Nayanmars

Introduction: Nayanmar refer to the 63 devotees (and 9 general devotees) of Lord Shiva.
periya purANam talks in detail the life of these 63 devotees.The services that these devotees did differ, but the common thing is the love for the Lord ornated by moon.

Both male and female (ichainyAniyAr, kAraikkAl ammaiyAr) devotees are there. (In fact the wives of many nAyanmArs were equally devotional and got the place of Lord Shiva along with their husbands (thirunIlakaNdar) ). Some of them had high degree of learning and nyAna (thirumUlar) while some others excelled with their simple devotion even though they didn't learn any spiritual teachings (kaNNappar). Some of them were kings (pukazch chOzar) and some others didn't even have a house to stay (thirumUlar). Irrespective of their background all of them anointed Lord Shiva with the perennial spring of love and enjoyed the bliss of His grace. It can be said that their histories show how true devotees will act under different circumstances. They excelled in their own way to be compared only to that individual devotee. Their lives are an indication to all of us that we should worship and will be able to get His grace whatever our status be.

One can find some important qualities in all the 63 saints' life. Most of them did not undertake a service that was away from their lifestyle. The weaver nEcar had taken the service of providing clothes to the devotees whereas the farmer mARar gave them food. The service to the Lord that they undertake may look simple, like throwing a stone on the shivaliN^gam everyday. But the thing is, they did the needful andthey did it with flowing love for the Lord. The other thing is their determination in doing the service even when huge hurdles were on their way. If a service is undertaken to do for the Lord it should be done at any cost. To explain their state we need no words other than chEkkizAr's own words which are on the top of this page.

Reading about the 63 devotees can be said to have attained the purpose only when it resides in our mind ever green and guide us in the path of love for the Almighty in day to day conditions of the life. Let us try to simulate the state of them in our mind. Then do you think the Thief, whom even vEdhAs struggle to describe, can escape without giving the treasure of His bliss ?