Sundarar: The Nayanar Saint of Tamil Shaivism

Sundarar, also called Sundaramurti Nayanar, Nambi Arurar, Tambiran Tholan and Sundaramurti Swamigal, is one of the three great poet-saints of the Tamil Shaiva hymn collection known as the Thevaram. Counted among the sixty-three Nayanmars, the devotees of Shiva, he is remembered for hymns that combine reverence with a warm sense of friendship toward the Lord. Scholars place him in the early medieval period, around the eighth or ninth century, though devotional biographies tell his story in a traditional way. This guide describes his life and works in general terms and notes where details rest on tradition. It also places him within the wider history of Shaivism.

Key Takeaways

• Sundarar, also called Sundaramurti Nayanar or Nambi Arurar, is one of the sixty-three Nayanmars of Tamil Shaivism.
• He is one of the three Thevaram saints, along with Appar and Sambandar, and his hymns form the seventh Tirumurai.
• Scholars generally place him in the eighth or ninth century, though devotional biographies tell his story in a traditional manner.
• His hymn Tiruthondar Thogai lists and honours the devotees of Shiva and became the basis of the later Periya Puranam of Sekkizhar.
• Tradition calls him Tambiran Tholan, meaning friend of the Lord, because of the intimate tone of his devotion.
• His hymns praise Shiva at many temple towns of Tamil Nadu and are sung in Shaiva temples today.

The sections below set out his life, hymns, themes and present-day legacy in more detail.

Quick Facts

Who Was Sundarar?

Sundarar was a Tamil Shaiva poet-saint who is counted among the sixty-three Nayanmars and who stands with Appar and Sambandar as one of the three authors of the Thevaram. The Nayanmars were devotees of Shiva whose lives and hymns shaped the Shaiva Bhakti tradition of Tamil Nadu. Sundarar is especially loved for the warm and personal nature of his devotion.

He is honoured under several names, including Sundaramurti Nayanar and Nambi Arurar, the latter linked with his connection to Tiruvarur. His hymns form the seventh book of the Tirumurai, the great collection of Tamil Shaiva sacred poetry. For devotees, he represents a path of devotion in which the soul may approach the Lord as a close friend as well as a servant.

Where and When Did Sundarar Live?

Sundarar lived in the Tamil country of southern India, and scholars generally place him in the early medieval period, around the eighth or ninth century, when the Pallava and early Chola kingdoms supported temple building and Shaiva devotion. Traditional accounts connect his birth with Tirunavalur, in the region near present-day Villupuram district, and his later life with Tiruvarur.

The exact years of his life are not firmly documented, and the stories told about him come from later devotional biographies. His hymns, however, mention many temples that can still be visited today. They therefore give a living map of Shaiva worship in his time. This link between poem and place is a notable feature of the Thevaram and of Sundarar’s own songs.

Who Are the Nayanmars?

The Nayanmars, also written Nayanars, are sixty-three Shaiva saints of Tamil Nadu who are honoured for their devotion to Shiva. They came from many walks of life, including kings, farmers, potters, hunters and merchants, which shows the inclusive spirit of the movement. Their stories are told in the Periya Puranam, composed by Sekkizhar.

Alongside the Nayanmars, the Alvars are the twelve saints of the Vaishnava tradition in the same region, and together the two groups carried the Bhakti movement across Tamil Nadu. The Nayanmars are remembered in temple festivals, and their images are installed in Shaiva shrines. Sundarar holds a special place among them, since his own hymn is the source that first names them in a connected list.

What Does Tradition Say About His Early Life?

Tradition says that Sundarar was born into a family of Adi Shaiva priests at Tirunavalur and was given the name Nambi Arurar. A local chieftain, Narasinga Munaiyar, is said to have seen the beautiful child and adopted him, raising him in the style of a prince while he learned the scriptures and the arts.

The accounts describe a young man of great charm and talent whose destiny was to take a very different path from that of a worldly nobleman. These details come from devotional biography and should be read as tradition and not as verified history. They frame the story that follows, in which the grace of Shiva interrupts a settled life and turns the young man toward a life of song and pilgrimage.

What Is the Story of the Interrupted Wedding?

According to tradition, Sundarar’s wedding was interrupted when an old man arrived and claimed that Sundarar was his hereditary servant, producing a document as proof. The matter was taken to the village assembly at Tiruvennainallur, where the document was examined and found valid, and Sundarar was led to follow the old man to a temple, where the elder disappeared.

It was then understood that the old man was Lord Shiva himself, who had come to claim his devotee. The Lord called Sundarar by a name meaning the stubborn servant, and instructed him to sing his praise, and Sundarar’s first hymn is traditionally said to have followed. This is a sacred story told in the community and is best read as tradition. It explains the beginning of his life as a poet-saint.

Why Is He Called Tambiran Tholan?

Sundarar is called Tambiran Tholan because the name means friend of the Lord, and it expresses the close and affectionate relationship he is said to have had with Shiva. Among the Thevaram saints, Appar is associated with the path of service, Sambandar with the path of the child and Sundarar with the path of friendship.

In his hymns, Sundarar speaks to Shiva with ease and candour, sometimes pleading, sometimes teasing and sometimes complaining, as one speaks to a trusted companion. This tone is unusual and has endeared him to generations of devotees. At the same time, the hymns remain deeply reverent and reflect the greatness of the Lord. The title therefore points to a spirituality that joins intimacy with awe.

What Is the Thevaram?

The Thevaram is the collection of Tamil hymns composed by the three saints Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar in praise of Shiva at temples across Tamil Nadu. It forms the first seven books of the twelve-part Tirumurai, the canon of Tamil Shaivism. Sambandar’s hymns fill the first three books, Appar’s the next three, and Sundarar’s the seventh.

The hymns are composed in ten-verse units, often called decads, and are set to traditional Tamil musical modes known as pann. They are sung in Shaiva temples by trained singers called oduvars. In this way, the Thevaram is both literature and living liturgy. Sundarar’s contribution of about a hundred decads, as the tradition counts them, adds a distinct voice of friendship to the collection.

What Is the Tiruthondar Thogai?

The Tiruthondar Thogai is a hymn by Sundarar that honours the devotees of Shiva, naming them one after another and bowing to them with reverence. It is regarded as the earliest source for the list of the Nayanmars and is among the best-known poems in the Tamil Shaiva tradition.

The hymn is traditionally said to have been inspired by Shiva himself, who directed Sundarar to begin by praising his devotees. It later became the basis of the Tirutondar Tiruvandadi by Nambiyandar Nambi and of the Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar, which tell the stories of the Nayanmars in full. The hymn thus stands at the root of a long line of devotional literature, and it expresses the Shaiva ideal that the devotee is as worthy of honour as the deity.

What Themes Appear in His Hymns?

The main themes in Sundarar’s hymns are the greatness and compassion of Shiva, the beauty of the temple towns, the humility of the devotee and the closeness of the soul to the Lord. Many hymns describe the sacred sites, their rivers, groves and festivals, together with the forms in which Shiva is worshipped there.

Another theme is the human weakness of the devotee, which Sundarar speaks of openly and without pretence. He asks for grace not as a reward for merit but as an act of mercy. This honesty gives his hymns a personal flavour. They teach that devotion does not demand perfection and that the Lord welcomes the sincere heart. The themes mark him as a poet of both worship and human feeling.

Who Were Paravai and Sangili?

Paravai Nachchiyar and Sangili Nachchiyar are the two women traditionally named as the wives of Sundarar. Paravai is associated with Tiruvarur, a temple town sacred to Shiva as Thyagaraja, and Sangili with Tiruvotriyur, near present-day Chennai. Their stories form an important part of the devotional biography.

Tradition says that Shiva himself helped to arrange the marriages, and that a vow made to Sangili at Tiruvotriyur led to a period of hardship for Sundarar before grace restored him. These accounts are told as sacred narrative and should be read as tradition. They are important to the community because they show the Lord as present in the household life of his devotee, and they connect the poet with two major temple towns of Tamil Nadu.

What Is the Tradition of His Friendship with Cheraman Perumal?

Tradition speaks of a close friendship between Sundarar and Cheraman Perumal Nayanar, a king of the Chera country in present-day Kerala who is himself counted among the sixty-three Nayanmars. The two are said to have visited temples together and to have shared a deep devotion to Shiva.

According to the devotional account, at the end of his earthly life Sundarar was carried to Mount Kailasa, the abode of Shiva, on a white elephant, while Cheraman Perumal followed on a horse. This is a sacred story told within the community and is not offered as history. It reflects the high honour given to Sundarar, and it shows the links between Tamil Nadu and Kerala within the wider devotional world of the early medieval south.

Which Temples Are Associated with Sundarar?

The temples associated with Sundarar include Tiruvarur, Tiruvotriyur, Tiruvennainallur, Tirunavalur and many others that he praised in his hymns. A great number of Shaiva temples in Tamil Nadu are known as Paadal Petra Sthalams, the shrines sung in the Thevaram by the three saints, and many of them hold his verses in their liturgy.

Visitors can see images of Sundarar in these temples, often shown with his wives Paravai and Sangili. The Chola-period bronze tradition produced notable images of the Nayanmars, and festivals in their honour are celebrated each year. Pilgrims who follow the Thevaram trail find in these shrines a close connection between sacred poetry and sacred place.

How Is Sundarar Remembered in Art and Festival?

Sundarar is remembered in art through bronze and stone images in which he is shown as a young devotee with hands joined, often accompanied by his two wives. The bronzes of the Nayanmars are among the celebrated products of South Indian metalwork and are carried in procession during temple festivals.

His memory is also kept alive through an annual observance in the Tamil month of Adi, traditionally on his birth star, Swati, when Shaiva temples hold special worship and recitation of his hymns. Music and dance traditions of Tamil Nadu draw on the Thevaram, and the saints appear in painting, sculpture and literature. These forms keep his story visible to people who may never read the hymns.

How Should Traditional Accounts Be Read?

Traditional accounts of Sundarar should be read as devotional biography, valuable for what they reveal about how the Tamil Shaiva community sees him. Most of the stories, including those of the interrupted wedding, the journey to Kailasa and the miracles, come from the Periya Puranam and other later sources. They are told in a devotional register that does not claim to meet the standards of modern historical records.

A respectful approach keeps two things in view. The hymns themselves can be studied directly and give firm evidence of his thought and style, while the stories express reverence and carry meaning of their own. Holding both together allows a reader to honour the tradition while staying careful about specific historical claims.

Sundarar Today

Sundarar remains a vital presence in Tamil Shaivism. His hymns are sung in temples by oduvars, studied in Tamil literature courses and recited by devotees at home. His images are worshipped in Shaiva shrines, and the annual observances in his name draw worshippers across Tamil Nadu. The Tiruthondar Thogai continues to be honoured as the root of the tradition of the sixty-three saints.

For students of Indian culture, he offers a vivid example of how Bhakti can combine poetry, music and friendship with the divine. His example shows the creative power of the Tamil Shaiva movement and its long influence on temple life. Readers who wish to learn more can explore translations of the Thevaram and visit the temple towns that he praised.

Sources & Further Reading

• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
• Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in).

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Sundarar?

Sundarar was an early medieval Tamil Shaiva poet-saint, one of the sixty-three Nayanmars and one of the three authors of the Thevaram. His hymns form the seventh book of the Tirumurai.

What is Sundarar best known for?

Sundarar is best known for his Thevaram hymns and for the Tiruthondar Thogai, which honours the devotees of Shiva. He is also remembered for the tradition of his friendship with Lord Shiva.

Who are the three Thevaram saints?

The three Thevaram saints are Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. Their hymns in praise of Shiva form the first seven books of the Tirumurai, the canon of Tamil Shaivism.

When did Sundarar live?

Scholars generally place Sundarar in the eighth or ninth century in Tamil Nadu. Exact dates are not firmly documented, and the details of his life come from devotional biographies.

Why is Sundarar called Tambiran Tholan?

Sundarar is called Tambiran Tholan, meaning friend of the Lord, because tradition describes his relationship with Shiva as one of close friendship. His hymns speak to the Lord with warmth and candour.

What is the Tiruthondar Thogai?

The Tiruthondar Thogai is a hymn by Sundarar that honours the devotees of Shiva and is the earliest source for the list of the Nayanmars. It later inspired the Periya Puranam of Sekkizhar.