Mahashivratri 2026: Consecrated Shiva by filling his mouth with water and offered his eye, know the story of Kannappa, a great devotee of Bholenath.

Story of Shiva devotee Kannappa

Mahashivratri 2026: Today Mahashivratri is being celebrated with pomp across the country. Shiva devotees are immersed in the devotion of Mahadev. From temples to Shivalayas, chants of Har Har Mahadev are being heard. Mahadev is very pleased by offering hemp, datura, shamipatra and belpatra on Shivalinga during the puja. Mahadev loves these things very much, hence devotees offer all these things to him during worship.

However, do you know that there was such a devotee of Mahadev who used to anoint him by filling his mouth with water. Not only this, he used to offer meat to Shivalinga. He had offered his eyes to God. Today we are going to tell you about that great devotee of Shiva. Let us know who was that great devotee?

according to legend…

We are talking about Kannappa, a great devotee of Shiva. Who was a hunter from South India. He lived a very simple life and was courageous. Kannappa had no knowledge of the scriptures and rituals, but he loved Lord Shiva from his heart. This faith of his makes him included among the great devotees of Shiva. According to the legend, once while searching for prey in the forest, Kannappa’s eyes fell on a rock. Kannappa stopped there after seeing him.

He understood that this was not an ordinary stone, but a symbol of some deity. From that day Kannappa started taking care and worshiping that rock. Although Kannappa did not know the method of worship, he found a way to serve that rock. Kannappa was a hunter, hence he used to offer meat to Shivalinga. He did not have any vessel in the forest, so he used to fill water in his mouth and offer it to Shivalinga. Used to clean around Shivalinga daily.

offered eyes to god

One day Kannappa saw that blood was flowing from the eyes of Shivalinga. Seeing this, Kannappa became very upset. When he could not understand anything, he took out one of his eyes and offered it to Shivalinga. So that the bleeding from Shivling stops. When the second eye of Shivalinga also started bleeding, Kannappa decided to offer his other eye also to Shivalinga. After this, as soon as Kannappa started taking out his other eye to offer it to Shivalinga, Lord Shiva appeared.

Lord Shiva stopped Kannappa from doing this. Lord Kannappa was very pleased with his devotion and granted him the boon of attaining salvation. The Srikalahasti temple associated with Bhakta Kannappa in Andhra Pradesh still exists.

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