29. Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar

In Tiruperumangalam in Ponni Nadu, there was a Vellala by name Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar. He belonged to the family called ‘Eyarkudi’ which produced Commanders-in-Chief to Chola kings. He was a great devotee of Lord Siva.

The news that Sundaramurthi Nayanar had used Lord Siva Himself as a messenger to settle the domestic dispute between him and his wife Paravayar, so greatly annoyed devout Kalikamanar that he said to himself: ‘Is this man who behaved like this a devotee? I am a great sinner, too, otherwise my life-breath would have departed on hearing the news.’ Sundarar came to know of Kalikamar’s attitude. He realised his own fault and entreated the Lord to appease Kalikamar’s anger. The Lord caused Kalikamar to suffer from colic and told him in a dream that only Sundarar could cure it. Kalikamar preferred death to being cured by Sundarar! In the meantime, the Lord appeared in Sundarar’s dream and asked him to go to Kalikamar and cure him of the colic. Sundarar at once went to meet Kalikamar. As soon as he heard that Sundarar was coming to cure him, Kalikamar gave up his life by cutting his bowel open.

Sundarar was greeted by Kalikamar’s wife. When he asked for Nayanar, she made her people say that there was nothing wrong with him and that he was asleep. After much persuasion, they showed him the Nayanar’s body. In desperation, Sundarar also wanted to cut his throat. By the grace of Lord Siva, Kalikamar at once came back to life. They embraced each other. Kalikamar spent the rest of his life in the service of the Lord and His devotees and finally reached His Abode.