(Continuing from the Periyapuranam where we left off last week… The young hunter chief Thinnan, who stumbles upon a Shiva linga in the forest, is overwhelmed by devotion and offers his unique worship — roasted meat and wild flowers. Forsaking sleep, he waits upon the lord not wanting him to be lonely and unprotected in the night.)
At the first light of the sun, Thinnan went away in search of food to prepare for the god.
The priest who came for the morning worship was horrified at what he saw.
Flowers and bones were lying scattered everywhere! Chanting cleansing prayers, he washed the idol and surroundings with fresh water and went away after the morning ritual.
The next day, and the next, he was greeted with the same shocking sight. Greatly upset, he began to fast and pray to Lord Shiva to reveal to him the truth. How could the Lord allow all this to go on?
The Lord appeared in his dream and said, “Don’t be anguished by what you see. He is as devoted to me as you are. The water that he pours on me from his mouth is purer than the Ganga and those wild flowers he adorns me with are the most beautiful and fragrant flowers one can ever find. Observe closely and see for yourself. You will realise what is true devotion.”
The next day, the priest hid behind a large tree and waited to see what would happen. As usual, Thinnan came with his offering of meat and flowers. He washed the linga with water from his mouth and proceeded to decorate the shrine with the flowers from his hair.
Suddenly, he noticed that the right eye of the Lord had begun to bleed. Alarmed, Thinnan rushed to collect some herbs and making a paste, applied it to soothe the wound but the bleeding did not stop.
He could not bear to see the plight of his beloved god bleeding this way and began to weep. He had to do something to stop the Lord’s pain. What could he do? Perhaps I could give him mine, he thought and using an arrow, plucked out his own right eye and fixed it on the god’s.
To his great delight, the bleeding stopped. He was so happy that he began to dance with joy.
But now, the left eye of the god began to bleed. This time Thinnan was least troubled, for he knew the solution. All he needed to do was give the Lord his other eye. But there was one small problem.
How could he locate the exact place of the Lord’s bleeding left eye once he was totally blinded?
Not so difficult, he said to himself. Placing one of his feet on the left eye of the Lord, he lifted his arrow to his remaining eye.
As he closed his eye to pluck it out, there was a gentle touch on his arm.
“Dear child Kannappa, do not hurt yourself,” said a voice. “Kannappa! Kannappa! Kannappa!” It was Lord Shiva himself! By repeating the name Kannappa (the one who gave his eye) thrice, he was thrice blessed.
Lord Shiva touched the bleeding spot where his right eye had been.
Miracle! The eye was restored well as new! Thinnan from then on, came to be known by the name the Lord had bestowed on him — Kannappan. Lord Shiva held him with both hands and placed him on his right side. And that is where he would stay always, by the side of his beloved Lord.
The priest who watched the entire scene understood what the Lord meant. Mere rituals were not enough and it was only pure bhakti (devotion) that was the true path to God.
Coming out his hiding place he prostrated before the Lord and the saint — Kannappa Nayanar.