Satti Nayanar
Satti Nayanar (Shatti Nayanar, Chaththi Nayanar), also known as Satti (Sathi), Sathiyar, Shakti Nayanar, Shakti, Shaktiyar (Saktiyar), Sattiyandar and Thiru-Saththi Nayanar, is a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the 45th in the list of 63 Nayanars.[1] Satti Nayanar is described to cut off the tongue of whoever talked ill of his patron god Shiva or Shiva's devotees.
Life
The life of Satti Nayanar is described in the
Some
Assessment
According to
Dr. D. Dennis Hudson, Emeritus Professor of World Religions at Smith College identified twenty-four Nayanars, including Satti Nayanar, displaying "violent and fanatical devotion" and contrasts it with the "saintly devotion" in the Bhagavad Gita.[8] These acts denote the "unusual and paradigmatic" love of the Nayanars for Shiva. The absolute nature of these acts, that go beyond the boundaries of convention and custom, makes them praiseworthy. Satti Nayanar's violence is justified by the maxim: "the sins of the devotees of the Lord are virtues whereas even the good actions performed by those without love are vices."[8][9] The Nayanar is also excused since the narrative blames the victim to be the instigator of the attack, by his actions.[10]
Remembrance
Satti Nayanar may be depicted cutting a person's tongue with a sickle or knife. A stone panel in the
Satti Nayanar is specially worshipped in the
(lunar mansion). He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.[1]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.
- ^ a b T N Ramachandran. "The Puranam of Satthi Nayanar". Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ Mor̲appākkam Appācāmi Turai Araṅkacāmi (1990). The Religion and Philosophy of Tēvāram: With Special Reference to Nampi Ārūrar (Sundarar). University of Madras. p. 1034.
- ISBN 978-1-136-81808-0.
- ^ Te. Po Mīn̲āṭcicuntaran̲ār (1976). Tamil: A Bird's-eye View. Makkal Nalvaal̲vu Manr̲am. p. 70.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-88706-982-6.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-2705-7.
- ISBN 978-3-447-03241-4.
- ^ S. R. Balasubrahmanyam; B. Natarajan; Balasubrahmanyan Ramachandran (1979). Later Chola Temples: Kulottunga I to Rajendra III (A.D. 1070-1280). Mudgala Trust. p. 239.