Tirunavukkarasar

Thirunavukkarasar (Tamil:திருநாவுக்கரசர), (meaning King of the Tongue or Lord of Language), also known as Appar ("Father"), birth-name Marulnikkiyar, was a seventh CCE Saivite poet-saint of Tamil Nadu, one of the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars.

Cuntarar states in his "Tiruttondartokai" that Appar composed 4900 hymns of ten verses each: this is repeated by Nambiyandar Nambi and Sekkizhar but only 313 have survived. [Dr R. Nagasamy, [http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva%20bhakti/chapter02.html "Siva Bhakthi" Chapter 2] ] These are collected into the Tirumurai, along with the compositions of Cuntarar and Campantar, where Appar has his own volumes, called Tevaram.

Life

Details of Appar's life are found in own hymns, Sekkizhar's "Periya Puranam" (the last book of the "Tirumurai", which tells stories of the Nayanars) and also Cuntarar's "Thiruttondartokai". [Excerpt from Dr R. Nagasamy, [http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva%20bhakti/chapter01.html "Siva Bhakthi" Chapter 1] ] He was born in Thiruvamur, on the banks of the river Pennai near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu), to a Vellalar family. His parents both died while the poet was still a young child. His elder sister Tilakavathiyar went to serve at the temple of Lord Siva at Atikai ( Panruti). Marulnikkiyar travelled to nearby Patalipura to join a Jain monastery. [Dr R. Nagasamy, [http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva%20bhakti/chapter03.html "Siva Bhakthi" Chapter 3] ] He was given the name Dharmasena by his Jain teachers.

After a while, afflicted by a painful illness, Dharmasena returned home. [Dr R. Nagasamy, [http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva%20bhakti/chapter02.html "Siva Bhakthi" Chapter 2] ] At the Siva temple where his sister served he prayed for relief and was cured miraculously. He sang his first hymn "Kurrayinavaru Vilakku". His reconversion prompted the Pallava king Mahendravarman I to subject Appar to a number of ordeals and punishments. [Dr R. Nagasamy, [http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva%20bhakti/chapter02.html "Siva Bhakthi" Chapter 2] ] He overcame all of these apparently miraculously and converted the king himself.

Navukkarasar is supposed to have stayed many years at Atikai with his sister, then he began visiting other Siva temples to sing in praise of Siva . He heard of Campantar and went to Sirkali to meet him. Campantar respectfully addressed Navukkarasar as "Appar" (father) and he and Appar travelled together singing hymns. Appar is said to have travelled to about a hundred and twenty-five temples in different cities or villages in Tamil Nadu. He attained liberation (Mukti} in "Sadya Nakshtra" in the Tamil month of "Chithirai" at Pukalur at the age of 81.

Appar's Tevaram

Appar’s Tevaram hymns are grouped into three books, forming the fourth, fifth and sixth volumes of the "Tirumurai", the Tamil poetic canon of Shaiva Siddhanta. The compilation of these books is generally ascribed to Nambiyandar Nambi (tenth CCE). Some of Appar's hymns set to various "Panns", the melodic modes of Ancient Tamil music - the rest are set to "Thirunerisai" and "Viruttam" metres.

Notes

[http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/nayanmar_view.php?nayan_idField=2] Life of Thirunavukarasar

References

*cite web|title=Siva Bhakti|author=Dr. R. Nagasamy|url=http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/siva%20bhakti/preface.html|publisher=Tamil Arts Academy|accessdate=2007-07-10
*cite book|title='Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend|ISBN=0-500-51088-1|author=Anna Dallapiccola