Vanrondareeser
Temple, Perumangalam – Legends
Eyarkon
Kalikkama Nayanar is a Nayanar saint,
venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism.
He is generally counted as the twenty-ninth in the list of 63 Nayanars. The
life of Eyarkon Kalikkama Nayanar is described in the Periya
Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th
century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. He is dated to the 8th
century and was a contemporary of Sundarar,
one of the most prominent Nayanar saints.
Kalikkama was born in
Tiruperumangalam, Ponni Nadu (region of the river Kaveri).
He was a Vellalar,
a caste of
agricultural land owners. He was a great devotee of Shiva, the
patron god of Shaivism. He was born in the family of Eyars. His
title "Eyarkon" means "king of Eyars" or "chief of
Eyars". The Eyars traditionally served the Chola kings
and Kalikkama was the commander-in-chief of the reigning Chola ruler. He served
Shiva at the temple in Thiruppungur.
The chapter devoted to him in
the Periya Puranam tells the following account. Sundarar had
asked Thyagaraja,
the presiding deity of Thyagaraja Temple of Thiruvarur to
go to his wife Paravaiyar disguised as a messenger. Kalikkama thought it
blasphemy to use Lord Shiva as a servant and rebuked Sundarar (the servant) who
made Shiva (the Master) a slave. Thyagaraja wanted both his devotees to be
reconciled. He afflicted Kalikkama with colic pain
in his stomach.
The god appeared in
Kalikkama's dream and informed him that only Sundarar could heal him.
Similarly, he ordered Sundarar to visit Kalikkama in Thiruppungur and cure him.
Sundarar sent a message to Kalikkama about his arrival and set off to
Thiruppungur. Kalikkama chose to die instead of being cured by the
"blasphemer" Sundarar. He pierced his stomach by his sword and cut
his bowels out, giving up his life.
While his wife readied to kill
herself, she heard about Sundarar's arrival and thought it was her duty to
serve a devotee of Shiva. She hid her husband's corpse and welcomed Sundarar.
Mindful of her husband's wishes, she ordered her people to inform Sundarar that
Kalikkama was resting inside and did not need Sundarar's healing. However, the
persistent Sundarar finally managed to see Kalikkama, who was lying in a pool
of blood. Sundarar blamed himself for Kalikkama's suicide and decided to follow
suit.
As Sundarar was about to cut
his throat, Kalikkama was resurrected by Lord Shiva and stopped Sundarar.
Sundarar prostrated before Kalikkama and begged his forgiveness. They hugged together
and settled their differences. Sundarar sang a panegyric in honour of the form
of Shiva worshipped at Thiruppungur as well as Kalikkama. The saints worshipped
Thyagaraja in Thiruvarur together for some days, after which Kalikkama returned
to Thiruppungur.
He spent rest of life serving
Shiva at Thiruppungur and finally reached Kailash,
Shiva's abode after death. Kalikkama was the husband of the daughter of Manakanchara Nayanar, a Nayanar saint as
well as Vellalar commander-in-chief of the Cholas. He appears in the account
about his father-in-law in the Periya Puranam. Kalikkama's wife is sometimes
called Punniya Vardhini; she is not named in the Periya Puranam. On the
day of their wedding, Lord Shiva came disguised as a Shaiva ascetic and asked
for the hair of the bride, before Kalikkama arrived.
Unmindful of the possibility
that the bridegroom may not accept a bald bride, Manakanchara Nayanar cut off
her hair and gave it to the ascetic. Lord Shiva revealed his divine form and
blessed the family. The bride's looks were also restored. Kalikkama and his
wedding party arrived at the place and got to know what had happened. Kalikkama
regretted that he missed to see his patron god Shiva. He felt that if he would
have married to the bride when Shiva asked for the hair, he would have had the
honour of gifting Shiva.
Sundarar venerates Eyarkon
Kalikkama Nayanar (called Kalikkaman, the prince of Eyars) in
the Tiruthonda Thogai, a hymn to Nayanar saints. An earlier hymn to
Shiva recalls Eyarkon Kalikkama, who owned twelve velis (a unit of
measure) of land and was cured of disease by Shiva, where Shiva had said to
bring showers to the twelve velis of land in drought.
Eyarkon Kalikkama Nayanar is
worshipped in the Tamil month of Aani,
when the moon enters the Revathi nakshatra (lunar
mansion). He is depicted wearing a crown, with folded hands and sometimes with
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.
