In Periya Puranam , devotion, or bhakti , is portrayed as the highest form of spiritual pursuit, surpassing rituals or knowledge of scriptures. It narrates the lives of the 63 Nayanmar saints, whose unwavering devotion to Lord Shiva led them to attain moksha , or liberation, through complete surrender. Their devotion was not intellectual; it was visceral, beyond reason, and rooted in deep love and commitment. For these saints, Shiva was their sole reality, and they often went to extreme lengths to demonstrate their love, sacrificing their comfort, status, and even lives to please their Lord. Take the story of Kannappa Nayanar, the hunter-turned-saint, who is perhaps one of the most moving examples of raw devotion. Despite his lack of formal worship knowledge, his devotion to Shiva was pure and unrestrained. When he saw blood flowing from the Lingam's eye, he did not hesitate to gouge out his own eye to stop the suffering of his beloved deity. This act of self-sacrifice and pure lo...
Who Am I