Manickavasagar was a Brahmin by birth. He took his birth in Tiruvadavur, seven miles from Madurai on the banks of the Vaigai River. He must have lived between 650 A.D. and 692 A.D. Some say that he flourished in the tenth or the eleventh century. He secured the friendship of the King of Madurai, Arimardana Pandyan, and became his Chief Minister He was also known by the name Vadavurar.

The Pandyan king sent Manickavasagar with a lot of wealth to purchase horses for the State. Manickavasagar started on his journey. On his way he heard the Kirtan of Sivain a garden in Thiruperundurai. Lord Siva assumed the form of a Siva Yogi and seated himself underneath a tree with his Siva-Ganas as disciples. He came there to initiate Manickavasagar in Siva-Jnana.

Thereupon Manickavasagar met Lord Siva. The Lord ordered him to visit all the places of pilgrimage and then ago to Chidambaram. Manickavasagar visited Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram and other places, sang his Thiruvachakam, and lastly went to Chidambaram. Thirukoovali was written by him in Chidambaram.

Then Manickavasagar entered into discussion with a Buddhist teacher and defeated him. Sarasvati made the Buddhist teacher and his disciples dumb. Then the Buddhist king approached Manickavasagar and said, "You made my teacher and all his disciples dumb. If you can make my dumb daughter speak, I and my subjects will embrace Saivism" Manickavasagar then put some questions to the dumb daughter of the king. She began to speak. Then the Buddhist king and all his subjects became Saivites. Manickavasagar then made the Buddhist teacher and his disciples speak once again.

Then Lord Siva approached Manickavasagar in the form of a Brahmin. Manickavasagar repeated the whole Thiruvachakam to the Brahmin. The Brahmin wrote down everything on palmyrah leaves and wrote in the end, "Manickavasagar repeated this, Thiruchittambala Udayar wrote this". Then the Brahmin kept everything on the Panchakshara Step of the Chitsabai. The Brahmins of Chidambaram showed this to Manickavasagar and requested him to tell the meaning of the verses. Manickavasagar said, "This Thillai Nataraja is the purport of these stanzas". He at once merged himself in the feet of Nataraja at the age of thirty-two.

The poems of Manickavasagar are fifty-two in number. They are all collected together under the title Thiruvachakam. They are most beautiful, sublime and inspiring. They contain ornamental poetry. South Indians sing Thiruvachakam daily. The hearts of those who hear these hymns melt at once.

Dear readers! You can understand from the life of Manickavasagar that Lord Siva becomes the slave of His devotees.