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Legends of the Nayanmars

any second thought, he used his hunting knife to carve out one
of his eyes and placed it on the bleeding eyes of the Shiva
Lingam. The bleeding stopped immediately. However, the other
eye in the Shiva Lingam started bleeding. Thinnan proceeded
to cut off his remaining eye too and placed his leg on the
Lingams bleeding eye to mark the place. The Brahmin was
dumbstruck on seeing this incredible display of devotion by
Thinnan.
Lord Shiva then appeared and blessed Thinnan for his
supreme devotion and gifted him his vision back and addressed
him as Kannappan. Thus Thinnan became known as Kannappa
Nayanmar.
10. KUNGILIYA KALAYA NAYANAR
The fertile little town of Kadavur, ideally placed in the
banks of the river Kaveri was famous both for its residents who
were devout Saivites and its prosperous lands. In this town there
lived a pious Shiva devotee named Kalayar. Though he was
poor, he constantly put away any little money he had to burn
the holy Kungiliya (stick that gives out fragrant smoke) for
Lord Shiva. He carried out this small ritual without fail and in
all sincerity.
As days went by, he became poorer and he and his wife
struggled to provide for their family by selling off whatever
little they had. Slowly, their came a day, when they had nothing
to sell except his wifes Mangalsootram. This was considered
to be extremely precious by married women. As there was no
other means to sustain their family, with heavy heart his wife
gave him her Mangalsootram to sell. He left to town to sell and
bring home food for their hungry kids.