In Tondai Nadu of yore is the town Tiruninravur, where disciplined Vedic brahmins lived. Pusalar was born in one such Vedic brahmin family of that town. He learnt the Vedas and excelled in its wisdom. He lived a disciplined life with his mind absorbed in the thoughts of the One, who enters the heart through emotions, and cultivated great love for the Three-eyed Lord. He had submitted completely to Nilakantha and served His devotees in every way possible. For the Lord, who gives refuge to anyone who surrenders, Pusalar wanted to build a beautiful abode. He didn’t even think whether he was financially capable. All that was in his mind was to somehow build a temple for the Immortal Lord who was enshrined in his heart. He tried his best to gather the money required to build the temple. But to his disappointment, he could not collect enough. 

In spite of the disappointment Pusalar never dropped the great plan to construct a magnificent temple for the Lord. The servitor with a wealthy heart collected all the money needed for his holy work unto the last penny in his mind! He bought the best material for building a magnificent temple. In his thoughts he employed highly skilled masons and other workers for building the temple. With great enthusiasm, that could not be doused by worldly disappointments, he selected a day well suited as per the Agamas to lay the foundation of his holy temple in his heart. The sincere, well-planned work continued for a long time without a break and he completed the altar with all the inner places of the temple. He then raised a big tower and decorated it with clay statues, he dug a pond that would provide water for anointing the Lord daily, he raised gigantic strong walls all around the temple, and built a pleasant pond outside the temple. The temple was complete just like the wholeness of his love. He then found a day that was good for the installation and consecration of the wonderful temple.

At the same time, the king of the Pallava kingdom, with an intent to serve the Lord of Kailash, had built a temple of architectural excellence in the capital city Kanchi. In consultation with the astrologers, he fixed a date best suited for the consecration of the temple. The Lord, who wears konrai flowers on his matted locks, appeared in the dream of the king the previous night and informed him that the next day He would enter the great abode that Pusalar of Tiruninravur had built. The Lord asked the king to fix the date for the consecration of his temple in Kanchi on a later date. The Lord's divine play to show the pure and dedicated effort of the devotee, inspired the king, who had built a temple that would stand for its sculptural beauty for ages. The king wanted to see and salute the revered devotee Pusalar, who had performed such a coveted service that the Lord Himself was waiting to enter his temple. The king went to Triuninravur and inquired about the temple built by Pusalar. But to his surprise he got to know that there was no temple built by any devotee by the name Pusalar in that town. The king called the Vedic brahmins of the town. When he asked them about Pusalar Nayanar, they told him that a flawless devotee by name Pusalar was indeed living in that town. The king of that vast land, who was waited on by many small kings, did not want to call the devotee to the place where he was, instead he went to salute the devotee.

The king went with folded hands and asked Pusalar about the superior temple he had built for the eight-armed Lord, which he had come to know from the Lord Himself. He was eager to salute the Supreme who was going to enter that temple on that day. The simple devotee with boundless devotion was overcome by mixed emotions of fear and gratitude. The Lord, whose sacred feet are difficult to be seen even for Vishnu and Brahma, had Himself told that He would come to reside in the temple on that specified day considering his simple love! Tears of love flowed from his eyes as he explained to the king the way he wanted to build a magnificent temple for the Lord, the financial constraints because of which he went ahead with building the temple he wanted in his heart itself. The king wondered at the glorious devotion of this flawless devotee! He prostrated before Nayanar in all humbleness and returned to his capital. The great devotee completed the consecration of the splendid temple he built for the Lord as planned. Pusalar continued his worship of Lord Shiva, adorned with snakes and skulls, throughout his lifetime as enjoined in the scriptures till he attained the holy feet of the Lord. Let the determination and wholeness of devotion because of which despite worldly constraints Pusalar Nayanar succeeded in service that even the Supreme appreciated, stay in the mind.

Guru Pooja: Aipassi / Anusham or Tula / Anuradha

Har Har Mahadev

• Birth place of pUsalAr nAyanAr
• The puranam of Poosalaar Nayanar in English Poetry
• பூசலார் நாயனார் புராணம் - செய்யுள்
• பூசலார் நாயனார் புராணம் உரைநடை
• पूसलार नायनार दिव्य चरित्र 

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