The Story of Thirunilanakka Nayanar

In the Chozha kingdom, in the town of Tiruchathamangai, lived a Brahmin named Thirunilanakka Nayanar. He was a devout follower of Shiva and a scholar of the Vedas. He believed that the essence of his religion was to serve Shiva and his devotees with a loving heart.

One day, he and his wife went to the temple to worship Shiva. As they stood before the deity, a spider fell onto the statue of the Lord. Without thinking, his wife instinctively blew on the statue to get rid of the insect, just as a mother would to protect her child.

Thirunilanakka was appalled. He believed her action violated the sacred rules of worship because the spittle from her mouth had touched the deity. He angrily left her at the temple and went home, believing he had to perform a ritual of repentance for her act. His wife, out of respect for her husband's anger, stayed at the temple.

That night, Shiva appeared in Thirunilanakka's dream. The god showed him his form and pointed out that the spot where his wife had blown was perfectly fine, but the other parts of his body were swollen from the spider's bite. Shiva told him that her act, though against the rules of ritual, was an act of pure, selfless love, and he was more pleased with her love than with strict rules.

Thirunilanakka Nayanar woke up in awe and immediately rushed back to the temple. He fell at his wife’s feet, brought her home, and praised her for her true devotion.

His home later became a haven for other saints, including the famous Tirugnana Sambandhar. Thirunilanakka Nayanar hosted him and his entourage, showing his immense respect for all of Shiva's devotees. His story serves as a powerful reminder that true devotion and love for God are more important than rigid adherence to religious laws.