Magadh Mahila College

Patna University
Department of History
Bhawana Singh (Guest Faculty)
Email id- singhbhawana47@gmail.com
B.A- 2nd year
Paper -3, Unit-06
Bhakti Movement in the South
(The Alvaras and The Nayanaras)
The word Bhakti is derived from a Sanskrit word ‘Bhanj’ which means coordination and charity.
Which means that a disciple is one who not only worships God but also does charity? The Bhakti
movement was begun by Shankaracharya in 8th century A.D. According to Bhagwat Purana
Bhakti was born in Dravida areas of Indian Territory. It developed in Karnataka and alter
reached to Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The Shaiva and Viashnava saints during the rule of Pallavas began the Bhakti Movement. It also
received patronage of the Chola rulers. As a result of Bhakti movement idol worship, concept of
incarnation spread in extreme south. There occurred a widespread of religious rituals. Moreover,
the rulers and theirs subjects in South India began to gradually replace Buddhism and Jainism
with Shaivism and Vaishanvism. In this way there occurred the decline of Buddhism and Jainism
in South India. The Bhakti movement later divided into two parts:

1. Alvaras – followers of lord Vishnu.

2. Nayanaras- followers of lord Shiva.

These Alvaras and Nayanaras used both Sanskrit and Tamil languages in their hymns.

The Nayanaras:
The Tamil Shaiva saints were called as Nayanara saints. They were total 63 in number. This idea
of Shaivism began in 8th century A.D. In the beginning of 10th century a Nayanara saint Nambi-
andar-nambi wrote a song which was named as ‘Tiruktatotar tiruvantati’ which produces a
detailed information about the lives of the 63 Nayanara saints.
Significant Nayanara Saints:

 Appar:
His another name was ‘Tirunavukarrashu’. He was born at Tiruvallur in a vellal family.
He initially lived his life as a jain saint under the name of ‘Dharmasena’ in a monastery
located at Patliputra. It is believed that he got free from a severe ailment by the grace of
Lord Shiva as a result of which he adopted Shaivism having left Jainism. He also gave
the lessons of Shaivism to his contemporary Pallava ruler named ‘Mahendravarman’.

 Tirugyansamnbandar:
He was contemporary to Appar. He was born in a Brahmin family at Shiyali village in
Tanjore. Among all the Nayanara saints he was famous as the ‘most pious saint’. His
contemporary Pandya ruler was Manvarma Avni Shulpani and contemporary Pallava
ruler was Narsighavarman. He is also famous as ‘Dravida shishu’.

 Sundarmurti:
He was born in a poor Brahmin family at Navllur. He was brought up by a commander-
in-chief ‘ Narshingha Muvedaryana’. He adopted Shaivism only at an age of 18 years. He
called himself as the ‘saint of the saints’. He remained a less controversial character in
the list of Nayanara saints.

 Mannikavachkar:
He was born at Vadvur(Madurai). Thus, he was called as Tiru-vadvur. He was appointed
as the prime minister by the Pandya ruler. His songs mainly consisted of love themes.

The above mentioned four Saints were collectively called as Samyacharya. The idols of
Tirugyansambandar and sundarmurti were established in the temples and were
worshipped. Many times the statue of Mannikavachar was also found along with them.
His bronze statue is found in one of the national museums.

 Tirumular:
It is believed that he was the first saint among the other Nayanara Saints. He is
considered as a great mysterious saint and also the pioneer of spiritual reforms.

The connection of females with Bhakti movement was a complicated turn in the
movement. Thus, a tamil text ‘Periyapurana’ condemns the entry of women in this
movement.
A few female saints:
o Karaikkal Ammeiyar
o Isaignaniyar
 Karaikkal Ammeiyar was a great shaiva saint. She worshiped Lord Shiva in the
form of Virupaksha. She called Lord Shiva as ‘Appa’ i.e, father.

Nayanara Literature:
In 11th century Nambi-ander-nambi the court poet of Raja Raj Chola compiled the songs of
the Nayanara saint in 11 Tirumurai. Which is considered to be one of the greatest text of
Nayanara saints . Due to this Nambi-ander-nambi is called as ‘Vedvyas of tamil’ or ‘Tamilvyas’.
Besides this text another text is that of ‘Shekkilar’ written in 12th century named as’
Periyapurana’ which displays a picture of life of 63 Nayanara saints. This is considered as the
last Tirumurai. The first name of a female Bhakti Saint mentioned in Tirumurai is that of
Karaikkal.

The Alvaras:
Along with Shaivism, Vaishnavism too prospered during the Pallava rule. In South India
the Vaishnava saints were called as Alvaras. Alwars means a person who attained
ultimate knowledge who is completely lost in his thoughts. The total number of Alvara
saints is12.They worshipped Lord Vishnu, Naryana, Shrirangnath, Rama, Krishna,etc.
They did not believe in performing any religious rituals rather focused only on worship of
God.

Names of Alvara Saints:

o Poigai
o Bhoodath
o Pei
o Thirumazhsai
o Nammalwar
o Madhurakavi
o Periyalwar
o Sri Andel
o Thondaradippodi
o Thiruppaan
o Thirumangai
o Kulasekhara

Significant Alvara Saints:

 Nammalwar:
He was the greatest saint among the Alvaras saints. He was born in a Vellal family at
Tinnevelli. His four works are- Tiruviruttam, Tiruvashirium, Periyatiruvantadi,
Tiruvaymeli. These works are collectively called as the four Vedas of South. He is
 considered as the incarnation of feet of lord Rama. His poetic style was based on the style
of the Agama literature of Sangam age. In which the relation between the God and
disciple is that of lovers. He also produced a picture of connection of Lord Krishna with
his Gopies

 Madhurakavi:
He was the student of Nammalwar. He had a great devotion in Lord Shri Rama. It is said
that he lived for a few months in Ayodhaya. In his work Prapannamrita he wrote about
his travel to Ayodhaya, bath in the river Saryu and worship of Lord Rama.

 Thirumangai:
He belonged to the category of robbers of the Chola army. He devoted his life to the
construction of Srirangam temple due to his inclination towards Vaishnavism. He began a
campaign of spreading discontentment against Buddhism and Jainism. His most famous
work was Periyatirumoli. His six poetries were six vedangas of Tamil.

 Andal:
She was the only Female Alwar saint and was the daughter of Alvara saint
Vishnuchita(Periyalwar). She was born in 8th century A.D. she was considered as the
pioneer of worship of Lord Krishna and the Gopis in South India. Her songs were based
on the themes of love and departure. She was considered as the incarnation of ‘Sita’
because her birth story was similar to goddess Sita. Her famous works were- Nacchiyar
Tirumoli, Tirupave. She is considered as the ‘Mirabai of South India’.

 Vishnuchitta:
He was born in a Brahmin family of srivillipur. His most famous work is Tirupallad. He
influenced the Pandya rulers to accept Vaishnavism. Krishan Dev Rai , the ruler of
Vijaynagar empire wrote in his book ‘Amuktamalyad’ about the life of Vishnuchitta and
also about the love story of Andal and God Rangnath.

 Kulsekhara:
He was a chera ruler of Kerala. He left his throne and got fully devoted to the worship of
Lord Krishna and Lord Rama. His famous works are Perumal, Tirumoli and
Mukundmala.

 Thiruppan:
He was born in a lower caste. It is believed that he once came in the dream of the priest
of Rangnath temple and ordered him to establish Tirupanna in the Garbhagriha of the
temple. This led to the entry of an untouchable enter in the temple for the first time. It is
also believed that he sang his last hymn and merged with the idol of Lord Vishnu.

 Poigai:
Poigai is considered to be the first and Madhurakavi the last Alwar saints among all. The
hyms of all 12 Alwar saints were compiled in the work of Acharyanathmuni
(contemporary of Rjandra Chola) named Naliyar divya prabandhanam. This was the last
pious text of the Tamil Vaishnavas. It is also called as ‘Tamil veda’.
Alwar Literature:
In 12th century ‘Garudavahana’ wrote ‘Divyatirucharitam’ which is the first most
significant book producing the life history of the Alwar saints. Historian Uma
Chakravarti is of view that the way males are allowed to worship God and also maintain
their normal family life (Grihstha) together females are not allowed to do the same as
their beauty, youthfulness, etc turned out to be a great obstacle in the path of they
worship. Thus, it was a great challenge for the women to be a part of it. Moreover, they
were tied to the responsibilities of their families inorder to keep them away from Bhakti.
According to D.D Koshambi this movement of devotion and faith was all feudal in nature
as it was temple centered which meant that it fulfilled the feudal demands of the state.
But, it cannot be denied that Bhakti Movement did away the concept of high and low
caste as it was easy for all the caste to follow. Moreover, many of the Alvara and
Nayanara saints themselves did not belong to upper caste or mainly Brahmin caste.
Hence, this Bhakti movement brought a revolution in the religious belief of the Indians in
the same way as the Buddhism and Jainism brought centuries back and was later replaced
by Shaivism and Vaishnavism mainly in South India.