Nayanars 63 or 64

Source: http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/shakti-sadhana/121768-nayanmars-63-64-a.html

The holy scripture “ Thiru Manthiram “ has many of the Mahavakyas of Saivism.

“ANBE SIVAM “ – goes one of the mahavakya which means God is Love. The 64 Nayanmars were living commentaries on this statement with their singular shiva bhakthi adored the lord with songs from their heart revealing their burning love for the lord. It was this unparallel devotion that expressed itself, in the
various inspiring deeds they had performed.

Purists may say the number of Nayanmaars were only 63 and NOT 64.

I would like to share the experience on this subject of Brahma Shree Kannan
who was a hand picked and close aide of Maha Swamy of Kaanchi for more than 30
years.

On one of the occasion Mahaswamy instructs Shree Kannan to arrange for a chair
after doing the evening Puja, as if He was expecting some dignitary. A French
national soon arrives to share his personal experiences with Mahaswamy and
continues to talk in English.

( Being an European he is not used to sitting on the floor.)





He introduces himself as a French man working for a bank and reveals that how he
frequently experiences, as if his physical body is thrown on the space flying
while he is awake.When he lost his loving wife this person did not feel like
crying or feel the pain and that tragedy was soon followed by the death of his
only teenage son, which also did not affect him. He laughing said that his
relatives and friends call him mad and nothing affects him.



Then he prostrates before Swamy asks him to be ever with him. MahaSwamy tears a
portion of his ochre robe and blesses him after which the French guy leaves
happily back to France.

These events witnessed by Sri Kannan at close quarters bemused , which prompted
him to ask Mahaswamy to talk more about the French National for which Swamy only
replies as

– “ Appalum Adi Sarndhar and retires for the day.

When on the next day when Sri Kannan not satisfied with the answer talked about
him again, Swamy directs Sri Kannan to count the number of the Idols of
Nayanmars at Kapali temple - Mylapore -- Chennai.

Curious, Sri Kannan goes to the Kapali temple, instead of counting , opts to ask
the chief priest directly and comes back with a reply of 63 . Maha Swamy
asked Sri Kannan again to go to the temple and do the physical counts. Sri
Kannan this time taking care of the instruction does the physical count finds it
as 64 ( even the Chief Priest was ignorant ) and announces this number to
Mahaswamy .

Mahaswamy smilingly clarifies while the 63 known Nayanmaars have their name
behind their idols, the 64th idol is without a name and confirms that these
Sivan Adiars exists through out the world and includes many like this French
National, few thillai Vaz Brahmins, and other unknown in the world – are
commonly called – Appalum Adi Serndhar.