Thiruvachagam -1/12 திருவாசகம்
- 12 years ago
Thiruvasagam (Tamil: திருவாசகம் lit. "sacred utterance") is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the ninth century Shaivite bhakti poet Manikkavacakar. It contains 51 compositions and constitutes the eighth volume of the Tirumurai, the sacred anthology of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta.
The main message of the hymns is that the body is temporary and worldly comforts are the root cause of pain and sorrow. One should rather pray to leave the body and attain liberation (moksha). Soul should have control over the body: the ultimate highness in one's life is to reach Lord Shiva's feet.
Legend has it that Manikkavacakar was appointed as minister by king Arimarttanar and sent to purchase 10,000 horses from Arab traders but spent the money building a temple in Tirupperunturai.
There is a famous saying " திருவாசகத்துக்கு உருகார் ஒரு வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார்" translating "He whose heart is not melted by Tiruvasagam must have a heart of stone". George Uglow Pope was born on 24 April 1820 on Prince Edward Island in Canada. He became interested in Tamil and learned the language during a six-month ship voyage to India. His magnum opus, an English translation of Tiruvacakam, appeared in 1900. Dr. Pope found a close affinity to the utterances of sincere devotion in such verses as 'Longing for devotion alone', 'Without thy presence I pine', 'Deadness of soul', 'God all in all', 'I am thine, save me', 'His love demands my all'.[12] He also compared Manickavasgar to the likes of St. Paul and St. Francis of Assisi.
The main message of the hymns is that the body is temporary and worldly comforts are the root cause of pain and sorrow. One should rather pray to leave the body and attain liberation (moksha). Soul should have control over the body: the ultimate highness in one's life is to reach Lord Shiva's feet.
Legend has it that Manikkavacakar was appointed as minister by king Arimarttanar and sent to purchase 10,000 horses from Arab traders but spent the money building a temple in Tirupperunturai.
There is a famous saying " திருவாசகத்துக்கு உருகார் ஒரு வாசகத்திற்கும் உருகார்" translating "He whose heart is not melted by Tiruvasagam must have a heart of stone". George Uglow Pope was born on 24 April 1820 on Prince Edward Island in Canada. He became interested in Tamil and learned the language during a six-month ship voyage to India. His magnum opus, an English translation of Tiruvacakam, appeared in 1900. Dr. Pope found a close affinity to the utterances of sincere devotion in such verses as 'Longing for devotion alone', 'Without thy presence I pine', 'Deadness of soul', 'God all in all', 'I am thine, save me', 'His love demands my all'.[12] He also compared Manickavasgar to the likes of St. Paul and St. Francis of Assisi.