Tiruvasakam
Encyclopedia
Thiruvasagam is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the ninth century Shaivite bhakti
poet Manikkavacakar. It contains 51 compositions and constitutes the eighth volume of the Tirumurai
, the sacred anthology of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta
.
The main message of the hymns is that the body is temporary and worldly comforts are the root cause of pain and sorrow. One should rather pray to leave the body and attain liberation (moksha
). Soul should have control over the body: the ultimate highness in one's life is to reach Lord Shiva's feet.
Legend has it that Manikkavacakar was appointed as minister by king Arimarttanar and sent to purchase 10,000 horses from Arab
traders but spent the money building a temple in Tirupperunturai
.
was born on 24 April 1820 in Prince Edward Island
in Canada
. He gotbecome interested in Tamil
and learnt the language during his six month ship voyage to India. His magnum opus, an English translation of Tiruvacakam, appeared in 1900.
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...
poet Manikkavacakar. It contains 51 compositions and constitutes the eighth 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 sacred anthology of Tamil 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...
.
The main message of the hymns is that the body is temporary and worldly comforts are the root cause of pain and sorrow. One should rather pray to leave the body and attain liberation (moksha
Moksha
Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in...
). Soul should have control over the body: the ultimate highness in one's life is to reach Lord Shiva's feet.
Legend has it that Manikkavacakar was appointed as minister by king Arimarttanar and sent to purchase 10,000 horses from Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
traders but spent the money building a temple 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...
.
Retrieval
George Uglow PopeGeorge Uglow Pope
George Uglow Pope popularly known as Rev. G.U. Pope or G.U. Pope was a Christian missionary who spent many years in Tamil Nadu and translated many Tamil texts into English. His popular translations include Tirukkural and Tiruvachagam. His efforts were recognized by the Royal Asiatic Society in the...
was born on 24 April 1820 in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He gotbecome interested in 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...
and learnt the language during his six month ship voyage to India. His magnum opus, an English translation of Tiruvacakam, appeared in 1900.