The Tirumurais form the Tamil Saiva canon and reflect the course of the bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu spanning around 600 to 700 years from the sixth century to the thirteenth century. The soul-stirring hymns of the Nayanmars and Sivan Adiyars convey their intense experience of Siva and this in turn has inspired Siva bhakti among the people of those times and of posterity as well, said Tirumati Sasikala in a discourse. For instance, Manikkavachagar’s hymns not only introduce Siva as the Supreme Lord but also lead people towards Siva worship as the highest and only worthwhile goal in life. From his life sketch it is clear that Manikkavachagar attains enlightenment when Siva appears as a Guru to give him diksha. This happens at Tiruperunthurai when Manikkavachagar who, in the service of the Pandya king as a minister, forgets his mission which is to buy horses and spends the king’s money on building a temple and in the service of Sivan Adiyars. When the king takes him to task, Siva intervenes in mysterious ways to help him. The horses appear as promised, but are transformed into foxes. Then the Vaigai River goes into spate and the Lord takes the form of a boy and carries mud to build a dam. Finally, the king also receives Siva’s grace and Manikkavachagar returns to seek the guru. He is heart broken when he does not find Him or the Adiyars. The anguish of being separated from the Lord overwhelms him into soulful outpourings. The sentiments are meant to kindle devotion in the hearts of all. Not all can rise to become realised. He teaches by his own example the paths of sariyai, engaging in external acts of worship, kiriyai, involving in intimate worship, yoga, which demands internal worship or meditation and jnana, leading to realisation. All these are equally efficacious means to attain Siva.