The Life
Kotpuli, a Chola army commander of Nattiyattankudi, dedicated his wealth to heaping mountains of paddy in Shiva's temples for the Lord's offerings. Called away to war, he stored great stocks of rice at home, charging every kinsman individually that it was consecrated to Shiva and must never be touched. In his absence a famine struck, and his family ate the sacred grain to survive. Returning victorious with the king's gifts, Kotpuli learned of the sacrilege and, holding the Lord's property utterly inviolable, put his own parents, brothers and wives to the sword, sparing not even a nursing infant, since it had drunk the milk of a woman who had eaten the rice. His terrible, uncompromising loyalty moved Shiva, who appeared and took him and his slain kin to Kailash.