Nayanmar 5 - Viranminda Nayanar

Viranminda Nayanar (விறன்மிண்ட நாயனார்) 

Birthplace  : Sengunrur (Chengannur)
Star           : Chithirai Thiruvathirai
 

Two Nayanmars opposed Sundaramurthy Nayanar and Viranminda Nayanar was one of them.

Born in an agricultural family in Sengunrur of Chera Naadu ( present day Chengannur, Kerala ) Viranminda Nayanar believed that it was more important to worship the devotees of Shiva than Lord Shiva Himself. He made it a habit to worship the Shiva devotees every day and enter the temple only after that.

During his visits to various temples, he had reached Thiruvaroor and was staying there for some time. Everyday he used to worship at the feet of the Shiva devotees gathered at the Devasiriya Mandapam of the Thiruvaroor temple before entering the temple.

The following incident reveals his bhakthi for the Shiva devotees:

One day Sundaramurthy Nayanar came to the temple and in his hurry to see the Lord, he did not stop at the Mandapam to greet the Shiva devotees. Angered by this, Viranmindar declared that “Sundarar who did not greet the devotees is not one of us anymore, Also, the Lord who accepted him as his friend is not one of us anymore”. Such was Viranminda Nayanar’s bhakthi for Shiva devotees!

When Sundaramurthy Nayanar heard this, he was very apologetic and composed “Thiru Thondar Thogai” in praise of the Shiva devotees. This composition formed the basis of Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar at a later date.

Lord Shiva made Viranminda Nayanar head of his Ganas.