A note on Tamil Saivam and Sambandar

A note  on Tamil Saivam  and Sambandar

By
Elango Kadhirvel

Tamil Shaivism

Shaivism is a School of Philosophy in Hinduism. The followers of Shaivism are called Shaivites and they worship Shiva as their supreme Godhead

Tamil Shaivism is a branch of Hinduism that emerged and flourished in Tamil Nadu from the 5th century onwards

Of all 63 Nayanmars , Sambanthar, Appar, Sundarar & Manikkavachakar are considered as Samaya kuravar or beacons of Shaiva Siddantha

While the hymns on Lord Shiva composed by the first three are called as Thevaram, the one composed and sung by Manikkavachakar is called as Thiruvasakam

Together and other hymns constitute Thirumurai which are 12 in number, each containing 1000s of hymns

Sambanthar

In sacred town of Seerkazhi, there lived a pious person by name Shivapada Hridayar with his virtuous wife - Bhagavathiar

Both of them were ardent devotees of Lord Shiva. Shivapada Hridayar prayed to Lord Shiva for the boon of a worthy son to him who would establish the glory of Shaivism

The Lord granted this boon and Bhagavathiar soon brought into this world a radiant male child. He was given the name Sambanthar

One day Shivapada Hridayar and his wife took the child with them to the temple tank in which they wanted to bathe. They left the child on the bank and went in to bathe. The child looked at the tower of the temple and began to cry for his parents

Lord Thoniappar (Lord Shiva, the Deity at Seergazhi) wanted to bless the child

So, HE appeared with Mother Parvathi and asked Her to feed the child with the milk of divine wisdom

From the moment he drank the milk of wisdom, Sambanthar began to sing soul-stirring songs in praise of Lord Shiva. The collection of these songs form the first three volumes of the ThiruMurai

தும்மல் இருமல் தொடர்ந்தபோழ்தினும்,வெம்மை நரகம் விளைந்தபோழ்தினும்,இம்மை வினை அடர்த்து எய்தும்போழ்தினும்,அம்மையினும், துணை – அஞ்சுஎழுத்துமே!

-          திருஞானசம்பந்த சுவாமிகள்

The Panchakshari (Na Ma Shi Vaa Ya) would protect us in our next birth as well as we continue to chant –

even when cough/sneeze continue to taunt us;

when we have to experience the cruel hellish suffering;

when our accumulated sins of this birth trouble us

-          Thiru Gnana Sambandar (7^th Century Saint Poet)