ŚVETĀRAṆYA OF SOUTH INDIAN ŚAIVISM
Abstract
This article is a summary of 60+ Tēvāram hymns on Veṇkāṭu which are not only important documents in the history of South Indian Śaivism, but also the sthala and organizing principle of the structure of the temple, its location and iconography. The Śaivite Navagraha-sthalas
in the Kāviri delta, are Curiyanārkōyil-Sūrya, Tiṅkalūr-Candra, Tiruveṇkāṭu-Budha, Vaittīcuvarankōyil-Aṅgāraka, Ālaṅkuṭi-Bṛhaspati, Kañcaṇūr-Śukra, TirunaḷḷāṟuŚanaiścara,
Kuṃbhakoṇam/Nākeśvaram-Rāhu and Perumpaḷḷam-Ketu. The Vaiṣṇavas have their Navagrahasthalas in the Tāmiraparaṇi basin, called Navatiruppatis (nine holy lands). The nava-Kailāsas in this zone are also treated Śaiva grahasthalas. Śvetāraṇyeśvara temple.
Tiruveṇkāṭu, is a crucial Śaiva-sthala, much less known to the outer world. The three authors of the Tēvāram, viz., Campantar (Tirumuṟai 1-3), Nāvukkaracar (4.6) and Cuntarar (7) have contributed six patikams (decades of hymns, totally of 62 hymns) on the Budha-sthala in
Tiruveṇkāṭu. The different manifestations of Śiva are extolled in these hymns, particularly Ardhanārīśvara, Naṭarāja, Yogīśvara, Candraśekhara, Ekapādamūrti, Bhikṣāṭana, Kālāri, Gajasaṃhāra and so on. These remain unexamined in scholarly works. It is worthwhile to see what the Tēvāram-trio have to say on Veṅkāṭu. It seems during the past, Cōḻa, Veṇkāṭu was a base of the Vīraśaivas. Therefore, a shrine for the Lord Vīrabhadra is present within the Śvetāraṇyeśvara temple. The bhakti Tamil literature clearly recognizes the importance of this venue with reference to its landscape, sthala, vṛkṣa, cultic values, mythologies, nāmāvalis ‘epithets’ and its implications on the visual iconography of the temple that evolved under
the Cōḻas and successive rulers of the region. This article hopes to show the importance of an aspect of Tamil Śaivism which is often neglected by scholars.
References
Aiyangar, S. Krishnasvami. South India and her Muhammadan Invaders.
S. Chand, Delhi, 1921.
Anitha, N. Bhāratiyār’s views on Social Reform- Liberation of Women,
QJMS, 106.3 (2015): 98-107.
ARE: Annual Report on Epigraphy 1896, 1918.
Ayyar, P.V. Jagadisa. South Indian Shrines. New Delhi & Madras: Asian
Education Services, 1993, pp. 262-264.
Bakker, Hans. Dakṣiṇāmūrti, in Vidyārṇavavandanam: Essays in Honour
of Asko Parpola, edited by Klaus Karttunen & Petteri Koskikallio,
Helsinki: Finnish Oriental Society, 2001, pp. 43-53.
-----. Sources for Reconstructing Ancient forms of Śiva Worship, in Holy
Ground: Where Art and Text Meet. Leiden: Brill, 2019, pp. 489-539.
Basham, A.L. The Wonder that was India. Rupa, Calcutta, 1971.
Czerniak-Drożdżowicz, Marzenna. Nine Ponds (navatīrthas) of Śrīraṅgam:
Preliminary Notes. Cracow Indological Studies XXIV.2 (2022):
-218.
Czerniak-Drożdżowicz and R. Sathanarayanan. Importance of Water
Bodies in the Māhātmyas in the Kāverī Region, in Temples,
Texts, and Networks: South Indian Perspectives, edited by Malini
Ambach, Jonas Buchholz, and Ute Hüsken, Heidelberg: Asian
Studies Pub., 2022, pp. 121-157. https://doi.org/10.11588/hasp.906.
c13938
Dodamani, B.A. Gaṅgādevī’s Madhurāvijayam A Literary Study. Sharada
Publishing House, Delhi, 2008.
Jeyapriya-Rajarajan, Terrific Manifestations of Śiva: Vīrabhadra. Sharada,
Delhi 2009.
-----. “Vīrabhadra: Iconography and Cult Traditions”, QJMS: The Quarterly
Journal of the Mythic Society, 109.4 (2018): 41-49.
-----. “Visible Traditions, Invisible Śāstras: More about [Aṣṭa]-Vīrabhadra”,
QJMS, 110.2 (2019): 60-64.
Kalidos, Raju. Iconography of Gajasaṃhāramūrti, QJMS, 75.2 (1984):
-73
-----. Naṭarāja as portrayed in Tēvāram Hymns, Acta Orientalia, 57 (1996):
-56.
-----. Ūrdhvatāṇḍavam in the Art of South India, East and West, 46.3-4
(1996a): 371-413.
-----. Liṅgodbhavamūrti in Early Medieval Art and Literature, Acta
Orientalia, 64 (2003): 77-136.
-----. Encyclopaedia of Hindu Iconography: Early Medieval, 4 vols*.
Sharada, Delhi, 2006.
* I Viṣṇu, II Śiva, III Śakti Goddesses, IV, I Gaṇapati and Murukaṉ, II
Brahmā & Minor Deities.
----- Tamil Literary Traditions, Their Relevance in the Study of Indian Arts.
In Lorenzetti & Scialpi eds. 2012: 33-75.
-----. ‘Bhaktilaharī’ Wave of Devotion Iḷaṅkō to Tirumaṅkai Āḻvār via
Nāvukkaracar, Studia Orientalia Electronica (forthcoming), 2021.
Kansdaswamy, S.N. Tēvāram Sundarar (‘Paṉṉirutirumuṟai’ Vol. XIV, 2
Pts.), Institute of Asian Studies, Ceṉṉai, 2006.
Karpagam, V. Navatiruppati: Nāma-Rūpa Darṣaṇa, Purakala, 31.21 (2020):
-321.
Kramrisch, Stella, Manifestations of Śiva. Philadelphia, 1981.
Latha, K., Aṭṭavīraṭṭāṉams (Ph.D. diss.), The Tamil University, Thanjavur.
Lorenzetti, Tiziana & Fabio Scialpi eds., Glimpses of Indian History and
Art. Reflections on the Past, Perspectives for the Future, Sapienza
University of Rome, Rome, 2012.
Meister, M.W. Discourses on Śiva. Bombay, 1984
Mevissen, Gerd J.R. Chidambaram - nṛṭṭasabhā. Archiectur, Ikonographie
und Symbolic, Berliner Indologische Studien, 9/10 (1996): 345-420.
-----. Īsatpaṅgu Śainaiścara, the Lame Planetary God Saturn and His
vāhanas, in Maurizia Taddei & Giuseppe de Marcco eds. South
Asian Archaeology … Rome, 1997.
‘Nālāyiram’, 4 vols. (Tamil urai by Ta, Tiruvēṇkaṭa Irāmāṉucatācaṉ),
Ceṉṉai: Umā Patippakam, 2010.
Paṉṉiru Tirumuṟai ed. Ca.Vē. Cuppiramaṇiyaṉ, Maṇivācakar Patippakam:
Ceṉṉai, 2007.
Paṉṉiru Tirumuṟaikaḷ, 24 vols. Board of Editors. Vartamāṉaṉ Patippakam:
Ceṉṉai (not dated 2014).
Parthiban, Rajukalidosss. Architectural and Intangible Cultural Heritage
Significance of Āṇṭāḷ-Vaṭapatraśāyī Temple, Śrīvilliputtūr, 2 vols.
(Ph.D. diss., IIT). Hyderabad, 2019.
Periya Tirumoḻi, part of ‘Nālāyiram’.
Peterson, Indira V. Poems to Śiva, The Hymns of the Tamil Saints. Motilal
Banarsidass, Delhi, 1991.
Poongodi, G. Marāṭha Paintings of the Vedāraṇyam Temple, Journal of
the Institute of Asian Studies, XXIV.1 (2005): 39-52.
Rajarajan, R.K.K. Nalirumūrti-Aṣṭamūrti, the Alakarkoyil Tradition. In P.
Chenna Reddy ed. Brahma Sri Researches in Archaeology, History
and Culture of the New Millennium (Dr P.V. Parabrahma Sastry
Felicitation Volume), Delhi: Sharada Publishing House, 2004, pp.
-91.
-----. Gender and Godhood in Medieval Tamil bhakti Tradition - Visual
Imagery, Journal of the Institute of Asian Studies, Vol. XXIII.1
(2005): 63-78.
-----. Art of the Vijayanagara-Nāyaka: Architecture & Iconography. Sharada,
Delhi, 2006.
-----. “Dakṣiṇāmūrti on vimānas of Viṣṇu Temples in the Far South”,
South Asian Studies, 27.2 (2011): 131-144. http://dx.doi.org
/10.1080/02666030.2011.614413
-----. Dance of Ardhanārī: A Historiographical Retrospection, In Lorenzetti
& Scialpi eds. 2012: 233-70.
-----. Pañcanṛtyasabhās: Dancing Halls Five, Religion of South Asia, 8.2
(2014): 197-216. DOI: 10.1558/rosa.v8i2.197
-----. ‘Navagṛahas’ in Indian Thought and Nāyaka Temples of Tamilnadu,
in eds. J. Soundararajan, Glimpses of Vijayanagara-Nāyaka Art,
Delhi: Sharada Publishing House, 2015, pp. 189-216, figs. 147-157.
-----. Art and Literature: Inseparable Links. QJMS 106.4 (2015a): pp. 53-61.
-----. Teppakkuḷam or Tirukkuḷam of South India: Jalavāstu”, Pandanus:
Nature in Literature, Art, Myth and Ritual, 10.2 (2016): 83-104.
-----. Oceanic Divyadeśas: Exploring of Oda and Ōtam, Studies in Indian
Place Names, 40.71 (2020): 3044-66.
-----. Rejoinder: “Disown oda Sustain ōtam”, Studies in Indian Place Names,
76 (2020): 625-630.
-----. From Purāṇic to Folk: the ‘Kirātārjunīyam Ballade’ and Visuals.” Eikón
Imago 10 (2021): 355-366. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/eiko.74158
-----. Temple Cars of the Far South: Survey and Documentation. Dr.
Devangana Desai Endowment Senior Scholarship, Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai (2022: on-going)
Rajarajan, R.K.K. & Jeyapriya-Rajarajan. Tēvāram Hymns: Naṭarāja, the
Forgotten Tillai-Kūttaṉ, In R.K. Parthiban & R.K.K. Rajarajan eds.
Brahmatattva: Harmony of Viṣṇuism, Śivaism and Śāktam, chap.
V. Sharada, Delhi (forthcoming), 2021.
Rajarajan, R.K.K., R.K. Parthiban & R. Kalidos. Samāpti Suprabhātam:
Reflections on South Indian Bhakti Tradition in Literature and
Art. Sharada, Delhi 2017.
Rajarajan, R.K.K., R.K. Parthiban & R. Kalidos. Dictionary of Viṣṇuism
(based on ‘Nālāyiram’). Gandhigram: Gandhigram Rural
University, 2020.
-----. Hymns for Cosmic Harmony ‘Nālāyirativviyappirapantam’ Four-
Thousand Divine Revelations (Romanization, English Summary
and Transcendence), 4 vols. Gandhigram: Gandhigram Rural
University, 2020a.
Rao, T.A. Gopinatha. Elements of Hindu Iconography. Vol. II, part I. Madras:
The Law Printing House.
Santhana-Lakshmi-Parthiban. Rāhu and Ketu: the Grahadevatas, QJMS,
2 (2019): 32-40.
Shulman, David Dean. Tamil Temple Myths. Sacrifice and Divine Marriage
in the South Indian Śaiva Tradition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press, 1989, pp. 132-134.
Srinivasan, Sharada. Cosmic Dance. India International Centre Quarterly,
2 (2007): 126-137
Sumathi, K. Saptaviṭaṅga-sthalas (Ph.D. diss.), The Tamil University,
Thanjavur, 2010.
Suthantiran, A. Veluswamy. The Tiruveṇkāṭu Temple (Ph.D. diss.),
University of Madras. Madras, 1982.
-----. A Unique Image of Bhiksāṭanamūrti, East and West, 42.2-4 (1992):
-500.
Tamil Lexicon. 7 vols. University of Madras, Madras, 1982 (reprint).
Tēvāram, 2 vols. ed. Sadasiva Chettiyar, Kaḻam Pub. Ceṉṉai 1973.
Tirukkuṟaḷtransl. G.U. Pope, W.H. Drew, John Lauzarus & F.W. Ellis,
Kaḻakam, Madras 1958/1976.
Tiruvācakam Kaḻakam ed. Chennai 1948; Transl. G.U. Pope (Oxford 1900)
University of Madras, Ceṉṉai 2003.
Tiruvāymoḻi, part of ‘Nālāyiram’.
Tiruveṇkāṭṭuppurāṇam of Caiva Ēllappanāvalar, ed. Tē.Ci. Tuṟaicāmippiḷḷai.
Madras, 1905.
Vairakkodi, C. Divyadeśas in Coastal Tamilnadu: A Case Study of
Tiruppullāṇi, QJMS, 107.3 (2016): 31-43.
-----. Nīlamēkap Perumāḷ of Nākapaṭṭiṉam, QJMS, Vol. 107.4 (2016a.): 36-46.
-----. 2017. Viṣṇu Temples of Tamilnadu in the Historical Context: Art,
Architecture and Ritual, (Ph.D. diss.), Madurai Kamaraj University,
Madurai, 2017.
Zvelebil, K.V. Ānandatāṇḍava of Śiva-Sadānṛttamūrti. Chennai, Institute
of Asian Studies, 1998.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Consent to Publish and Transfer of Copyright
By publishing in Prajñā Vihāra, the author agrees to transfer and assign to Assumption University of Thailand as the Publisher of the Journal, the copyright to the Article in any form, including any and all rights, interests and claims related to it.
The author does retain the following rights:
- The right to make further copies of the published article for their use in classroom teaching.
- The right to reuse all or part of the published article in a compilation of his or her own works or in textbooks of which they are the author or coauthor.
- The right to make copies of the published article for internal distribution within their academic institution.
- All proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights.
- The Article is his or her original work, and has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
- It does not contain any matter that is obscene, libelous, or contrary to law.
- They have obtained the necessary license or written authority and paid any and all related fees for the use and reproduction of text, tables, illustrations and other copyrighted work from the owners of the intellectual property rights, and can furnish the Publisher copies of the license/written authority and proof of payment of related fees upon the signing of this Agreement.
- They have the consent of the Co-Authors of the article upon the signing of this Agreement.
- In the event that they intend to republish, reprint or translate all or part of the Article in other publications, they will secure the prior written permission from the journal Editor.
Prajñā Vihāra adopts the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY-NC-ND) license
