar woke up and disappeared in no time. At the same time Jothi appears in front of them, Ilayankudi Mara Nayanar and his wife were awestruck on seeing Lord Shiva along with Parvathi in the Jothi.

Read more about Nayanmars here...

Lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi sitting on the Rishaba Vahanaa showered blessings on Ilyankudi Mara Nayanar and his wife and said, “Oh noble souls, I am highly pleased with your devotion and service [pooja] to Shivan Adiyaar. You have shown the world that wealth and money are not important, and you only need love to serve the Shivan Adiyars. You will soon attain my abode and live there for ever”.

Rajendra Choleeswarar temple, Sivagangai

Ilayankudi Maranar is especially associated with Rajendra Chozheeswarar temple – dedicated to Shiva – in his hometown Ilaiyangudi. While the formal temple is derived from inscriptions of the king Rajendra Chola I (reign: 1012–1044 CE), the locals call the temple Jyotishvara or Lord of the flame, alluding to the legend of the Nayanar. Ilayankudi Mara Nayanar was praised as Annadhana Prabhu and is called so until this date. Guru Poojai for Illayankudi Maara Nayanar is done in the month of Avani on Magam Nakshatram.

Rajendra Choleeswarar temple, Sivagangai

A shrine is dedicated to the Nayanar in the temple. On Avani Magam day, statues of Ilayankudi Maranar and his wife Punithavathi as well as the presiding deities Shiva and Parvati is paraded in the village in a temple chariot (Chapparam). The Naivedhya (food offering) of sirukeerai is offered to Lord Shiva of this temple. Devotees also emulate the Nayanar by practising Annadana (charity in form of food). The Nayanar's house and field – situated near the shrine – are venerated as “ MulaiVari Amudhu Alitha Nattrangal”, means the land in which rice paddy was grown and offered as Naivedhyam for Lord Shivan. Since Ilayankudi Mara Nayanar attained mukthi by doing Annadhanam[charity in the form of food] in this place, even now people donate food to the needy and pray to lord Shiva.

Read more about Nayanmars here...