SOUTH INDIAS 75 APOSTLES OF BHAKTI Southern Indias 75 Apostles of Bhakti usually refer to the twelve Alvars and sixty-three Nayanars. They are regarded as the greatest exponents of the bhakti tradition of Hinduism in the Tamil Nadu region. The last of them lived in the 9th century. Ancient Tamil Nadu saw two important Bhakti movements, which most probably preceded the philosophical movements of Adi Sankara and Ramanuja Acharya. The sages of the Bhakti movement worshiping Lord Shiva were called Nayanars and those worshiping Lord Vishnu were called Alvars. Tirumular or Thirumoolar is considered as the one of the sixty-three Nayanars and one of the 18 Siddhars. His main work, the Tirumantiram forms a part of the key text of the Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, the Tirumurai. Tirunavukkarasar ( Lord of Language) also known as Appar Father, Sundarar and Sambandar were the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars. The works of the alvars were compiled as Nalayira Divya Prabandham by NATHAMUNI, who called it the DRAVIDA VEDA Siddhars were Tamil Shaivite saints.Yogic powers are called Siddhis and those who acquire these Siddhis are called Siddhas. they practice siddhis by meditation (Yoga), after the use of substances called Rasayanas and a particular breathing-practice, a type of Pranayama. They developed SIDDHA medicine, a Tamil Traditional medicine.They are also founders of Varmam - a martial art for self-defence and medical treatment at the same time.Tamil Siddhars were the first to develop pulse-reading to identify the origin of diseases. This method was later copied and used in ayurveda.Typically Siddhars were saints, doctors, alchemists and mysticists all at once. One of the best-known Siddhars was Agasthyar or Agasthya, who is believed to be the founding father of Siddha culture.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:38:47 +0000
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