Manikkavacakar
Manikkavacakar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal | |
| Born | Vaadhavoor Adigal Tiruvadhavoor |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Organization | |
| Philosophy | ShaivismBhakti |
| Religious career | |
| Literary works | Thiruvasagam,Thirukkovaiyar,Tiruvempavai |
| Honors | Nalvarsaint |
Manikkavacakar(Tamil:மாணிக்கவாசகர்,romanized:Māṇikkavācakar,lit. 'One whose words are like gems'),[1]was a 9th-century Tamil saint and poet who wroteThiruvasagam,a book ofShaivahymns. Speculated to have been a minister to thePandyakingVaragunavarman II(c. 862 CE–885 CE)[1](also calledArimarthana Pandiyan), he lived inMadurai.
He is revered as one of theNalvar("group of four"in Tamil), a set of four prominent Tamil saints alongsideAppar,SundararandSambandar.[2]The other three contributed to the first seven volumes (Tevaram) of the twelve-volume Saivite workTirumurai,the key devotional text ofShaiva Siddhanta.Manikkavacakar'sThiruvasagamandThirukkovaiyarform the eighth. These eight volumes are considered to be theTamil Vedasby the Shaivites, and the four saints are revered asSamaya Kuravar(religious preceptors)[3]
His works are celebrated for their poetic expression of the anguish of being separated from God, and the joy of God-experience,[3]: 48 with ecstatic religious fervour.[4]In his expression of intimacy to God, Manikkavacakar mirrored the sentiments expressed by his fellowBhakti periodsaints referring to the Lord as the "Divine Bridegroom"[5]or theNityamanavaalar( "Eternal Bridegroom" ),[6]with whom he longed to be united in "divine nuptials"[7]
Life[edit]
  | ||
|---|---|---|
| The twelve volumes ofTamilŚaivahymns of the sixty-threeNayanars | ||
| Parts | Name | Author |
| 1,2,3 | Thirukadaikkappu | Sambandar |
| 4,5,6 | Thevaram | Thirunavukkarasar |
| 7 | Thirupaatu | Sundarar |
| 8 | Thiruvasakam& Thirukkovaiyar |
Manickavasagar |
| 9 | Thiruvisaippa& Tiruppallaandu |
Various |
| 10 | Thirumandhiram | Thirumular |
| 11 | Various | |
| 12 | Periya Puranam | Sekkizhar |
| Paadal Petra Sthalam | ||
| Paadal Petra Sthalam | ||
| Rajaraja I | ||
| Nambiyandar Nambi | ||
Manikkavacakar is said to have born in Vadhavoor (known today as Thiruvathavur, nearMelurseven miles fromMaduraiin modern dayTamilnadustate in South India).[4]
He belonged to thePanditharShaiva temple priest guild. His father was a temple priest. The group wore a top tilted knot "Purva Sikha" to denote servitorship to the godShiva.A mural and statuette of Manikkavacakar with Purva Sikha head knot is seen inTirupperunturainear Pudukkottai. A poetic and elaborate hagiography of Manikkavacakar and his works was written in the 16th century and is calledTiruvilayadal puranam,meaning "An account of divine deeds". Another calledVadhavoorar puranamand yet anotherSanskritwork of the 12th century CE on the same saint is now missing.
According to accounts, the king ofPandyan dynastyhad selected Manikkavacakar as a part of his legion after seeing his military acumen. He was conferred the title"Thennavan bhramarayan"by the Pandyan king[8]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 Shiva, who in fact was the god himself. Manikkavacakar received enlightenment, realised that material things are transitory and built the temple of Shiva inTirupperunturaiwith the money.[9]King Varaguna also was preached with knowledge of reality and blessed with salvation after Shiva made him realize his small worldly mistake.
Manikkavacakar is said to have been a "sorcerer", in the eyes of the localChristians,who converted many from Christianity to theShaivitetradition of Hinduism.[10]
Manikkavacakar's birth name is unclear, but he was known as Vadhavoorar after his birthplace.Manikkavacakarmeans 'man with words as precious asManikkam'.
According toRamana Maharshi,Manikkavacakar attained salvation by merging in a blinding light.[11]
Literary work[edit]
Thereafter Manikkavacakar moved from one place to other, singing and composing devotional songs. Finally, he settled inChidambaram.HisTiruvasakamis placed near the murti of Shiva there. Several verses of Tiruvasagam including the accho patikam after singing which he attainedmuktiat Thillai Natarajar's feet are also engraved in the walls of thechidambaram temple.The tiruchazhal hymn after singing which the communal Buddhists were exposed is also engraved in one of the prakarams. The work tiruchitrambalakkovaiyar was sung entirely inThillai Chidambaram.Throughout his work he discusses how important it is to forego attachments and cultivate dispassionate, devoted, sincere and simple hearted love to lord Shiva in order to attain his beatitude and also that the five letters ofna ma si va yaalone give onemukti.
Manikkavacakar's work has several parts. TheThiruvempavai,a collection of twenty hymns in which he has imagined himself as a woman following thePaavai Nonbuand praising Shiva. The twenty songs ofThiruvempavaiand ten songs ofTiruppalliezhuchion the Tirupperunturai Lord are sung all over Tamil Nadu in the holy month ofMargazhi(The 9th month of theTamil calendar,December and January).
Manikkavacakar is believed to have won intellectual arguments withBuddhistsofCeylonat Chidambaram.[12]His festival is celebrated in the Tamil month ofAani(June - July). Manikkavacakar's hagiography is found in theThiruvilaiyadar Puranam(16th century CE).
In 1921, an English translation of Manikkavacakar's hymns was done by Francis Kingsbury and GE Phillips, both ofUnited Theological College, Bangalore(Edited byFred Goodwill) and published in a book as Hymns of the Tamil Śaivite Saints, by the Oxford University Press[13]
Associated temples[edit]
Manikkavacakar visited various temples in Thanjavur, North Arcot, Chengalpattu, Madras, Tirunelveli and Madurai districts and revered the deities.[14]
- Sculptures illustrating his life are found in the Minakshi-Sundaresvara temple at Madurai.[15]
- Manikkavacakar is said to have built the temple of Siva inTirupperunturai.
- He is said to have lived atChidambaramTamil Nadu.
- He is closely associated withTiru Uthirakosamangai.
Tiruvempavaiis sung along with Andal'sTiruppavaiwidely across the temples in Tamil Nadu during the Tamil month ofMargazhi(December - January).[16]
Manikkavacakar's stone image is worshiped in almost all Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu. AChola bronzeof Manikkavacakar with 57 cm (22 in) in standing posture dated to about 12th century was found inVelankanniinNagapattinam district.He is sported with one of his right hand inupadesaposture and left hand holding a palm leaf manuscript. He is sported wearing a thin loin cloth and sports sacred thread over his chest. Another bronze idol of Manikkavacakar with a height of 64 cm (25 in) in standing posture dated to about 1150 was found in Tirundalur inNagapattinam district.Unlike other idols, in this idol he is sported with locks of hair encircled with beads ofRudraksha.The bronze images are stored in the Bronze gallery inGovernment Museum, Chennai.[17]
Notes[edit]
- ^abMukherjee, Sujit (1998).A dictionary of Indian literature.Hyderabad: Orient Longman. p. 224.ISBN9788125014539.Retrieved4 June2022.
- ^Verma, Rajeev (2009).Faith & philosophy of Hinduism.Delhi, India: Kalpaz Publications. p. 153.ISBN9788178357188.
- ^abPonnaiah, V. Dr (1952).The Saiva Siddhanta - Theory of Knowledge.Annamalainagar: Annamalai University. p. 43.Retrieved4 June2022.
- ^abSubramanian, V. K. (2006).101 mystics of India.New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 57.ISBN9788170174714.
- ^Singh, Upinder (2008).A history of ancient and early medieval India: from the Stone Age to the 12th century.New Delhi: Pearson Education. p. 617.ISBN9788131711200.
- ^Vanmikanathan, G (1985).Periya Puranam - A Tamil classic of the great Saiva saints of South India.Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math. p. 50.ISBN9788171205196.Retrieved4 June2022.
- ^Sadarangani, Neeti M. (2004).Bhakti Poetry in Medieval India: Its Inception, Cultural Encounter and Impact.Sarup & Sons. p. 17.ISBN978-81-7625-436-6.
- ^Iraianban, Swamiji (1999).Om Namashivaya.New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 24.ISBN978-81-7017-373-1.
- ^B.S.2011, p. 77
- ^Keay, F. E. (1938).A History Of The Syrian Church In India.S.P.C.K. India. p. 16.
- ^Talks with Ramana Maharshi- chapter 215
- ^B.S.2011, p. 162
- ^Kingsbury, F (1921).Hymns of the Tamil Saivite Saints (1921)(PDF).Oxford University Press. pp. 84–127.Retrieved8 July2014.
- ^B.S.2011, p. 36
- ^R.K.K., Rajarajan (2006).Art of the Vijayanagara-Nayakas: Architecture and Iconography.Delhi: Sharada Publications.
- ^B.S.2011, p. 74
- ^T.S., Dr. Sridhar, ed. (2011).An exhibition on Chola bronzes - 1000th anniversary of Thanjavur Big temple celebration(PDF)(Report). Chennai: Department of Archaeology & Government Museum. p. 45.
References[edit]
- B.S., Chandrababu; S., Ganeshram; C., Bhavani (2011).History of People and Their Environs.Bharathi Puthakalayam.ISBN9789380325910.
- Dallapiccola, Anna (2002).Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend.ISBN0-500-51088-1.
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