The Story of Murthi Nayanar

In the great city of Madurai, the capital of the Pandya kings, lived a merchant named Murthi Nayanar. He was a devout follower of Shiva, and his daily act of worship was to provide sandalwood paste for the temple's rituals.

One day, an intolerant king from another kingdom conquered Madurai. This king, a follower of Jainism, began to persecute Shiva's devotees. Despite the new king's cruelty, Murthi Nayanar continued his daily service without fail. Frustrated by the Nayanar's dedication, the king had all sources of sandalwood blocked, thinking it would stop the ritual.

Undeterred, Murthi Nayanar went to the temple with the grinding stone. Since he had no sandalwood, he began to grind his own arm on the stone. He did this until his skin was gone and his bones were exposed, all while blood flowed freely. Shiva, seeing his devotee's extreme act of love, could not bear it. The god spoke to him, commanding him to stop. Shiva told Murthi Nayanar that the wicked king would soon die and that he would then become king himself.

Just as Shiva had foretold, the king died the next morning without an heir. The ministers, desperate for a new ruler, sent a royal elephant with a garland to choose their next king. The elephant wandered the city and stopped before Murthi Nayanar, placing the garland on him. The crowd cheered, and Murthi Nayanar was escorted to the palace.

Murthi Nayanar agreed to rule the kingdom on one condition: that Shaivism would be the state religion. He also declared that he would not wear a traditional crown, but would instead adorn himself with the holy ash and rudraksha beads of a Shiva devotee. He ruled the kingdom with great wisdom and peace, his reign marked by the three symbols of his faith. After a long and prosperous reign, he passed the kingdom on to a successor and was granted a place at Shiva's feet. His story is a testament to the power of unwavering faith and the idea that true wealth lies in devotion, not material possessions.