In the plains of the Chozha kingdom is the town of Eyinanur. The fertility of that land was evident from the long sugar canes bending to touch the tall paddy crops. But Eyinanur entered the annals of history for Eanathinathar who hailed from the Iza tradition as a commander in the king's army. While his sword spoke of his valor, his heart spoke of the grace of the Lord besmeared by Ash. The heaps of wealth he received in the appreciation of his flawless valor was always used by him for serving the needs of the devotees of the Lord, who enjoys the devotion of the two who tried in vain to find His (column of light) limits.

In the same town lived a man of impure thoughts, Athisuran. He came from the same tribe of warriors. He always boasted that there was none superior to him. Despite his claim that he was the best in the martial arts, very few students joined his school whereas people flocked to the school of Eanathinathar. This fact irked Athisuran. When the curtain of ego becomes thick, truth gets obscure. The jealous Athisuran went with his best students to the Nayanar's school and challenged him to a fight. “Whoever wins the fight will be allowed to run the school” he shouted. The Nayanar’s students were away that time. The valiant Eanathinathar came out like a roaring lion to face Athisuran and was joined by his powerful relatives.

Like two clouds, the two groups met. They charged at each other with the roaring sound of thunder and lightning flashed when their weapons clashed. It rained blood. Both sides faced heavy losses. Then Eanathinathar entered the battlefield. The entire battle turned around for the devotee of the Lord. He wielded his sword like the rotating disc of the Sun. The other side buckled under the attack. Now Athisuran jumped in the field to boost his side. But how can a fox stand up to the lion? He was defeated by the Nayanar and ran away from the field.

He cared not for the wounds on the body, the deep wound of vengeance was burning even more now in the heart of Athisuran. He knew he could not defeat the valorous Eanathinathar in a straight fight. His crooked mind now made a devious plan. The coward sent a proposal to the Nayanar the very next morning seeking a duel. As a warrior it was dharma to accept every challenge thrown by another warrior. Athisuran knew this well and that devotee who worshipped the Lord as Love, saw only good in the proposal. Eanathinathar agreed to it and arrived at the designated spot, sword and shield in hand, without informing anyone since it was duel. Now the coward executed his evil plan. He smeared his forehead with Sacred Ash which he had never done before in life. Athisuran knew that the Nayanar would never harm anyone who wore the sign of Lord Shiva – the Sacred Ash.

The sight of the lion made the crook tremble. He cunningly hid his forehead with the shield and walked toward the Nayanar. As Eanathinathar got ready to strike him, Athisuran moved the shield to reveal the Sacred Ash on his forehead. The Nayanar was dumbfounded. He had never seen Athisuran sport the Sacred Ash before. He thought the coward had become a devotee of the Lord of Universe. Now the Nayanar wanted Athisuran to be victorious. But he could not throw away his sword. Because, on the battlefield, it was against dharma to strike an unarmed warrior and would incur sin. Eanathinathar did not want Athisuran to incur the sin of striking an unarmed warrior. This was the greatness of the Nayanar, he wanted even his enemy, who was sporting the sacred symbol of his Lord, to have an unblemished victory. He stood there with sword in hand but did not raise it. The wicked Athisuran killed him. The Lord who destroyed the impure yagna of Daksha of yore, appeared and took his devotee unto Him.

Let the benevolence of Eanathinathar be in our minds, he who handed over victory and laid down his life only because his enemy sported the Sacred symbol of the Lord.

Guru Pooja: Purratasi / Uthiram or Kanya/Uttara Phalguni

Har Har Mahadev

• Birth place of Eanathinatha Nayanar
• Eanathainatha Nayanar Puranam in English Poetry
• ஏனாதிநாத நாயனார் புராணம் - செய்யுள்
• ஏனாதிநாத நாயனார் புராணம் உரைநடை
• एनातिनाथ नायनार दिव्य चरित्र 

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