பக்கம்:திருவாசகம்-ஆங்கில மொழிபெயர்ப்பு-1.pdf/26

BIOGRAPHICAL PEN-PICTURE OF SAINT MAANICKAVAACHAGAR. (AS FOUND IN THIRUVAACHAKAM) Saint Maanickavaachagar, the author of Thiruvaachakam, is said to be a native of Vaadavur a village on the banks of the river Vaigai, about seven miles away from the prescnt city of Madurai in South India. He is said to have been born in a family which by tradition used to provide the monarchs of Paandia-Nadu with ministers. True to the family tradition he became very learned in Caiva religion (worshippers of God Civan) and in course of time became the minister of the Paandia King. He was known as Vaadavuraar (one who hails from Vaadavur) Though we are not very sure of the exact date of Vaudavuraar the present day historians try to fix his date with that of the Paandia ruler-Arimarthana Paandian as 775 A.D. to 807 A.D. The history of the saint as in the case of many others, is shrouded in mystery. As per the legend, one day the king sent Vaadavuraar with heavy cash to buy horses for his cavalry The minister set out on his mission. On the way he heard that a very great sage of Caiva religion with a number of devoted disciples was stationed at Perunthurai the present Aavudaiyaarkoil in Thanjavur district. Impelled by his usual anxiety he went there to pay homage to the sage. The moment he saw the divine Being seated beneath a Kuruntham (Atalantia missionis) tree with all solemnity and serenity, the minister forgot all about himself and of the world, of course, including even the mission of the king. That was the day on which the benign and graceful glance of the heavenly sage turned Vaadavuraar for a mystical spiritual life. He fell down and surrendered himself fully to be sacred feet of the sage and