Talk:Manikanthan manikkavacagar

Maṇikaṇṭhan Māṇikkavācagar (9th or 10th cent. A.D.) If the śivaśaraṇas (servants of Lord Siva) and the dāsas (servants of Lord Viṣṇu) spread the universal cult of bhakti (devotion to God) in Karnataka, the Nāyanmārs and the Ālvārs (those immersed in the love of God) did the same in Tamil Nadu. Among the sixty-three Nāyanmārs who were great devotees of Siva, Māṇikka-vācagar was an important person whose two great works Tiruvāsagam and Tirukkovai are popular even today. Born of brāhmaṇa parents at Tiruvaduvur (near Madurai in Tamil Nadu) he became an adept in the know¬ledge of the scriptures, especially the āgamas. The Pāṇḍyan king, Arimarttanam by name, who had heard of his stupendous knowledge and uncanny wisdom as well as impeccable character, appointed him as his chief minister. Once the king sent him on a mission to purchase imported Arab horses from Tirupirendur. However, Mānikkavācagar met a great Śaiva saint (who was Śiva himself), received spiritual instructions and utilised the money given by the king for purchasing the horses, to build a temple for Siva. The king jailed him for embezzlement of funds. But by the grace of Śiva he was released. He resigned from his ministership and started roaming about as a minstrel of God. He is said to have defeated a band of Buddhist scholars in public debate at Cidambaram (Chidam¬baram). Of his two works Tiruvāsagam is autobiographical and reveals his spiritual struggles culminating in spiritual illumi¬nation. The Tirukkovai depicts the longing of the soul for Siva, but using erotic imagery.