Manikkavachakar, who is a well known saint is very popular among the Tamil Saivite Mystic Poets. He is one of the four Saiva Samaya Asiriyars of TamilNadu.
He was born at Vadavur in Pandiya Nadu. So he was called as Vadavurar, named after his birth place. His period is uncertain because of want of sufficient evidence. However, there are two different conclusions among the research scholars, one concludes 3rd Century A.D. and the other 9th Century A.D.
Even at his early age Vadavurar was well versed in Tamil Language and Literature and Religious Philosophy, and especially in Saiva Scriptures. He was a great Scholar in secular studies also. Knowing his genius, Arimarthana Pandiyan, the then king called on him and gave him the post of Prime Minister of his Kingdom. Though Vadavurar was in the responsibility of a Prime Minister, discharging his duties to the satisfication of the king, he devoted most of his time in searching for the truth of human life. His longing for finding the ultimate end of the living souls was immense.
On one occasion the king sent him with a lot of money to buy horses for cavalry. When the Minister was on the journey to a port on the east coast of Tamil Land for purchasing horses, he reached Perunthurai, now-a-days called as Avudaiyarkoil in Aranthanki Taluk of Pudukottai District.
For so many years Vadavurar was in quest of a Guru, the divine teacher, to illuminate him to know the everlasting truth and the ultimate end of the soul.
Now, the time had come. By God's Grace, there at Perunthurai, he met a Saiva Asiriyar beneath a Kuruntha tree.
Lord Siva took himself a personal form and appeared as a Guru at Tirupperunthurai to bestow Vadavurar the knowledge of the ultimate truth and to give him the eternal blissful life. This is evidently known from his own words in Thiruvachakam.
Attracted to the divine Grace of Siva Guru, Vadavurar very eagerly approached him. He was initiated by the Guru and it resulted in him to ignore and forget all the earthly things. He was freed from the fetters of attachment to the world. His heart was liquefied by the profound love for his Guru Siva. In this state he forgot the King's mission, forgot his ministerial position, his duty as a Minister and responsibility. He forgot himself completely and began to spend the money, which he had been given for purchasing the horses, on the construction of the temple in the place.
When the king came to know of what had happened at Tirupperunturai, he recalled Vadavurar to his court and enquired into the matter. It is told that some punishments were given to him. However, in the end the king understood the divinity in Vadavurar, he apologised to and freed him from his control for ever.
It was the turning point in Vadavurar's life when he met his Guru beneath the Kuruntha tree at Tirupperunthurai. When he was initiated and illuminated by the Guru his life was completely changed from worldly to spiritual. He stood united with Siva. Being one with God, his love to god knew no bounds. His absolute love for God Siva made him to forget himself.
After releasing from the bonds of ministerial service he led a life entirely dedicated to Siva worship. His Guru has already taken possession of Vadavarur, his body and soul and all other belongings well when he initiated him with the Five Sacred Letters - Na - Ma - Ci - Va - Ya.
Now Vadavurar took the life of Saint, a religious poet. He visited many shrines of Siva in Tamil Land and sang melodious Tamil songs of his own, praising his Guru, Lord Siva and His Grace which changed his life from worldly to divinely.
His songs were complied into a single form and was named as Tiruvachakam. Vadavurar was named as Manikkavachakar.
Thiruvachakam is a remarkable mystical work profoundly religious, in exquisitely beautiful verses divinely inspired, and undoubtedly ranking as one of the great religious classics of the world. It was confirmed when a foreign genious Dr.G.U.Pope was attracted to Thiruvachakam and it was translated by him completely in English, his native language.
Though Manikkavachakar is counted as one among the four Saiva Mystic poets, his case is peculiar and a distinguished one. Among the four he is the only Saint who was initiated by God Siva who himself manifested as a Guru in human form of Grace. He was no ordinary Mystic of Bhakti. The exposure of his experience of immense love to God is the main characteristic of his Tiruvachakam.
In Tiruvachakkam one could know clearly the nature of true and genuine love for God. Manikkavachakar proclaims his undivided and whole hearted love for God Siva and that love has absorbed his whole life. His love to Siva was the evergrowing one. His love was not for any reward from Him.
There are many autobiographical remarks in his Tiruvachakam. It is full of references to the Guru-disciple relationship. This relationship turns afterwards into the lower and beloved relationship. Where Manikkavachakar is the bride of the Lord Siva. He speaks of the complete stripping of his soul when he was united to God Siva.
Tiruvachakam conveys the supreme love for Siva in an obvious rhythm of words, with pleasing sound. It is contained profound statements on love. The verses are in simple style and are easily readable and sung by the very common people and at the same time the thought contents in them are understandable only by scholars of Siva Sitthanta doctrine, and most particularly by the religious experiencers.
The immense output of mystical experience reached its climax in the Tiruvachakam. Anyone reading it could not but feel the wonderful beauty and pathos and love that permeats these verses.
When reciting in private or public, tears would gush in our eyes. There is a common saying that "Those hearts melted not to Tiruvachakam would melt to no other Vachakam".
Tiruvachakam, particularly, the very first decad 'The Civapuranam' is daily sung with devotion and rapture in temples and homes throughout Tamil Nadu.
At the end of his pilgrimage Manikkavachakar arrived at Chitamparam and there he attained the complete communion with Siva's Sacred feet of Grace. It is the Final Bliss he attained for ever as the result of his profound and pure love.
One who recites Tiruvachakam daily with his whole hearted love, would certainly find his heart been liquefied and in due course will attain the Grace of Siva.