8 th thirumuRai is the bhakthi river from mANikka vAchakar. It has two major parts. They are thiru vAchakam and thiruk kOvaiyAr. thiruvAchakam is the collection of all the songs that were sung during the entire life of mANikka vAchakar. This is an excellent collection of hymns of fruits dipped in honey. It needs no other explanation than the saying "thiruvAchakaththukku urukAdhAr oru vAchakaththukkum urukAr" (people who do not melt (with bhakthi) at hearing thiruvAchakam, will not be able to enjoy (melt) any other song(statement) ). thiruk kOvaiyAr was sung by mANikka vAchakar before he attained shiva sAyujyam (mukthi). It is a After he sang the thiruvempAvai (part of thiruvAchakam) the Lord naTarAjar asked him to sing thirukkOvaiyAr and He Himself wrote it down, sealed and put it in front of the idol in chithambaram. When the devotees asked him to explain the meaning of the song, mANiakka vAchakar said Lord naTarAjar is the meaning of it and merged with Him in chithambaram. thiruk kOvaiyAr talks about the love between a man and woman with Lord Shiva as the hero.
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