Nayanmar 6 - Amarneedhi Nayanar

Amarneedhi Nayanar (அமர்நீதி நாயனார்)

Birthplace  : Pazhaiyarai
Star            : Aani Pooram

Amarneedhi Nayanar was from a rich family in Pazhaiyarai. An ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, he built a matam in Nallur nearby where many devotees of Shiva used to gather for the temple festival frequently. He also used to stay in the matam and serve the devotees during the temple festivals. On one such occasion, a Brahmachari arrived at the matam. He was carrying a long rod with two containers balanced at the two ends - the sacred ash on one side and his clothes, which were just two loincloths, on the other. Amarneedhi Nayanar welcomed him inside and the Brahmachari said he will have a bath in the river and then have food. He took one loin cloth for changing after his bath and asked Amarneedhi Nayanar to keep the other safe. Amarneedhi Nayanar kept the spare loin cloth in a safe place.

After sometime the Brahmachari came back to the matam fully drenched in the rain stating that the garment he had taken was also wet and asked Amarneedhi Nayanar for the spare one he had given him. To his surprise Amarneedhi Nayanar could not find the loincloth. He came back to the Brahmachari with a new loincloth apologetically. The Brahmachari refused to accept the new piece of clothing. Amarneedhi Nayanar pleaded with him to accept it and the Brahmachari said that he will accept a new loincloth only if it is equal in weight to the one he had with him.

A weighing scale was brought and the loincloth the Brahmachari had with him was placed on one side. Amarneedhi Nayanar placed the new piece of loincloth on the other side.  The scale was one sided. He then brought in many new clothes and still the side with the Brahmachari’s loincloth was down. Surprised, Amarneedhi Nayanar brought in all the material possession he had in the matam and placed on the scale. The scale did not budge.

Not knowing what to do, he prayed to the Brahmachari saying that only he and his family were left now. The Brahmachari asked Amarneedhi and his family to sit on the scales. Amarneedhi prayed that if his Shiva bhakthi was true, let the scales be equal and sat on the scale with his family. The scales promptly moved and both sides were equal!

The Brahmachari vanished and in his place, Lord Shiva gave darshan to Amarneedhi Nayanar and his family and the weighing scale became a vimana to take them to Shiva Loka!