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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
|name= Viralminda Nayanar
|image= Viralminda Nayanar.JPG
|caption =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
|birth_date= 8-9th century CE
|birth_place= [[Chengannur]]
|birth_name=
|death_date=
|death_place=
|philosophy= [[Shaivism]], [[Bhakti]]
|honors= [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint
|footnotes=
}}

'''Viralminda Nayanar''', also known as '''Viranmindar''' ('''Viranmintar'''), '''Viranmintan''' and '''Viranminda Nayanar''' ('''Viranminta Nayanar'''), is a [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint, venerated in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. He is generally counted as the sixth 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> He was a contemporary of [[Sundarar]] (8th-9th century CE). He along with [[Cheraman Perumal Nayanar]] are the two Nayanars from [[Kerala]] (Malayala Nadu). Viralminda Nayanar is described in legends as the reason Sundarar composed a hymn to the Nayanar saints, which became the first compilation of the list.

==Life==
The life of Viralminda Nayanar is described in the ''[[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_viran.htm | title=The Puranam of Viran Mindar | publisher=T N Ramachandran | access-date=15 December 2014}}</ref> Viralminda Nayanar was born Sengunru (Sengkunroor) (generally identified with modern-day [[Chengannur]]<ref name="(India)1975"/>) in the hilly terrain of [[Malai Nadu]], modern-day Indian state of [[Kerala]]. The region was then under the reign of the [[Chera dynasty|Chera]] kings. He is regarded as a historical figure (8th-9th century), contemporary of [[Sundarar]] and the Chera king [[Rajashekhara Varman]] (Cheraman Perumal Nayanar, reign: 820- 844), both are venerated as Nayanars. He is sometimes regarded as the only Nayanar from Kerala, others consider Viralminda Nayanar and Cheraman Perumal Nayanar are the only two Nayanars from Kerala.<ref name="(India)1975"/> The ''mintan''/''mintar'' is an honorific in his name.<ref name="Ghose1996"/>

[[File:Sundarar.JPG|thumb|150px|To pacify Viralminda, Sundarar (pictured), who composed a hymn to the Nayanars, the first compilation of the Nayanar list.]]

Viralminda Nayanar was a [[Vellalar]], a [[caste]] of agricultural land owners. He was a great devotee of [[Shiva]], the patron god of [[Shaivism]]. He believed that honouring the devotees of Shiva is a greater form of service to Shiva, than worshipping Shiva himself. He travelled to various temples of Shiva and finally reached [[Thiruvarur]], famous for its [[Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur|Thyagaraja Temple]] dedicated to Shiva. He saw devotees of Shiva called ''atiyar'' ("servants") seated in the Devasrayam, the thousand-pillared [[mandapa]] (hall) in the temple and prostrated to them and stayed in their company. He decreed that others should also pay their respects to the ''atiyar'', before worshipping the [[lingam]] (aniconic symbol of Shiva worshipped in temples) in the ''[[garbhagriha]]'' (sanctum sanatorium). Once, Sundarar, one of the most celebrated Nayanar saints, came to the shrine and went straight to the ''garbhagriha'', without bowing to the atiyar. This offended Viralminda, who not only excommunicated Sundarar from Shaivism, but also [[Somaskanda|Thyagaraja]], the form of Shiva worshipped in the temple who insulted the devotees by accepting Sundarar's worship.<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>

To placate Viralminda, Sundarar composed the ''Tiruthonda Thogai'' ("The List of Holy Devotees"),<ref name="Peterson">{{cite book|title=Poems to Śiva: The Hymns of the Tamil Saints|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GPmq8fcOa9wC&pg=PA331|year=1991|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0784-6|page=331}}</ref> a hymn to Nayanar saints, which is the first compilation of the list. The list of Nayanars was crystallized in the ''Periya Puranam'' with addition of Sundarar in the list of the 62 saints of ''Tiruthonda Thogai''.<ref name="Dalal2011"/><ref name="Ghose1996">{{cite book|author=Rajeshwari Ghose|title=The Tyāgarāja Cult in Tamilnāḍu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation|date=1 January 1996|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-1391-5|pages=56, 147, 170, 243}}</ref> The ''Periya Puranam'' continues with praising Viralminda Nayanar as the raison d'etre for the Nayanars' list and states that he received Shiva's grace and reached [[Kailash]], Shiva's abode after his death. He was made the leaders of the [[gana]]s, attendants of Shiva at Kailash.<ref name="swami"/>

A legend says that after Sundarar insulted the devotees, Viralminda Nayanar pursued Sundarar with his axe. When Sundarar was just within the grasp of Viralminda, Thyagaraja rescued Sundarar by hiding him in the temple wall. A shrine marks the event and spot where Viralminda is worshipped in the Thyagaraja_Temple.<ref name="Ayyar1982"/>

While some accounts narrate that the composition of ''Tiruthonda Thogai'' reconciled the differences between Viralminda Nayanar and Sundarar,<ref name="(India)1975">{{cite book|author=Kerala (India)|title=Kerala District Gazetteers: Alleppey|pages = 40–1|year=1975|publisher=Superintendent of Government Presses}}</ref><ref name="swami"/> others say that he never forgave Thyagaraja, Sundarar and the people of Thiruvarur and left Thiruvarur. He vowed never to enter Thiruvarur. Viralminda was angry with Sundarar as he used Thyagaraja to pacify the warth of his wife Paravai. He was upset with Thyagaraja for his partiality with Sundarar, despite all his faults. He was enraged with the god when he heard Thyagaraja gave Sundarar a divine vision.<ref name="Ghose1996"/>

Viralminda settled in the village of [[Vandampalai]], outside Thiruvarur. He used to serve lunch to the devotees every day and would ask for their village before serving them. He would kill any one who came from Thiruvarur with his axe. Once, Thyagaraja, disguised himself as a devotee and came to Viralminda's house. Viralminda's wife welcomed him and asked him his village. He said he belonged to Thiruvarur; she immediately warned him about Viralminda's hatred of Thiruvarur and its people and requested him to lie about his village. The devotee refused to do so, but requested the wife to keep the axe on Viralminda's left hand, instead of the usual right. She complied. When Viralminda heard the devotee belonged to Thiruvarur, he reached for his axe, but did not find it in its usual place. The delay helped the devotee escape, but Viralminda chased him with his axe. The devotee entered the limits of Thiruvarur and Viralminda unconsciously broke his vow, following him. Viralminda chopped off his own legs as penance. Thyagaraja revealed his divine form as Shiva and blessed Viralminda for his devotion. The divine vision also led to a truce between Viralminda, Thyagaraja and Sundarar. The Shiva temple in Vandampalai was built in memory of the event.<ref name="Ayyar1982">{{cite book|author=P. V. Jagadisa Ayyar|title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated|year=1982|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0151-2|pages=378–380}}</ref>

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

Sundarar venerates Viralminda (called Viranmintan of Kunrai) as a Nayanar in the ''Tiruthonda Thogai''.<ref name="Peterson"/> The ''Mucukundasahasranaman'', a "liturgy" dedicated to Thyagaraja, which mainly speaks about his love for Sundarar, also recalls the devotion of Viralminda Nayanar.<ref name="Ghose1996"/> Viralminda Nayanar has shrines in the Thiruvarur and Vandampalai temples.

Viralminda Nayanar is worshipped on ''Thiruvathira'', the [[Purnima]] (full moon day) of the [[Tamil month]] of [[Chaitra|Chithirai]]. He is depicted is depicted wearing a crown, with folded hands (see [[Anjali mudra]]) and holding an axe ([[parashu]]) in the crook of his arm. 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"/>

==See also==
* [[Nayanars]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Nayanars}}

[[Category:Nayanars]]
[[Category:8th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:9th-century Indian people]]

Viralminda Nayanar - Revision history

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