>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

2021-05-24T09:38:42Z

removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
'''Kaliya Nayanar''', also known as '''Kalia Nayanar''', '''Kalia''', '''Kaliya''', '''Kaliyanar''' and '''Kaliyar''', is a [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint, venerated in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. He is generally counted as the forty-fourth 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> The Nayanar saint is described to serve the god [[Shiva]] by lighting lamps in his [[Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvottiyur|Thyagaraja Temple]]. He is said to have been willing to cut his throat to fill the lamps with his blood, when he ran out of oil.

==Life==
The life of Kaliya Nayanar is described in the ''[[Periya Puranam]]'' by [[Sekkizhar]] (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.<ref name="Dalal2011"/> Kaliya Nayanar was a [[Vaishya]], the merchant [[caste]].<ref name="Dehejia1988">{{cite book|author=Vidya Dehejia|title=Slaves of the Lord: The Path of the Tamil Saints|year=1988|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal|isbn=978-81-215-0044-9|page=155}}</ref> He was an oil-monger from [[Thiruvottriyur]], presently in the city premises of [[Chennai]], India. It is famous for its [[Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvottiyur|Thyagaraja Temple]], dedicated to the god [[Shiva]], the patron god of Shaivism.<ref name="swami"/> Kaliya is said to have lived on the Chakrapadi Street in Thiruvottriyur.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.vadivudaiamman.tnhrce.in/legends3.html | title=Official Website of the Arulmigu Thiyagarajaswamy Temple, Thiruvottiyur | access-date=9 December 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006230508/http://www.vadivudaiamman.tnhrce.in/legends3.html | archive-date=6 October 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kaliya was very wealthy. He served Shiva by keeping the lamps in the temple lit day and night. To test Kaliya's devotion and reveal his absolute love for Shiva to the world, Shiva made his wealth diminish over time. However, Kaliya continued his service by supplying oil for lighting the lamps at the temple. His family refused to help him with the service. He also worked as a daily wage labourer to pay for the oil, unmindful of his status. He worked in an oil churning wheel and borrowed oil from work to light the lamps of the temple. As the people working in the oil business grew, he lost his source of income as a labourer. He even sold his properties. When all his oil was over, he decided to kill himself to fulfil his commitment to Shiva. He arranged the wicks in the lamps and took a knife to slit his throat; his blood could be used to substitute the oil in the lamps. However, Shiva caught hold of his hand as he started cutting his throat. Shiva appeared with his consort [[Parvati]] and blessed Kaliya, whose wound magically healed. Kaliya was granted [[moksha]] (salvation) and a place in Shiva's abode [[Kailash]].<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>{{cite book|first=Alf |last=Hiltebeitel|author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel|title=Criminal Gods and Demon Devotees: Essays on the Guardians of Popular Hinduism|date=1 January 1989|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-88706-981-9|pages=389–90}}</ref>

==Remembrance==
[[File:Sri Kokarneshvarar Temple in Tirukokarnam.JPG|thumb|The idols of the Nayanars are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.]]
A holy day in the [[Tamil month]] of [[Ashadha|Adi]], when the moon enters the [[Jyeshtha (nakshatra)|Jyeshtha]] [[nakshatra]] (lunar mansion) is assigned for worship of Kaliya Nayanar. Kaliya 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]]

Kaliya Nayanar - Revision history

>Marcocapelle: removed parent categories of Category:Nayanars