MURKHA NAYANAR

INTRODUCTION
Murkha Nayanar is a Shiva devotee, and is
considered as one among the 63 Nayanars.
LIFE
Murkha Nayanar was born in Thiruverkadu
in Chennai. He is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva,
and he developed shiva bhakti from his childhood.
He used to serve food to the devotees of Shiva by
preparing various delicious food items along with
ghee and rice. Through his activity, he had spent
all of his belongings and even then, he continued
his practice of serving food to shiva devotees.
In order to provide proper food to the devotees of
Lord Shiva, Murkha Nayanar had become a great
gambler. He travelled to various places for
gambling and spent the money earned through
gambling by serving shiva devotees. In
Kumbakonam, he won large amount of money
through gambling, and spent the money towards
performing temple pujas and offered Prasad to
Lord Shiva in various temples at Kumbakonam
and served food to the devotees of Lord Shiva. He
also punished the people who had cheated the
wealth earned through gambling. Through his
actions, he was called as Murkha Nayanar, which
means fierce and violent person. He lived a noble
life by serving food to shiva devotees, and after his
death, he reached Kailash, Lord Shiva's abode.
In the Tamil month of Karthikai (November–
December), his festival is celebrated in a grand
manner in most of the shiva temples. He will be
decorated with flower garlands and various
abhishekhams will be done to him. A shrine is
dedicated to Murkha Nayanar in Vedapureeswarar
Temple, at Tiruverkadu.
IMPORTANCE
He is a great shiva devotee, who had lost all of his
wealth by providing food to shiva devotees. He
never thought about his wealth. He thought only
about doing pujas to Lord Shiva and feeding his
devotees in a proper manner. Through his great
act, he had become a nayanar and is living in
Kailasa by chanting Shiva mantra “OM NAMAH
SHIVAYA”.
Let us worship the great saint and be blessed.
“OM SREE MURKHA NAYANARE NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR