Tirumurukaruppatai

Tirumurukaruppatai is a devotional poem composed by author Nakkirar. The poem depicts the tale of a devotee who accomplished the blessings of Lord Kartikeya (Murugan) and showed the path to a fellow seeker to attain the lord`s grace. Devotional poems in honour of Murugan and Tirumal are usually comprised in Paripaatal. In Tamil literature from the Sangam age, Tirumurukaruppatai is the sole devotional poem which is the longest and contains 317 lines. Till this day, the verse is recited by followers of Lord Kartikeya (Murugan) in many families in Tamil Nadu.

Composition of Tirumurukaruppatai
Tirumurukaruppatai describes the Murugan temples in the ancient land of Tamil Nadu and also the various types of prayers offered to the lord by the devotees. The depiction of nature in the poem appears captivating to the readers. The 1st segment of Tirumurukaruppatai provides narration of the Temple of Lord Murugan at Tirupparankunram hill, the battles fought by Lord Murugan against the evil elements, as well as the surrounding scenic beauty. The 2nd segment of the poem provides a spiritual interpretation of the 6 faces and 12 arms of Lord Kartikeya and the significance of the temple located at Tiruchchendur.

The 3rd segment of Tirumurukaruppatai explains the prominence of sages who pray to the deity and the traits of devotional women who arrive at the Palani hills. The devotees who come to offer prayers to Lord Kartikeya (Murugan), the presiding god, at Tiruverakam are explained in the 4th segment of the poem. The 5th segment speaks about the manner through which the populace of the mountain region prays to Lord Murugan. The 6th and final segment gives a detailed account of the shrines where the much venerated deity is mainly worshipped. It also describes the waterfalls at Palamutircholai and the way through which a devotee can acquire the Lord`s grace and blessing.

A particular section of the poem Tirumurukaruppatai explains the characteristics of the sages who pray to Lord Murugan. Due to fasting, the sages have a lean body and their rib cage protrude from their skin and are rather prominent on their skinny bodies. The sages spend many consecutive days in profound meditation without food or water. They have a divine knowledge which even the most learned individuals would be unable to comprehend. The sages who worship Lord Murugan are considered as leaders of the most erudite men and are men of enlightenment.

Tirumurukarruppatai also admires the scenic natural beauty in a magnificent way. The poem starts with narration of the morning sun rising from the horizon of the deep blue sea. With gradual progress the poem there is an elaborate and vivid natural description of the montane regions such as the Tirupparankunram Hills.

Towards the conclusion of the poem, the poet offers a beautiful description of the waterfall at Palamutiroolai. This description of the waterfall is constitutes the final 22 lines of the poem