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(Redirected from Appar)
'Thirunavukkarasar' (Tamil:திருநாவுக்கரசர), popularly known as 'Appar', was a Saivite saint who lived in Tamil Nadu during the seventh century CE. He is one of the 63 Saivite saints known as Nayanars. He was a contemporary of the Pallava king Mahendravarman I and was responsible for the conversion of the king to the Hindu faith. Thirunavukkarasu himself spent a few years of his life as a Jain ascetic under the name Dharmasena. He eventually returned to the Saiva faith.
Appar then started singing Tamil hymns while travelling from village to village. He is known to have travelled to about 125 temples in different cities or villages in Tamil Nadu HIs hymns are set to melodic patterns known as Pann. Around 3066 of his songs are available today. These have been collected into the Tevaram along with the compositions of Sundarar and Sambanthar.
The details of Appar's life come to us from his own hymns, Sekkizhar's ''Periyapuranam'' and Sundarar's ''Thiruttondartokai''.[1]
Appar was born Marulnikkiyar in Thiruvamur, on the banks of the river Pennai (near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu), to a Brahmin family. HIs parents were Puhalanar. Marulnikkiyar had an elder sister named Tilakavathi. When the children were still young, the parents died. This and other setbacks in life led Marulnikkiyar and Tilakavathi to seek spiritual guidance. This led Marulnikkiyar to the Jain faith and he travelled to Patalipura (near Cuddalore) to join a Jain monastery.[2] He was given the name Dharmasena by his Jain teachers and he learnt the Jain scriptures there. Meanwhile Tilakavathi became a devout Saivite.
After a while Dharmasena was afflicted by a painful illness which foreced him to come back home to seek his sister's help.[3] At her behest Dharmasena went to the Siva temple and prayed for relief and was cured miraculously. Dharmasena sang his first hymn ''kurrayinavaru vilakku'' and was acclaimed as 'Navukkarasu' (meaning 'king of the tongue' in reference to his poetic skills).
The reconversion of Dharmasena into the Saivite faith prompted the Jains to complain about him to the Pallava king Mahendravarman I. the king subjected Appar to a number of ordeals and punishments.[3] Navukkarasar overcame all of these apparently miraculously. The ashtonished king himself converted into the Hindu faith from Jainism.
Navukkarasar began travelling from village to village singing hymns at the various Siva temples. After many years he hear of Sambanthar and went to Sirkali to meet him. Sambanthar respectfully addressed Navukkarasar as ''Appar'' (father). Sambanthar and Appar travelled together singing hymns.
Appar died at the age of 80.
Appar’s Tevaram hymns, as we have them now, are grouped into three books, which form the fourth, firth and sixth ''Tirumurai'' of the Tamil Saiva canon. The compilation of these books is generally ascribed to Nambi Andar Nambi in the 10h Century.
Some of Appar's hymns set to various ''Panns'', melodic meters of the Ancient Tamil music which the rest are set to ''Thirunerisai'' and ''Viruttam'' metres. Sundarar in his ''Tiruttondartokai'' states that Appar composed 4900 hymns of ten verses each. This is repeated by botth Nambi Andar Nambi and Sekkilar. Out of these only 313 have survived.[3]
1. Excerpt from Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 1
2. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 3
3. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 2
4. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 2
5. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 2
★ Siva Bhakti Dr. R. Nagasamy
★ 'Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend, Anna Dallapiccola, , , , ,
'Thirunavukkarasar' (Tamil:திருநாவுக்கரசர), popularly known as 'Appar', was a Saivite saint who lived in Tamil Nadu during the seventh century CE. He is one of the 63 Saivite saints known as Nayanars. He was a contemporary of the Pallava king Mahendravarman I and was responsible for the conversion of the king to the Hindu faith. Thirunavukkarasu himself spent a few years of his life as a Jain ascetic under the name Dharmasena. He eventually returned to the Saiva faith.
Appar then started singing Tamil hymns while travelling from village to village. He is known to have travelled to about 125 temples in different cities or villages in Tamil Nadu HIs hymns are set to melodic patterns known as Pann. Around 3066 of his songs are available today. These have been collected into the Tevaram along with the compositions of Sundarar and Sambanthar.
| Contents |
| His life |
| Appar's Tevaram |
| Notes |
| Reference |
His life
The details of Appar's life come to us from his own hymns, Sekkizhar's ''Periyapuranam'' and Sundarar's ''Thiruttondartokai''.[1]
Appar was born Marulnikkiyar in Thiruvamur, on the banks of the river Pennai (near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu), to a Brahmin family. HIs parents were Puhalanar. Marulnikkiyar had an elder sister named Tilakavathi. When the children were still young, the parents died. This and other setbacks in life led Marulnikkiyar and Tilakavathi to seek spiritual guidance. This led Marulnikkiyar to the Jain faith and he travelled to Patalipura (near Cuddalore) to join a Jain monastery.[2] He was given the name Dharmasena by his Jain teachers and he learnt the Jain scriptures there. Meanwhile Tilakavathi became a devout Saivite.
After a while Dharmasena was afflicted by a painful illness which foreced him to come back home to seek his sister's help.[3] At her behest Dharmasena went to the Siva temple and prayed for relief and was cured miraculously. Dharmasena sang his first hymn ''kurrayinavaru vilakku'' and was acclaimed as 'Navukkarasu' (meaning 'king of the tongue' in reference to his poetic skills).
The reconversion of Dharmasena into the Saivite faith prompted the Jains to complain about him to the Pallava king Mahendravarman I. the king subjected Appar to a number of ordeals and punishments.[3] Navukkarasar overcame all of these apparently miraculously. The ashtonished king himself converted into the Hindu faith from Jainism.
Navukkarasar began travelling from village to village singing hymns at the various Siva temples. After many years he hear of Sambanthar and went to Sirkali to meet him. Sambanthar respectfully addressed Navukkarasar as ''Appar'' (father). Sambanthar and Appar travelled together singing hymns.
Appar died at the age of 80.
Appar's Tevaram
Appar’s Tevaram hymns, as we have them now, are grouped into three books, which form the fourth, firth and sixth ''Tirumurai'' of the Tamil Saiva canon. The compilation of these books is generally ascribed to Nambi Andar Nambi in the 10h Century.
Some of Appar's hymns set to various ''Panns'', melodic meters of the Ancient Tamil music which the rest are set to ''Thirunerisai'' and ''Viruttam'' metres. Sundarar in his ''Tiruttondartokai'' states that Appar composed 4900 hymns of ten verses each. This is repeated by botth Nambi Andar Nambi and Sekkilar. Out of these only 313 have survived.[3]
Notes
1. Excerpt from Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 1
2. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 3
3. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 2
4. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 2
5. Dr R. Nagasamy, ''Siva Bhakthi'' Chapter 2
Reference
★ Siva Bhakti Dr. R. Nagasamy
★ 'Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend, Anna Dallapiccola, , , , ,
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