Periya Puranam

by Sekkizhaar and G. Vanmikanathan and N. Mahalingam

The Tamil Devotional Classic Peria Puranam or 'The Great Epic' by Sekkizhaar is the saga of the sixty three Nayanmars or servitors of the Lord, who not only lived for Him but adored Him in delightfully distinct ways. Lord Siva whom these Saiva-Siddhantins worshipped is not a sectarian deity but the Supreme Creator, Preserver and destroyer of the universe, who comes in human form from time to time and 'plays' with these servitors when their devotion getsincandescent. These Nayanmars are of both the sexes and of all ages, and range from tribal hunters to emperors of vast domains. Caste and community, wealth and status do not count with them, even as they do not count with them, even as they do not with the Lord. The trials and tribulations they cheerfully undergo and the incredible sacrifices they make for the Lord's sake take our breath away. To peruse their stories is to inhale the air of sanctity and blessedness. Sri G. Vanmikanatha, who has rendered the highlights of the original epic from Tamil into English with a racy running commentary, is an experienced literateur who has a number of other devotional works to his credit