Saint Manikkavasagar

Manikkavacakar was a 3rd-century Tamil saint and poet who wrote Thiruvasagam and Thirukkovaiyar, books of Shaiva hymns. Tamil scholars and researchers share that he was a minister to the Pandya king Nedunjeliyan II (3rd Century CE) and lived in Madurai (or) he was a minister to the Pandya king Arikesari (6th Century CE). He is revered as one of the Nalvar ("group of four" in Tamil), a set of four prominent Tamil saints alongside Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. The other three contributed to the first seven volumes (Tevaram) of the twelve-volume Saivite work Tirumurai, the key devotional text of Shaiva Siddhanta. Manikkavacakar's Thiruvasagam and Thirukkovaiyar form the eighth volume. These eight volumes are considered to be the Tamil Vedas by the Shaivites, and the four saints are revered as Samaya Kuravar (religious preceptors) His works are celebrated for their poetic expression of the anguish of being separated from God, and the joy of God-experience,: 48  with ecstatic religious fervour. In his expression of intimacy to God, Manikkavacakar mirrors the sentiments expressed by his fellow Bhakti period saints referring to the Lord as the "Divine Bridegroom" or the Nityamanavaalar ("Eternal Bridegroom"), with whom he longed to be united in "divine nuptials". 3rd Century CE We get historical details about Manikkavacakar from Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam written by Paranjothiyar. In this book, the song 2799 "arikanai thoduthu vezham attavan chezhiyan vayil theri kalai amaichar", and the song 3044 "pandiyan muthukil pattathu chezhiyan panniyar (wife) udambinil pattathu" clearly states that the king's name is Chezhiyan. In Sangam literature, Pathupattu describes Nedunjeliyan II's wars in detail, including his kadumpakattu yaanai – a type of elephant known for its swift movements on the battlefield – while engaging combatants seated on horses. Nedunjeliyan II was adorned with many titles in Sangam literature, mostly after the chariots and elephants he possessed.