Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

Author: Virarajendra

A brief study on the twelve - Tamil Thirumuraihal of the Tamil Saiva
Saints (Naayanmaar & Adiyaar) - of Tamil Nadu


The sacred "poems of Divine Praise" sung on "God - as Siva"
(God Siva), by three among the four principal Tamil Saiva Saints,
namely the Naayanmaar - Thirugnanasampanthar, Thirunaavukarasar and
Suntharamoorthy of the pre-medieval period Tamil Nadu, were known as
the "Thevaram".

Note: Re - "God - as Siva"(God Siva) refer my Thread in this same
website titled - "The Universal Truth of God Supreme"

"Thevaram" divides as Theva-aram meaning "garland to God". Here
it means the "garland of poems - of Divine Praise". A group of
ten to twelve Thevarams sung on God Siva presiding at different Temple
Shrines in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Sri Lanka - were each known as a
"Thiruppathikam", also known as "Thiruppathiyam". The collection of
poems of all other Tamil Saiva - Swamihal and Adiyaar were known as
"Thiruppaadalkal" meaning "sacred poems".

These "Thiruppathikamgal" and "Thiruppaadalkal" have been
classified into eleven "Thirumuraihal". The Tamil "Periya Puranam" has
been classified as the twelveth "Thirumurai".

"Thirumurai" means a "Sacred Order". That is the order of
classification made by the Saiva Adiyar - Nambiaandaar Nambi of the
available Tamil - Thiruppathikamgal and Thiruppaadalhal sung by Tamil
Saivite - Naayanmaar, Swamihal and Adiyaar of Tamil Nadu, on the
request of the Chola Emperor "Rajaraja Chola - 1(A.D.985 – 1014)"
of Tamil Nadu. The classification of these Thirumuraihal are as
follows:


Thirumurai 1 to 3 The "Thevara Thiruppathikams" of Tamil Saiva
Naayanaar –

Thirugnanasampathar - (A.D.641-657)
(a) First Thirumurai - 136 Pathikams on 136 different Siva Thalams
(b) Second Thirumurai - 122 Pathikams on 122 different Siva Thalams
(c) Third Thirumurai - 126 Pathikams on 126 different Siva Thalams

Thurumurai – 4 to 6 The "Thevara Thiruppathikams" of Tamil Saiva
Naayanaar –

Thirunaavukkarasar - (A.D.568-649)
(a) Fourth Thirumurai - 113 Pathikams on 113 different Siva Thalams
(b) Fifth Thirumurai - 100 Pathikams on 100 different Siva Thalams
(c) Sixth Thirumurai - 99 Pathikams on 99 different Siva Thalams

Thirumurai – 7 The "Thevara Thiruppathkams" of Tamil Saiva
Naayanaar –

Suntharamoorthy - (A.D.826-844)
(a) Seventh Thirumurai - 100 Pathikams on 100 different Siva Thalams

Thirumurai – 8 The "Thiruppaadalhal" meaning "sacred
poems" of Tamil Saiva Swamihal –

Maanickkavaasakar - (A.D.285-317)
(a) Thiruvaasakam
(1) Twentysix Pirapantham sung at Chithambaram Siva Thalam
(2) Twenty Pirapantham sung at Thirupperunthurai Siva Thalam
(3) Two Pirapantham sung at Thiruannaamalai Siva Thalam
(4) Two Pirapantham sung at Thiruuththarakosamangai Siva Thalam
(5) One Pirapantham sung at Thirukkalukuntram Siva Thalam
(6) One Pirapantham sung at Thiruththonipuram Siva Thalam
(7) One Pirapantham sung at Thiruvaarur

(b) Thiruchitrambala Kovaiyaar (Thirukkovaiyaar)
A complete work on Ahaththinai immersed in Iraiyarul - 25 chapters

Thirumurai – 9 The "Thiruvisaippa" meaning "sacred musical
poems" and "Thiruppallaandu" meaning "poems on longevity" of Tamil
Saiva Adiyaar -

(1) Thirumaalikai Thevar
(a) Four Pathikams on Chithambaram Siva Thalam

(2) Chenthanaar
(a) Three Pathikams on three different Siva Thalams
(b) One Pathikam on Chithambaram Siva Thalam

(3) Karuvur Thevar
(a) Ten Pathikams on ten different Siva Thalams

(4) Poonththurutthinambi Kadanambi
(a) Two Pathikams on two different Siva Thalams

(5) Kandaraathiththar
(a) One Pathkam on Chithambaram Siva Thalam

(6) Venaattu Adihal
(a) One Pathikam on Chithambaram Siva Thalam

(7) Thiruvaaliyamuthanaar
(a) Four Pathikams on Chithambaram Siva Thalam

(8) Purudoththama Nambi
(a) Two Pathikams on Chithambaram Siva Thalams

(9) Chethiraayar
(a) One Pathikam on Chithambaram Siva Thalam

Thirumurai – 10 The "Thiruppaadalhal" meaning "sacred
poems" of Tamil Saiva Naayanaar –

Thirumoolar
(1) Thirumanthiram - Philosophic essence of Siva Agamangal in Tamil,
having nine Thanthirams (chapters)

Thirumurai – 11 The "Thiruppaadalhal" meaning "sacred
poems" of Tamil Saiva Naayanmaar & Adiyaar and "Thiruppathikam"
–

(1) Kaaraikkaal Ammaiyaar
(a) Thiruvaalankaatu Mooththa Thiruppathikam
(b) Mooththa Thiruppathikam
(c) Thiruvirattai Manimaalai
(d) Atputhath Thiruvanthaathi

(2) Aiyadikal Kadavarkon
(a) Sheththira Thiruvenbaa

(3) Cheramaan Perumaal
(a) Ponvannaththanthaathi
(b) Thiruvaaruur Mummanikkovai

(4) Nakkeera Thevar
(a) Kaiyilaipaathi Kaalaththipaathi Anthaathi
(b) Thirueengoimalai Elupathu
(c) Thiruvalanchuli Mummanikkovai
(d) Thiruvelukoottrirukkai
(e) Perunththevapaani
(f) Koapap Pirasaatham
(g) Kaar Ettu
(h) Poatrith Thirukkalivenbaa
(i) Thirumurukaatrupadai
(j) Thirukannappathevar Thirumaram

(5) Kallaada Thevar
(a) Thirukannappathevar Thirumaram

(6) Kapila Thevar
(a) Mooththa Naayanaar Thiruvirattai Manimaalai
(b) Sivaperumaan Thiruvirattai Manimaalai
(c) Sivaperumaan Thiruvanthaathi

(7) Paranathevar
(a) Sivaperumaan Thiruvanthaathi

(8) Ilamperumaan Adihal
(a) Sivaperumaan Thirumummanikkovai

(9) Athiraavadikal
(a) Mooththa Pillaiyaar Thirumummanikkovai

(10) Pattinaththu Pillaiyaar
(a) Koyil Naanmanimaalai
(b) Thirukalumala Mummanikkovai
(c) Thiruvidamaruthoor Mummanikkovai
(d) Thiruvekambamudaiyaar Thiruvanthaathi
(e) Thiruvottriyur Orupaa Orupathu

(11) Nambiyaandaar Nambi
(a) Thirunaaraiyur Vinayakar Thiruvirattai Manimaalai
(b) Koyil Thiruppanniyar Viruttham
(c) Thiruththondar Thiruvanthaathi
(d) Aaludaipillaiyaar Thiruvanthaathi
(e) Aaludaipillaiyaar Thiruchanbai Viruttham
(f) Aaludaipillaiyaar Thirumummanikkovai
(g) Aaludaipillaiyaar Thiruvulaamaalai
(h) Aaludaipillaiyaar Thirukkalambakam
(i) Aaludaipillaiyaar Thiruththohai
(j) Thirunaavukkarasuthevar Thiruvehaathasamaalai

Thirumurai – 12 The "Thiruppaadalhal" meaning "sacred
poems" of Tamil Sage/Poet –

Seikeelaar –
(a) Periyapuranam - on the life histories of the - 63 Tamil Saiva
Saints