Sekkizhar - Revision history

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imported>Periyarist at 19:45, 22 July 2020

2020-07-22T19:45:59Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox
| embed =
| above = Sekkizhar
| label1 = Full name
| data1 = {{{Native_name|Sēkkilān Mādēvadigal Rāmadēva}}}
| label2 = Period
| data2 = {{{Period|12th century CE}}}
| label3 = Birth place
| data3 = {{{Birth_place|[[Kundrathur]] (a suburb of present-day [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]])}}}
| label4 = Occupation
| data4 = {{{Occupation|Saint}}}
| label5 = Language
| data5 = {{{Language|[[Tamil language|Tamil]]}}}
| label6 = Notable works
| data6 = {{{Notable_works|[[Periyapuranam]]}}}
| label7 = Festivals
| data7 = {{{Festivals|Guru Puja in Vaigasi (May-June)}}}
}}

'''Sēkkilān Mādēvadigal Rāmadēva''' (12th century CE),<ref>{{cite book|title=A handbook of Tamil Nadu|author=K. M. Venkataramaiah, International School of Dravidian Linguistics|publisher=International School of Dravidian Linguistics, 1996|page=331}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Tirumal?ava?i Temple: History and Culture Through the Ages|author=C. Mookka Reddy|publisher=B.R. Publishing Corporation, 1986|page=43}}</ref> known popularly by his family name as '''Sekkizhar''',<ref>{{cite book|title=A history of Tamil literature|year=1961|url=https://archive.org/details/historyoftamilli0000unse|url-access=registration|author=C. Jesudasan, Hephzibah Jesudasan|publisher=Y.M.C.A. Pub. House, 1961|page=[https://archive.org/details/historyoftamilli0000unse/page/157 157]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=A Survey of the Sources for the History of Tamil Literature|author=Mu Kōvintacāmi|publisher=Annamalai University, 1977|page=135}}</ref> was a saint and a contemporary of [[Kulothunga Chola II|Kulottunga Chola II]].<ref>{{cite book|title=A Survey of the Sources for the History of Tamil Literature|author=Mu Kōvintacāmi|publisher=Annamalai University, 1977 - Tamil literature - 436 pages|page=136}}</ref> He compiled and wrote the ''[[Periya Puranam]]'' (Great Story or Narrative) in 4253 verses, recounting the life stories of the sixty-three [[Shaiva]] [[Nayanars]], the devotees of [[Shiva]]. Sekkizhar himself was later canonised and his work, the Periyapuranam became the twelfth and final book of the sacred Saiva canon.<ref name=DictionaryofIndianLiterature/>

==Life==

Sekkizhar was born in a [[Thondaimandala Vellala|Tondaimandala Mudaliar]] family as Arulmozhithevan, meaning ''the one of the divine language''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Kalhār (white water-lily): studies in art, iconography, architecture, and archaeology of India and Bangladesh|author1=Enamul Haque|author2=Gouriswar Bhattacharya|publisher=Kaveri Books, 01-Mar-2007 - Art - 370 pages|page=366}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Śaiva Siddhānta|author=Violet Paranjoti|publisher=Luzac, 1954 - Śaiva Siddhānta - 152 pages|page=32}}</ref> He was a native of [[Kundrathur]] village (a suburb of the present-day [[Chennai]]), a sub-division of Puliyur-kottam in Thondaimandalam.<ref name=DictionaryofIndianLiterature>{{cite book|title=A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850|author=Sujit Mukherjee|publisher=Orient Blackswan, 1998 - Literary Criticism - 434 pages|page=356}}</ref> Sekkizhar was a child of precious genius and having noticed this, king Anapaya, that is [[Kulothunga Chola II]] appointed him as his Prime Minister on account of his talents.<ref>{{cite book|title=Contributions of saints and seers to the music of India, Volume 1|author=Shantsheela Sathianathan|publisher=Kanishka Publishers, Distributors, 1996 - Religion - 589 pages|page=187}}</ref> His life is celebrated by [[Umapati Sivacharya]] in his fourteenth century work (1313 CE) called Sekkizhar Nayanar Puranam.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot|author=Mohan Lal|publisher=Sahitya Akademi, 1992 - Indic literature - 818 pages|page=3904}}</ref> Sekkizhar had the title ''Uttama Chola Pallavan'' and his brother, the title ''Tondaiman Pallavaraiyan''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Glimpses of Tamil Culture: Based on Periyapuranam|author=K. Nambi Arooran|publisher=Koodal Publishers, 1977|page=13}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=An Introduction to Tamil Literature|author=N. Subrahmanian|publisher=Christian Literature Society, 1981|page=49}}</ref> Sekkizhar is also called ''Ganga-kula tilaka'' (the glory of the Ganga race) and ''Bagirathi-kula tilaka'' (the glory of the [[Bhagiratha]] race) by Umapati Sivacharya in his work, the ''Sekkilar Puranam''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Kalhar (white water-lily): studies in art, iconography, architecture, and archaeology of India and Bangladesh|author=Enamul Haque, Gouriswar Bhattacharya|publisher=Kaveri Books, 2007|page=369|quote=It says that Sekkilar, the Ganga kula tilaka, composed the Puranam in blemishless language. The title Bhagirathi kula tilaka appears in verse 97, nikarilap-pidu ceyda Bhagirathi kula tilakar Sekkilar ceyda perum tavam, that is, this is the famoush unparalleled contribution of Sekkilar, the Bhagirathi kula tilaka, as a result of his penance.}}</ref> The ''Guru Puja'' festival for Sekkizhar is celebrated annually in the month of Vaigasi-Poosam (May-June).

== Compilation of Periyapuranam ==
{{Tirumurai}}
[[Kulothunga Chola II]], then a young king, was a devotee of [[Nataraja|Lord Siva]] at [[Chidambaram]] and continued the reconstruction of the center of [[History of Shaivism|Tamil Saivism]] that was begun by his ancestors.<ref>{{cite book|title=Epigraphia Indica, Volume 27,Volumes 13-14 of [Reports]: New imperial series, India Archaeological Survey|author=Archaeological Survey of India, India. Dept. of Archaeology|publisher=Manager of Publications, 1985|page=96}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Madras District Gazetteers, Volume 1|author=Madras (India : State)|publisher=Superintendent, Government Press, 1962|page=55}}</ref> At the same time, he was very interested in the highly erotic [[Jain]] epic [[Cīvaka Cintāmaṇi|Jivaka Chintamani]]. Sekkizhar, upon noticing this, advised the king to instead turn his attention to the lives of the [[Saiva]] saints as described by [[Sundarar]] in his ''Tiruthondar Thogai''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism|author1=Constance Jones|author2=James D. Ryan|publisher=Infobase Publishing|date=2006|page=327}}</ref>

The king thereupon invited Sekkizhar to expound the lives of the Saiva saints in a great poem. Since Sekkizhar was a scholar in both the Vedas as well as the Agamas and being a Saiva saint himself, knew about [[Nayanmars]]. He composed the [[Periyapuranam]] or the ''Great Narrative'' about the lives of the sixty three [[Nayanmars]] or saints and would himself sing it in the ''Thousand Pillared Hall'' of the [[Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram|Chidambaram temple]] and arouse the latent Chola Saiva zeal.<ref>{{cite book|title=Tillai and Nataraja|author1=B. Natarajan|author2=Balasubrahmanyan Ramachandran|publisher=Mudgala Trust, 1994 - Chidambaram (India) - 632 pages|page=66}}</ref>

According to a folklore, when Sekkizhar sat pondering at Chidambaram temple as to how to begin his work, Lord Siva appeared and said his first verse should be:
{{Verse translation|
{{lang|ta-Latn|Ulakellam unarnthu otharkku ariyavan
Nilavulaviya neermali veniyan
Alakil jothiyan ambalatthu aaduvan
malar chilambadi vaazhthi vanakuvom}}
|
He who is known to those who forsake attachments
He who is of plaited locks of hair in which river flows and baby moon grazes
He who is verily sublime light and who dances in the golden hall of chidambaram
lets worship his rosy anklet girt feet}}

[[Kulothunga Chola II]] was so moved upon hearing the Periyapuranam that he placed the poem and Sekkizhar on the royal elephant and took them out on a grand procession around the streets of [[Chidambaram]], the king himself waved the fly-whisks and showered Sekkizhar with honors.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Saiva Saints|author=M. Arunachalam|publisher=Gandhi Vidyalayam, 1985 - Sivaites - 238 pages|page=206}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Census of India, 1971: Series 19: Tamil Nadu, Volume 6, Part 2|author=India. Office of the Registrar General|publisher=Manager of Publications, 1900 - Housing|page=49}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Chidambaram: Home of Nataraja|author1=Vivek Nanda|author2=George Michell|publisher=Marg Publications, 2004 - Travel - 140 pages|page=48}}</ref> This work is considered the most important initiative of [[Kulothunga Chola II|Kulothunga Chola II's]] reign. Although it is only a literary embellishment of earlier hagiographies of the Saiva saints it came to be seen as the epitome of [[Chola]] literary style.<ref name="TheHomeofDancingŚivan̲">The Home of Dancing Śivan̲ By Paul Younger</ref> Among all the [[Hagiography|hagiographic]] ''Puranas'' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], the ''[[Periyapuranam]]'' (or ''Tiruttondar Puranam'') stands first.<ref>{{cite book|title=Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections|author=Ayyappappanikkar|publisher=Sahitya Akademi, 1997 - Indic literature - 924 pages|page=522}}</ref> The ''[[Periyapuranam]]'' is considered a fifth [[Veda]] in the [[Tamil language]] and it immediately took its place as the twelfth and the last book in the Saiva canon.<ref>{{cite book|title=Textbook of Indian History and Culture|author=Sailendra Nath Sen|publisher=Macmillan, 2007 - India - 356 pages|page=102}}</ref>

==Temples for Sekkizhar==

As per an inscription from [[Thiruvanchiyam|Srivanjiyam]], Sekkizhar was deified and provisions were made for the worship of his idol by a person called Anapaayan. <ref>{{cite book|title=Tillai and Nataraja|author=B. Natarajan|publisher=Mudgala Trust, 1994|page=91}}</ref>

There are temples dedicated to Sekkizhar. These include the Kundrathur Sekkizhar Temple at [[Kundrathur]], [[Chennai]], and the Devakottai Nagara Sivan Kovil (also called the "Sekkizhar Kovil") in the Chettinad region of [[Sivagangai district]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], where Saint Sekkizhar is the procession deity.

==Research Centre==
The '''Sekkizhar Research Centre''' conducts research on his epic [[Periyapuranam]] and the period, art, culture, civilization, rituals, socioeconomic conditions, and religion/secularism of the times and place surrounding it.

{{portal|Poetry}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Shaivite religious leaders]]
[[Category:Tamil poets]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Texts related to Nayanar saints]]
[[Category:12th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Poets from Tamil Nadu]]