Nayanmars-The Shaivite Saints

By Venkataraman M

A group of sixty three ancient Shaivite saints who lived in Tamil Nadu in India during the period from sixth to the eighth century A.D are called 'Nayanmars'. Most of them are famous for their poetry in in Tamil in praise of Lord Shiva-one of the Hindu Trinity. This book contains brief details about the life of these sixty three Nayanmars.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M. VENKATARAMAN
• Release date: Jul 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201273774

Book preview

NAYANMARS

THE SHAIVITE SAINTS

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M. VENKATARAMAN

Year of Publication -2020

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Copyright - M. Venkataraman

Written and Published by:

M.Venkataraman,

G-10, Ground Floor,

Innovative Timberleaf,

Somasundarapalaya,

H.S.R. Layout, Sector 2,

Bengaluru-560102.

e-mail: [e-mail]

Contents

Preface

1, 2 &3. Sundaramurthi Nayanar, Sadaya Nayanar and Isaignaniyar

4. Thirugnana Sambandar

5. Thirunavukkarasar (Appar)

6. Tiru Neelakanta Nayanar

7. Iyarpahai Nayanar

8. Ilayankudi Mara Nayanar

9. Meiporul Nayanar

10. Viralminda Nayanar

11. Amaraneedi Nayanar

12 & 13. Eripatha Nayanar & Pugal Chola Nayanar

14. Enadinatha Nayanar

15. Kannappa Nayanar

16. Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar

17. Manakanchara Nayanar

18. Arivattaya Nayanar

19. Anaya Nayanar

20. Murthi Nayanar

21. Muruga Nayanar

22. Rudra Pasupathi Nayanar

23. Tiru Nalai Povar Nayanar (Nandanar)

24. Tiru Kurippu Thonda Nayanar

25. Chandesvara Nayanar

26, 27 &28. Kulacchirai Nayanar, Ninra Seer Nadumara Nayanar and Mangayarkarasiyar

29. Perumizhalai Kurumba Nayanar

30. Karaikal Ammaiyar

31. Appudi Nayanar

32. Tiruneelanakka Nayanar

33. Nami Nandi Adigal

34. Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar

35. Tirumula Nayanar

36. Dandi Adigal Nayanar

37. Murkha Nayanar

38. Somasira Nayanar

39. Sakkiya Nayanar

40. Sirappuli Nayanar

41. Siruthonda Nayanar

42. Cheraman Perumal Nayanar

43. Gananatha Nayanar

44. Kootruva Nayanar

45. Narasinga Muniyaraiyar

46. Adipattha Nayanar

47. Kalikamba Nayanar

48. Kalia Nayanar

49. Satti Nayanar

50. Aiyadigal Kadavarkon Nayanar

51. Kanampulla Nayanar

52. Kari Nayanar

53. Vayilar Nayanar

54. Munaiyaduvar Nayanar

55 & 56. Kazharsinga Nayanar & Seruthunai Nayanar

57. Idangazhi Nayanar

58. Pugazh Tunai Nayanar

59. Kotpuli Nayanar

60. Pusalar Nayanar

61. Nesa Nayanar

62. Kochengat Chola Nayanar

63. Tiru Neelakanta Yazhpanar

Postface

Preface

It is said that the foundations of Hinduism are the eternal and super-sensuous truths discovered by ancient Indian sages. The religion has no known founder and no one knows anything about those sages who discovered these truths. These revealed Divine Truths are called the Vedas and hence the religion is known as Vedic Religion though generally it is called Hinduism. Being the revealed scriptures, the Vedas are considered the most authentic.

According to the teachings of the Vedas, there is one and only one God. The Vedic Religion, also known as Sanatana Dharma, is therefore a pantheistic one. It is said that by his mere will, God manifests himself as this universe. Hence, creation, preservation and destruction of this universe are considered as the three aspects of God. These three basic aspects of God are represented by the Trinity called as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are also other deities in Hinduism to personify the various other endless powers and aspects of God. Thus the religion is also polytheistic.

Shaivism and Vaishnavism are the two most important facets of this religion. Shaivism is a branch which believes Lord Shiva as the supreme deity and Vaishnavism believes Lord Vishnu as the supreme deity. There are great saints in both Shaivism and Vaishnavism. The Nayanmars of Shaivism and the Alwars of Vaishnavism have made enormous contribution to the cause of the Hindu faith in Tamilnadu. The Nayanmars are also known as Nayanars. They, along with the Alwars, their contemporaries who were devoted to Lord Vishnu, influenced the devotional aspect of God.

To indicate that God transcends form, the devotees of Shiva often worship him in the form of a block of stone or a small pillar reverentially called as the ‘Lingam’, symbolizing all universe. For a sincere devotee, the Lingam is the radiant light or consciousness. Kailash is the place where Lord Shiva is stated to be residing.

‘Namashivaya’ is one of the most beloved mantra in Shaivism. It is a salutation to Lord Shiva. It means I bow to Shiva. It is also called Panchakshari, as it has five syllables.

Rudraksha is a special seed of an evergreen tree and is used in Shaivism. ‘Rudra’ is another name for Shiva. ‘Aksha’ means eyes. According to a legend Shiva shed a tear when he opened his eyes after a long meditation and that this tear evolved into a rudaksha tree. Individual rudraksha seeds are generally connected into a garland, usually consisting of 108 beads. This Rudraksha garland is used for japa. Japa means repetition of a mantra as a means of meditation. The devotees of Shiva strongly believe that wearing rudraksha beads provides the guardianship of Shiva and works as a shield against negative energies.

The holy ash called ‘Vibhuti’ is another symbol used in Shaivism. It is made from the white ash of wood burnt in a sacred fire. The devotees of Shiva apply vibhuti traditionally as three horizontal lines across the forehead and other parts of the body to show their devotion to Shiva.

A pooja is a form of worship where the God is invoked and symbolically offered the hospitalities. Abhishekam refers to a ritual wherein water and some sacred substances are poured or applied over the idol of a deity during puja. Agamas are traditional doctrines particularly in the form of temple worship. Mutt is a place where the saints normally reside and pursue their religious practices.

Padhigam is a sort of prayer in a poetic form on a deity. Darshan is a word used to denote the vision or appearance of a deity in person.

The Nayanmars are sixty three in number and they lived during the 6th to 8th century A.D. Some of them were highly learned while some others, like Kannappa Nayanar, excelled with their simple devotion though not learned in any scriptures. Some of them were kings but some others did not even have even a house to live. They led different kinds of life styles. While Thirugnana Sambandar was reciting Vedas, Thirunavukkarasar was a farmer, Thirunalai Povar Nayanar a cobbler and Thiruneelakanta Nayanar a potter. There were both male and female saints. But the one thing in common in all of them was their intense love for Lord Shiva and they all excelled in their own way in their single minded devotion to Lord Shiva.

The three most prolific of the Nayanars are Thirunavukkarasar Nayanar also known as Appar, Thirugnana Sambandar Nayanar well-known as Sambandar, and Sundaramurthi Nayanar well-known as Sundarar. Their hymns make up the Thevaram.  These hymns are sung in ritual worship.

Sundarar is the last of the Nayanars. It is said that he was granted a revelation of the lives of the 62 saints who preceded him by Lord Shiva himself. His work is the first to give the entire list, to which his own name was later added.

Nambi Andar Nambi is said to have compiled the hymns of all of the Nayanars, adding to them the works of several other famous poet-saints, including Manikkavasakar, to form the basis of the Tirumurai, the basic Tamil Shaivite sacred canon. It consists of 12 books, 11 of them assembled by Nambi.

The Peria Puranam is a poetic account which depicts the lives of these sixty three Nayanmars. It was compiled by Sekkizar during the 12th century AD. He himself was later on canonised and his work became a part of Tirumurai.

This book gives a very brief account of the lives of these sixty three Nayanmars.

1, 2 &3. Sundaramurthi Nayanar, Sadaya Nayanar and Isaignaniyar

Sundaramurthy Nayanar, known also as Sundarar, is one of the most prominent Nayanmars.  He was born to Sadaya Nayanar and Isaignaniyar.

Sadaya Nayanar belonged to a place called Tirunavalur. Isaignaniyar was his dutiful and devoted wife. Both of them belonged to families devoted to Lord Shiva and attached to the devotees of Shiva. Due to their virtuous deeds in their past life and being themselves devotees of Lord Shiva, a divine child was born to them. They named him as Nambiyarurar.

The ruler of their kingdom named Narasinga Munaiyar was attracted by the beauty and grace of that child. The king wanted to bring up the child himself. So, the king approached the parents. The devoted couple, without a moment’s hesitation, handed the child over to the king. By this action, they showed that they had no attachment at all to anything in this world.

The child grew up under royal care. At the proper age, the parents wanted to get their son married. Nambiyarurar’s marriage was fixed with the daughter of one Sandakavi Sivachariar. But, just when the ceremony was to begin, an old ascetic came there and declared that Nambiyarurar was his bonded slave and therefore, he should not get married. He further said that Nambiyarurar's grandfather had pledged him as his servant and had given this in writing