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    தமிழ்

    The texts in time

    The twelve Tirumurais and the fourteen Meykanda Sastras on one line, from the hymns of the seventh century to the last of the Sastras in the fourteenth: the songs came first, the doctrine set them in order.

    Most dates are approximate; those in dispute are marked. Within a century the order follows the site’s registry.

    1. 7th century

    2. The Tirumurai · 7th century

      Tirunavukkarasar (Appar)

    3. The Tirumurai · 7th century

      Tirujnanasambandar

    4. The Tirumurai · disputed; proposals from the 5th to the 8th century

      Tirumular

      • Tirumurai 10: Tirumantiram திருமந்திரம்Tirumular's Tirumantiram: about three thousand verses in nine tantras on yoga, ethics, worship, mantra and Siddhanta doctrine.
    5. 9th century

    6. The Tirumurai · 8th–9th century

      Sundaramurti Nayanar

    7. The Tirumurai · disputed; commonly 9th century

      Manikkavasagar

      • Tirumurai 8: Tiruvasagam and Tirukkovaiyar திருவாசகம், திருக்கோவையார்Manikkavasagar's Tiruvasagam (devotional hymns, including Sivapuranam) and Tirukkovaiyar (love poetry read as an allegory of the soul and Siva).
    8. 11th century

    9. The Tirumurai · c. 10th–11th century

      Senthanar

    10. The Tirumurai · poems from c. 6th to 11th century; compiled 10th–11th century

      Karaikkal Ammaiyar, Nakkirar, Pattinathu Pillaiyar (Pattinattar), Nambiyandar Nambi

      • Tirumurai 11: Saiva Prabandha Malai சைவ பிரபந்த மாலைAbout 40 works by 12 poets, from Karaikkal Ammaiyar's hymns to Nambiyandar Nambi's Tiruttondar Tiruvandadi.
    11. 12th century

    12. The Meykanda Sastras · c. 1147 CE, by tradition

      Uyyavandadeva Nayanar of Tiruviyalur

      • Tiruvundiyar திருவுந்தியார்The earliest of the fourteen: short verses in the undi metre on grace, the guru and release.

    13. The Tirumurai · 12th century

      Sekkizhar

      • Tirumurai 12: Periya Puranam பெரியபுராணம் (திருத்தொண்டர் புராணம்)Sekkizhar's epic of the lives of the 63 Nayanmars and 9 groups of devotees.

    14. The Meykanda Sastras · c. 1177 CE, by tradition

      Uyyavandadeva Nayanar of Tirukkadavur

      • Tirukkalirruppadiyar திருக்களிற்றுப்படியார்One hundred venba verses expanding the Tiruvundiyar.
    15. 13th century

    16. The Meykanda Sastras · early 13th century

      Meykandar

      • Sivagnana Bodham சிவஞானபோதம்The foundational text of the school: twelve sutras, with Meykandar's own vartika and illustrative venbas.

    17. The Meykanda Sastras · 13th century

      Arulnandi Sivacharyar

    18. The Meykanda Sastras · 13th century

      Manavasagam Kadandar

      • Unmai Vilakkam உண்மை விளக்கம்A catechism-like exposition of the tattvas, the soul and the Panchakshara in question-and-answer venbas.
    19. 14th century

    20. The Meykanda Sastras · early 14th century

      Umapathi Sivacharyar

    21. The Meykanda Sastras · early 14th century; attribution disputed

      Umapathi Sivacharyar

      • Unmai Neri Vilakkam உண்மை நெறி விளக்கம்Short verses on the ten stages of spiritual realisation (dasa karya).

    22. The Meykanda Sastras · 1313 CE, per its preface

      Umapathi Sivacharyar

      • Sankarpa Nirakaranam சங்கற்ப நிராகரணம்A refutation of rival schools of thought.

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