A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c20.10

c20.10

A little later than Sundara came the illustrious Māṇikka-vāśagar. Legend makes him the minister of a Pāṇḍyan king; and on his account Śiva, the presiding deity of Madura, is said to have performed many miracles. His Pāṇḍyan contemporary was most probably Varaguṇa II (862-80). Māṇikka-vāśagar is said to have debated with Buddhists from Ceylon at Chidambaram and to have utterly vanquished them. His hymns form the Tiruvāśagam (‘ The Sacred Word ’) and another work, Tiruccirrambalakkōvai, is also ascribed to him.