Manikkavasagar
Encyclopedia
Manikkavacakar was a Tamil
poet who wrote Tiruvacakam, a book of Shaiva hymns. Manikkavacakar was one of the poets of the Hindu bhakti
revival: his work forms one volume of the Tirumurai
, the key religious text of Tamil
Shaiva Siddhanta
. A minister to the Pandya king Varagunavarman II
(c. 862 C.E. – 885 C.E.), he lived in Madurai
. His work is a poetic expression of the joy of God-experience, the anguish of being separated from God. Although he is a prominent saint in Southern India, he is not counted among the sixty-three nayanar
s. His stories are a part of the culture courses in Indian primary schools like Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans.
According to legend the king had selected Manikkavasagar as a part of his legion seeing and had once entrusted him with a large amount of money to purchase horses for his cavalry. On his way he met an ascetic devotee of Siva, who in fact was Siva himself. Manikkavacakar received enlightenment, realised that material things are transitory and built the temple of Siva in Tirupperunturai
with the money.
Thereafter Manikkavacakar moved from one place to other, singing and composing devotional songs. Finally, he settled in Chidambaram
. His Tiruvacakam is placed near the idol of Shiva there.
Manikkavacakar's work has several parts. The Tiruvembavai , a collection of twenty hymns in which he has imagined himself as a woman following the Paavai Nonbu and praising Shiva. The twenty songs of Tiruvembavai and ten songs of Tiruppalliezhuchi on the Tirupperunturai Lord are sung all over Tamil Nadu in the holy month of Margazhi ( The 9th month of the Tamil calendar, December and January).
His festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aani
. Manikkavacakar's hagiography is found in the Thiruvilaiyadar Puranam (16th century AD).
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
poet who wrote Tiruvacakam, a book of Shaiva hymns. Manikkavacakar was one of the poets of the Hindu bhakti
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
revival: his work forms one volume of the Tirumurai
Tirumurai
The word Thirumurai literally means the sacred book. It is a compendium of songs or hymns in the praise of Shiva in the Tamil language...
, the key religious text of Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
Shaiva Siddhanta
Shaiva Siddhanta
Considered normative tantric Saivism, Shaiva Siddhanta provides the normative rites, cosmology and theological categories of tantric Saivism. Being a dualistic philosophy, the goal of Shaiva Siddhanta is to become an ontologically distinct Shiva . This tradition was once practiced all over India...
. A minister to the Pandya king Varagunavarman II
Varagunavarman II
-Death:Varagunavarman tried to assert his independence but suffered defeat at the handsof Apaajita, the son of Pallava king Nripatunga at Sri Purambiyam near Kumbhakonam. He died shortly after and was succeeded by his younger brother Parantaka Viranarayan Sadaiyan in 880 AD.-References:...
(c. 862 C.E. – 885 C.E.), he lived in Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
. His work is a poetic expression of the joy of God-experience, the anguish of being separated from God. Although he is a prominent saint in Southern India, he is not counted among the sixty-three nayanar
Nayanar
Nayanar can refer to:*Nayanars, Shaivite saints from Tamil Nadu, India.*Nayanar , an honorific title used by certain clans of Nair caste from the north Malabar region of Kerala, India.*Nayanar, title used by Isai Vellalar of Tamil Nadu...
s. His stories are a part of the culture courses in Indian primary schools like Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans.
Life and works
Manikkavacakar is said to have been born in Vadhavoor(Thiruvadhavoor, near by melur(madurai Dt)), seven miles from Madurai on the banks of river Vaigai. He was a adi saiva brahmin servitor who wore the top tilted knot to denote his servitorship to sivan as a part of profession, like other servitors like sambandar etc. A poetic and elaborate hagiography of manikkavasagar and his works was written in 16th century and is called tiruvilayadal puranam meaning " An account of divine deeds ". The same is not available now in its original form. Another called vadhavoorar puranam and yet another sanskrit work of 12th century .C.E on the same saint is now missing.According to legend the king had selected Manikkavasagar as a part of his legion seeing and had once entrusted him with a large amount of money to purchase horses for his cavalry. On his way he met an ascetic devotee of Siva, who in fact was Siva himself. Manikkavacakar received enlightenment, realised that material things are transitory and built the temple of Siva in Tirupperunturai
Tirupperunturai
Tirupperunturai , known as Avudayar Koil, is a Shaiva temple situated near Aranthangi in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. One of the sacred books of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta, Manikkavacakar's Tiruvacakam, originated from this shrine...
with the money.
Thereafter Manikkavacakar moved from one place to other, singing and composing devotional songs. Finally, he settled in Chidambaram
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is a fast growing industrial city in Eastern part of Tamil Nadu and the taluk headquarters of the Cuddalore district. It is located in 58 km from Pondicherry, 60 km from Karaikal, and 240 km south of Chennai by rail...
. His Tiruvacakam is placed near the idol of Shiva there.
Manikkavacakar's work has several parts. The Tiruvembavai , a collection of twenty hymns in which he has imagined himself as a woman following the Paavai Nonbu and praising Shiva. The twenty songs of Tiruvembavai and ten songs of Tiruppalliezhuchi on the Tirupperunturai Lord are sung all over Tamil Nadu in the holy month of Margazhi ( The 9th month of the Tamil calendar, December and January).
His festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aani
Aani
In Ancient Egyptian religion, Aani is the dog-headed ape sacred to the Egyptian god Thoth. "One of the Egyptian names of the Cynocephalus Baboon, which was sacred to the god Thoth."...
. Manikkavacakar's hagiography is found in the Thiruvilaiyadar Puranam (16th century AD).
Associated temples
- Sculptures illustrating his life are found in the Minakshi-Sundaresvara temple at Madurai.
- Manikkavacakar is said to have built the temple of Siva in TirupperunturaiTirupperunturaiTirupperunturai , known as Avudayar Koil, is a Shaiva temple situated near Aranthangi in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. One of the sacred books of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta, Manikkavacakar's Tiruvacakam, originated from this shrine...
.
- He is said to have lived at ChidambaramChidambaramChidambaram is a fast growing industrial city in Eastern part of Tamil Nadu and the taluk headquarters of the Cuddalore district. It is located in 58 km from Pondicherry, 60 km from Karaikal, and 240 km south of Chennai by rail...
.
- He is closely associated with Tiru Uthirakosamangai.