The Tirukkovaiyar is a Shaivite work composed by Manikkavacakar.[1] Dated to the 9th century CE, the work is part of the 12-volume Tirumurai and, along with Thiruvasagam, is traditionally placed as the 8th volume of the work. The work is also known as the Thiruchitrambalakkovaiyar.
Known as "Aranam" among Shaivite scholars, which translates to "Vedas," the work consists of 400 verses.[2] The work is divided into 25 chapters. On a superficial view, the work may appear as part of the Tamil akam genre of poetry. The work was sung entirely in Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram.[3] In the work, Shiva is associated with the golden hall of the temple, where the deity is believed to perform his cosmic dance called the tandava.[4]
In 1921, an English translation of Manikkavacakar's hymns was done by Francis Kingsbury and GE Phillips, both of United Theological College, Bangalore (Edited by Fred Goodwill) and published in a book as Hymns of the Tamil Śaivite Saints, by the Oxford University Press [5]