Nayanar 70-71: Sadaiya (Cataiyanar) and Isaignaniyaar (Icainaniyar)

The 70th and the 71st saints are Cataiyanar and Icainaniyar. They are not counted that way by Arurar. In the portion of the last verse where he usually mentions his names as the author of the hymn, he describes himself as the son of Cataiyan and Icainani.

The words of Arurar are,

“Ennavanam aranatiye atain-titta Cataiyan Icainani katalan Tirunavalurkkon annavanam Aruran atimai kettuvappar Aruril ammanuk kanpar avare”-.

‘They will become the lovers of the Lord of Aruran, those who are happy to listen to the servility of that Aruran, the chief of Tiru-navalur, the beloved son of Icainani and Cataiyan who reached the feet of my Hara .

Thus, Arurar has not included them in the list of saints. The later generation cannot help including in the list these two great personalities who brought forth Arurar into this world.

Nampiyantar Nampi and Cekkilar emphasize this greatness.

An inscription of Kulottunka II issued in the 7th year of his reign ends with the following words:

“Alutaiya Nampikal matdkkal Icainaniyar”—“Jnani bhavato Jddnasivacarya kule bhavat, Saive Gautama gotresmin jnanyakhya Kamalapure”.

This makes Arurar, a member of the Gautama gotra; the name Nampiyarurar was also the name of his grand-father of Thiruvarur, It is rather curious that Cekkilar does not give the particulars about his gotra.

The Darasuram sculptures give us their pictures. Plate 8 represents Icainaniyar and plate 9 represents Cataiyanar. Cataiyanar has a beard and mustache and a sacred thread. The cloth is found flowing, thus emphasizing his importance. The mother has no upper cloth. She wears ear-rings, necklace, and bangles. If what the Mysore Archaeological Report (1925) states is correct, the Sanskrit and Kannada traditions make Jadendyanar or Nilajnani Kapardi, the father of Tirunanacampantar, whilst Yasyajnani is made the mother of Campantar. But it is also mentioned there that Jatesvara was the father of Arurar and Sujnanini, the mother of Arurar.