Manickavasagar
Manickavasagar
Birth & early life
Manickavasagar was born in a pious Brahmin family to Sambupada Shirudar and Sivagnanavathi at Tiruvadavur, which is seven miles from Madurai on the banks of the Vaigai River. His original name was Vadavooraan. He was a child prodigy and learnt all the scriptures, arts and studied various books on religions within the age of sixteen. Surprised by seeing the Intelligence and Integrity of Vadavoorar, the Pandiya King Arimarthanan who was also known as Madurai Varaguna Pandiyan, appointed him as the Minister and awarded him the title ‘Thennavan Brahmarayan’means the Leader among the Brahmins. He efficiently guided the governance in the righteous path to the prosperity of the land, people and their minds but his mind was still focusing on Lord Shiva and his mind was seeking a Guru who would show him the path of Mukthi.
Vadavoorar becomes Manickavasagar
The King sent the Minister Thiruvadhavoorar with lots of money to buy Horses to Chola Kingdom. That is the turning point of Vadavoorar’s Life. On the way Vadavoorar reached Thirupperunthurai (Aavudaiyaar Kovil). There he heard a Guru (Lord Shiva) teaching His disciples under a tree. The very first sight of the Loka Guru made Vadavoorar to forget himself and he surrendered at the feet of the Guru and became His disciple. Lord Shiva in the disguised form of Guru gave him the name Manickavasagar. It means ‘The One whose speech is full of valuable gems’. He started writing a lot of Poems only after meeting his guru. As per the order of his guru, Manickavasagar started building a marvellous temple of the Lord at Thirupperunthurai with the money given by the king for buying horse. Meanwhile, the king sent a message to Vadavoorar ordering him to come with the horses. Manickavasagar prayed to the Lord of Thirupperunthurai and got His assurance that the horses will be delivered to the king on the Avani Moolam day. Manickavasagar conveyed the same to the King and convinced him. Lord Shiva made all the foxes of the forest to Horses and handed over the same to the King on the said day. The same night, the horses again became foxes and ran all over the Kingdom. The raged king ordered his men to punish Manickavasagar, making him stand on the hot sand of the Vaigai River loading him with a rock. The playful Lord caused a heavy flood in the river Vaigai to save His devotee from heat. By this leela of Lord Shiva, the King realised the greatness of Manickavasagar, released him at once and begged for his pardon. The loving Manickavasagar forgave and left the Ministership.
He started his pilgrimage singing and praising the glory of God. At last he reached Chidambaram. He sang Thiruvasagam wherever he went but it was written and preserved only at Chidambaram by Lord Shiva himself disguised in the form of a Brahmin. The Brahmin wrote the Thriuvasagam and vanished keeping the written palm leaves at the Temple steps of Thiru Chitrambalam. When the Manickavasagar recognised that his Lord only had come in the form of a Brahmin, he went and merged with the light of lord in the Chidambaram temple.
Manickavasagar is one of the four great Tamil Saivite saints. Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Manickavasagar are known as ‘The Four Saints’ in Tamil. All the four revived Saivism in Tamil Nadu after it was under the spell of Jainism and Buddhism for a few centuries. Some of his compositions were Thiruvembavai, Thiruvasagam, Thiruppalliyezhuchi etc.