The 63 Nayanmars were not merely Saivite saints, focusing on only the Divine Dancer, they were also careful that no ill befell sivanadiyars, the servitors of Siva. Anyone who offended the Lord (with irreverence), or a devotee of the Lord or the articles of offerings used in worship of Siva incurred the wrath of the Nayanmars who meted out summary punishment, said P. Swaminathan in a discourse.
Serruthunai Nayanar was one such. Hailing from Keezhthanjavur, he journeyed on foot every day to Tiruvaroor in order to offer his services at the temple. He was also in charge of the team stringing flowers to be offered to the deities.
One day, the consort of Kazharrhinga, the Pallava King, picked up a flower lying a little apart in the flower garland stringing hall and smelt it. Unable to bear the offence, Serruthunai Nayanar took action. Periapuranam says, “took hold of her dark, soft tresses, caught her beautiful nose,” saying, ”I shall cut off the nose which smelt the flower in the sacred Hall of Flowers set apart to adorn the russet matted locks of the Transcendent Being,” and cut it off.
Arriving upon the scene, the king demanded to know who had done the foul deed. Sekkizhar says, “When at that juncture Serruthunai came up to him and related to him what had happened before, the King looked at him and asked, ’But should not the punishment befitting this offence be inflicted in accordance with the manner in which the crime took shape?’” He then pulled out his scimita.