They were two small firelets, which in the presence of a huge storm burnt down a big dense forest of ignorance. They were the two lamps that drove away the darkness from the clouds of false philosophies enabling the Sun of Shaivam to shine again in the historic Pandya kingdom. They were the gem among women - queen Mangayarkarasiyar and the highly intelligent and caring minister - Kulachiraiyar.

There are two people who can shape the life of a man. First is the mother who raises him and then the wife. The wife in our culture is referred to as ardhangini or one who is half of your very self. A married couple is expected to live a principled life of dharma and love. A wife is not to be treated as a handmaid but as a caring friend who encourages the good deeds and corrects the course when the husband strays from the path of dharma. Mangayarkarasiyar embodied all the qualities of an ideal wife who with her patience, determination, love and above all great devotion to the glorious feet of the Lord opened the eyes of her husband.

Drama - Punitavay Malarndhazhudhar - Part 2 - Sambandhar Arriving at Madurai

Mangayarkarasiyar was born in the royal family of the Chozhas. She grew up with genuine love and devotion for the Lord of Parvati. A lady of worthy actions and refined character, she got married to the Pandya king, Nedumaran. King Nedumaran was valiant and powerful but was misguided. He was influenced by and practised Jainism. During that period in the Pandya kingdom, Sanatana Dharma, the ancient, proven and practised way of life without force or conditions, was under the shadow of Jain philosophies. The Jain philosophies were limited in knowledge and enforced on their followers tough rules as the only way of liberation. But this was propagated as a high philosophy to the common people who failed to realise on their own without guidance the ocean of knowledge of Sanatana Dharma that had been available for ages through sages. The temples of the Lord in that famous kingdom had been taken over by Jains. The Jains, for whom non-violence was a basic tenet, violated that very principle.

Drama - Punitavay Malarndhazhudhar - Part 3 - Curing the Pandya King

The revered Mangayarkarasiyar, who had unflinching love for Lord Shiva, was quite shocked at the state of the Pandya kingdom. She was concerned that her honourable husband was unable to enjoy the superior nectar of Shaivam. That lady of incredible endurance waited for a new dawn. There was one more person - the prime minister Kulachiraiyar who was also worried day and night about the moral fall of the kingdom. These two devotees kept the spark of Shaivam alive during those dark days. They prayed vehemently to Andhakantaka (Lord Shiva - literally killer of ignorance) for the redemption of the kingdom. Their prayer and patience bore fruit when they received a message that the saint of Sirkazhi had reached Tirumaraikadu. They sent trustworthy messengers to the prodigy to request his blessings and invite him to their kingdom. The young saint, with great mercy for all the creatures, accepted their request. Good omens appeared all around and the queen felt it was time good things happened to the king, her beloved husband. With overwhelming eagerness to salute the young saint, who came to protect the king and the kingdom, she informed the king that she was going to the temple of the Lord of Madurai and went to receive the saint. Along with the queen and the minister, Tirugnana Sambandhar worshiped the Lord of Madurai.

Drama - Punitavay Malarndhazhudhar - Part 4 - Victory at Madurai

The queen was anxious about the troubles the Jains would give the young saint and decided to end her life if something untoward happened to the prodigy. She prayed for the safety of that son of Lord Shiva. The Jains set fire to the place where Tirugnana Sambandhar and other devotees who came along were staying. But by the grace of God, he transferred the fire to the stomach of the king. The queen and the prime minister were distressed on hearing that the Jains had set fire to the saint’s place. Adding to their worry, they heard that the king was afflicted with serious stomach pain. Since the king was the husband of Mangayarkarasiyar, Sambandhar had commanded the fire to go slow on the king’s stomach. While the Jain monks tried out their mantras without even slightly alleviating the king’s pain, the young saint smeared holy ash chanting the holy five letters. The king was immediately cured of the illness. The queen, Mangayarkarasiyar, the great lady who led her life as an ideal wife, correcting the mistakes of the husband and making him lead the proper life, was very happy at this. Tirugnana Sambandhar won the debate with the Jains and taught the excellence of Shaivam to the king and the people. The queen felt really blessed by the Lord for enlightening her beloved husband and the entire kingdom. Let the patience, determination and strong love for the Lord of lords the queen Mangayarkarasiyar possessed stay in the mind.

Guru Pooja: Chitrai / Rohini or Mesha / Rohini

• Birth place of mangkaiyarkkarasi nAyanAr
• The puranam of Mangkayarkkarasiyaar in English Poetry
• மங்கையர்க்கரசியார் புராணம் - செய்யுள்
• மங்கையர்க்கரசியார் நாயனார் புராணம் உரைநடை
• मंगैयर्करसि नायनार दिव्य चरित्र 

See also:
1. Thirugyana Sambandhar 
2. Kulachirai Nayanar 
3. Ninrasir Nedumara Nayanar 

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