Kalikamba Nayanar

Описание: Kalikamba Nayanar, venerated in the 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.

The primary account of Kalikamba Nayanar's life comes from the Tamil Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. Kalikamba Nayanar was born and lived in Pennadam also known as Tirupennagadam (Thirupennagadam), currently situated 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) 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, Pennaadam was part of the Chola kingdom. Kalikambar was a Vaishya, the merchant caste that flourished in Pennaadam. 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 Kalikambar'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 Kalikambar washed the feet. When Kalikambar 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. Kalikambar 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.

The tale of Kalikamba Nayanar is also recalled in the 13th-century 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 Kalikambar and left Kalikambar'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 Kalikambar considers every Shaiva as a manifestation of Shiva and refuses to pour water to wash his feet. Kalikambar considers this as an insult of Shiva and cuts both her hands as a punishment. The account ends by saying that Kalikambar attained moksha (salvation) by the grace of Shiva.

This video is my humble gratitude dedicated for great work done by Dr. Selva Ganapathy for Saivism and Tamil Literature.

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