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He belonged to Athi Saiva Caste and lived in Thiru Navalur. His consort was Isaignaniyar. He was the father of Sunthara moorthi Swamigal.

She was the consort of Sadaiyanar. She used to adorn herself with sacred Ashes. She was very fortunate to give birth to Suntharar. By chanting her very name one can attain Sivagnana.

The fourth in the list of Saiva Samaya Acharyas is Manikkavachakar. Sekkizhar in his Periyapuranam has not devoted a chapter on this Saint. It is said that as Suntharar had not mentioned Manikka Vachakar in his Thiruththondaththogai, Sekkizhar had not written about him. Any how the story of Manikkavachakar is given in brief hereunder.

Manikkavachakar was born at Thiruvathavur near Madurai and he was called Thiruvathavurar. The then ruling king Arsmarthana Pandya, having heard of his attainments, appointed him prime minister and conferred on him the title Thennavan Brahmarayan. Once he went to Thirupperunthurai with bags of money to purchase horses and saw Lord Siva seated under a Kurunda tree with a large congregation. He forgot his mission, prostrated before Him and got His grace. Then he sang the sweet and thrilling songs, and Siva on hearing the “holy word” of Vathavurar bestowed on him the name Manikkavachakar and disappeared. Manikkavachakar then spent all bags of money he had in repairing and rebuilding the Siva temple there. The king having heard of what had happened, summ-