Thiruvisaipa ( Tamil: திருவிசைப்பா ''Thiru'' means "respect", ''visai'' means "action" and ''pa'' indicates "poem") denotes the ninth volumes of the ''

Tirumurai ''Thirumurai'' (Tamil: திருமுறை, meaning holy division) is a twelve-volume compendium of songs or hymns in praise of Shiva in the Tamil language from the 6th to the 11th century CE by various poets in Tamil Nadu. Nambiyan ...

'', the twelve-volume collection of Tamil Saivite devotional poetry. The works of eight authors belonging to the 10th century, namely Thirumaligai Thevar, Senthanar, Karuvur Thevar, Ponnthuruthi Nambi Kata Nambi, Kandarathithar, Venattadigal, Thiruvaliyamuthanar, Purshottama Nambi, Sethiyar and Senthanar. Out of the eight, Kandarathithar, was a Chola king, who an ardent devotee of Shiva. He wanted to compile '' Thevaram'', but the mission was completed by his grandson Rajaraja I.

The poems

The ninth volume of Tirumurai is composed by Tamil poets (known as ''

Nayanars The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; ta, நாயன்மார், translit=Nāyaṉmār, translit-std=ISO, lit=hounds of Siva, and later 'teachers of Shiva ) were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were d ...

'') - Thirumaligai Thevar, Senthanar, Karuvur Thevar, Ponnthuruthi Nambi Kata Nambi, Kandarathithar, Venattadigal, Thiruvaliyamuthanar, Purshottama Nambi, Sethiyar and Senthanar Among the eight, Kandarathithar, was a prince descended from Chola king,

Parantaka I Parantaka Chola I (Tamil : பராந்தக சோழன் I) (873 CE–955 CE) was a Chola emperor who ruled for forty-eight years, annexing Pandya by defeating Rajasimhan II. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success ...

. He and his wife Sembian Mahadevi were ardent devotees of Shiva and wanted to compile '' Thevaram'' during his life time, but could not complete the mission. During the

reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, List of Belgian monarchs, Belgium, Co-prince of Andorra, Andorra), of a people (e.g., List of Frankish kings, the Franks, List of ...

Rajaraja Chola I Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...

in the 10th century, a collection of these songs was found abandoned in the Chidambaram temple, along with other religious literary works, and collated by

Nambiyandar Nambi Thirunaraiyur Nambiyandar Nambi was an eleventh-century Shaiva scholar of Tamil Nadu in South India who compiled the hymns of Sampantar, Appar and Sundarar and was himself one of the authors of the eleventh volume of the canon of the Tamil litu ...

List of Temple associated with Tiruvisaippa

There are 14 temples revered by the hymns of Thiruvisaippa and are in turn referred as "Tiruvisaipa Thalangal". , - , Thirukuraithudayar temple , Thiruvidaikazhi , Thirukuraithudayar , , Senthanar (11) , , - , Mahalingeswarar Temple , Tiruvidaimaruthur , Mahalingeswarar , Tiruvidaimaruthur13

, Karuvur Thevar (10) , The Chola prince, it is believed, entered the Mahalingeswarar Temple and prayed to his favourite God,

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

for relief from the clutches of the spirit of the dead Brahmin or ''brahmarakshas''. The Chola prince made his way out through another entrance thereby saving himself. , - , Masilamaniswara Temple , Thiruvaduthurai , Masilamaniswarar , Thiruvavaduthurai4

, Senthanar (11) , This is counted as the first mention of portrait installation indicated in an inscription, with the other ones being in Konerirajapuram and Thiruvisanallur temples. The temple has been maintained and administered by the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam, whose headquarters is located inside the temple. , - , Veezhinathar Kovil, Thiruveezhimizhalai ,

Thiruveezhimizhalai Thiruveezhimizhalai is a village in the Kudavasal taluk of Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh ...

, Veezhinathar , Thiruveezhimizhalai3

, Senthanar (12) ,

Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...

is said to have been reborn as Katyayani and married

here.

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

received the cosmic weapon Chakrayudam from Shiva here in lieu of the 1000 flower worship to Shiva. A panel depicting the divine marriage is seen behind the

Shivalingam A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional i ...

. The Moolvar vimanam is believed to be brought to here by

Mahavishnu Mahavishnu (Sanskrit: महाविष्णु) is an aspect of Vishnu, the principal deity in Vaishnavism. In his capacity as Mahavishnu, the deity is known as the Supreme Purusha, the absolute protector and sustainer of the universe, th ...

Notes

References

* * * {{refend Tamil-language literature Carnatic music Texts related to Nayanar saints Hindu texts