திருவாசகம்

Thiruvaasagam — Sacred Utterances

Māṇikkavācakar · c. 9th century CE · 51 Hymns · Tiruperundurai & Chidambaram

The supreme work of Tamil Śaiva bhakti — 51 hymns by the poet-saint Māṇikkavācakar, minister of the Pāṇṭiya king who abandoned his post when he encountered Śiva in the guise of a guru at Tiruperundurai. Moving from the cosmic narrative of the Civapurāṇam through festival hymns, the great city of Chidambaram, the soul's long journey of surrender, and the final union with the dancing Lord — the Thiruvaasagam is, as the saying goes, திருவாசகத்திற்கு உருகாதார் ஒரு வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார் — "those who do not melt at the Thiruvaasagam will not melt at any utterance."