Tirumurai
Thirumurai(Tamil:திரு முறை, meaning holy division) is a twelve volume compendium of songs or hymns in the praise of Shiva in the Tamil language from 6th century to 11th century by various poets in South India. Nambi Andar Nambi compiled the first seven volumes by Appar, Campantar and Cuntarar as Tevaram. During the course of time, a strong necessity was felt by scholars to compile Saiva literature to accommodate other works. Tirumurai along with Vedas and Saiva agamas from the basis of Saiva Siddantha philosopy in Tamil Nadu.[1]
History and background
The Pallava period in the history of the Tamil land is a period of religious revival of Saivism by the Shaivite Nayanars who by their Bhakti hymns captured the hearts of the people. They made a tremendous impression on the people by singing the praise of Shiva in soul-stirring devotional hymns.[2]
Poets
Tirumurai |
Hymns |
Period |
Author |
1,2,3 |
Tevaram |
7th Century CE |
Campantar[3][4] |
4,5,6 |
Tevaram |
7th Century CE |
Appar[3][4] |
7 |
Tevaram |
8th Century CE |
Cuntarar[3][4] |
8 |
Thiruvasakam and Thirukkovaiyar |
9th century |
Manikkavacakar |
9 |
Thiruvisaippa & Thiruppallaandu |
9 |
Thirumalikaittever |
Centanar |
Karuvurttevar |
Nampikatava nampi |
Kantaratittar |
Venattatikal |
Tiruvaliyamutanar |
Purutottama nampi |
Cetirayar |
10 |
Tirumandiram |
8th Century CE |
Tirumular |
11 |
Prabandham |
|
Karaikkal Ammaiyar |
Ceraman Perumal Nayanar |
Pattinattu p-pillaiyar |
Nakkiratevar Nayanar |
Kapilateva Nayanar |
Thiruvalaviyudaiyar |
Nampiyantarnampi |
IyyadigalkatavarkonNayanar |
Kalladateva Nayanar |
Paranateva Nayanar |
Ellamperuman Adigal |
Athiravadigal |
12 |
Periya Puranam |
|
Sekkizhar |
The Hymns
The Shaiva Tirumurais are twelve in number. The first seven Tirumurais are the hymns of the three great Shaivite saints, Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. These hymns were the best musical compositions of their age.
- The first three Tirumurais are the extempore compositions of Sambandar
- The fourth, the fifth and the sixth Tirumurais are those of Appar
- The seventh Tirumurai consists of saint Sundarar's hymns
Manikkavasagar's Tiruvacakam and Tirukovayar are compiled as the eighth Tirumurai and is full of visionary experience, divine love and urgent striving for truth.[5] Manickavasgar was the king's prime minister and renounced his post in search of divinity.[5]
- The ninth Tirumurai has been composed by Tirumalikaittever, Sundarar, Karuvurttevar, Nampikatava Nampi, Kantaratittar, Venattatikal, Tiruvaliyamutanar, Purutottama Nampi and Cetirayar
Tirumandiram by Tirumular unfolds siddantha (attainment) as a four fold path - virtous and moral living, temple worship, internal worship and union with Siva.[5]
- The eleventh Tirumurai has been composed by Karaikkal Ammeiyar, Ceraman Perumal, Pattinattu p-pillaiyar, Nakkiratevar, Kapilateva, Tiruvalavaiyudaiyar, Nampiyantarnampi, Iyyadigal katavarkon, Kalladateva, Paranateva, Ellamperuman Adigal and Athirava Adigal.
- The twelfth Tirumurai has been composed by Sekkizhar
Compilation
Raja Raja Chola I (985-1013 CE) embarked on a mission to recover the hymns after hearing short excerpts of Tevaram in his court.[6] He sought the help of Nambi Andar Nambi, who was a priest in a temple.[7] It is believed that by divine intervention Nambi found the presence of scripts, in the form of cadijam leaves half eaten by white ants in a chamber inside the second precinct in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram.[7][6] The brahmanas (Dikshitars) in the temple opposed the mission, but Rajaraja intervened by consecrating the images of the saint-poets through the streets of Chidambaram.[6][8] Rajaraja thus became to be known as Tirumurai Kanda Cholan meaning one who saved the Tirumurai.[8] Thus far Shiva temples only had images of god forms, but after the advent of Rajaraja, the images of the Nayanar saints were also placed inside the temple.[8] Nambi arranged the hymns of three saint poets Campantar, Appar and Sundarar as the first seven books,Manickavasagar's Tirukovayar and Tiruvacakam as the 8th book, the 28 hymns of nine other saints as the 9th book, the Tirumandiram of Tirumular as the 10th book, 40 hymns by 12 other poets as the 10th book, Tirutotanar Tiruvanthathi - the sacred anthathi of the labours of the 63 nayanar saints and added his own hymns as the 11th book.[9] The first seven books were later called as Tevaram, and the whole Saiva canon, to which was added, as the 12th book, Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam (1135 CE) is wholly known as Tirumurai, the holy book. Thus Saiva literature which covers about 600 years of religious, philosophical and literary development.[9]
Notes
- ^ Subramuniyaswami 2003, p. 551
- ^ Subramuniyaswami 2003, p. 541
- ^ a b c Cutler 1987, p. 4
- ^ a b c Zvelebil 1974, p. 92
- ^ a b c Subramuniyaswami 2003, p. 494
- ^ a b c Culter 1987, p. 50
- ^ a b Cort 1998, p. 178
- ^ a b c Vasudevan 2003, pp. 109-110
- ^ a b Zvelebil 1974, p. 191
References
- Aiyangar, Krishnaswami S. (2004), South India and Her Muhammadan Invaders, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services, ISBN 81-206-0999-9 .
- Ayyar, P. V. Jagadisa (1993). South Indian shrines: illustrated. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-0151-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&pg=PA22&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6Zz_TpLoIo6Etge_y6zQBg&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=tevaram&f=false.
- Bhargava, Gopal K.; Shankarlal C. Bhatt (2006). Land and people of Indian states and union territories. 25. Tamil Nadu. Delhi: Kalpaz Publications. ISBN 81-7835-381-4. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=wyCoMKZmRBoC&pg=PA467&dq=thevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cnz2Tt3rHpO5twfhzbzPBg&ved=0CFkQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- Callewaert, Winand M.; Rupert Snell (1994). According to tradition: hagiographical writing in India. Otto Harrasowitz. ISBN 3-447-03542-2. http://books.google.com/books?id=GrMwdEqHLzEC&pg=PA194&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sy3-TsnyCIy5twfq64TQDQ&ved=0CGYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=tevaram&f=false.
- "Carnatic music" (15 ed.). 2005.
- "Classical Notes: Musical people". The Hindu. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/12/02/stories/13021103.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
- Cort, John E. (1998). Open boundaries: Jain communities and culture in Indian history. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0=7914-3786-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=WWfnXbVWjKcC&pg=PA178&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sy3-TsnyCIy5twfq64TQDQ&ved=0CGAQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- Cutler, Norman (1987). Songs of experience: the poetics of Tamil devotion. USA: Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication-Data. ISBN 0-253-35334-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=veSItWingx8C&pg=PA4&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gfX8Tq-SJo_1gAfEydSuAg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=tevaram&f=false.
- Das, Sisir Kumar; Sāhitya Akādemī (2005). A history of Indian literature, 500-1399: from courtly to the popular. chennai: Sāhitya Akādemī. ISBN 81-260-2171-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=BC3l1AbPM8sC&pg=PA77&dq=five+epics+of+tamil+literature&hl=en&ei=l6bmTv-xAtOctwepk7z1CQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=five%20epics%20of%20tamil%20literature&f=false.
- Eliot, Charles. Hinduism and Buddhism, Vol II. (of 3). Middlesex: Eco Library. ISBN 978-1-40686-296-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=K4ZpPleiyokC&pg=PA171&dq=tirumurai+criticism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pYUAT6rvJYKgtwe5zpDQBg&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=tirumurai&f=false.
- Knight, Jr, Douglas M.; Douglas M. Knight (2001). Balasaraswati: her art & life. Middle Town CT: Weslyen University Press. ISBN 978-0-8193-6906-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=Q3EsA2NooW4C&pg=PA294&dq=thevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3gf2TtbVKpSXtweS5q3KBw&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=thevaram&f=false.
- Khanna, Meenakshi (2007). Cultural History of Medieval India. Delhi: Social Science Press. ISBN 978-8-18735-830-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZbKv3zyIFD8C&pg=PA66&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MrP7TtuiHsq2twedoK3QBg&ved=0CEIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=tevaram&f=false.
- Harman, William P. (1992), The sacred marriage of a Hindu goddess, Delhi: Indiana University Press, ISBN 978-1-59884-655-3 .
- Prentiss, Karen Pechilis; Karen Pechilis (1999), The embodiment of bhakti, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-512813-3 .
- Sabaratnam, Lakshmanan (2001). Ethnic attachments in Sri Lanka: social change and cultural continuity. Palgrave. ISBN 0-312-29348-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=zKYgia9hiB0C&pg=PA26&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e3D_Tr3-N5CutwfS3P3QBg&ved=0CGsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=tevaram&f=false.
- Schüler, Barbara (2009). Of death and birth: Icakkiyamman̲, a Tamil goddess, in ritual and story. Otto Harrasowitz. ISBN 978-3-447-05844-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=wj76rDfgTCYC&pg=PA32&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6Zz_TpLoIo6Etge_y6zQBg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- Subramuniyaswami, Satguru Sivaya (2003), Dancing With Siva : Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism, Himalayan Academy, ISBN 0-945497-89-x, http://books.google.com/books?id=EWlHPAkjBKUC&pg=PA292&dq=tirumurai&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xJkDT4LlM4yutwej16nQBg&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=tirumurai&f=false .
- Vasudevan, Geetha (2003), The royal temple of Rajaraja: an instrument of imperial Cola power, New Delhi: Abhinav Publications, ISBN 81-7017-383-3, http://books.google.com/books?id=O1b1N_Dx0jsC&pg=RA1-PA109&dq=tevaram&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sy3-TsnyCIy5twfq64TQDQ&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=tevaram&f=false
- Zvelebil, Kamil (1974). A History of Indian literature Vol.10 (Tamil Literature). Otto Harrasowitz. ISBN 3-447-01582-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=OQ33i496MsIC&pg=PA130&dq=five+epics+of+tamil+literature&hl=en&ei=nZLmTrmaIsmXtwf1kaWfAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=five%20epics%20of%20tamil%20literature&f=false.
Further reading
- Swamigal, Thirugnana Sambandar. "campantar tEvAram -1 part 1, patikams 1-66". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0150.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Thirugnana Sambandar. "campantar tEvAram -1 part 2, patikams 67-136". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0151.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Thirugnana Sambandar. "campantar tEvAram -2 part 1, patikams 1-60". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0157.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Thirugnana Sambandar. "campantar tEvAram -2 part 2, patikams 61-122". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0162.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Thirugnana Sambandar. "campantar tEvAram -3 part 1, patikams 1-66". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0173.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Thirugnana Sambandar. "campantar tEvAram -3 part 2, patikams 67-125 & later additions". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0179.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "tEvAram of tirunAvukkaracu cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 4 part - 1 Poems(1-487)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0173.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "tEvAram of tirunAvukkaracu cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 4 part - 2 Poems(488-1070)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0173.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "tEvAram of tirunAvukkaracu cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 5 part - 1 Poems(1-509)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0186.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "tEvAram of tirunAvukkaracu cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 5 part - 2 Poems(510-1016)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0173.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "tEvAram of tirunAvukkaracu cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 6 part - 1 Poems(1-508)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0192.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "tEvAram of tirunAvukkaracu cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 6 part - 2 Poems(509-981)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0196.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Sundaramurthi. "tEvAram of cuntaramUrti cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 7, part 1 Poems (1-517)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0207.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
- Swamigal, Sundaramurthi. "tEvAram of cuntaramUrti cuvAmikaL tirumuRai 7, part 2 Poems (518-1026)". http://projectmadurai.org. http://projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0211.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
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