Nayanmar
 
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Shiva and his devotees
For other uses of the name, see Nayanmar.

The Nayanars or Nayanmars were Shaivite devotional poets of Tamil Nadu, active between the fifth and the tenth centuries CE. The Tamil Shaiva hagiography Periya Puranam, a volume of the Tirumurai, written during the thirteenth century CE, narrates the history of each of sixty-three Nayanars, though the number was probably selected for its symbolism. The Jain hagiography Mahapurana, a ninth century Sanskrit work by Jinasena, which lists 63 Jain saints, probably formed the basis of Periya Puranam as well as the number of Nayanars.1

Cuntarar's eighth century work Tiruttondar tokai lists 60 Shaiva saints2 but gives none of the legends associated with them. In the tenth century Nambiyandar Nambi composed the Tirrutontar Antati, adding Cuntarar himself and his parents to the list, thus creating the canonical list of sixty-three, with brief sketches of their legends.

Nayanars were from varied backgrounds, ranging from kings and soldiers to untouchables. The foremost Nayanars are Appar, Cuntarar and Campantar. 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.

Contents

The sixty-three Nayanmars

  1. Anaya
  2. Adipaththa
  3. Aiyadigal Kaadavarkon, Pallava King Aiyadigal Perumaanaar
  4. Amarneeti
  5. Appudhi Adigal
  6. Arivattaya
  7. Chandeshvara Nayanar
  8. DhandiyadigaL
  9. Enatinatha
  10. Eripaththa
  11. Eyarkon Kalikkaama
  12. Gananatha
  13. Idankazhi
  14. Ilayankudimara
  15. Isaijnaniyaar Female Nayanar
  16. Iyarpahai
  17. Kaari
  18. Kalikkamba
  19. Kaliya
  20. Kanampulla
  21. Kannappa Nayanar
  22. Karaikkal Ammeiyar, Female Nayanar
  23. Kazharchinga
  24. Kazharir-rarivaar, Chera King, also Cheraman Perumal
  25. Kochchenkat Chola, A Chola King
  26. Kootruva
  27. Kotpuli
  28. Kulachchirai
  29. Kungiliyak Kalaya
  30. Manakkanychaara Nayanar
  31. Mangayarkkarachiyar, Female Nayanar
  32. Meypporul
  33. Murkha
  34. Murti
  35. Munayaduvaar
  36. Muruga
  37. Nami Nandi Adigal
  38. Narasingha Munayaraya
  39. Nesa
  40. Ninra Seer Nedumaara
  41. Perumizhalaik Kurumba
  42. Poosalaar
  43. Pugal Chola, A Chola King
  44. Pukazth Tunai
  45. Saakkiya
  46. Sadaiya
  47. Saththi
  48. Seruthtunai
  49. Sirappuli
  50. Siruttonda
  51. Somaachi
  52. Cuntarar
  53. Campantar
  54. Tirukkuripput Tonda
  55. Tirumular
  56. Tirunalaippovar, popularly known as Nandhanaar
  57. Tirunavukkarasar, popularly known as Appar
  58. Tirunilakanda
  59. Tirunilakanda Yaazpaana
  60. Tirunilanakka
  61. Uruttira Pasupati
  62. Vaayilaar
  63. Viranminda

See also

Notes

  1. ^ N.Subramaniam. Social and Cultural History of Tamilnad (to AD 1336), Ennes Publication Udumalpet 642 128. 
  2. ^ Dr R. Nagasamy. Siva Bhakthi. Chapter 2.

References
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