196
–
மறைமலையம் - 21
with infinite love and intelligence and capable of readily responding to the prayers of a fervent heart. It is this love, this intelligence inthe Supreme Being which is otherwise transcendental and in- comprehensible to the finite understanding of the human selves, that impels it to manifest itself to those who are pious and de- voted.
Fortunately for us we are in possession of rare internalevidences in the heart-melting hymns sung by St. Manickavachakar and other Saivite Saints in glory of Lord Siva, sufficient to convince us of the reality of God's sudden manifesta- tion to them in tangible form. From the reference made by them in several of their hymns, we are in a position to study the essential nature of the personality of God and how it blesses the few fit, pious, sincere souls. Except the inspired utterances of such ex- ceptionally pure and favoured saints of Saivism, others can give us no clue to a clear, and definite conception of God's personality. So far as my knowledge of other religious saints is concerned, I dare say that I could get not even a single glimpse from their hymns and sayings (whose genuineness though I do not call in question as modern critics and commentators do) with reference to the vision of God they had, if they had any, and the nature and description of the personality they had thus seen. But in the case of the Saiva Saints as St. Manickavachakar and St. Thirujnanas ambandha, we are extremely glad to say that we are left in no uncertainity either with regard to their authorship of their sacred hymns or with re- gard to the vision of God they had and the definitely clear descrip- tion they give of the Hevenly Father and Mother that had come to them. When we enter the region of the sacred Saiva literature, we find ourselves to our great wonder and pleasure that we are on the safe, solid ground of genuine historical facts. From our most an- cient sage Tholkappiar whose age goes back to 3500 B.C. to St, Thiruvalluvar and the founders and teachers of Saiva religion, all have left behind them their valuable literary and religious works which embody their thoughts on arts, ethics, psychology, philoso- phy and religion.
Although the Aryan, Buddhist and Jain immigrants came and settled in the Tamil country as early as the 1st century of the Chris-
