Maternal love

September 05, 2014 10:56 pm | Updated 10:56 pm IST

While all the Nayanamars, as the 63 Saivite saints are called, are thought of highly, one of them was singled out for praise by the others, and was praised by the Saivite saint Manickavachagar too. The one thus singled out was the Nayanmar known as Kannappa Nayanar, said K.Sambandan, in a discourse. Kannappa Nayanar, who was a hunter, was given the name Thinnan by his parents. One day, when Thinnan saw a Siva Linga in the forest, he was moved because he felt the Lord was alone in the forest and unprotected. He wanted to provide the Lord with food. He ran to a nearby stream, and filled his mouth with water. He stuck some flowers in his hair, to offer them to the Lord. He took some meat, which he had already tasted, and ran to the Siva Linga. He spat out the water over the Linga — that was his way of anointing the Lord! He then offered flowers and meat to the Linga.

During the night, he stayed guard, so that wild animals would not harm the Lord. The routine continued for six days. On the seventh day, Thinnan offered his eyes to the Linga, because the eyes of the latter were bleeding. Thinnan was given the name of Kannappa because of this, and was also granted moksha.

While all other Nayanmars had asked at least for moksha, Kannappa Nayanar had asked for nothing. A child petitions a mother for something, but a mother never asks a child for anything. She shows infinite love for her child. In the same way, the other Nayanmars saw the Lord as their mother. But Kannappa Nayanar put himself in the place of a mother and the Lord in the place of his child.

That is why his bhakti is lauded by everyone.

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