63 Nayanars: An Introduction — 1 (2024)

This series tends to bring to notice the extraordinary lives of 63 Nayanars, the glorious Shiva devotees. The Nayanars are quite celebrated in the southern part of India but somehow lack their presence in the north. My intention behind this series is to help Shiva devotees like myself deepen their devotion and reach Shiva with the grace of devotees such as the Nayanars.

In the sixth and eighth centuries, a group of devoted followers of Lord Shiva lived in ancient Tamil Nadu, India. They were known as the 63 Nayanars. They were men and women from various social classes and origins who came from various regions of Tamil society. The word “Nayanar” means “devotee” in Tamil, and these people — often via poetry and selfless service — showed an unbroken love, devotion, and dedication to Lord Shiva. Their songs, called “Thevarams,” are essential to Tamil Shaivism and powerfully portray their profound spiritual experiences. Their shared commitment cut over social boundaries, highlighting the idea that love for the holy is limitless and that devotion is universal.

(AO in the passage means Ashutosh Om)

Tiruneelakantha Nayanar was a potter. When he went after other women his wife told him, ‘On the sacred name of Lord Neelakantha, do not touch us.’ Since she uttered the word ‘us’ Nayanar took an oath saying that not only her but no other woman would he ever touch even in his mind. Once, Lord Siva came to him as a saint and gave him a mud bowl for safekeeping. The Lord then enacted His divine play by making the bowl to vanish. When informed, the enraged saint asked Nayanar to take a dip in the temple tank holding his wife’s hand and declare that he had not stolen the bowl. The couple made their vow public and holding a stick on either ends instead of holding each other’s hands took the dip. By the grace of Lord Siva, they came out as a young couple. People who witnessed it bowed to them.
SadhanaByAO — We should respect our loved ones and our partners as they as well hold the Shiva Tatwa or the Divine Being in their hearts. As the Shaiva traditions suggest we should consider everyone as Shiva’s reflection and conduct ourselves in a suited way. This also establishes the power of true Sankalpa or a true Resolution.

Eyarpagai Nayanar was born in the family of traders in Kaviripoompattinam in the Chola kingdom. He would give the devotees of Lord Siva whatever they asked for. To test Nayanar Lord Siva went to him in the form of a devotee and asked him to give his wife as gift. Nayanar did so at once without showing any hesitation. Moreover, he went with them as an escort up to the border of his village with a sword in his hand when they departed in order to see that no trouble arose. When his relatives objected his extraordinary act, Nayanar fought with them and drove them away. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Siva then revealed His divine form to Eyarpagaí Nayanar and blessed him and his wife with a long life. The Lord also assured that He will recieve them at the end of their earthly life.
SadhanaByAO- Total surrender at the feet of devotees is the only way to reach Shiva and as the Shiva Purana suggests everyone who worships Shiva is Shiva. Shiva is pleased by those who serve his devotees and treats everyone with humility, kindness and compassion.

Elayankudi Mara Nayanar was born in the family of farmers in Elayankudi village. Even in extreme poverty, he did not give up the service of feeding the devotees of Lord Siva. Once on a rainy day when he had no money with him, Lord Siva visited him in the form of a devotee and said that He was scorched by great hunger. Nayanar had nothing in his house at that time. Unperturbed, he went to his fields and collected the grains he sowed there in the morning. His wife prepared some rice with greens using for firewood the wood pulled out from the rooftop of their house. Nayanar was taken aback when he did not find the devotee there. Then Lord Siva and Mother Parvati appeared there, blessed Elayankudi Mara Nayanar and his wife with long life and assured them of liberation at the end of their earthly life.
SadhanaByAO — Selfless service is a beautiful path of spiritual upliftment. This story marks the importance of feeding those in need and the intensity of emotion in context with the service of the devotees. This Subtly marks the importance of offering prasadam to the lord as well, nothing fancy but if we regularly offer the food(which is prepared for us) to the lord, it can deeply help in purifying the mind and the body.

Pro-Tip — If a Lingam or Idol of Shiva is not available or accessible. Just offer your gratitude to nature and the lord. Just Say — ‘Om Shiva-Arpanmastu’ — which means I offer the following to Shiva. This is what personally I do when I am short of time.

Meipporul Nayanar was the king of Tirukkoyiloor and was called thus as he had great faith in ‘Meipporul’, the sacred insignia of Saivism viz., Rudhraksha, sacred ash etc. King Mutthanathan, his neighbour, tried often to conquer him in war but in vain. Finally Mutthanathan, disguising himself as a devotee of Lord Siva, entered Nayanar’s palace with a hidden sword pretending to preach Saivism and wounded him fatally. Seeing the ‘Meipporul’ on his body, Nayanar did not retaliate. Nayanar’s bodyguard Datta pounced on Mutthanathan with a sword. But Nayanar, even at his dying moments, ordered Datta not to harm Mutthanathan as he had come there in the form of a devotee of Lord Siva. He also asked Datta to escort Mutthanathan to safety. Thus Meipporul Nayanar left his body and attained liberation.
SadhanaByAO — As the Shiva Purana suggests “The one who wears Rudraksha and Bhasma or sacred ash on his body and repeats the Panchakshara Mantra(Om Namah Shivaya) with his tongue is the highest of the highest. Darshan of such a person is equivalent to darshan of Shiva himself”. This story signifies the intensity of devotion and the importance of ‘Meipporul’. We all should conduct ‘Meipporul’ as much as possible so that we reach the highest order of devotion.

Viranminda Nayanar was born in the family of farmers in Senkundroor in Kerala. He worshipped the devotees of Lord Siva considering them as the Lord Himself. Once, when he was with the devotees in the temple of Tiruvaroor, Sundaramoorti Nayanar went past them to have the darshan of Lord Siva without greeting the devotees. Viranmindar got angry and called Sundarar an outcast of the devotee clan because he had failed to respect devotees. Sundarar was glad to see his devotion. Then Lord Siva asked Sundarar to sing a hymn on devotees Himself giving the first line ‘I am the servant of the servants of the devotees who reside in Thillai.’ Sundarar then composed Tirutthondatthogai. Thus Viranmindar played an instrumental role in bringing out this great basic work on the life of the sixty-three Nayanmars
SadhanaByAO- Devotees of Lord Shiva are representations of Lord Shiva himself. Respect of the devotees of Shiva is even more important than Shiva himself. That is the reason why we say Om Namo Narayana as a greeting because Narayana is the greatest devotee of Shiva.

I will talk about other Nayanars in a batch of 5 or 6 in my upcoming posts. So that we can apply their life teachings and deepen our devotion.
May Shiva Bless us with his Devotion.
Honourable Mention: Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai for reference text.

Hope this flicks a switch in you and gives birth to realisation.
I offer my obeisance to the divine in you.
Har Har Mahadev,
Alakh Niranjan, Adesh.

Ashutosh Om.