Iyarpagaiar
Encyclopedia
Iyarpagai Nayanar was one of the 63 nayanmar's of saivism. He was born in Kaveripoompattinam of chola kingdom
. He was born in the month of Markazhi (mid dec to mid jan) and he is Vaisya by caste. He considered Shiva
Bhaktas as the living manifestations of Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva was delighted with His devotee. He wanted to reveal his true greatness to the world. So, the Lord, in the disguise of a sage, with sacred ashes smeared all over his body, came to Nayanar’s house. He welcomed the Sage with great joy, as the very sight of the holy man thrilled the Nayanar. The Sage said that he had heard about his charitable nature and he came hear for a gift. Iyarpagaiar was very happy to hear this and agreed readily. He went inside the house and informed his wife of all that had happened. She was shocked at first, but quickly regained her self-control.
According to Hinduism, to a chaste wife, her husband is God, and whatever he commands is Law and Dharma. She readily agreed to follow the Sage-guest as his wife. Iyarpagaiar came out with his wife and asked the Sage to accept the gift. The Sage feared the rage of the wife’s relatives and asked Iyarpagaiar to accompany them till they were safely out of the village and out of danger. Nayanar agreed to do so and armed himself to protect the Sage. They then proceeded to go.
In the meantime the relatives of nayanar’s wife came to know of the whole story and were furious. The Sage pretended to be scared. Iyarpagaiar was ready to fight them. The relatives tried to convince nayanar of the unrighteousness of the whole thing, and, when they found that they could not, they preferred to die at his hands, than submit to the shame. Iyarpagaiar at once pounced upon them and chopped off their heads. All of them died and nayanar was actually happy because he had succeeded in keeping his vow of worshipping his devotee, preceded further with the Sage and the wife. When they reached the temple of Tiruchaikadu, the Sage asked Iyarpagaiar to leave them and return. Nayanar prostrated to the Sage and turned his steps homeward.
As he had hardly proceeded a few yards on his homeward journey, the Sage again called Nayanar by his name aloud. Thinking that there might have been another attack on the party, Iyarpagaiar hastened to where the Sage was but, to his amazement, found that the sage had disappeared and that his wife was standing alone there. At that time Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathy appeared in the sky and blessed Nayanar and his wife and said that he was immensely pleased with their devotion to his bhaktas and both of them will very soon reach his Abode. At the same time nayanar’s relatives who died at his hands also attained the lotus feet of the Lord.
Since Iyarpagai nayanar was born in Uttara Phalgunī nakshatra
of Markhali, that day is celebrated as his day in all shiva temples.
Chola Kingdom
Chola was a powerful southern kingdom. They were mentioned in both great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. They were believed to have some link with the Sivi or Sibi clan, situated along with the Sindhu Sauviras. In the time of recorded history, Chola kingdom grew into a powerful empire...
. He was born in the month of Markazhi (mid dec to mid jan) and he is Vaisya by caste. He considered Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
Bhaktas as the living manifestations of Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva was delighted with His devotee. He wanted to reveal his true greatness to the world. So, the Lord, in the disguise of a sage, with sacred ashes smeared all over his body, came to Nayanar’s house. He welcomed the Sage with great joy, as the very sight of the holy man thrilled the Nayanar. The Sage said that he had heard about his charitable nature and he came hear for a gift. Iyarpagaiar was very happy to hear this and agreed readily. He went inside the house and informed his wife of all that had happened. She was shocked at first, but quickly regained her self-control.
According to Hinduism, to a chaste wife, her husband is God, and whatever he commands is Law and Dharma. She readily agreed to follow the Sage-guest as his wife. Iyarpagaiar came out with his wife and asked the Sage to accept the gift. The Sage feared the rage of the wife’s relatives and asked Iyarpagaiar to accompany them till they were safely out of the village and out of danger. Nayanar agreed to do so and armed himself to protect the Sage. They then proceeded to go.
In the meantime the relatives of nayanar’s wife came to know of the whole story and were furious. The Sage pretended to be scared. Iyarpagaiar was ready to fight them. The relatives tried to convince nayanar of the unrighteousness of the whole thing, and, when they found that they could not, they preferred to die at his hands, than submit to the shame. Iyarpagaiar at once pounced upon them and chopped off their heads. All of them died and nayanar was actually happy because he had succeeded in keeping his vow of worshipping his devotee, preceded further with the Sage and the wife. When they reached the temple of Tiruchaikadu, the Sage asked Iyarpagaiar to leave them and return. Nayanar prostrated to the Sage and turned his steps homeward.
As he had hardly proceeded a few yards on his homeward journey, the Sage again called Nayanar by his name aloud. Thinking that there might have been another attack on the party, Iyarpagaiar hastened to where the Sage was but, to his amazement, found that the sage had disappeared and that his wife was standing alone there. At that time Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathy appeared in the sky and blessed Nayanar and his wife and said that he was immensely pleased with their devotion to his bhaktas and both of them will very soon reach his Abode. At the same time nayanar’s relatives who died at his hands also attained the lotus feet of the Lord.
Since Iyarpagai nayanar was born in Uttara Phalgunī nakshatra
Nakshatra
Nakshatra is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 sectors along the ecliptic...
of Markhali, that day is celebrated as his day in all shiva temples.