"Vanakkam pattar, ayan chakkarar, punitha uyya kantha thiru nilakanta, peruman adiyarai yaan vanakkam..." (Salutations to the devotees—the mad ones, the outcasts, the hunter who gave his leather, the woman who gave her flesh…)
In one famous hymn, Appar cries:
In the 10th century, the hymns were recovered and compiled by Nambiyandar Nambi under the patronage of the Chola King Raja Raja I Popular Songs and Their Meanings 1. "Thodudaiya Seviyan" – Thirugnana Sambandar thevaram songs with meaning
The "earring" ( thodu ) is not jewelry. It represents Sivajnana (wisdom) that swings back and forth, balancing the dualities of life (pain/pleasure, good/evil). The "bull" is your individual soul ( Nandi ), which must be ridden (controlled) to reach the destination. The "deer" is the restless mind, which leaps and bounds. Shiva holds it—meaning that divine grace can calm the mental deer. "Vanakkam pattar, ayan chakkarar, punitha uyya kantha thiru
The meaning of Thevaram songs is not static. For the farmer in the 9th century, it meant rain and protection. For the temple priest, it means liturgical precision. For the modern urban devotee, it means mental peace in a chaotic world. The "bull" is your individual soul ( Nandi