In its original Tamil and a singular broken. English attempt, has been. By Tamil Saint Tirumular, was released at a. Tells the story in the introduc- tion, “The.

Tirumular ( KR. Arumugam) The primary source of biographical details on Tirumular is the Tamil work known as Peirya Puranam, authored by Sekkilar. Periya Puranam is a work which gives the life stories of all the sixty-three saints ( Nayanmars) of Saivism. Though Tirumular is a Siddha, he is popularly known as a Saiva saint of the Siddhanta tradition and hence his biography is included in Periya Puranam. The other sources are Nambiyandar Nambi’s Tiruttondar Tiruvandadi, Umapathy Sivacariyar’s Tiruttondar Purana Saram, Swaminatha Thambiran’s Tiruvavaduturaip Puranam, Dandapani Swamigal’s Pulavar Puranam, and Agastiyar Vaittiya Rattinac Curukkam-300.

We may also find some accounts in A. Chidambaranar’s article on Tirumular’s biography. Periya Puranam speaks of the life story of Tirumular in detail under the title “Tirumuladeva Nayanar Puranam.” The life sketch runs as follows: After getting initiated by the graceful Nandi (Siva) at Mount Kailash and attaining the astamasiddhis (the eight supernatural powers) one yogin (who’s original name is not given in Periya Puranam) started for the southern hill called Podigai to meet and to spend some days in the company of his long time friend Agastya. On his way to Podigai, the yogin visited Kedarnath, Pasupatinath (in Nepal), bathed in the Ganges, worshipped in Kasi, and then visited Vindhya and Parvata mountains. Having worshipped there, he then proceeded to Sri Kalahasti, Tiruvalangadu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvadigai and then to Chidambaram.

After worshipping Lord Nataraja at Chidambaram he reached Tiruvavaduturai and paid obeisance there and began his way towards Podigai. On the way, on the banks of the river Kaveri, he saw a flock of cows grieving over the death of their herdsman whose name was Mulan. Mulan was a resident of the nearby village Sattanur. Pitying the cows, the yogin, using his power of transmigrating into another’s body, which is one of the eight siddhis, entered into the dead body of Mulan, the cowherd, hiding his original body in a hollow tree trunk. The cows were happy over the recovery of their master. The yogin led the cows and drove them into the village and stood outside the village.

The wife of Mulan was anxious about her husband, who still had not returned even after sunset, which was unusual. She came in search of her beloved husband and found him standing outside the village with a strange look. She rushed towards him and touched him. At her touch Mulan jerked and told her indifferently that there was no relationship existing between them and sat in meditation in the nearby mutt. The wife in astonishment brought the village administrators to the spot. Seeing Mulan in meditation, his body glowing, the villagers pacified her and asked her to leave the yogin alone to pursue the spiritual path in peace.

After spending some time in meditation the yogin came to the riverbank in search of his original body. It was not where he had hidden it. Thinking that it was a play of Lord Siva to make him live in the newly acquired body, the yogin left for Tiruvavaduturai. The yogin’s name became Tirumular.

( Tiru is a saintly prefix in Tamil meaning holy). One should take note that the names and the otherworldly possessions are meant only for the mortal body and not for the immortal self.