In the festivities of the morning
of the sixth day, a glorious Silver Elephant, leads a procession of the great
Shiva devotees, the 63 Nayanars.
The Nayanars are remembered as a
group of 63 saints (poets) of the 6th to 8th century who were devoted to Lord
Shiva. It was they who influenced the Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu. The names
of the 63 saints were first compiled by Sundarar and the list was expanded by
Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material for the famed Tirumurai.
Out of the 63 Nayanars, the four
Saiva Samaya Acharyas are remembered best of all. Those four are: Tirugnasambandar,
Tirunanvukkarasar (Appar), Sundarar and Manikkavasagar.
The principal teachings of the
four Saiva Samaya Acharyas is of love and surrender to God; and of service to
God and godly men. That love, devotion, and service to God is the only way one
can obtain His Grace. God is One and He is Shiva. That man must get over his
bonds which keep him in ignorance and obtain inseparable union with Shiva
through the Lord's Grace.
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| Lord Chandrasekhara on Silver Elephant |
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