Brahmapureeswarar Temple,
Enanallur – Legends
Enathi Natha Nayanar was
a Nayanar saint,
venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism.
He is generally counted as the ninth in the list of 63 Nayanars. The life of
Enathi Natha Nayanar is described in the Tamil Periya
Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th
century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. His name
"Enathinatha" means "Lord of the Generals". Enathinathar
was born in Eyinanur, in Chola kingdom.
Eyinanur is located on the
banks of river Arasalaru, south-east of Kumbakonam in
the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A brilliant swordsman and a general
in the Chola military himself, he was also the tutor to the Chola princes in
swordsmanship. He was a Shaiva, a devotee of the god Shiva. He became
rich owing to his prowess and spent his wealth on serving the devotees of
Shiva.
Atisuran, a rival fighter and
tutor became jealous of Enathinathar popularity. While Atisuran boasted of his
superior military skills, his skills were inferior to Enathinathar talent.
Atisuran came with his best students and kinsmen and challenged Enathinathar;
the winner would continue to run his training school. Enathinathar accepted and
charged towards the opponents with his relatives. With Enathinathar leadership,
his side won the contest, slaying many of Atisuran's comrades. Defeated by
Enathinathar, the cowardly Atisuran himself escaped death by fleeing from the
battle grounds.
The Periya
Puranam repeatedly refers to Enathinathar as the lion and his opponent
Atisuran as the fox. Following this, he understood that he could not defeat
Enathinathar by fair means, and (the cowardly and cunning fox) devised a
devious stratagem, seeking vengeance. In morning, Atisuran invited Enathinathar
to a duel in a secluded place. Enathinathar consented and reached the spot with
his sword and shield.
Atisuran wore the Tripundra (three
horizontal lines of sacred ash) mark on his forehead, which is worn
by Shaivas, but hid his forehead with his shield as he arrived at the designed
spot. As Enathinathar (the lion) pounced the "fox", the deceiving
rival removed his shield and revealed the Tripundra on his forehead. The
stunned Enathinathar took the Tripundra as a sign that Atisuran had converted
to Shaivism and became a devotee of Shiva. Instead of slaying a Shaiva,
Enathinathar decided to die. However, he did not lay down his weapons as he did
not want Atisuran - the "Shaiva" - to incur the sin of killing an
unarmed man.
Enathinathar stood standstill
in a pose as though he was combating but did make his attempt to fight as he
awaited the fatal blow from Atisuran. As Enathinathar fell on the ground, Lord Shiva,
pleased with his extreme "self-sacrificing" devotion, appeared before
him and took him to Kailash, Shiva's abode. The tale emphasizes the
importance of external Shaiva symbols like the Tripundra symbol and the Rudraksha beads
worn by Shaivas.
The tale of Enathinathar is
also recalled in the 13th century Telugu Basava
Purana of Palkuriki Somanatha in brief and with
some variation. He is said to have worshipped his Prana-Linga (the
body considered as the abode of Shiva) by wearing the Tripundra and Rudraksha
beads. He was the ruler of Elapura and defeated neighbouring kings, making them
his vassals and collecting tributes from them. When the kings learnt about his
respect for the Tripundra and Rudraksha, they sent a warrior wearing the
Tripundra and Rudraksha with their armies to combat him.
When the duel between
Enandhinatha and the warrior commenced, Enandhinatha noticed the Shaiva symbols
and threw his weapons and prostrated to the warrior, who he considered a form
of Shiva. As the warrior was about to decapitate the devotee, his sword took
the form of a garland and fell onto Enandhinatha neck. With the grace of Shiva,
Enandhinatha became invincible and became a powerful ruler. One of the most
prominent Nayanars, Sundarar (8th century) venerates
Enathinathar in the Tiruthonda Thogai, a hymn to Nayanar saints.
Enathinathar is worshipped in
the Tamil
month of Purattasi, when the moon enters the Uttara
Ashadha nakshatra (lunar mansion). He is depicted
with folded hands and holding a sword 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.
