Paramasothi Munivar’s Thiruvilayadal Puranam

Paramsothi Munivar lived during the sixteenth century and he lived during the time of Thirumalai Nayakkar, a king who did immense repairs to the temple of Thiruvalavi after it was damaged by the marauding forces of Alawudeen Kilgi. He was born in the village of Thirmaraikkadu in the Chola Kingdom, the son of Meenashisundara Desikar, a Saiva Vellalar. Growing up, his father saw that his son was an outstanding student and tutored him in Tamil and Sanskrit. Thus, in his young days, he was introduced to Vedas and Vedantas as well as Thevarams and other Tamil Saiva Siddanta works. His young mind concentrated on Lord Shiva and his show of great kindness and love to all human beings. He was made complete with the love for the Lord, and so he became a Munivar at a very young age. After completing the tutelage of his father, who stood as his Guru, he left home and set off on a pilgrimage, visiting all the Shiva temples and gradually he came to Madurai to worship the Lord at Thiruvalavi.

The temple of Thiruvalavi attracted him greatly and so he stopped his wanderings and settled down in Madurai so that he could worship the Lord all the time. It is said that one day the Meenakshi Amman of the temple appeared in a dream and asked him to compose a Puranam to sing of the sportive acts of the God Sokanathar of Thiruvalavi. Being asked by the Mother of Madurai, Paramsothi Munvar composed the Thiruvilayadal Puranam.

These are the Puranams written by Paramsothi Munivar, lovingly retold in English by Kirugambikai Ponnambalam.