I have read the story of Kannappa Nayanar several times and have heard it from my elders too. Its a story of devotion and love and it moves me tremendously. Today one of the twitter handles had posted this story and am sharing it here –
Link to the Twitter thread – Kannappa Nayanar.
Bhakta Bedara Kannappa
THREAD
The sculpted stony scene unveils the great devotee of Mahadev, Bhakta Bedara Kannappa at Hampi, Karnataka.
Let’s see the story and history behind this. 😍🙏🏼↓
Dinna was a staunch devotee of the Vayu linga of SriKalahasti which he found in the forest while hunting. Being a hunter, he did not know how to properly worship Lord Shiva. It is said that he poured water from his mouth on the Shiva lingam which he brought from the nearby river Swarnamukhi.
He also offered Lord Shiva whatever animal he hunted, including swine flesh. But Lord Shiva accepted his offerings since Dhinnan was pure at heart and his devotion was true. Once, Lord Shiva tested the unshakable devotion of Dinna. With his divine power, He created a tremor and the roof-tops of the temple began to fall.
All the sages ran away from the scene except for Dinna who covered the linga with his body to prevent it from any damage. Hence he was named thereafter as Dheera (valiant one).
Dinna noticed that one of the eyes of the Shiva linga was oozing blood and tears. Sensing that Lord’s eye had been injured, Dheera proceeded to pluck his one eye out with one of his arrows and placed it in the spot of the bleeding eye of the Shiva linga.
This stopped the bleeding in that eye of the linga. But to complicate matters further, he noticed that the other eye of the linga has also started oozing blood. So Dinna thought that if he were to pluck his other eye too, he would become blind to exactly know the spot where he has to place his own second eye over the bleeding second eye of the lingam.
So he placed his toe on the linga to mark the spot of the bleeding second eye and proceeded to pluck out his other and only eye. Moved by his extreme devotion, Lord Shiva appeared before Dinna restored both his eyes. He made Dinna as one of the Nayanmars and he was called as Kannappan or Kannappa Nayanar.
Omm Namah Shivaya 🙏🏼🚩
What a beautiful story !! It can be read and retold several times and still be as relevant.
Devotion and Love
The story of Kannappa Nayanar is important because it shows the true nature of God – he/she/it is just pure Love. No rules apply, no traditions matter, just reach out with love and all is accepted. Its also a lesson for all the devotees that the intent matters not “things”.
Dinna would offer meat with devotion and Shiva would accept it – doesn’t mean we get into a debate of whether Shiva would eat non-veg 🙄. The universal energy is non-judgmental, non-partisan and doesn’t have needs like you and me. It doesn’t take sides. Shiva is all love. Vishnu is all love.
Can we expand our “love” ? Can we “accept” every being and every thing as divine and worthy of love ? That’s the question. Meditate, as its Shivaratri tomorrow and the universal energy is more accessible. May Shiva shower his blessings on all of us and put us on the path of nirvana.
🕉 Namah Shivay. Jaya Jaya Shankara, Hara Hara Shankara 🙏🏿