Sixty three Nayanmar and Peria Puranam. [Story] The Periapuranam is a Tamil devotional classic depicting the lives of 63 Saivite Saints. The Aruvathimoovar festival coincides with the opening of the Chithirai Chatiram, in South India. IN THE Tamil month of Chithirai, the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore,Chennai, Tamil Nadu, celebrates the Aruvathimoovar, paying tribute to the 63 Nayanmar saints. Sekkiazhar, a chief minister during the reign of the Cholas, sung in praise of the 63 saints, including two women, in the Periapuranam.

Her story has received considerable attention in the Tamil Saiva religious hagiography Cekkilar’s “Periyapuranam” which is a Hindu devotional text often referred to as the fifth Veda. It contains the lives of the 63 saints of the Tamil land.

சிவபுராணம் என்பது கி.பி. ஒன்பதாம் நூற்றாண்டின் இறுதிப் பகுதியில் வாழ்ந்த மாணிக்கவாசகரால் இயற்றப்பட்ட திருவாசகம் என்னும் சைவத் தமிழ் நூலின் ஒரு பகுதி ஆகும்.

திருவாசகத்திற்கு உருகாதார் ஓர் வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார் என்று போற்றப்படும் சிறப்புப் பெற்ற இந் நூலின் முதற் பகுதியாகச் சிவபுராணம் அமைந்துள்ளது. 95 அடிகளைக் கொண்டு கலிவெண்பாப் பாடல் வடிவில் அமைந்துள்ள இது சைவர்களின் முதன்மைக் கடவுளான சிவபெருமானின் தோற்றத்தையும், இயல்புகளையும் விபரித்துப் போற்றுகிறது. அத்துடன், உயிர்கள் இறைவனை அடைவதற்கான வழிமுறைகளையும் சைவசித்தாந்தத் தத்துவ நோக்கில் எடுத்துக்கூறுகின்றது. மிகவும் எளிய தமிழில் எழுதப்பட்டிருக்கும் இப் பாடலின் பெரும்பாலான பகுதிகள், ஆயிரத்து நூறு ஆண்டுகள் கழிந்துவிட்டபின், தற்காலத்திலும் இலகுவாகப் புரிந்து கொள்ளக் கூடியவையாக உள்ளன.

Sivapuranam is being part of the Saiva work ‘Thiruvachakam’, written by the Saiva Saint Manickavachakar who is believed to have lived during the end of 9th Century A.D. It needs no other explanation than the saying: 'thiruvAchakaththukku urukAdhAr oru vAchakaththukkum urukAr' திருவாசகத்திற்கு உருகாதார் ஓர் வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார் (people who do not melt (with bhakthi) at hearing thiruvAchakam, will not be able to enjoy (melt) any other song(statement) ) Sivapuranam is forming first part of Thiruvachakam. The hymn, with its 95 lines (Kalivenba poetic format), draws a detailed account on the origin, appearance and characters of Lord Shivas, the primes deity of Saivites. Further the work explains that the soul is in association with an entity called Anava (anavam) from beginningless period. Anava is not ego and it is a malam (an impurity) associated with the soul. It is the source of all negative qualities like ignorance, ego etc. Under its bondage, the soul was unable to know itself and the God above it.

The all-merciful God, Lord Siva, wanted to free the soul from the grip of Anava. The text is simple and understandable to most of the Tamil speaking devotees. Automatically i get tears when i read sivapuranam. How manikkavasagar gave such a wonderful thoughts in golden sentences / words. I understand very little.

But mainly i feel internally whatever we feel happiness is not the real happiness. I feel not to have re birth. I agree that thiruvasagathirkku vurugaar oru vassagathirkkum vurugaar. I am not sure sivan is there or not. But i am sure that something is there birth / re birth and whatever we live is just material life.

We really lost lot of tamil golden gifts which are lost in muthal and idai sangam. I think only kadai sangam very few are with us. Also yalpanam library fired. So we lost lot of books too. Whatever available, i am yet to read read. Need some one to explain actual meanings of thiruvasagam, thirumandhiram.

I am unable to get actual thelivurai for thirumandhiram. At last i am happy to see the lyrics. It's a great way to explore Indian history and I have an intense inner compulsion to join innovative groups and re-learn about heritage destinations - bastions, caves, temples, towers, palaces, pillars, ruined forts, tombs, excavations and other beautiful monuments scattered all over the country and enjoy the art, archaeology, architecture, culture and cuisines. My other interests include: Spirituality, Religion, Health and Fitness literacy, Functional literacy and Personal growth literacy, Personal Finance literacy, Cultural literacy, Critical literacy, Photography and visual literacy.