10-22-2004, 04:32 AM
This is not a folklore....
This is from the Periya Puranam (by Sekizhaar) which extolls the virtues of Sixty three NAYANMAARs (Nayanmaars were Shiva Bhakthas or Devotees of ShivaBhakthas.) We call this Murattu-bhakthi, which means Raw-bhakthi... Some Nayanmaars had gone to extreme lengths in their bhakthi where they did not care for anything but the lord. Ordinary mortals cannot even imagine this type of Bhakthi.
<b>Here is the Story of PUSALAAR of Thondai Mandalam..</b>
Pusalaar was a Brahmin of Thiru-ninravur in Thondai Mandalam. He excelled in the mental worship (maanasa puja) of Lord Shiva. Shiva manasa puja is infinitely higher than simple ritualistic worship... Shiva manasa puja soon leads to Samadhi (superconscious state) and Self-realisation.
Pusalaar had a strong desire to build a temple for Lord Siva, but he did not have the money to do it as he was poor. So, mentally he gathered the necessary materials for the purpose. In his imagination, he chose a good day, scanned a site, and laid the foundation stone on that auspicious day. Every day (day and night) he used to spend time meticulously building this Shiva temple with his imagination. Mentally he used to imagine walking to find the best of Sculptors, negotiate the deal with them, make sure that they were working properly, and also compensate them fairly.. (all in his imagination.) He left no stone unturned in his imagination. Every day, after his ablutions and morning Sandhya vandhanam, he used to imagine even going to the "temple site", and overseeing the constructions by his imaginary masons, and master builders. Over the years, using his imagination, he thus raised a Magnificient Shiva Temple in his mind and fixed an auspicious day for the Kumbhabishekam (installation of the Kumbha/Kalasam on the top of a temple - signifying the completion of the temple.) By now he was getting older, yet his will and imagination did not suffer the least bit..
Incidentally, the Kadava king who was also a great devotee of Lord Siva had built a "real" magnificent temple in Kanchipuram. As fate would have it, the king had also fixed the date which Pusalar had mentally chosen for Kumbhabishekam.
Lord Shiva, the most Belevolent and the All Merciful Pashupathi, appeared in the kingâs dream and asked him to postpone the installation ceremony in His temple. When the surprised king asked for the reason (fearing Shiva-aparadham) he was told that Lord Shiva would be going to the temple constructed by His devotee at Tiru Ninravur. The king woke up from sleep and was intensely eager to have the Darshan of the devotee mentioned by the Lord Himself and also have a look at the great temple he had built, which he thought would be far superior to his temple.
The king came to Tiruninravur and searched all over the place for the temple: he could not find any. Then the king enquired about Pusalar. He found out Pusalarâs house and approached him.
Pusalar was stunned when he heard of the kingâs dream. Soon, he recovered and was filled with joy. He was overwhelmed by the thought: âHow kind and merciful is the Lord. I am only a wretched creature and He has accepted my mental shrine as His Abode. I am really blessed.â He told the king that that temple was only in his mind. The king was greatly surprised to hear this. Admiring Pulasarâs devotion, the king fell at his feet and worshipped him. Pulasar installed the Lord in his mental temple and continued to worship Him till he attained Kailasa - His Abode.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are stories of other Nayanmaars.
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/download/nayanar.htm
My father had told me this story when I was a kid. It brought tears to my eyes when I heard it, as it did today, when I retyped it.
This is from the Periya Puranam (by Sekizhaar) which extolls the virtues of Sixty three NAYANMAARs (Nayanmaars were Shiva Bhakthas or Devotees of ShivaBhakthas.) We call this Murattu-bhakthi, which means Raw-bhakthi... Some Nayanmaars had gone to extreme lengths in their bhakthi where they did not care for anything but the lord. Ordinary mortals cannot even imagine this type of Bhakthi.
<b>Here is the Story of PUSALAAR of Thondai Mandalam..</b>
Pusalaar was a Brahmin of Thiru-ninravur in Thondai Mandalam. He excelled in the mental worship (maanasa puja) of Lord Shiva. Shiva manasa puja is infinitely higher than simple ritualistic worship... Shiva manasa puja soon leads to Samadhi (superconscious state) and Self-realisation.
Pusalaar had a strong desire to build a temple for Lord Siva, but he did not have the money to do it as he was poor. So, mentally he gathered the necessary materials for the purpose. In his imagination, he chose a good day, scanned a site, and laid the foundation stone on that auspicious day. Every day (day and night) he used to spend time meticulously building this Shiva temple with his imagination. Mentally he used to imagine walking to find the best of Sculptors, negotiate the deal with them, make sure that they were working properly, and also compensate them fairly.. (all in his imagination.) He left no stone unturned in his imagination. Every day, after his ablutions and morning Sandhya vandhanam, he used to imagine even going to the "temple site", and overseeing the constructions by his imaginary masons, and master builders. Over the years, using his imagination, he thus raised a Magnificient Shiva Temple in his mind and fixed an auspicious day for the Kumbhabishekam (installation of the Kumbha/Kalasam on the top of a temple - signifying the completion of the temple.) By now he was getting older, yet his will and imagination did not suffer the least bit..
Incidentally, the Kadava king who was also a great devotee of Lord Siva had built a "real" magnificent temple in Kanchipuram. As fate would have it, the king had also fixed the date which Pusalar had mentally chosen for Kumbhabishekam.
Lord Shiva, the most Belevolent and the All Merciful Pashupathi, appeared in the kingâs dream and asked him to postpone the installation ceremony in His temple. When the surprised king asked for the reason (fearing Shiva-aparadham) he was told that Lord Shiva would be going to the temple constructed by His devotee at Tiru Ninravur. The king woke up from sleep and was intensely eager to have the Darshan of the devotee mentioned by the Lord Himself and also have a look at the great temple he had built, which he thought would be far superior to his temple.
The king came to Tiruninravur and searched all over the place for the temple: he could not find any. Then the king enquired about Pusalar. He found out Pusalarâs house and approached him.
Pusalar was stunned when he heard of the kingâs dream. Soon, he recovered and was filled with joy. He was overwhelmed by the thought: âHow kind and merciful is the Lord. I am only a wretched creature and He has accepted my mental shrine as His Abode. I am really blessed.â He told the king that that temple was only in his mind. The king was greatly surprised to hear this. Admiring Pulasarâs devotion, the king fell at his feet and worshipped him. Pulasar installed the Lord in his mental temple and continued to worship Him till he attained Kailasa - His Abode.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are stories of other Nayanmaars.
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/download/nayanar.htm
My father had told me this story when I was a kid. It brought tears to my eyes when I heard it, as it did today, when I retyped it.