Thirunavukkarasar swamigal was born in middle of seventh century in the district of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu state in India, He is one of the noticeable of the sixty three Nayanars. He was second child of Thiru Pukalanar and Mathiniyar. He was named ‘Marulneekiyar’. Marulnikkiyar had an elder sister named Tilakavathi.
Kalippakaiyar, a young military commander wanted to marry Tilakavathiyar. Father Pukalanar agreed for the marriage and the festivities started. Sudently war broke out, so Kalippakaiyar had to go to war front. Meanwhile both of their parents, Pukalanar and Madhiniyar passed away. Unfortunately Kalippakaiyar also was killed in war. With an intolerable sorrow, Tilakavathiyar started to lead a life of an Eremite. Instead of dreadful life, Thilakavathiyar took responsibility of Marulneekiyar as mother. She was devotee of Lord shiva and stared to lead life with worship of lord shiva and as mother of Marulneekiyar.
Marulnikkiyar, stung by immediate tragedies gave away his fortune to charity and joined in Jainism which impressed with the doctrine of non-killing. He learnt Jain scriptures and literature, and was given the name Dharmasena by the Jains. Tilakavathiyar was a devotee of Lord Shiva and committed to the service of lord and his devotees. She kept calling to Siva to bring back Thirunavukkarasar to Saiva fold. Thilakavathiyar was depressed to know the approach of his brother and felt deeply distressed about his change in faith, abandoning the Shaivism. She left her hometown and settled in Thiruvadihikai. As a loyal devotee of Shiva, She prayed to Lord Shiva to free him from the Jain belief and make him a Saiva devotee.
Thirunavukkarasar developed an incessant pain in his abdomen. But the remedies didn’t have worked for his pain. Thirunavukkarasar become aware of that his days were numbered, he thought of his sister and he left school of Jain, he went to Thiruvadhikai and met his sister. He fall at the feet of his sister and wept hardly. She requested him to ingest holy ashes and sing Panchakshara Mantra of the Lord Shiva. Thilakavathiyar brought him to the temple of Lord Virattaneshwarar, Thirunavukkarasar devotedly sung praising the glory of the Lord Shiva. He was regretted his offense towards saints and the sacred scriptures of Lord Shiva and surrendered to Lord Shiva. It was really very miraculous act, as he concluded the verses Thirunavukkarasar Pain instantly gone and he and his sister could listened a divine voice ” Navukkarasu “and his glories will forever “. He sang glorious verses of Lord Shiva. He and his sister continued their devotional service to the Lord and engaged in spreading the glories of Lord Shiva.
This incident created a great chaos among the people of Jainism. Their inability to heal Thirunavukkarasar and his rejection of religion has made a rage among them. They plotted against Thirunavukkarasar and proclaimed him as a conspirator against Jainism. King of the Pallava dynasty, Mahendrvarman ordered to produce Thirunavukkarasar in court and final judgments were pronounced.
Thirunavukkarasar was pushed into a dungeon of furnace. Surprisingly, it has remained unscathed and he was in deep meditation there for a few days. Then Thirunavukkarasar was poisoned to death, fortunately the poison turned into nectar. King Mahendravaraman ordered to kill Thirunavukkarasar with his royal elephant. But the elephant submissively circumambulated Thirunavukkarasar and worshiped him. At the end he was tied to a rock and decided to plunge into the depths of the sea. The huge rock started to float on the sea and Thirunavukkarasar seemed to singing the glory of the Lord. Finally, the floating stone took Thirunavukkarasar to shore of Thiruppapuliyur. King Mahendravarman understood the superiority of Shaivism and happened to come across many miraculous events that confirmed the faith in Shaivism. He come near Thirunavukkarasar and fell at his feet to forgive. Thirunavukkarasar embraced the king, the king ordered to annihilate the schools of Jains and built a Shiva temple in Gunapraveecharam, Thiruvadhikai.
There was many incident occurred to Thirunavukkarasar, he felt unclean because of the long association he had with Jains and beliefs. He urged to Lord Shiva and received intact with the symbol of Trident and Nandi on his shoulders. Yearning to see Chidambaram, Thirunavukkarasar visited there to pray the dancing Lord. Thirunavukkarasar entered to see the kanaka sabhai and the God was dancing in his heart. He sung praising the glories of Lord Nataraja. At that time, he met Thiru Gnana Sambandhar, they flattered to each other and are an example of association of two great saints. Thirunavukkarasar has traveled across the sacred land to spread the glories of the Lord Shiva. While his visit he met Saint Thingallur Apputhi Adigalar a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Apputhi Adigalar was doing all the services in an adorable fashion in the name of T. A miraculous incident, by prayer Thirunavukkarasar brought Apputhi Adigalar’s son back to life. In the course of Thirunavukkarasar’s visit to Thirupanjali, he was exhausted of lack of food and thirstiness. He had to take along a unexpected halt to his trip, at this instant Lord Shiva disguised in the form of a Brahmin and served him with food; He followed Thirunavukkarasar upto certain distance and disappeared. Thirunavukkarasar recognized the mercy of Lord and cried desperately at the separation of Him. He started again his journey to Thiruvannamalai, Kalahasthi singing and praising the glories of Lord. At Kalahasthi he sang the glories of Kannappa.
He visited Varanasi and worshiped Lord Vishwanatha. There his desire to visit Kailash grew out, he walked without considering day or night towards Mount Kailash. Quickly, Thirunavukkarasar become week and struggled to move on Lord Shiva. He appeared before him disguised in the form of a saint with matted hair locks, Rudrakshas, marks of Tripundra with Holy ashes all over the body. He advised Thirunavukkarasar to change his mind from firm aspiration to visit Kailash. But Thirunavukkarasar was too firm to pull out from his decision. Later, Lord followed Thirunavukkarasar giving encouragements from time to time. At one instant Thirunavukkarasar earnestly prayed to Lord and worried about his failing body. Lord instructed him to take bath in a holy pond created. Thirunavukkarasar followed the divine instructions. Thirunavukkarasar keenly entered into the sanctum sanctorum there he could see Mount Kailash, Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvathy with the deities surrounded. Thirunavukkarasar was in an ecstasy singing and praising the glories of Lord Shiva.
During Thirunavukkarasar staying at Thiruppunturutti, Thirujnanasambandar came to meet him. Having learnt of his visit, Thirunavukkarasar went to receive him, mixed with the gathering and without anyone’s notice, started carrying the palanquin Thirujnanasambandar. Once arriving the village, Sambandar questioned about Appar. There come to light the saint as a porter of the palanquin. Thirujnanasambandar was astonised, and fell at the feet of T. Both the saints spent some time at Thiruppunturutti. Later Thirunavukkarasar visited the Madurai temple and met the Pandya king Nedumaran, his queen Mangaiyarkarasi and their minister Kulacciraiyar. Then he went to Thiruppuvanam and Rameswaram, Thirunelveli and Kanapper.
Finally Thirunavukkarasar reached Pumpuhalur and continued his service of cleaning the temples to Lord Agnishwara. There he sang Thiruttandakam and other songs. In order to test his devotion, Lord wanted to show to the entire world the undisturbable mentally blissful state of Thirunavukkarasar, the temple floor were overfilled with the gems and ornaments. All were insignificant for Thirunavukkarasar and none could diverge his devotion and self-less approach of this real Sanyasin. Thirunavukkarasar continued his service of cleaning the floors, picking the gems from the floor and put them far out of reach like dirt. Lord Shiva continued to examine Thirunavukkarasar but his devotion to Lord Shiva grew up very strong and strong.
On a Sadaya day in the month of Chittrai, he sang the hymn punniya unnadikke potrukinren (Oh Good deed, I am going to your sacred feet) and merged with Lord Shiva.
As Thirunavukkarasar and his siter Thilakavathiyar heard the divine voice:
Thirunavukkarasar. He was exactly a king’s speech. His glories will forever. Thirunavukkarasar ‘s life is a lesson for all those wandering to service for Lord Shiva’s lotus feet.
