Sanatana Dharma - Aka Hinduism (2nd Bin)

[Sunder]

I shall try to add one bit at a time to the Ocean of Bhakthas: When I think about it it seems like there are infinite ways to classify them. Region based (Kashmir Shaivism to Tamil Nadu Shaivism), or based on Devatas (from Shakthas, to vaishnavas, to Kaumaras to just plain and simple Guru-bhakthi.) Or they could be classified across time, by century. Or by purpose, like Bhaktha Ramdas and owing to whom Muslims (and britishers) had seen and believed in the superiority of these bhakthas, or even musical categories where Bhakthas became great composers (Tyagaraja, Sadashiva Brahmendral, Surdas, Kambar, Tulsidasa etc.)

In this post, I shall limit myself to Tamil bhakthas (but this is not an exhaustive list by any standard.) and I mention them in no particular order except for what comes to my mind.

With this in mind, and praying to the almighty, we begin thus:

Appar Peruman (aka Thiru Navukkarasar) was one of the foremost of Shiva bhakthas. He was a Samana (Jain?) once, and then reverted to Shaivam. He had reverted back many kings who had switched to Samana sect. Apart from the link I had posted before, these four Nayanmars were the foremost among the Shaiva Siddhantha.
Appar : http://www.shaivam.org/naapparp.html
Sundarar : http://www.shaivam.org/nachund1.html
Manikya Vachakar : http://www.shaivam.org/admanika.htm
Thirugnana Sambandhar : http://www.shaivam.org/nachamba.html (Gnana Sambandhar was given milk by none other than the Divine Mother Parvathi, at Seerkazhi. http://mailerindia.com/temples/history/i...seerkazhi)


Arunagiri Nathar (was a womanizer who was rescued from worldly ways, and after he got vairagya, he jumped off a high tower (gopuram), and was rescued by none other than Lord Subrahmanya, the Karthikeya.)
http://murugan.org/bhaktas/arunagirinatha.htm


Abhirama Bhattar (A great Shaktha, who while immersed in Devi Dhyanam mentioned to the king on an Amasya (new moon day) that it was a full moon (as he was looking at the Mother's chandra-mukham), he was sentenced to execution unless he proved it was full moon. It is said that Sri Abhirami of Thirukkadavoor flung her Thatangam (solid ear ring) which she throws, and it shone like a moon in the sky.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropoli...story.html

The others that come to mind are Avvaiyar (Ganapathi Upasana), Thirumoola Siddar, and other siddhars. Stories from Thiruvilayadal (I have to scourge the net for this.) I shall do this as and when I get time.