INTRODUCTION
Nami Nandi Adigal is a Nayanar saint, and the follower of Shaivism, and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He is considered as one among the 63 nayanars.
LIFE
Nami Nandi Adigal was born in Thiruvarur. He belongs to Brahmin community and he got the habit of daily worshipping Lord Shiva at the Achaleswarar temple in Thiruvarur. Once, when he reached the temple, he wants to pour ghee in the lamps of the temple. Hence, he approached the residents in that area, who were belonged to Jain religion. They insulted and refused to give him ghee for lighting the lamps in the Shiva temple. Hence, he worshipped Lord Shiva and brought water from the temple tank and poured it in the lamps. Due to the divine grace of Lord Shiva, when he lit the lamps, it was burnt brightly to the surprise of the devotees of the temple. Daily he had lighted the temple lamps by pouring water. The Jains were very much astonished and were converted into Shaivites. The Chola king heard the news and appointed him as the chief priest of the Achaleswarar temple. He administered the temple in a proper manner by conducting the daily temple rituals and performed pujas and homams in the temple.
Once during the temple festival, people of all castes were participated. Nami Nandi Adigal returned home and did not worship Lord Shiva in his home since he thought that he was impure since he had mingled with the people of other castes during the temple festival. That night, Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and objected his behaviour, and asked him to treat all the living beings in the earth as the form of Lord Shiva. He realized his mistake, and interacted with everyone, without seeing their caste. Nami Nandi Adigal lived a holy life by serving Lord Shiva and his devotees.
He also provided food to the devotees of Lord Shiva at his home, and recited the shiva planchakshara mantra on a daily basis. He was also a great scholar and mastered in all the hindu scriptures, vedas and uphanishads. He chants the shiva rudram on a daily basis. Due to his sincere bhakti on Lord Shiva, he attained Kailash, Lord Shiva's holy abode, after his death.
The Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram depicts the tale of Nami Nandi Adigal, who lightens the lamps with water. Appar praises him for performing the lamp miracle, and describes him as a magnificent gem among the nayanars. Nami Nandi Adigal receives worship similar to the other Nayanars in the shiva temples.
IMPORTANCE
He was a great devotee of Lord shiva, who keeps him in his soul, and worships him regularly in the temple also. He contains spiritual knowledge, wisdom, courage and boldness due to the divine grace. He spent his life in a peaceful manner by uttering the names and mantras of Lord Shiva. Every day he would take food, only after doing shiva puja, and after providing food to the devotees of Lord Shiva.
His bhakti is a great one, which cannot be compared with anyone in this today’s modern world. Let us try to learn from this great nayanar saint and concentrate our attention only on divine matters and eliminate our unnecessary and unwanted thoughts and be blessed.
“OM SREE NAMI NANDI ADIGALE NAMAHA”
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
“OM SAKTHI PARASAKTHI”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR
