Manikavasakar is a renowned Tamil poet who lived during the 9th century CE.  He authored the much revered Tiruvasakam, a book on Shaiva hymns. Maanikavasakar was one of the prominent authors of the Tamil shivite tirumurai. His contributions form one full volume of the Tirumurai, which is considered an important religious text of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta. Manikavasakar served as a minister in the court of the Pandya king Varagunavarman II who lived from 862 C.E. to 885 C.E. The king was also known by the name Arimarthana Pandiyan. Manikavasakar is said to have lived in Madurai. His work is a poetic expression of the joy over Godly experience mixed with the anguish of being separated from the almighty in this material world. Despite being a prominent saint from South India, he is not considered one among the much celebrated sixty-three Nayanars in the Tamil Shivite sect.

Manikavasakar served as a minister with much tact and integrity. Although he was a very abled and influential minister, he showed no interest in material happiness around him. He was completely engrossed in spirituality. He strongly felt that the blessing of the Lord is essential for the attainment of Gnana. Thus he was in a continuous pursuit to attain this divine Gnana.

Thevaram is a revered book of Tamil Shivite sidhantha which was authored by the most famous Nayanmars namely Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukarasar and Sundarar. Thiruvasagam and Thirukoavaiyar is a volume of tamil hymns composed by shaivite bhakti poet Manikkavasagar. The words of these four prominent shivite saints are considered as the words of Lord Shiva himself.

Poetic Works of Manickavasagar

Tiruvilayadal Puranam is a renowned religious work, which is a compilation of the divine deeds of Lord Shiva. This consists of the works and poetic life history of saint Maanikavasakar and was composed during 16th century. The text is now unavailable in its original form. The other works of Maanikavasakar include VadhavoorarPuranam and a Sanskrit text pertaining to the 12th century CE, which are currently not available. The poetic works of Manickavasagar are classified into several parts – one being a collection of 20 hymns, popularly known as the Tiruvembavai which praises of Lord Shiva. There is yet another composition of Maanikavasakar where the poet saint has envisioned himself as a woman following the sacred “PaavaiNonbu”.

The 20 hymns of Tiruvembavai and 10 songs of Tiruppalliezhuchi dedicated the Lord Tirupperunturai, are sung across many Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu in the holy month of the Tamil calendar Margazhi. A festival is conducted in the Tamil month of Aani, in praise of the devotion of Saint Maanikavasakar and his many contributions as a poet to Tamil literature. The hagiography of Manickavasagar is found in the 16th century AD work of Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam.

The pilgrimage of saint Manikavasakar

Manickavasagar was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva who is said to have visited various temples in Thanjavur, North Arcot, Chengalpattu, Madras, Tirunelveli and Madurai districts. Few Sculptures in the famous Meenakshi – Sundaresvarar temple Madurai, is seen illustrating the life of Maanikavasakar. Manikkavasakar is credited to have built the Shiva temple in Tirupperunturai. He is also said to have lived at Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. He is closely associated with Tiru Uthirakosamangai. Tiruvembavai is a popular work of Maanikavasakar which is sung even today in many temples across Tamil Nadu during the month of Margazhi (December-January), along with Andal’s Tiruppavai. Maanikavasakar visited many holy shrines of Lord Shiva and sang numerous hymns in praise of the Lord at places like thirupperunthurai, Uththara Kosamangai, Thiruvarur, Thiruvidaimarudhur, Shirkazhi, Thiruvannamalai, Thirukkazukkunram. Finally, he is said to have reached the holy abode of thillai chirtrambalam. According to Vedas, a person is said to relish the amritha (the divine nector), even before attaining sanity, on getting to watch Lord Nataraja dance at Chidambaram. Such is the joy one gets on worshipping the Lord at Thillai Chitrambalam.