Nayanars
Encyclopedia
The Nayanars or Nayanmars (Tamil
: நாயன்மார்கள்) were Shaivite devotional poets of Tamil Nadu
, active between the fifth and the tenth centuries CE. The Tamil
Śaiva hagiography Periya Puranam
, a volume of the Tirumurai
, written during the thirteenth century CE, narrates the history of each of sixty-three Nayanars and the history of nine Thokai Adiyar.
Sundarar's eighth century work Tirutoṇṭar tokai lists 60 Shaiva saints but gives none of the legends associated with them. In the tenth century CE Nambiyandar Nambi
composed the Tirutoṇṭar Antādi, a sequence of interlocking verses the title of which can be rendered as the Necklace of Verses on the Lord's Servants. In this work Nambi and Sundarar, himself and his parents to the sequence, creating what is now the canonical list of sixty-three saints, each with a brief sketch of their legend.
Nayanars were from varied backgrounds, ranging from kings and soldiers to untouchables. The foremost Nayanars are Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. Together with the twelve Vaishnava Alvars
, the Nayanars are sometimes accounted South India's 75 Apostles of Bhakti
because of their importance in the rise of the Hindu Bhakti movement
.
They praised 275 of this deity's most holy temple abodes as the Paadal Petra Sthalams of the Shiva Sthalams on the continent.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
: நாயன்மார்கள்) were Shaivite devotional poets of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, active between the fifth and the tenth centuries CE. The Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
Śaiva hagiography Periya Puranam
Periya Puranam
Periya Puranam , that is, the great purana or epic, sometimes also called Tiruttontarpuranam is a Tamil poetic account depicting the legendary lives of the sixty-three Nayanars, the canonical poets of Tamil Shaivism. It was compiled during the 12th century by Sekkizhar...
, a volume of the Tirumurai
Tirumurai
The word Thirumurai literally means the sacred book. It is a compendium of songs or hymns in the praise of Shiva in the Tamil language...
, written during the thirteenth century CE, narrates the history of each of sixty-three Nayanars and the history of nine Thokai Adiyar.
Sundarar's eighth century work Tirutoṇṭar tokai lists 60 Shaiva saints but gives none of the legends associated with them. In the tenth century CE Nambiyandar Nambi
Nambiyandar Nambi
Tirunarayur Nambiyandar Nambi was an eleventh-century Shaiva scholar of Tamil Nadu in South India who compiled the hymns of Sampantar, Appar and Sundarar and was himself one of the authors of the eleventh volume of the canon of the Tamil liturgical poetry of Shiva, the Tirumurai.Nambiyandar was...
composed the Tirutoṇṭar Antādi, a sequence of interlocking verses the title of which can be rendered as the Necklace of Verses on the Lord's Servants. In this work Nambi and Sundarar, himself and his parents to the sequence, creating what is now the canonical list of sixty-three saints, each with a brief sketch of their legend.
Nayanars were from varied backgrounds, ranging from kings and soldiers to untouchables. The foremost Nayanars are Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. Together with the twelve Vaishnava Alvars
Alvars
The alwar or azhwars were Tamil poet saints of south India who lived between the sixth and ninth centuries A.D. and espoused ‘emotional devotion’ or bhakti to Visnu-Krishna in their songs of longing, ecstasy and service. Sri Vaishnava orthodoxy posits the number of alvars as ten, though there are...
, the Nayanars are sometimes accounted South India's 75 Apostles of Bhakti
South India's 75 Apostles of Bhakti
Southern India's 75 Apostles of Bhakti are the twelve Alvars and sixty-three Nayanmars . They are regarded as the greatest exponents of the bhakti tradition of Hinduism. Most of them came from the Tamil region...
because of their importance in the rise of the Hindu Bhakti movement
Bhakti movement
The Bhakti movement is a Hindu religious movement in which the main spiritual practice is loving devotion among the Shaivite and Vaishnava saints. The Bhakti movement originated in ancient Tamil Nadu and began to spread to the north during the late medieval ages when north India was under Islamic...
.
They praised 275 of this deity's most holy temple abodes as the Paadal Petra Sthalams of the Shiva Sthalams on the continent.
The sixty-three Nayanmars
- Anaya
- AdipaththarAdipaththarAdipattharAdipatthar or Adhipattha Nayanar is one of the 63 Nayanmars. He was a sincere devotee of Lord Shiva and lived in the Chola kingdom at present day Naagapattinam by the sea shore. He was the head of his group of people called Paradhavar. The main source of income and food for them was fish...
- Aiyadigal Kaadavarkon, PallavaPallavaThe Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
KingMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Aiyadigal Perumaanaar - Amaraneedi NayanarAmaraneedi NayanarAmaraneedi Nayanar was a Vaisya by caste. He was an ardent Shiva devotee. He belonged to a village named Pazhaiyaarai in the Chola Kingdom. Pazhaiyaarai was a very fertile place, surrounded on all sides by gardens and green fields. In those days this place was very famous. Amaraneedi Nayanar was a...
- Appudhi Adigal
- Arivattaya
- Chandeshvara Nayanar
- DhandiyadigaL
- Enatinatha
- Eripaththa
- Eyarkon Kalikkaama
- Gananatha
- Idankazhi
- Ilayankudi maranarIlayankudi maranarMaranar was born in the Tamil month of Avani at Ilayankudi of tamil nadu. He was a farmer by caste and profession. Maranar was his name and since he lived in a village called Ilayankudi, he got the name ilayankudi maranar. He is an ardent devotee of lord shiva’s devotees...
- Isaignaniyaar IsaignaniyaarIsaignaniyar is a female poetess who lived in Tirunavalur of Tirumuraipadi. All her ancestors were ardent devotees of Lord Siva and her husband Sadaiya nayanar is too one of the 63 nayanars. She was also devoted to the Lord. Due to their virtuous deeds in their past life, a divine child was born to...
- a woman - IyarpagaiarIyarpagaiarIyarpagai Nayanar was one of the 63 nayanmar's of saivism. He was born in Kaveripoompattinam of chola kingdom. He was born in the month of Markazhi and he is Vaisya by caste. He considered Shiva Bhaktas as the living manifestations of Lord Shiva.Lord Shiva was delighted with His devotee. He wanted...
- Kaari
- Kalikkamba
- Kaliya
- Kanampulla
- Kannappa NayanarKannappa NayanarKannappa Nayanar or Kannappan was one of the 63 Nayanmars or holy Saivite saints, the staunch devotees of Lord Shiva...
- Karaikkal AmmaiyarKaraikkal AmmeiyarKaraikkal Ammaiyar , one of the three women amongst the sixty three Nayanmars, is one of the greatest figures of early Tamil literature. Her birth name was Punithavati. She was born at Karaikkal, South India, and probably lived during the 6th century...
a woman - Kazharchinga
- Kazharir-rarivaar, CheraChera dynastyChera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
KingMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
, also Cheraman PerumalCheraman Perumal (Nayanar)Rajasekhara Varman usually identified with the Cheraman Perumal Nayanar was second king of the Later Chera dynasty and a Saivaite-Nayanar regal saint. He is said to have ruled from the seat of Cheras, Karuvur Vanchi located on the shores of Anporunai or from Mahodayapuram... - Kochengat Cholan, A Chola KingMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
- Kootruva
- KotpuliKotpuliKotpuli was a Nayanar saint of South India. He was one of the 63 Nayanars hailing from Nattiyantankuti. He was so attached to Lord Siva that he allotted a heap of paddy in the form of huge hill in each of the Siva temples to feed the Saiva devotees....
- Kulachchirai
- Kungiliyak Kalaya
- Manakkanychaara NayanarManakkanychaara NayanarManakkanychaara Nayanar was one of the 63 Nayanmars of the Saivite faith of South India. He lived in the village of Kancharur in the Chola kingdom during the eighth century CE. He belonged to the Vellala cast and was a hereditory commander in the Chola Military of Chola Raajym to day referred as...
- Mangayarkkarasiyar, a woman
- Meiporul NayanarMeiporul NayanarMeiporul Nayanar was a pious king. He is one of the 63 nayanmar’s of saivism. He ruled over the hill tribes of Sethi. He was chivalrous and brave. He fought many battles and was always victorious....
- Murkha
- Murti
- Munayaduvaar
- Muruga
- Nami Nandi Adigal
- Narasingha Munayaraya
- Nesa NayanarNesa NayanarNESA NAYANAR was the native of village called Kampili. He was a weaver by profession and was highly devoted to Lord Shiva and his devotees. His mind was well fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord. His lips always uttered the Panchakshara Mantra. His hands were ever busy in the service of Shiva’s...
- Ninra Seer Nedumaara
- Perumizhalaik Kurumba
- PusalarPusalarPusalar was a Brahmin of Tiruninravur in Thondai Mandalam. He believed in the mental worship of the Lord shiva because mental worship is thousands of times better than external ritualistic worship. Mental worship soon leads to samādhi and Self-realisation.-Legend:Pusalar strongly desired to build...
- Pugal Chola, A Chola KingMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
- Pugazh Thunai NayanarPugazh Thunai NayanarPugazh Thunai Nayanar was a pious Adi Shaiva of Srivilliputhur. He was an ardent Shiva Bhakta. He was apujari whose daily duty was to do puja in the temple, according to the Siva Āgamas.-Legend:...
- Saakkiya
- Sadaiya NayanarSadaiya NayanarSADAIYA NAYANAR is an Adi Saivite saint who is one of the 63 nayanars. He lived in Tirunavalur in Tirumuraipadi. All his ancestors were ardent devotees of Lord Siva. He was also pious and devoted. Isaijnaniyar was his dutiful wife. She was also devoted to the Lord and one of the 63 nayanars too...
- Saththi
- Seruthtunai
- Sirappuli
- Siruttonda
- Somaachi
- Sundarar
- Sambandar (Tirugnaana Sambandar)
- Tirukkuripput Tonda
- Tirumular
- Thirunalai Povar Nayanar, popularly known as NandanarNandanarNandanar was a Nayanar saint born in South India who became a great devotee of Lord Shiva.Nandanar was born in a village called Adhanurin a poor family. He was born at the cruel time where untouchability was being practised, as he belonged to Paraiyar community, which was considered as an...
- Tirunavukkarasar, popularly known as Appar
- Thiruneelakandar
- Tirunilakanda Yaazpaana
- Tirunilanakka
- Uruttira Pasupati
- Vaayilaar
- Viralminda nayanarViralminda NayanarViralminda Nayanar was born in Sengundru, a hilly place. He was a Vellala by caste. To him worship of Shiva devotees was equal, if not even superior to the worship of Lord Shiva Himself. He felt that no one could get Shiva’s grace without first worshipping his devotees...