Amaraneedi Nayanar. அமர்நீதி நாயனார்.

Amaraneedi Nayanar. அமர்நீதி நாயனார். Amaraneedi Nayanar belonged to Pazhaiyaarai in the Chola Kingdom. Pazhaiyaarai was a very fertile place, surrounded on all sides by gardens and green fields. Amaraneedi Nayanar was a trader in gold, diamonds, silks and cotton goods. He earned money honestly and became rich. Though he was engaged in worldly activities, his mind was fixed on Lord Siva. He was an ardent Siva Bhakta. He would invite Siva Bhaktas to his house and worship them. He would give the Kowpeenam, cloth, etc., and feed them nicely and send them away happy, with other gifts. Lord Siva was highly pleased with Amaraneedi Nayanar’s Kowpeena charity and extreme kindness to Siva Bhaktas. He wanted to show to the world His Bhakta’s greatness and also shower His blessings on him. So, one day Lord Siva in the guise of a Brahmachari, with beautiful matted locks on his head, sacred ashes on his forehead, with a staff on his shoulder, appeared before Amaraneediar’s Mutt. Two Kowpeenams and a small ash-bag were tied to one end of the staff. He had a charming face. His eyes were glittering. He walked gracefully into the Mutt. Amaraneediar, with extreme joy, welcomed him and worshipped him. The Brahmachari said: ‘Oh friend, you are a noble soul. People are highly praising your Kowpeena charity. I have come to you for Darshan.’ Amaraneediar begged of him to take Bhiksha. He readily agreed and said: ‘I shall go to the river and return after finishing my bath and Nitya Karmas. Rain may drench my Kowpeenams. So, please keep this dry Kowpeenam safely with you, and I shall come back for it. The Kowpeenam is very precious, as you already know. So, please keep it safe.’ The Brahmachari went away, and Amaraneediar kept the Kowpeenam safely inside the house. But, the Lord willed that it should disappear! Soon after the Brahmachari came back after his bath, etc., and asked for the dry Kowpeenam as rain had drenched the Kowpeenam he had on the staff. Amaraneediar could not find it. He prayed hard to the Lord. Yet, he could not find it. He approached the Brahmachari, trembling, with another Kowpeenam, and explained his predicament to him. But, the Brahmachari was in no mood to take any explanation. Amaraneediar offered much wealth, etc., in compensation. But, the Brahmachari said: ‘What have I to do with all this wealth? All these are of no use to me. I only need a Kowpeenam.’ And, in saying so, the Lord in the guise of the Brahmachari, uttered a very great truth. He continued: ‘I have got another Kowpeenam: you can give me another of the same weight.’ Amaraneediar was greatly relieved when he heard this. He brought a balance. He put the Kowpeenam on one side and another piece on the other. The Brahmachari’s scale went down. Whatever Amaraneediar put on his side, the Brahmachari’s scale was heavier. Amaraneediar was amazed: and he understood that it was God’s own Lila Amaraneediar got on the scale with his wife and his child, saying: ‘If I have truly served the Siva Bhaktas, with faith and sincerity, let this sca1e be equal in weight to the other one.’ Immediately the two scales were equal. The merit of Amaraneediar’s selfless service of the Siva Bhaktas was equal to the merit of Lord Siva’s Kowpeenam. The people who witnessed this were wonderstruck. They prostrated before Amaraneediar and praised him. The Brahmachari disappeared and Lord Parameswara and Mother Parvathi appeared on Their Rishabha before Amaraneediar, his wife and child. He blessed them. OM Nama Sivaaya…!