>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

2021-05-24T09:38:19Z

removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
'''Kalikamba Nayanar''', known as '''Kalikkamba''', '''Kalikamba''', '''Kalikambar''', '''Kaliyamba''', '''Kalikkambar''', '''Kalikkampa(r)''', '''Kali Kambanar''', '''Kalikkampa Nayanar''' and '''Kaliyamba Nayanar(u)''', is a [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint, venerated in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. He is generally counted as the forty-third in the list of 63 Nayanars. His hagiography speaks about how he cut the hand of his wife, who did not help in serving a Shaiva, devotee of the god [[Shiva]].<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 primary account of Kalikamba Nayanar's life comes from the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ''[[Periya Puranam]]'' by [[Sekkizhar]] (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. Kalikamba Nayanar was born and lived in Pennagadam (Pennakatam/Pennakadam), also known as Tirupennagadam (Thirupennagadam), currently situated {{convert|14|km|mi}} near [[Virudhachalam]] in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is famous for Sudarkozhundeesar Temple, dedicated to the god [[Shiva]], the patron god of Shaivism. In Kalikamba Nayanar's times, Pennagadam was part of the [[Chola]] kingdom. Kalikamba was a [[Vaishya]], the merchant [[caste]] that flourished in Pennagadam. He was a devotee of Shiva and used to serve the devotees of Shiva (Shaivas). Every day, he welcomed them, washed their feet, and worshipped them. He also served lunch to the devotees and offered them money and gifts. Once, when the devotees gathered for lunch at Kalikamba's house, he started with his daily ritual of ''pada-puja'' (washing of feet to show respect) of the devotees. His wife helped him in the service. The wife would pour water from the pot, as Kalikamba washed the feet. When Kalikamba was about to wash the feet of a devotee, she recognised the devotee as their former servant and hesitated from pouring water from the pot. Kalikamba felt that the wife has desecrated the sacred service. He took the pot from her hand and cut off the hand by his sword. He continued to wash the feet of the devotees and served them food, a duty generally performed by his wife. For his act of devotion, he attained the grace of Shiva.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.shaivam.org/english/sen_th12_kalikkampar.htm| title=The Puranam of Idangkazhi Nayanar | access-date=9 December 2014 | author=T N Ramachandran}}</ref><ref>{{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>

The tale of Kalikamba Nayanar is also recalled in the 13th-century [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ''[[Basava Purana]]'' of [[Palkuriki Somanatha]] with some variation. The devotee is recognized the son of their servant Mallandu or Malla. He had refused to serve Kalikamba and left Kalikamba's house and become a Shaiva mendicant. The wife refuses to serve a son of a slave and advises her husband not to do so, however Kalikamba considers every Shaiva as a manifestation of Shiva and refuses to pour water to wash his feet. Kalikamba considers this as an insult of Shiva and cuts both her hands as a punishment. The account ends by saying that Kalikamba attained [[moksha]] (salvation) by the grace of Shiva.<ref>{{cite book|title=Siva's Warriors: The Basava Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5hwABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA166|date=14 July 2014|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-6090-6|page=166}}</ref>

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

Kalikamba Nayanar 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"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Nayanars}}

[[Category:Nayanars]]

Kalikamba Nayanar - Revision history

>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars