Only three women are given the status of Nayanmars in the Peria Puranam, which documents the lives of 63 Saivite saints. One of them is Karaikkal Ammaiyar. She was devoted to Lord Siva from her childhood days. She included the name of Siva even in her games. Later on, she moved away from marital life and lived the life of an ascetic. Unwilling to put her feet on Mount Kailash, because she felt it would be disrespectful to Lord Siva, whose abode it was, she climbed the mountain, using her head.
The mother of Sundaramurthy Nayanar is another who ranks with other Nayanmars. Her status is earned by her being the mother of Sundaramurthy Nayanar. The third was Mangaiyarkkarasi, the Pandya queen. She brought Saint Gnanasambandar to cure her husband of his ailment.
But the wives of many of the Nayanmars served Lord Siva too, although they have not been accorded the status of Nayanmars, said K. Sambandan, in a discourse. The wife of Appoodi Adigal, cooked and served food to the visiting saint Thirunavukkarasar, even when her son lay dead due to snake bite.
The wife of Thiruneelakantanayanar was a devotee of the Lord too, and when her husband went astray, she invoked the name of Lord Siva, and forbade her husband from touching her.
The wife of Ilayankudimara Nayanar, was resourceful in using the few grains that were available and the greens that her husband managed to procure, to serve a feast to a visiting mendicant. Their humble abode did not even have firewood; so she used the roof of the house instead. Thus Ilayankudimara Nayanar’s wife ensured that the mendicant was served food. The mendicant was Lord Siva Himself, and He blessed the couple.
