THIRUNEELAKANTA NAYANAR
Thiruneelakantar was born in the Vetkovar clan (potters) at Thillai and was a man of great virtues; he shunned falsity and stood poised in piety. He was an ardent devout of Lord Siva and his desire was to serve the true devotees of the Lord. He made his living by making earthen vessels and as to his desire to serve the devotees of the Lord he freely gifted earthen bowls to the devotees. His wife, the paragon of chastity, excelled in beauty than goddess Lakshmi, was also a great devout of Lord Siva and forever contemplated and chanted ‘Tiru Nilakantam’. Both Thiruneelakantar and his wife revered the Neelakanta form of Siva. Thus the young and handsome couple dedicated their life to serve the devotees of the Lord.
‘பொய்கடிந்து அறத்தின் வாழ்வார் புனல்சடை முடியார்க்கு அன்பர் மெய்யடியார்கட்கு ஆன பணிசெயும் விருப்பில் நின்றார்’ பெரிய புராணம் 361
‘அவர் தங்கண் மனைவி யாரும் அருந்ததிக் கற்பின் மிக்கர்……………………..சிவன் எந்தை கண்ட தன்னைத் திருநீல கண்டம் என்பார்’ 363
Even though a man of righteousness and high qualities his incontinent youth feeling created black mark in his life. His youth feelings led Thiruneelakantar to a prostitute lady one day and returned home having pleasure with her. His wife could not endure it after knowing this, so she did all her duties as a faithfull wife but would not allow him to touch her. With a view to persuade her to give up sulkiness, he did all that he could and beseeched her in many ways. One day when he was about to embrace her, She said, ‘I bid you refrain from touching us in the name of Thirunilakantam’.
‘தீண்டுவீர் ஆயின் எம்மைத் திருநீல கண்டம் என்றார்’ 365
It is not clear that by what she meant, but her husband took the meaning that she refrained him from touching all women (Us) by the name of the God Nilakanta. Thenceforth, Thiruneelakantar pledged not to touch her and any women, even in his thoughts. The chaste wife performed all her duties to her husband, but abstained of touching him. They always remained indoors, but in distinct apartments, did all the responsibilities of married life but refrain themselves from the base feeling of sex, they also never revealed it to others. Thus the ideal couple stood strong in their principles and led a life of celibacy.
‘கற்பு உறுமனைவி யாரும் கணவனார்க்கு ஆன எல்லாம் பொற்புஉறு மெய்உறாமல்…………இருவரும் வேறு வைகி அற்புஉறு புணர்ச்சி இன்மை அயல் அறியாமை வாழ்ந்தார்’ 367
Years rolled down, they grew beautifully old, but they irrevocably bound by their interdiction and their love for Lord was also not enfeebled. To expose to the world the true and redemptive life of the ideal couple the Lord of matted hair plotted the divine game, took the form of Siva-yogi and visited the house of Thiruneelakantar. Lord Siva in loin wear concealed his matted hair with curly and bushy hair dressing, stood in front of the potter’s house carrying a begging bowl. The Nayanar welcoming and worshipping the sage humbly asked him what order the sage had for him. The Siva-Yogi handed over the begging bowl, pointed that it was valuable than gold and gem and He asked Thiruneelakantar to preserve it till He asks for it.
‘எம்பிரான் யான்செயும் பணிஎது என்றனர் ………உம்பர் நாயகனும் இவ்ஓடுஉன் பால்வைத்து நம்பி நீதருக நாம் வேண்டும் போதுஎன்று’. 374
Thiruneelakantar bowed and received the bowl from the Yogi and kept in a safe place. The Siva-Yogi after this took leave of the place and in the meantime He also caused disappearance of the bowl. Days rolled, as stated earlier Lord Siva in the form of Yogi reached the house of Thiruneelakantar and asked for the bowl. He searched for the bowl in the place where he kept but shocked to see that it was not found. The Yogi shouted for the delay and asked him to make it fast.
‘யான்வைத்த மண்ஓடு அன்றிப் பொன்னினால் அடைத்துத் தந்தாய் ஆயினும் கொள்ளேன்’ 383
Thiruneelakantar searched the entire place came to the Yogi and begged pardon for missing the bowl and was ready to give a better new one than the old. But the Yogi yelled at him, asked for the old bowl and refused even if he would give a golden bowl.
….ஊடிநின்று உரைத்தது என்தன் உணர்வு எலாம் ஒழிந்தது என்ன. 384
Thiruneelakantar prostrated for forgiveness, explained that he was jostled out of sense as he was not able to bear the wrangle. Hearing this, the Siva-yogi stared at him in wrath and shouted having coveted the article, instead of realizing the sin, performing a play of innocence.
Thiruneelakantar again pleaded for and to trust his honesty. The Siva-yogi in fit of rage shouted at Thiruneelakantar as cheat and weren’t he ashamed of his sins, will reveal his deed to the world. Thiruneelakantar asked the Siva-yogi what he could do to prove his innocence.
…வெளவினேன் அல்லேன் ஒல்லை உளத்தினும் களவு இலாமைக்கு என்செய்கேன் உரையும்…386
The Yogi asked Thiruneelakantar to take a plunge in the pond by holding the hand of his son to prove his innocence. As Thiruneelakantar had no offspring, he told The Sage that he was not bestowed with a son. So The Yogi asked him to take dip in the pond by holding his wife’s hand. Thiruneelakantar replied humbly to The Yogi that for a reason of a vow he could not do that. So The Yogi felt the only recourse for the issue was The Court of Thillai-Brahmins and He angrily proceeded there.
…சிந்தை வலிந்து இருக்கின்றாய் தில்லை வாழ் அந்தணர்கள் வந்து இரந்த பேர் அவையில் மன்னுவன்யான் எனச் சென்றார். 389
In front of the Great Assembly of Thillai, The Lord in disguise put forth his plaint. Thiruneelakantar accepted before the Assembly that the Yogi gave bowl but ignorant of how it vanished. The Court after hearing from the plaintiff and respondent found guilty of respondent Thiruneelakantar and gave its verdict as he should have a plunge in the pond holding his wife’s hand as expected by the Yogi.
…திருந்திய மனைவி யாரைத் தீண்டாமை செப்ப மாட்டார் பொருந்திய வகையால் மூழ்கித் தருகின்றேன் போதும் என்று…395
He could not refrain from his vow, at the same time not in the position to deny the verdict, hence he accepted to perform it in fitting manner and he proceeded to his home with the Yogi. Thiruneelakantar took his wife to Thirupulichuram to perform the dip in the pond there which is surrounded by honey filled flowers. In front of the Siva-Yogi and the Thillai Brahmins He and his wife holding a bamboo staff at both ends descended the pond.
…மாதைத் தீண்டிக் கொண்டுஉடன் மூழ்கீர் என்னக் கூடாமை பாரோர் கேட்கப் பண்டுதம் செய்கை சொல்லி மூழ்கினார் பழுது இலாதார். 397
The Siva-Yogi denied holding the bamboo staff and He asked Thiruneelakantar to hold his wife’s hand and immerse. No other go for Thiruneelakantar, so he narrated his past to all and immersed in the pond. To the surprise of all they emerged from the pond they look transformed, they were back with their youth, beautiful look, everyone stuck with mystery.
வாவியின் மூழ்கி ஏறும் கணவரும் மனைவி யாரும் மேவிய முப்பு நீங்கி விருப்பு உறும் இளமை பெற்றுத்…398
At the same time the Yogi disappeared and the Lord and His Consort mounted on the holy Bull are seen in the horizon. Everyone beheld the glorious scene with their hands raised to their head and adored him. The God revealed to the world the life of the virtuous couple, the devotee who maintained the oath taken in the name of the Lord, lived without abstaining it and also without revealing to anyone at anytime. The Lord endowed them the perpetual youth and a place in the Siva-loka.
At Airavateswara temple narrative series, the climax scene of Thiruneelakantar and his wife making a dip in the pond is shown. It is easy to identify the panel, as a couple holding a staff is shown, besides, Thiruneelakantar name marked above the panel make our job easy to identify it as Thiruneelakanta Nayanar story. The panel has two features a shrine and a pond in front of the shrine. The shrine can be considered as Thirupuleeswaram temple since the pond is located near the Thirupuleeswaram temple. The Thirupuleeswaram shrine is shown with a nagara vimana and mukha mandapa. The temple and the pond are at present known as Ilamaiyakinar Koil and Ilamaiyakinar kulam respectively.
To represent the pond it is shown with stone bund, and as mentioned in the literature flowers are shown in the embankment. The Nayanar and his wife are shown halfway inside the pond holding a staff in bright smile. The scene can be taken as descending into the pond or emerging from the pond. The Nayanar is holding the staff in his left hand and his right hand is folded up and in kat̩aka, his wife is holding the staff in her both hands. Both are decked with heavy hair dressing with their locks gathered and knotted in kunthalam style. Besides, their elongated ears are decked with patra kundalas, beaded mala adorn their neck, arms are decked with bangles and keyura. Hip belt and idaikattu over the lower garment are adorn by Thiruneelakantar whereas it is not visible for his wife as she immersed upto her hip in the pond, besides breast band is also absent. Stiff and slim body is shown for both, in addition, breast is not pendulous for her to indicate the youthfulness. Hence it can be taken as they are emerging from the pond after their second dip, having transformed to their youth and beautiful look.