Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 14,654

Date uploaded in London –  17 June 2025

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

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xxxx  

Manikkavasagar, author of Tiruvasagam

In the first part of this article, we saw that the Tiru Vilaiyadal Puranam (T V P) is a history book. It gives us the history of Madurai and the 64 miracles of Lord Shiva in and around Madurai in Tamil Nadu. According to Mahabharata, Pandya is the oldest Tamil race.  Arjuna’s marriage with Ulupi and Chitrangada is described in the various Parvas of Mahabharata. All these names proved historical when the Alupas of Karnataka used the names in their records.

Like Zoroaster left Gujarat in the Rig Vedic period and migrated to Iran, a section of the Pandyas left Tamil Nadu and migrated to Karnataka and other parts of North India. Thank God, we have historical, epigraphical records in the Alupa Kingdom. They used names like Kulasekara, Dhanajaya, Chitravahana in their records. This is a clear proof to show that the names of Pandyas found in Hindu religious books are not fictional.

Even Chozas used Kulothunga which is used for Pandyas. In the twelfth century, we see again Sundara Pandya, Vira Pandya etc.

I am referring all these names to show that the names in TVP are real Pattabishea/Coronation Names of Pandyas.

In Egypt and Hindu India, there was a belief that the real names of Kings should not be disclosed in public So they had Coronation Names (Pattabisheeka names).

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Manikkavasagar

Varaguna Mystery

We have three Varaguna Pandyans in Tamil Nadu according to the available records. But there was one more Varaguna earlier than these three Pandyas who fooled many scholars. Those scholars placed the famous saint Manikka Vasagar (M) (maanikka vaasagar, tiru vilaiyaadal puraanam) in the Ninth Century CE. They ignored the Tevaram songs of Appar and Sambandar and did this ignorantly.

The two T V Ps written by P P Nambi and Paramjoti place the story of Varaguna well before M and Sambandar. We know for sure that Sambandar and Appar were contemporaries of the greatest of the Pallava Kings, Mahendra Varman (600 CE).

Even if someone doubts the chronology of Pandyas in the two TVPs, they can’t ignore the Tevaram Verses sung by Appar and Sambandar.  In the TVP, King Varaguna was associated with the story of Shiva giving a poet a recommendation letter to a Cera (Kerala) king. The recommendation letter is called Tirumukam in Tamil. Sambandar has referred to it. And we already saw the two TVP anecdotes of Fox changing to Horses vice versa and Lord Shiva carrying sand to strengthen the banks of River Vaigai are sung by Appar and Sambandar (600 CE). So, the Varaguna episode must also be placed before ninth century. Varaguna is just an euphoric title. It can be given to any good king who is a Shiva Bhakta as well. In Egypt we see at least 14 Ramesses as kings. Why not four Varagunas in Tamil Nadu?

Paramjoti gives us the story in Chronological order. Moreover, he says seven kings were there and go to the next epiode. And then he gives names of 15 kings, then narrated another miracle. So, he skipped many because there was no miracle reported in that period. And he placed Sambandar story after a gap of 15 kings. So, there should be at leat 300 year gap between the M and Sambandar. Varaguna- Recommendation Letter anecdote goes still far behind. And we must also remember that al the 64 episodes found in the TVP happened before ninth century.

Now let us look at the order of kings:

After Anantha Guna Bhushanan (who clashed with Jain king Kharavela) Kula Bhusana ruled; brahmins migrated to other countries because of famine.

Next came Rajasekhara who divided the kingdom and gave half of it to his brother.

Then Paranjothi skips six kings; That means at least 120 years elapsed.

Then the Varaguna and the story of Shiva’s recommendation letter comes. After dealing with three more kings, he gave us the names of 22 kings and then only he relates Aalavay/ snake city story. It is reported as Uragapura/Snake town in Raghuvasa of Kalidasa.

Then only comes the poor brahmin poet Dharumi’s clash with Sangam brahmin poet Nakkiran. This is referred to by Appar in 600 CE.

Therefore all the above anecdotes may be dated pre 600 CE. Sambandar and Appar Tevaram verse  also confirmed it.

Then again 15 kings skipped and M anecdotes are narrated.

After skipping 12 more kings, he comes to the anecdotes regarding Sambandar clash with the Jains. If we believe in these stories,  then we must conclude that the anecdotes have had happened before 600 CE.

One Varaguna is praised as a great devotee of Vishnu. We have a great Vaishnavite shrine which is named Varaguna Mangai.

MY DISCOVERY

GNANA SAMBANDAR AND APPAR MENTIONED SHIVA’S RECOMMENDATION LETTER TO CERA KING GIVEN TO THE SINGER BABABHATTAR; THEREFORE, VARAGUNA MENTIONED IS THE FIRST VARAGUNA; MAY BE VAISHNAVA VARAGUMA MENTIONED ELSEWHERE.

SEKKIZAR SANG ABOUT THE GLORIOUS HIGH MADURAI TEMPLE TOWERS; THEREFORE 12^TH CENTURY TOWER MENTIONED IN MADURAI INSCRIPTION IS THE LATER ONE; OTHER TOWERS WERE DESTROYED BY MUSLIM INVADERS.

ALL THE THREE NAMES OF MADURAI , I.E. MADURAI, KOODAL AND AALAVAAY / URGAPURAM ARE IN SANGAM LITERATURE; THEREFORE TVP ANECDOTES ARE VERY ANCIENT.

VELLIAMPALAM, I.E. THE SILVER HALL OF MADURAI IS MENTIONED IN SILAPPADIKARAM AND PURA NANURU; THAT SHOWS T V P ANECDOTE IS VERY ANCIENT.

FINALLY

MANIKKAVASAGAR (M)  IS EARLIER TO SAMBANDAR AND APPAR, IF THEIR TEVARM POEMS ARE TRUE

VARAGUNAN IS VERY ANCINET TITLE AND NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LATER SHIVA DEVOTEE VARAGUNAN.

–SUBHAM—

TAGS- Lord Shiva’s,  64 Divine Sports,   No Mystery, Pure History, Varaguna Mystery , Part 2, Paramjoti, Tiru Vilaiyadal Puranam, Velliambalam, Aalavay, My discovery