By Vidya Dehejia

Inspired by Siva, the Saint Sundarar who lived in the eighth century, sang the Thiru-Thonda-Thogai pathigam at the temple of Thiruvarur.

Listen to Thiru-thonda-thogai pathigam Proper english pronunciation = "thiru-thoNda-thOgai path-thee-gam" — a song about the "Assembly of the sacred slaves at thiru-vaa-roor" temple.

This hymn is the original list of the Saiva Saints, and Sundarar apparently listed the names in the order in which he happened to recollect them. The list follows a random sequence, being neither chronological, nor alphabetical, nor grouped according to caste or occupation. Since Sundarar sang the glory of the saints at the command of God Siva himself, the list became a sanctified one. It was elaborated by Nambi-Andar-Nambi in the tenth century and codified by Sekkilaar in the twelfth-century work — the Periya-Puranam — but the sequence remained unaltered. The order of this list is meticulously followed in the temples for the placement of bronze or stone images of the Nayanars, as also for their figures on the temple walls.

God Siva's 63 Nayanars:
(as given by Saint Sundarar)

  01. Thiru-Nilakantar

  02. Iyarpagai

  03. (Ilaiyangudi) Marar

  04. Meyporul

  05. Viranmindar

  06. Amarnithi

  07. Eripathar

  08. Enathi

  09. Kanappar

  10. (Kungiliya) Kalayar

  11. Manakanjarar

  12. Arivatayar

  13. Anayar

  14. Murthi

  15. Muruga

  16. Rudra-pasupathi

  17. Thiru-nalai-povar

  18. Thiru-kurippu-thondar

  19. Chandesar (Chandi Perumaan)

  20. Thiru-navuk-arasar (Appar)

  21. Kulachirai

  22. Kurumbar

  23. Karaikkal Ammaiyar

  24. Apputhi Adigal

  25. Thiru-nila-nakkar

  26. Nami-nandi Adigal

  27. Thiru-jnana-sambandar

  28. Kalikamar

  29. Tirumular

  30. Dandi Adigal

  31. Murkhar

  32. Somasi Marar

  33. Sakkiyar

  34. Sirappuli

  35. Siruthondar

  36. Cheraman Perumal

  37. Gananathar

  38. Kutruvar

  39. Pugal Cholar

  40. Narasinga Munaiyar

  41. Athipathar

  42. Kalikambar

  43. Kaliyar

  44. Sathi

  45. Aiyadigal Kadavarkon

  46. Kanampullar

  47. Kariyar

  48. (Ninra-Seer) Nedumaran

  49. Vayilar

  50. Munai-aduvar

  51. Kalar-singar

  52. Idankaliyar

  53. Seruthunaiyar

  54. Pugal-thunaiyar

  55. Kotpuliyar

  56. Pusalar

  57. Mangaiyarkarasi Ammaiyar

  58. Nesar

  59. Senganar (Ko-Chengat Cholar)

  60. Thiru-Nilakantha Yalpannar

  61. Sadaiyar

  62. Isai-jnani Ammaiyar

  63. Sundarar (Murthi)

References:

Dehejia, Vidya. Slaves of The Lord - The Path of the Tamil Saints.
New Delhi: Munshiram Monoharlal Publishers Private Ltd., 1988.