Kannappa Nayanar

In this article, we would talk about Kannappa Nayanar, his life history, how Lord Shiva tested his bhakta and also who are the Nayanar Saints.

Who is this man carved in the temples with his foot on Shivalinga? – Kannappa Nayanar

An idol carved on many Shiva temples, of a man with his foot on Shivalinga aroused my curiosity. How can someone dare to put his foot on the Shivalinga; and how can he be celebrated for this wrong-doings with carvings in Shiva temples. And this curiosity let me know more about this famous Nayanar – Kannappa.

Who are Nayanar Saints?

Nayanar Saints is a group of sixty-three poet saints, born in sixth to eighth century in Tamilnadu who influenced the Shaiva bhakti marg along with twelve Alvars who influenced the Vaishnava Bhakti marga.

The first list of the Nayanar saints was compiled by Sundarar in his poem Tiruthonda Thogai. Saint Sundarar sang the name of these saints in eleven verses, but never went into the details of their lives. It was later described in great detail in another book Tevaram.

The priest of Great Raja Raja Chola I, Nambiyander Nambi, expanded this list further including the names of Sundarar and his parents too.

Who was Kannappa Nayanar?

With this brief introduction of the Nayanar Saints; let us talk about Kannappa Nayanar.

The family in which Kannappa Nayanar was born

Kannappa was born in a hunter family which lived in wild-forest. He and his tribesmen were ignorant of the rules of civilized world; and were usually agnostic to God, and the rituals to respect and worship Him.

Kannappa Nayanar’s first visit to a Shiva Temple

One day when Kannappa was returning back after hunting a pig, he saw a Shiva temple and decided to venture in. At this time of the day, when he entered inside the temple, the priest Sivagochariar, was usually away.

Kannappa Nayanar’s offerings to Shivalinga

When Kannappa saw Shivalinga, due to the previous lives Samskara, he fell in love with It.  He saw that someone has poured water there, and offered flowers and food too, so he too decided to pay his veneration.

He brought water in his mouth, plucked and put flowers in his head. Once he was inside the temple, he spit out the water over Shivalinga, offered flower to the idol from his tuft.

Then he felt that the deity might be hungry and It must be offered food. He took out the flesh of the animal he killed, tasted it and offered the best part of it to the deity.

Who entered the temple to disturb its sanctity?

When the priest returned the next day, he was aghast looking at the temple. The priest realized that someone dirty entered inside the temple and disturbed the sanctity of the place.

He cleaned up the place, took bath, brought water in holy pot, plucked fresh flowers in holy basket, offered pure-untouched sweets to the deity and left for the day.

Kannappa Nayanar becomes an ardent and regular bhakta of Lord Shiva

Kannappa, by this time, had become an ardent bhakt and visited it again and repeated his way of worship.

This become a routine with Kannappa bringing water in his mouth for Shivalinga’s Jaltarpan and offering him the flowers from his head and the best part of the meat he hunted that day; and the priest cleaning it every day with disdain and curses for the one who was spoiling the sanctity of the place.

Devi Parvati’s request to punish Kannappa Nayanar for reducing the sanctity of the temple

Devi Parvathi was noticing this drama from her abode – Kailashparvath. It was unbearable for her to see Kannappa dirtying the place every day.

One day she could not restrain herself and questioned the Lord Shiva, “I am not able to understand your way of justice. Why are you giving this trouble to your bhakta Sivagochariar, of cleaning this mess done by this dirty savage? Why are you not punishing and stopping this brute?”

Shiva’s Decision to test his two devotees

Lord Shiva smiled at Devi’s innocent comment. He replied, “Devi you are wrong. The person whom you are calling a brute is my real devotee; the priest is doing nothing but following rituals”. Devi Parvathi appeared unconvinced. So, Shiva added, “Let us take a small test of the two devotees and find out who is a bigger devotee of mine.”

The First test of Kannappa Nayanar – A mild Earthquake and the shaking of temple walls

Next day when the priest arrived in temple for morning prayers, Shiva created a mild earthquake and the temple walls started to shake. The priest felt that probably the temple walls may fall down, so he ran away for his life. As soon as the priest ran away the temple stopped shaking and the earthquake was over.

Now, as usual when Kannappa arrived in the temple, after his hunting expedition, the same thing happened again; the earth shook and it appeared that the temple walls may fall. Kannappa sensed the danger but instead of running away, for his love for the Shivalinga, he covered it with himself. So if the temple wall fall, Shivalinga remains safe.

Devi Parvati not convinced with Shiva’s interpretation about Kannappa Nayanar

After the test, Shiva looked at Devi Parvati and smiled, “So, now you know who is a greater bhakt of mine and who is doing it only as a ritual.

Devi Parvathi was unimpressed. She replied, “Lord you are a Bholenath; you got impressed by this small test and you want me to be impressed too.”

Shiva smiled again and said, “Devi, I know to what extent this bhakt of mine could go. But to convince you let us the test the two folks even more rigorously.”

The Blood oozing from the eyes carved on the Shivalinga

Next day, the priest came to the temple again and was worshipping the Shivalinga. Suddenly he noticed that the blood is coming out of one of the eyes carved on the Shivalinga.

He was alarmed. First the meat in the temple, then the earthquake that shook the temple and now blood coming out of Shiva’s eye. He was convinced of the bad omen and felt that something wrong is about to happen. He came out of the temple, ran-away with a decision to never return.

Kannappa Nayanar Offering his eye to stop the blood coming from the eyes carved on Shivalinga

The same thing happened with Kannappa when he visited the temple at his routine time with his offerings. Devi Parvathi was watching the whole episode with intense interest. When Kannappa saw the blood oozing out of Shiva’s eye. He tried to wipe it clean;

He then felt that the blood is coming out as Shiva’s eye is hurt. This ardent bhakt of Shiva thought for sometime of a remedy he can apply and then he felt that if Shiva’s eye is damaged, he can offer his own eye.

As soon as the idea stuck his mind, he plucked his eye and put it on Shivalinga from where the blood was coming out. He felt blessed to notice that as soon as he put his eye the blood stopped coming out.

Acceptance of Devi Parvati in misjudging Kannappa Nayanar but Shiva decide to test him further

Devi Parvathi was amazed by Kannappa’s bhakti and accepted her mistake in recognizing the real bhakta.  But, Lord Shiva was in no mood to give up and make Devi Parvathi doubtful later.

So within few minutes Kannappa noticed that now the blood start oozing out from another eye. Kannappa appeared to be in doubt.

Devi Parvathi was amused; this regress test of Lord Shiva seems to have exposed Kannappa too.  He was ok to part with one of his eyes, but the idea of getting completely blind is perhaps making him indecisive. He failed the examination.

What remedy Kannappa Nayanar thought to stop blood from Shiva’s Eyes

Reality was though different, Kannappa was actually in doubt that if he would pluck his second eye as well, how would he be able to see where he needs to put his eye on Shivalinga.

The very next moment he got an idea. He put his foot over Shiva’s eye on the Lingam. Devi Parvathi was aghast at his manners. How dare he put his foot on Shivalinga and the bleeding eye. This savage is and will remain a savage.

She was about to turn her head towards Lord Shiva with a triumphant mood, suddenly she noticed that Kannappa took his second eye too and used the position of foot to place it on Shivalinga.

It filled Parvathi with repentance and Karuna for this fervent bhakta of her Lord. She looked at Lord Shiva with remorse and Shiva understood her state of mind. Immediately Kannappa got both his eyes back. Shiva-Parvathi then appeared and blessed the ardent devotee.

The significance behind the story of Kannappa Nayanar

The esoteric purpose of the story is also to emphasize that the God is not hungry of rigorous religious rituals; he does not look at anyone’s caste, social status, but He can be pleased with intense Bhakti.

The priest, Sivagochariar, prayed Shiva with all prescribed rituals still the one who won Shiva over was the Kannappa who was not aware of any Shiva hymn, did jalabhishek of the idol with water carried over in his mouth and offered meat to Lord after cutting it from his teeth

Was Kannappa Nayanar, lord Arjuna in previous birth?

According to a legend, Kannappa was no-one else but the Arjuna of Mahabharata.

During that time, Arjuna did penance to please Lord Shiva to get Pashupathastra. Lord Shiva tested him, by entering into a battle with him; finally Arjuna realized that his opponent is Lord Shiva himself and he apologized for his arrogance.

Lord-Shiva forgave him and gave him the weapon. However, for his arrogance and boastfulness Arjuna took the re-birth as Kannappa and finally got liberation by worshiping Lord-Shiva.

Please click here to read about another Saint – Meera Bai of Chittorgarh

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