Thiruvisaipa (

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

: திருவிசைப்பா ''Thiru'' means "respect", ''visai'' means "action" and ''pa'' indicates "poem") denotes the ninth volumes of the ''

Tirumurai ''Thirumurai'' (Tamil: திருமுறை, meaning holy division) is a twelve-volume compendium of songs or hymns in praise of Shiva in the Tamil language from the 6th to the 11th century CE by various poets in Tamil Nadu. Nambiyand ...

'', the twelve-volume collection of Tamil

Saivite Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

devotional poetry. The works of eight authors belonging to the 10th century, namely Thirumaligai Thevar, Senthanar, Karuvur Thevar, Ponnthuruthi Nambi Kata Nambi, Kandarathithar, Venattadigal, Thiruvaliyamuthanar, Purshottama Nambi, Sethiyar and Senthanar. Out of the eight, Kandarathithar, was a

Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...

king, who an ardent devotee of Shiva. He wanted to compile ''

Thevaram Thevaram is a town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thevaram is located in Tamil Nadu near on border of Kerala at the Eastern side foot-hill of the Western Ghats. It is connected with State Highway SH100. Farming is main o ...

'', but the mission was completed by his grandson

Rajaraja I Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...

The poems

The ninth volume of Tirumurai is composed by

poets (known as ''

Nayanars The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; ta, நாயன்மார், translit=Nāyaṉmār, translit-std=ISO, lit=hounds of Siva, and later 'teachers of Shiva ) were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were de ...

'') - Thirumaligai Thevar, Senthanar, Karuvur Thevar, Ponnthuruthi Nambi Kata Nambi, Kandarathithar, Venattadigal, Thiruvaliyamuthanar, Purshottama Nambi, Sethiyar and Senthanar Among the eight, Kandarathithar, was a prince descended from Chola king,

Parantaka I Parantaka Chola I (Tamil : பராந்தக சோழன் I) (873 CE–955 CE) was a Chola emperor who ruled for forty-eight years, annexing Pandya by defeating Rajasimhan II. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success ...

. He and his wife Sembian Mahadevi were ardent devotees of Shiva and wanted to compile ''

'' during his life time, but could not complete the mission. During the

reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Andorra), of a people (e.g., the Franks, the Zulus) or of a spiritual community (e.g., Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism, N ...

Rajaraja Chola I Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...

in the 10th century, a collection of these songs was found abandoned in the

Chidambaram Chidambaram is a town and municipality in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vellar River where it meets the Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Chidambaram taluk. The town is believed to be of si ...

temple, along with other religious literary works, and collated by

Nambiyandar Nambi Thirunaraiyur Nambiyandar Nambi was an eleventh-century Shaiva scholar of Tamil Nadu in South India who compiled the hymns of Sampantar, Appar and Sundarar and was himself one of the authors of the eleventh volume of the canon of the Tamil litur ...

List of Temple associated with Tiruvisaippa

There are 14 temples revered by the hymns of Thiruvisaippa and are in turn referred as "Tiruvisaipa Thalangal". , - , Thirukuraithudayar temple , Thiruvidaikazhi , Thirukuraithudayar , , Senthanar (11) , , - , Mahalingeswarar Temple , Tiruvidaimaruthur , Mahalingeswarar , Tiruvidaimaruthur13

, Karuvur Thevar (10) , The Chola prince, it is believed, entered the Mahalingeswarar Temple and prayed to his favourite God,

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

for relief from the clutches of the spirit of the dead Brahmin or ''brahmarakshas''. The Chola prince made his way out through another entrance thereby saving himself. , - , Masilamaniswara Temple ,

Thiruvaduthurai Thiruvavaduthurai is a village in Mayiladuthurai district, east-central Tamil Nadu, South India, where the Masilamaniswara Temple is located. Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam is a Saivite mutt based in the town of Thiruvadut ...

, Masilamaniswarar , Thiruvavaduthurai4

, Senthanar (11) , This is counted as the first mention of portrait installation indicated in an inscription, with the other ones being in

Konerirajapuram Konerirajapuram is a village in the Mayiladuthurai taluk of Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the seco ...

and

Thiruvisanallur Thiruvisanallur also called Thiruvisalur (formerly known as Shahajirajapuram) is a village in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. The village is known for the Sivayoginathar Temple, a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Siva. The Tirundudevankud ...

temples. The temple has been maintained and administered by the

Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam is a Saivite Matha, mutt based in the town of Thiruvaduthurai in Kuthalam taluk of Mayiladuthurai district, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu, India. The adheenam maintains the Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai, May ...

, whose headquarters is located inside the temple. , - ,

Veezhinathar Kovil, Thiruveezhimizhalai Veezhinathar Temple (வீழிநாதர் கோயில், திருவீழிமிழலை :ta:திருவீழிமிழலை வீழிநாதேஸ்வரர் கோயில்]) is an ancient temple locat ...

Thiruveezhimizhalai Thiruveezhimizhalai is a village in the Kudavasal taluk of Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh ...

, Veezhinathar , Thiruveezhimizhalai3

, Senthanar (12) ,

Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...

is said to have been reborn as

Katyayani ''Katyayani'' (कात्यायनी) is an aspect of Mahadevi and the slayer of the tyrannical demon Mahishasura. She is the sixth among the Navadurgas, the nine forms of Hindu goddess Durga who are worshipped during the festival of Navar ...

and married

here.

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

received the cosmic weapon Chakrayudam from Shiva here in lieu of the 1000 flower worship to Shiva. A panel depicting the divine marriage is seen behind the

Shivalingam A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional i ...

. The Moolvar vimanam is believed to be brought to here by

Mahavishnu Mahavishnu (Sanskrit: महाविष्णु) is an aspect of Vishnu, the principal deity in Vaishnavism. In his capacity as Mahavishnu, the deity is known as the Supreme Purusha, the absolute protector and sustainer of the universe, th ...

Notes

References

* * * {{refend Tamil-language literature Carnatic music Texts related to Nayanar saints Hindu texts