The Religion and Philosophy of Tevaram (Thevaram)
by M. A. Dorai Rangaswamy | 1958 | 410,072 words
This page describes “nayanar 66: mangayarkkarasiyar (mankaiyarkkaraciyar) or mani” from the religion of the Thevaram: a comparative study of the Shaivite saints the Thiruthondathogai. The 7th-century Thevaram (or Tevaram) contains devotional poems sung in praise of Shiva. These hymns form an important part of the Tamil tradition of Shaivism
Nayanar 66: Mangayarkkarasiyar (Mankaiyarkkaraciyar) or Mani
The 66th saint is Mankaiyarkkaraciyar (Mangayarkkarasiyar). Arurar speaks of her as ‘Mani’, ‘Varivalaiyal’, following Campantar who speaks of her as ‘Varivalaikkaimmata Mani’. Nampiyantar Nampi mentions her as ‘Pantimateviyam Mani’. She was the wife of Kun Pantiya and brought Campantar to Maturai to put down the Jaina influence.
Mani or Mankaiyarkkaraciyar is mentioned by Campantar. She was according to him the daughter of a Cola, Manimuticcolan ruling the world who patronized the path of the sacred ash; she was a beautiful person adorned with the sacred ash and full of bhakti. The Sanskrit and Kannada traditions make her the daughter of Pogalchola (Pukalccola) and she is also called Kulaschari.
The Darasuram sculptures represent her in Pl. II, fig. 13. Campantar is there found seated. Pantimatevi with her companion ife found holding her hands in the anjali pose worshipping or welcoming Campantar. Behind Campantar stands a person probably Kulaccirai. At a distance stand two persons holding their hands in the anjali pose probably the followers of Campantar or the servants of the Pandya house-hold. The inscription underneath the sculpture speaks of her as Pantimatevi.