INTRODUCTION
Amaraneedi Nayanar was a Nayanar saint, and considered as one among the 63 nayanars. He is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.
LIFE
Amaraneedi Nayanar was born in Pazhayarai,in the chola dynasty. He belongs to Vaishya community and earned his living by doing jewellery and garments business. Amaraneedi was a sincere devotee of Lord Shiva. He served Lord Shiva in his temples, and also provided food and clothes to the devotees of Lord Shiva. He got the habit of donating the kowpeenams (UNDERWEAR) to Shiva devotees. Once, he visited the Kalyanasundaresar Temple of Tirunallur and worshipped Lord Shiva at the temple and stayed there for some time. One day, Lord Shiva transformed himself in the form of a Shaivite saint and visited Amaraneedi nayanar at his place. The saint wore a simple cloth and looked very pious and charm. The saint had asked to keep safely with him one of his Kowpeenams(UNDERWEAR) and left that place.
After some time the saint (Lord Shiva) returned, and asked for his Kowpeenam which he had given it to him. Since, Lord shiva made the kowpeenam to disappear from that place, Amaraneedi could not find the Kowpeenam and searched for it. After some time Amaraneedi asked for an apology and had offered good quality of several koupeenams to the saint.
But the saint had refused to accept it and placed his fresh koupeenam in a weighing scale and asked him to give new koupeenams according to the weight of his koupeenam. Amarneedi kept many koupeenams in the pans, but it was not balanced. Finally, Amarneedi had worshipped Lord Shiva and chanted the Panchakshara mantra, “OM NAMAH SHIVAYA” and got into the pan along with his family. Immediately, the pans were balanced. The Saint disappeared and in his place Lord Shiva appeared with Mata Parvati and blessed the family. After their death, the entire family were attained MUKTHI.
Appar praises Amaraneedi Nayanar, for his sincere devotion on Lord Shiva. Sundarar also praises him in the Divine Text “Tiruthonda Thogai”.
Amaraneedi Nayanar is worshipped in the Tamil month of Aani, and also worshipped along with other nayanars in the shiva temples.
IMPORTANCE
Though he was a wealthy person, he lived a noble and a humble life and worshipped Lord Shiva on a daily basis. He chanted shiva mantras and recited his names throughout in his life. Due to his pure bhakti on god, he attained SALVATION and reached kailasa, the holy abode of Lord Shiva.
Let us worship the great nayanar and be blessed.
“OM SREE AMARANEEDI NAYANARE NAMAHA”
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
“OM SAKTHI PARA SAKTHI”
