>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

2021-05-24T09:35:44Z

removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
|name= Iyarpagai Nayanar
|image= Iyarpagaiar.JPG
|caption =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
|birth_date= 3rd Century BCE
|birth_place= [[Puhar, Nagapattinam|Puhar]]
|birth_name=
|death_date=
|death_place=
|philosophy= [[Shaivism]], [[Bhakti]]
|honors= [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint,
|footnotes=
}}

'''Iyarpagai Nayanar''', also known as '''Iyarpagaiar''', '''Iyarpahai Nayanar''', '''Iyarpagaiya Nayanar''' and '''Iyarppakai Nayanar''' is a [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint, venerated in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. He is generally counted as the third in the list of 63 Nayanars.<ref name="Dalal2011">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|date=2011|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=281}}</ref>

==Life==
The life of Iyarpagai Nayanar is described in the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ''[[Periya Puranam]]'' by [[Sekkizhar]] (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.<ref name="Dalal2011"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.shaivam.org/english/sen_th12_iyarppakai.htm| title=The Puranam of Yeyar Pakai Nayanar| publisher=T N Ramachandran |access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref> His name "Iyarpagai" means "Contrary to Nature", as the Nayanar's excessively philanthropic ways were against the worldly ways of Nature.<ref name="CallewaertSnell1994">{{cite book|author1=Winand M. Callewaert|author2=Rupert Snell|title=According to Tradition: Hagiographical Writing in India|year=1994|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-03524-8|page=213}}</ref>

Iyarpagai Nayanar was born in Kaveri-poompattinam, where the river [[Kaveri]] joins the ocean. This ancient capital of the [[Chola]] kingdom and port is now [[Puhar, Nagapattinam|Puhar]], [[Nagapattinam district]] in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Iyarpagai Nayanar belonged to the [[Vaishya]] (merchant) caste. A staunch Shaiva (devotee of the god [[Shiva]]), he served Shiva and his devotees. A wealthy merchant, he built of a reputation that he never refused to anything a devotee of Shiva would ask for.<ref name="swami"/><ref name="dinamalar"/>

Once, Shiva decided to test the married Iyarpagai. The god disguised himself as a Shaiva ,,(sivanadiyar) (member of the priest caste) and arrived at Iyarpagai's home, where he was welcomed by Iyarpagai and his wife. The elderly sivanadiyar said he had come to Iyarpagai, having heard tales of Iyarpagai's generosity. Upon enquiry about what he wanted, the sivanadiyar asked for Iyarpagai's wife to come to his house and look after him and his household tasks. The sivanadiyar said he never married due to a vow of chastity and did not have any children to look after him in his old age. Therefore, he needs someone to look after him as if he was their own father. Although, since the sivanadiyar continued to work as a pujari in his faraway town, for her to serve the sivanadiyar she would have to live there which was very faraway from their hometown and she would not be able to be with her husband.

The merchant told his wife about the request, who was initially appalled, but later consented considering it as the command of her husband. Iyarpagai's wife worshipped the sivanadiyar feet and readied to proceed with the sivanadiyar. The visitor asked another favour of Iyarpagai. He requested the merchant to escort him and the wife to outside the town and protect him against his kin. Iyarpagai took his sword and shield and accompanied his guest and his wife on their journey.<ref name="swami"/><ref name="dinamalar"/>

Meanwhile, the relatives of the wife and Iyarpagai, were infuriated that she was to become a virtual slave instead of living her life. Armed with various weapons, they caught with the trio in the way and threatened the "lecherous" sivanadiyar. As the sivanadiyar looked at his caregiver frightened, she comforted him, while the merchant warned the kin to flee or face his wrath. Iyarpagai, who was skilled in warfare, charged at the opposing host and massacred his kindred, chanting the Shiva Panchakshara, following onslaughts from all sides. As the trio approached Tiru Chaikadu (presently known as [[Sayavanam]]), the sivanadiyar told Iyarpagai Nayanar to return. The Nayanar prostrated before the sivanadiyar and left. Suddenly, he heard the sivanadiyar cries of help and rushed back to check any one had attacked the sivanadiyar again. When Iyarpagai reached the spot, the sivanadiyar had disappeared and his wife stood alone. Lord Shiva and Goddess [[Parvati]] appeared before the couple. The Nayanar bowed in reverence; Shiva praised the Nayanar's devotion as took the couple to [[Kailash]], his divine abode. The relatives killed by the Nayanar attained [[Svarga]] (heaven).<ref name="swami">{{cite book | author = Swami Sivananda | author-link = Swami Sivananda | title = Sixty-three Nayanar Saints | edition = 4 | publisher = The Divine Life Society | year = 1999 | location = Sivanandanagar }}</ref><ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web | url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=506 | title=Sri Chaya Vaneswarar temple | publisher=[[Dinamalar]] | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref>

==Remembrance==
[[File:Sri Kokarneshvarar Temple in Tirukokarnam.JPG|thumb|The images of the Nayanars are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.]]

One of the most prominent Nayanars, [[Sundarar]] (8th century) venerates Iyarpagai Nayanar in the ''Tiruthonda Thogai'', a hymn to Nayanar saints, praising as the one who was munificent.<ref name=Peterson>{{cite book|title=Poems to Śiva: The Hymns of the Tamil Saints|url=https://archive.org/details/poemstosivahymns00pete|url-access=limited|year=1991|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0784-6|page= [https://archive.org/details/poemstosivahymns00pete/page/n181 331]}}</ref> The Tamil poet [[Gopalakrishna Bharati]] (1810–1896) has composed a musical play ''Iyarpagai Nayanar Charitram'', which has 21 songs and some verses based on the life of the Nayanar.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | url=http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100014703 | title=Iyarpagai Nāyanār Charitram | encyclopedia=The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India | access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref>

Iyarpagai Nayanar is worshipped in the [[Tamil month]] of [[Margashirsha|Margazhi]], when the moon enters the [[Uttara Phalgunī]] [[nakshatra]] (lunar mansion). He is depicted with a crown and folded hands (see [[Anjali mudra]]). 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.<ref name="Dalal2011"/>

The Chayavaneswarar Temple dedicated to Shiva in Sayavanam, where Shiva is described to have appeared before Iyarpagai Nayanar, has a special affiliation with the Nayanar. After bathing in Kaveri's mouth at Puhar, devotees worship at this temple. A shrine dedicated to Iyarpagai Nayanar and his wife, exists in the temple. A special five-day temple festival is celebrated around the great Iyarpagai Nayanar's holy day of salvation in Margazhi. In the Tamil months of [[Chaitra|Chithirai]] and [[Vaishakha|Vaikasi]] (April to June, which correspond to the summer months), it is a tradition to offer water and buttermilk to visiting devotees in the name of the Nayanar, in the temple.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Nayanars}}

[[Category:Nayanars]]

Iyarpagai Nayanar - Revision history

>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars