Om Namah ShivayaVetrivel Muruganukku AroharaHar Har Mahadev Om Namah ShivayaVetrivel Muruganukku AroharaHar Har Mahadev
Home / Nayanmars / Iyarpagai Nayanar
the merchant who gave away his own wife at a devotee's word

இயற்பகை நாயனார்Iyarpagai Nayanar

Native placeKaveripoompattinam (Puhar)
Associated templeSayavaneswarar Temple, Thiruchaikkadu
Guru PujaMargazhi / Uthiram
In the sixty-threeNo. 2

The Life

Iyarpagai, a wealthy merchant of Kaveripoompattinam (Puhar), vowed never to refuse any request made by a devotee of Shiva. To test him, the Lord came disguised as a Shaiva Brahmin and asked for the merchant's own beautiful wife. Without hesitation Iyarpagai consented, and his wife too obeyed her husband's word. As the merchant escorted the Brahmin and his wife from the town, enraged kinsmen took up arms to stop the outrage. Skilled in warfare, Iyarpagai fought and cut down even his own relatives to keep his pledge inviolate. Near Thiruchaikkadu the Brahmin bade him turn back; when Iyarpagai rushed to his cry, Shiva stood revealed with Uma. The Lord restored the slain kinsmen to life and bore the faithful merchant and his wife to His feet.