The Samayacharyas are considered the principal spiritual preceptors of Tamil Shaivism. Their lives and devotional works form the bedrock of the bhakti (devotional) movement in Tamil Nadu, particularly during a period when other faiths were prominent. They are celebrated for their profound devotion, miraculous deeds, and the vast body of devotional poetry they left behind.

Manikavasagar is undeniably a popular figure in Tamil Shaivism, equally (if not more) revered than many of the 63 Nayanars. He is part of the Naalvar ("Great Four") spiritual leaders (Samayacharyas). However, he is not included in the list of 63 Nayanars.

He is know particularly through the Tiruvaasagam, which complements the works of the Nayanars in the broader Tirumurai.

The story mentions that a poem written by Lord Shiva for Cheraman Perumal is the first piece in the 11th Thirumurai. Also, Cheraman Perumal's own poem, the "Tirukkayilaya Gnana Ula," is part of this collection.

In the context of the Nayanars, Padhikams are a specific type of Tamil devotional hymn. These are typically sets of ten verses that praise a particular deity, like Lord Shiva, or a sacred temple. Composed by saints like Karaikkal Ammaiyar, Padhikams are a vital part of Tamil devotional literature, often sung during pilgrimages to express deep love and spiritual experiences, and played a significant role in spreading the Shaiva faith.

Karaikkal Ammaiyar was a Nattukottai Nagarthar or commonly known as a chettiyar. Mangani festival in Karaikkal (Kaaraikudi) is an annual event celebrated in honor of Karaikal Ammaiyar.

Kotchengatchozha Nayanar's past life as a spider and his subsequent birth as a king is a story about the reward of devotion. The spider was devoted to Shiva by protecting a lingam with its web, but an elephant would destroy it daily. In a fit of rage, the spider bit the elephant's trunk, causing both to die. Shiva, pleased with their devotion, reincarnated the spider as a king to give it a greater form of service. Remembering this past life, Kotchengatchozha built temples on a raised platform (Madakoyil) so that elephants could not enter them, thus preventing any future conflict with the kind of devotee he had been.

 

When Shiva appeared, he blessed both creatures for their service. Parameshwara blessed the elephant with boons and the spider to rule the land by taking birth in the ancient Chozha dynasty.

The difference in their rewards seems to be directly related to the circumstances of their deaths. The spider's rebirth as a king was a way for it to be given a higher form to continue its devotion and, in a way, to resolve the conflict with the elephant by building temples that its kind could not enter. The elephant's devotion was acknowledged and rewarded, but it did not follow the same path of rebirth into the human world.