Thayumanaswami Temple, Rockfort – Literary Mention
Thirugnana
Sambandar, a 7th-century Tamil Saivite poet, venerated
Thayumanavar in eleven verses in Thevaram, compiled as the First
Thirumurai. Appar, a contemporary of Sambandar, also venerated
Thayumanavar in 10 verses in Thevaram, compiled as the Fifth Thirumurai.
As the temple is revered in Thevaram, it is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, one of the 276 temples that find mention in the Saiva
canon. Muthukumaraswamy in the temple is revered in Thirupugazh, the hymns
of Arunagirinathar, a 15th-century saint. Saint Arunagiriar praises
the Lord as Darba Asana Vedhian-Brahmin on a Darba seat.
Thayumanavar (1705–1742), a Saiva Siddhantha saint has
glorified the presiding deity in his verses. There is a mutt named after the
saint in the South Street of Rockfort, which celebrates his annual birth
anniversary. This is the 123rd Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams
and 6th Shiva Sthalam located on the southern bank of River Cauvery
in Chozha Naadu. Child Saivite Saint Tirugnanasambandar has praised Lord Shiva
of the temple as “One who has everything good, one has not anything that is not
good, one who has the glittering white skinned Nandhi as his Vahana, Mother Uma
sharing his half, all prosperity at his feet, having his abode at the hills of
Shirappalli – my heart and mind enjoying the bliss when I praise his glory”.
