Thirumoolar was before Sundarar.Since Sundrar mentions in Thiruthondar Thogai as -நம்பிரான் திருமூலன் அடியார்க்கும் அடியேன். But How far? There are stories of Sambandar finding Thirumandiram under the bali peedam of Thiruvavaduthurai but the same is not substantiated by Periya Puranam.
Then there are 2 options before us.
a. Thurumoolar is before Appar b. Thirumoolar after Appar but before Sundarar.
Sundarar is likely between 750-850. Post Rajasimha or end Rajasimha. Sundarar can be placed any where till end of Dantivarman. We will place him at a max of 850.
Apparperiod was630s and Sekkizhar is 1180s. - A gap of around 55o years.
Now let us assume that Thirumoolar is Post Appar. ie 700-850.
Now there are only 2 sources for us to refer: a: Nambiyandar nambi of 11th C, buthe dosenot give anything for usto understand his period.
refer:குடிமன்னு சாத்தனூர்க் கோக்குலம் மேய்ப்போன் குரம்பைபுக்கு முடிமன்னு கூனற் பிறையாளன் தன்னை முழுத்தமிழின் படிமன்னு வேதத்தின் சொற்படி யேபர விட்டெனுச்சி அடிமன்ன வைத்த பிரான்மூல னாகின்ற வங்கணனே
Sekkizhar says that Thirumoolar lived for 3000 years. I am not debating whether any one could live for 3000 years etc. This shows some type of a local legend and such tradition could not have been on a person who lived in 700 -850. Only if Thirumollar's period is earlier to Appar, such a legend is possible.
The first Thirumanthiram is on Ganapati.
ஐந்து கரத்தனை யானை முகத்தனை இந்தி னிளம்பிறை போலும் எயிற்றனை நந்தி மகன்றனை ஞானக் கொழுந்தினைப் புந்தியில் வைத்தடி போற்றுகின் றேனே.
This is the second evidence on Vinayagar before Vatapi.
There is also an alternate view on this since sekkizhar mentions that Thirumoolar started his Thirumanthiram with the word "Ondravan" and the vinayagar song might be a later addition but it is doubtful whether any addition is possible in Thirumurai.
If Ganesha prevalent before appar - why did he sing that he was born of the confluence of Shiva and Parvathi ( as elephants). It goes against the popular version of he being created by Parvathi?
The said version is by Sambandar in valivalam thevaram. It is a tradition that the Thevara Parayanam starts from this song only.
There are many versions on the origin of Vinayagar.
The version of himbeingborn as an elephant is equally popular as the other one of Parvati making him from herthe sandal paste/turmeric paste from her body.
In anyway, since Sambandar sings the first version means that this version is very popular in TN
It is interesting to note that even a staunch vasihnavite cannot do his morning/evening sandhyavandan, or any pooja or even recite Vishnu sahasrnamam without invoking lord Ganesa. However staunch vaishnavite he be, before starting any pooja, he needs to invoke Ganesa. Even if a Kumbabishegam needed to pe performed for Srirangam or Tirumala, it can't be done without invoking him.
Even his own father had to repent for starting a work w.o. worshiping him. ( refer our Tirukkovalur panel) will post that as 5.
All this show that Ganapati is not a deity arrived lately but some one who is entrenched in the system well.
1. Appar was a Jain teacher before he became the Saivate monk.It was natural that he did not sing about Ganesha brought into existancefrom Parvati and later beheaded by Shiva and given a elephant head later.Here he was doing a satyagraha with Shiva as his support and he could nothave fallen back to the other legend which is more violent !!!Namarkum Kudiyellom is an echo of advaitic philosophy with siva as antaryamin! 2.Buddhist philospher Nagarjuna's period in 150 -200 ADNow Tilak in his Gita Rahasya quotes a Tibetian book written by Taranatha."Rahulabadra, preceptor of Nagarjuna was a brahmin converted to Buddhismand Jnanin Krishna and Ganesa were responsible for Rahulabadra getting theMahayana ideas" That is Mahayana unlike Hinayana which promotes meditation and renunciation alonefor Nirvana, but Mahayana supports doing Karma without attachment for worlds'good. These ideas were got from Gita and Mahabharata.Dr.Keru's Manual of India Buddhism says that in this there was an acknowledgement of Hindu philosophy being borrowed into Buddhism and some gods too!!Soon Ganesa was out with buddha into afganistan and other countries !!! Gita Rahasya Page 817 Gita and Buddhist Literature.Kesari Press Edition 10 -2008.Tilak quotes Dr.Keru's Manual of India Buddhism Pg 122 Tilak uses this date to slowly move the antiquity of Mahabharata backward.Its a great book written by Tilak unfortunately our Indologists dont read it !!!! So if Mahabharata has this Ganesa episode in Nagarjuna's teacher's time , we need toconclude that Ganesa was in Hindu pantheon even before a hundred years or so back.That will take us into the BCs.So all this clause of Ganesa suddenly appearing into Hindu pantheon in 9th century ADceases to exist. 3. Hindu religion gives scope for both the theories of Skanda being elder and Ganesa being elder. Acharyas have reconciled this by saying in different epochs or Yugas same things happen with difference.So in one Yuga Skanda is eldes and in another Ganesa. The south Indian and North Indiantraditions have taken one perspective respectively. 4. Then Kanchipuranam gives the reason for Tondaimandalam as bearing its name due toGanapati being born as dundi to the king. So the entire area is named after him. 5.As Shankar says most of the evidences have been either lost due to invasions.It cannot be contrieved as absence of any evidence.Even evidence is there as U.Ve.Sa quoting Kalladam, Pingala Nigandu and other works. Regards,S.KarthikVandemataram