Nakeera Deva Nayanar is one among the twelve devotees who sung the divine Padinoran Tirumurai, the eleventh Tirumurai. There have been many poets by the name Nakeeran referred to in history. Among the compositions in the eleventh Tirumurai, the ninth composition titled Tirumurugatrupadai is the first of the Sangam compilation “Patthu Paatu”. It has been suggested that the composer of this work is Nakeerar, son of Kanakkaynar of Madurai. The name Nakeeran has two parts – Keeran, a proper noun, and “Nal” a prefix meaning good. The story of Nakeerar is narrated by Perumpatrupuliyur Nambi and Paranjyoti Muni in the Tiruvilayadal Puranam.

Once a Pandya king, Shenbaga Maran, while sporting alone with his queen, smelled the fragrance from her hair and wondered whether the sweet fragrance of women’s hair was natural. He made a proclamation throughout his kingdom that anyone who would resolve his doubt would be rewarded a thousand gold coins. Many great poets and scholars tried, but none had a convincing answer to receive the gold.

Dharumi, a priest who worshipped Lord Shiva at the Madurai temple, eager to get married, prayed to the Lord to remove his poverty and grant him riches. Lord Alavaya, wanting to grant his prayer, composed a song called ‘Konguter Valkai’. He asked Dharumi to present it to the Sangam scholars and claim the gold coins.

Dharumi received the song and presented it to the Sangam poets. When they read it and did not say anything, he took it and presented it to the Pandya king. The king read the song that removed his doubts. He praised Dharumi and bestowed on him the promised gold coins. Just at that moment, Nakeerar stopped Dharumi saying that this song was erroneous and asked him to bring the person who had composed it. On hearing this, Lord Alavaya Himself appeared as a Tamil poet and reached the Sanga Mandapa with Dharumi. He asked the gathering, ‘Who is it that has found fault in this song?’ Nakeerar said that it was him and added, ‘A women's hair is fragrant because of the use of perfumes and flowers. It is not naturally fragrant, so the premise of the composition itself is faulty.’ The Lord with increasing ire asked ‘Is it the same for the hair of Goddess Uma too?’ Nakeerar replied that his stand applies to all womankind.

Lord Shiva now revealed his braided hair to see if Nakeerar would relent. But Nakeerar simply brushed it aside as the poet’s tactics to scare him. The Lord then laughed thunderously and opened his third eye. Unyielding, Nakeerar insisted that fault was a fault even if He opened His third eye. But, unable to bear the heat, Nakkeer fell into the Golden Lotus Pond at the Madurai Temple. The Lord disappeared.

Dharumi claimed the gold coins offered by the king. Nakkeer, distraught at what had happened, praised the Lord with a composition – “Kailai Pati Kalahasti Pati Antadi”. The Lord brought him ashore and sent him to Agastiyar to understand the nuances of the Tamil language. Nakeerar composed many works in praise of Lord Shiva such as Kopa Prasadam, Perundevapani and Tiru-ezhu Kutrirukai.

Tirumurugatrupadai of Nakeerar, which is the ninth of the ten prabhanda-s (literary composition) included in the eleventh Tirumurai, is the first song of the work called “Patthu Paatu” which is considered to be a work of the Sangam period. As a scholar of the last Sangam, Nakeerar’s period is the second century.

Works of Nakeerar

Including Thirumurgarrupadai there ten compositions attributed to nakkiRar are present in eleventh thirumuRai. They are:

1. Thirumurugarrupadai
2. Kayilaipadhi Kalaththipadhi Andhadhi
3. ThiruIngoymalai Ezubhadhu
4. Thiruvalanychuzi mummanikkovai
5. Thiruvezu Kurrirukkai
6. Perundheva Pani
7. Kopap pirachadham
8. Kar ettu
9. Porrith Thirukkali venpa
10. Thirukkannappa Dhevar Thirumaram

Har Har Mahadev

See Also:
1. Padhinoran Thirumurai 
2. Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam 
3. Songs of Saint Nakkeeran