Maternal love

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.