>Marcocapelle at 09:40, 24 May 2021

2021-05-24T09:40:51Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
|name= Kutruva Nayanar
|image= Kutruva Nayanar.JPG
|caption =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
|birth_place= [[Kalandai]]
|birth_name=
|death_date=
|death_place=
|philosophy= [[Shaivism]], [[Bhakti]]
|honors= [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint,
|footnotes=
}}

'''Kutruva Nayanar''', also known as '''Kootruva ''', '''Kutruva''', '''Kutruvar''', '''Kootruvar''', ''' Kurruva Nayanar''', '''Kurruvar''', '''Kurruvan''', '''Kutruvanar''', '''Kurrrruvar''', '''Kalappallan''' and '''Kalappalar''', was a chieftain of Kalandai and a [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saint, venerated in the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] sect of [[Shaivism]]. He is generally counted as the 39th in the list of 63 Nayanars. Kutruva is often described as a Jain, who became a devotee of [[Shiva]], the patron god of Shaivism.<ref name="Dalal2011">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|date=2011|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=281}}</ref>

==Life==
The life of Kutruva Nayanar is described in the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ''[[Periya Puranam]]'' by [[Sekkizhar]] (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.<ref name="Dalal2011"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.shaivam.org/english/sen_th12_kootruva.htm| title=The Puranam of Kootruva Nayanar
| publisher=T N Ramachandran |access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref> His name "Kutruva" means the "God of death" in Tamil.<ref name="PāratiyārCēkkil̲ār1970">{{cite book|author1=Cuttān̲anta Pāratiyār|author2=Cēkkil̲ār|title=The grand epic of Saivism|year=1970|publisher=South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Pub. Society, Tinnevelly|page=181}}</ref>

The ''Periya Puranam'' narrates that Kutruva was the chieftain of Kalandai (Kalantai). He was from the [[Kalabhra dynasty|Kalabhras]] community. He is described a devotee of Shiva. He defeated many kings and chieftains in war and acquired their wealth and territories in [[Pandya]] and [[Chola]] kingdoms. Kutruva had acquired extensive lands and wealth through his campaigns, but lacking a formal title was still technically a chieftain, with no legal basis to rule his de facto domain. He requested the priests ([[Brahmins]]) of [[Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Chidambaram temple]] of [[Chidambaram|Thillai]]. The Brahmins who owed allegiance to the Chola kings and crowned the Cholas, refused and fled to [[Malai Nadu]] (modern-day [[Kerala]]) under the protection of the [[Chera dynasty|Chera]] king. It is described as follows,

{{Cquote|<center>Inorder that he who conquered the world (Kootruvar) may not be bereft of a royal crown he requested the crowning services of the ancient three thousand servitor priests at Chidambaram (Thillai). Thereupon the priests refused the same saying that they are entitled to perform the ceremony only to the most deserving of the ancient clan of sembiyars (Cholas). Having said this, they quit their dwelling to reach the hill country (Kerala) of the ancient chera king.</center>}}

Kutruva approached [[Nataraja]], the presiding form of Shiva of Chidambaram temple, to crown him with keeping his foot over Kutruva's head. Nataraja appeared in Kutruva's dream and complied, giving him the divine authority to rule. He continued to worship Shiva and gave patronage to the god's temple. He ultimately reached [[Kailash]], Shiva's abode after death.<ref name="swami">{{cite book | author = Swami Sivananda | author-link = Swami Sivananda | title = Sixty-three Nayanar Saints | edition = 4 | publisher = The Divine Life Society | year = 1999 | location = Sivanandanagar }}</ref>

While the ''Periya Puranam'' does not explicitly describe as a [[Jain]], Kutruva Nayanar is often described as a Jain.<ref name="Dalal2011"/> The refusal of the Hindu priests of Chidambaram to crown a Jain monarch is explained. According to some theories, he was a [[Kalabhra]] chieftain, who were chiefly Jains. His title, Kalappalar (king of Kalappal) is used to identify him as member of the Kalappalar clan, who are in turn identified with Kalabharas. His home-town Kalandai identified with modern-day Kalappal, [[Thiruvarur district]] of the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Other theories identify Kalandai as Kalattur, in the ancient region of [[Tondai Nadu]]. Another suggestion identifies it as Peria Kalandai, [[Coimbatore district]] where the Adityesvara Shiva temple built by the Chola king [[Aditya I]] (c. 871 – c. 907 CE) stands.<ref name="Arunachalam1979">{{cite book|author=M. Arunachalam|title=The Kalabhras in the Pandiya country and their impact on the life and letters there|year=1979|publisher=University of Madras|pages=60–2}}</ref>

==Remembrance==
[[File:Sri Kokarneshvarar Temple in Tirukokarnam.JPG|thumb|The images of the Nayanars are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.]]

One of the most prominent Nayanars, [[Sundarar]] (8th century) venerates Kutruva Nayanar (called Kurran in the hymn) in the ''Tiruthonda Thogai'', a hymn to Nayanar saints. He is described as the prince of Kalandai, who wields a spear.<ref name="Peterson2014">{{cite book|author=Indira Viswanathan Peterson|title=Poems to Siva: The Hymns of the Tamil Saints|date=2014|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-6006-7|pages=334}}</ref>

Kutruva Nayanar is worshipped on the [[Purnima|Poornima]] (full moon day) of the [[Tamil month]] of [[Ashadha|Adi]]. He is depicted as a king with a crown, folded hands (see [[Anjali mudra]]) and sometimes a sword in the crook of his arm. He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.<ref name="Dalal2011"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Nayanars}}

[[Category:Nayanars]]
[[Category:Former Jains]]

Kutruva Nayanar - Revision history

>Marcocapelle at 09:40, 24 May 2021