Nayanars

The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; Tamil: நாயன்மார், romanized: Nāyaṉmār, lit. 'hounds of Siva', and later 'teachers of Shiva )^[1] were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries who were devoted to Vishnu, they influenced the Bhakti movement in early medieval South India.^[2] The names of the Nayanars were first compiled by Sundarar. The list was expanded by Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material by the poets for the Tirumurai collection, and would include Sundarar himself and Sundarar's parents.^{[citation needed]}

The Nalvar (lit. 'The Four') are the three foremost Nayanars Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar along with Manikkavacakar.^[3]

^ Sadasivan, S. N. (2000). A Social History of India. New Delhi: A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. pp. 150–151. ISBN 81-7648-170-X.
^ Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2007). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Scarecrow Press. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-8108-6445-0.
^ "Who Were the Nalvars? – Saivite Scriptures". Retrieved 13 March 2022.

[hounds-1] Sadasivan, S. N. (2000). A Social History of India. New Delhi: A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. pp. 150–151. ISBN 81-7648-170-X.

[dictionary-2] Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2007). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Scarecrow Press. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-8108-6445-0.

[3] "Who Were the Nalvars? – Saivite Scriptures". Retrieved 13 March 2022.

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