Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar (also spelt as Kunguliya Kalaya Nayanar, Kungulia Kalaya Nayanar), also known as Kungiliya Kalaya (Kunguliya Kalaya), Kalayar (Kalaya, Kalayan), Kunguliya and Kalaya Nayanar, is a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the eleventh in the list of 63 Nayanars.[1]
Life
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar is regarded as a historical figure, evident from accounts where he played host to the Nayanar saints
The life of Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar is described in the
Shiva is said to be pleased with Kungiliya Kalaya's service, but decided to test his devotion. Over course of time, Kungiliya Kalaya's wealth diminished. He lost his money and possessions. He had to sell his properties to feed his starving family. However, he continued to burn incense sticks in Shiva's temple. When all valuables were sold, only his wife's gold thali (a necklace given by a groom to a bride in a Hindu wedding, which she wears as a sign of her marital status) remained. The wife removed her thali and gave it for Kalaya to sell and bring some rice for the family, even though it was considered inauspicious for a married woman to remove it. However, Shiva disguised as a Kungiliya merchant or hawker and asked if he wanted to buy the incense. Unmindful of his family's condition, Kungiliya Kalaya traded the thali for a bag of incense and went to the temple to burn it. The wife waited patiently and finally put the children to bed and prayed to Shiva. Shiva was pleased with the devotion of the couple and appeared in the dream of the wife and promised to restore their wealth. When she woke the next day, the house was filled with valuable objects. She sang a panegyric in honour of the Lord and prepared the meal and waited for Kalaya.[2][3]
Shiva then appears before Kungiliya Kalaya - who had lost his senses and was immersed in devotion till then - in the temple and blesses him. He instructs him to return to his home and wife. Kungiliya Kalaya returned home to find his house transformed into a mansion with all wealth. Several devotees of Shiva gathered there. Kungiliya Kalaya served the devotees and distributed money amongst them.[2][3]
Another tale associates Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar with the
The hagiography says that after serving Shaivas for many years, Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar attained
Remembrance
One of the most prominent Nayanars, Sundarar (8th century) mentions Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar (called Kalayan of Katavur) in hymn to various Nayanar saints.[5] When Sambandar met Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar at Tirukadavur, he composed a hymn singing the glories of the latter.[3]
Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar is depicted wearing a crown, with folded hands (see
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-215-0044-9.
- ^ Swami Sivananda(1999). Sixty-three Nayanar Saints (4 ed.). Sivanandanagar: The Divine Life Society.
- ^ "Sri Aruna Jadewswarar temple". Dinamalar. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- ISBN 978-1-4008-6006-7.