ILAYANKUDI MARA NAYANAR

Maranar of Ilayankudi was a farmer who often invited Shiva Devotees to his home for a grand feast. Even in poverty, he continued to offer food to the Shiva devotees. Lord Shiva wanted the world to know about his generous nature and he made Iyarpagaiar further poor.

One rainy day, the Lord came to his house in the form of a Shivanadiyar [Shiva devotee]. The couple offered him shelter and asked him to take rest while they prepared a meal for him with the paddy that they had harvested that morning along with some vegetables from the backyard. Iyarpagaiar’s wife took a rafter from the wooden roof of their own house to start the fire, in order to cook the meal.

Once the meal was ready, Iyarpagaiar went to call the Shivanadiyar for having his meal. As the Shivanadiyar got up from his bed, suddenly he disappeared and, in his place, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi appeared and blessed them.

References:
shaivam.org
http://www.dlshq.org/download/nayanar.htm