The great Anaya Nayanar is an inspiring example of a devotee leading a very simple life, reaching the highest state of yoga and finally achieving liberation and unification with the Almighty, just by the power of a heart filled with love for God. He is a devotee who worshiped the Lord with music. He was born in the town of Mangalam in the kingdom Menmazha Nadu (Mel Malanadu). That land was full of forests where fragrances of jasmine, lily and many other flowers vied with each other to attract swarms of bees. This land also had the blessing of experiencing the fragrance of Anaya’s love for Lord shiva, his music in praise of His Lord and his beholding God in his own surroundings. 

Anaya was a cowherd and took care of cows of the village. Blessed are the cows that give five holy substances (panchagavya) that are used to anoint the Lord! Blessed are the cows that are the embodiment of all the Devatas ! Blessed are the cows that provide the holy ash, the wealth of the devotees of the Lord. Anaya served God, who dances with the ghosts, through his words, body, mind and action. He took the cows daily to the lawns outside the town. Like God who gets satisfied even with the offering of a leaf or a flower and grants coveted boons, so too the cows grazed well and produced a lot of milk under his supervision. He protected them from falling sick or falling prey to wild animals.

The love in his heart flowed as a mellifluous tune from the flute pressed to his lips. The soothing music spread over the entire forest as if it were anointing the Lord. The flute used was of a superior quality of bamboo and was made as per the rules laid down in the scriptures (Song 13 of the Anaya Nayanar Puranam in the Periya Puranam talks about how the flute is made). Anaya played the divine five syllables of the Lord using his flute set to the tune of the seven notes.

On a blessed day, with his head decorated with fragrant flowers, his forehead full of holy ash that frightens even Death, his ash smeared body adorned with a garland, his flute and his staff, Anaya took the cows out to graze. It was the season of arrival of the monsoon signalled by the peacock dancing and the song of the creepers swaying in the breeze. He reached the beautiful garden of konrai (golden shower tree) trees. The sight of the konrai flower reminded him of the merciful Lord who wears that flower. He could see only Shiva there. Wherever he saw, the flowers appeared as the form of the Almighty. His mind could do nothing but meditate on that form. His thinking was clouded by his great love for God. He was unable to do anything except to express his inexplicable feelings through his flute. His feelings transformed into holy five syllables set to the seven notes on his flute. (Songs 24 - 28 of the Anaya Nayanar Puranam in the Periya Puranam describe beautifully the technique of playing the flute)

Some thought it sounded like the bees singing; while others felt it was like a slow wind blowing through a bamboo forest and yet others thought of the pleasant sound of dawn. Like the intoxicated bees which had been drinking the honey from the sweetest flowers, the cows stopped chewing the grass and looked up; the calves stopped drinking milk half way; dancing peacocks suddenly appeared there; bulls and other wild animals sat down in bliss. Snakes coiled up near the peacocks; lions and elephants came together; the deer dared to accompany the tigers. The wind slowed down; the rivers and springs calmed their flow; the clouds withheld their roar. All of nature came to a standstill to listen to Anaya Nayanar play his flute. That blissful music filled the hearts of even the Devatas and the entire creation was held in rapture.

The music that could not be heard by sinners, reached the Lord who was adorned with snake earrings. The form for Grace from where the Sama Veda emanated, came along with Mother of the universe without the Devas, Ganas and Rishis trailing them making any noise, lest they may disturb Anaya Nayanar’s music. The Almighty blessed Anaya Nayanar, “Stay with me in this very state.” Walking through the shower of flowers rained down by the Devas, Anaya Nayanar reached the abode where the Lord dances in bliss. Let the offering of music made to the Lord, the pure love which made Anaya Nayanar see the omnipresent God even while in this world and his final union with Him, stay in our minds forever.

Guru Pooja: Karthikai / Hastam or Vrishchika / Hasta

Har Har Mahadev

• Birth place of AnAya nAyanAr
• The puranam of Anaya Nayanar in English Poetry
• ஆனாய நாயனார் புராணம் - செய்யுள்
• ஆனாய நாயனார் புராணம் உரைநடை
• आनाय नायनार दिव्य चरित्र 

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