shivathevaramsambandarthirugnana-sambandar

Thevaram — Thodudaiya Seviyan (Sambandar)

தேவாரம் — தோடுடைய செவியன்

🕉️ hindu·📿 5× repetitions·🕐 Early morning, on Mondays, Pradosham and during Shiva worship; sung as the opening of Saiva temple service·📜 Thevaram, Tirumurai 1 — first padhigam of Thirugnana Sambandar (Tamil, c. 7th century CE)

Also known as: thevaram · thodudaiya seviyan · thodudaiya seviyan vidaiyeri · sambandar thevaram · thevaram first verse

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

'Thodudaiya Seviyan' is the opening verse of the Thevaram — the great Tamil Saiva canon — sung by the boy-saint Thirugnana Sambandar at Sirkazhi. It paints Lord Shiva in His beloved forms: wearing the woman's ear-ring as Ardhanara, riding the bull, crowned with the crescent moon, ash-smeared, the 'thief who steals the heart', the Lord who graced Brahma and dwells in glorious Brahmapuram. It is among the most cherished and most often sung verses in all Tamil Saivism.

Origin & Story

Thevaram, Tirumurai 1 — first padhigam of Thirugnana Sambandar (Tamil, c. 7th century CE) · Thirugnana Sambandar (Nayanar saint) · Tamil Bhakti era (c. 7th century CE)

Tradition holds that as a small child at Sirkazhi, Sambandar was left by the temple tank by his father; crying for his parents, he was nursed by Goddess Uma (Parvati) with the milk of divine knowledge. Pointing to the Lord, the child sang his first hymn beginning 'Thodudaiya Seviyan Vidaiyeri' — and so this verse became the opening of the entire Thevaram. Sambandar went on to compose thousands of hymns and to perform many miracles in praise of Shiva.

✦ As told in scripture

It is said that the divine milk of wisdom given by Goddess Parvati made the infant Sambandar an instant poet-saint, and that his very first words formed this perfect hymn 'Thodudaiya Seviyan' — his hymns thereafter healed the sick, opened locked temple doors and even restored life, by the grace of Lord Shiva.

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The Mantra

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தோடுடைய செவியன் விடைஏறி ஓர் தூவெண்மதி சூடி காடுடைய சுடலைப் பொடிபூசி என் உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன் ஏடுடைய மலரான் முனைநாட் பணிந்து ஏத்த அருள் செய்த பீடுடைய பிரமாபுரம் மேவிய பெம்மான் இவன் அன்றே.

thōḍuḍaiya seviyan viḍaiēṟi ōr thūveṇmadhi sūḍi kāḍuḍaiya suḍalaip poḍipūsi en uḷḷam kavar kaḷvan ēḍuḍaiya malarān munaināḷ paṇindhu ēththa aruḷ seydha pīḍuḍaiya biramāpuram mēviya pemmān ivan anṟē.

Meaning:This is the very first verse of the Thevaram, sung by the child-saint Thirugnana Sambandar at Sirkazhi (Brahmapuram).

Word-by-Word Meaning

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தோடுடைய செவியன்🔊thōḍuḍaiya seviyanHe who wears the woman's ear-ornament (thodu) in one ear — the Ardhanarishvara aspect, half Uma.

விடைஏறி🔊viḍaiēṟiRiding upon the bull (Nandi, the vidai).

ஓர் தூவெண்மதி சூடி🔊ōr thūveṇmadhi sūḍiAdorned with a single pure white (crescent) moon (upon His matted hair).

காடுடைய சுடலைப் பொடிபூசி🔊kāḍuḍaiya suḍalaip poḍipūsiSmeared with the ash of the cremation-ground in the forest.

என் உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன்🔊en uḷḷam kavar kaḷvanThe thief who has stolen away my heart.

ஏடுடைய மலரான்🔊ēḍuḍaiya malarānHe of the petalled flower — Brahma, who is seated on the lotus.

முனைநாள் பணிந்து ஏத்த🔊munaināḷ paṇindhu ēththaIn ancient days, bowing and praising (Him).

அருள் செய்த🔊aruḷ seydhaHe who bestowed His grace.

பீடுடைய பிரமாபுரம்🔊pīḍuḍaiya biramāpuramThe glorious, majestic town of Brahmapuram (Sirkazhi).

மேவிய🔊mēviyaWho has gladly taken His abode / dwells in.

பெம்மான் இவன் அன்றே🔊pemmān ivan anṟēIs this not the great Lord (Pemman) Himself? — indeed, He is.

Benefits of Chanting Thevaram — Thodudaiya Seviyan (Sambandar)

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The first verse of the Thevaram — the foundational hymn-corpus of Tamil Saivism — held supremely auspicious to begin worship of Shiva.

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Sung daily in Saiva temples across Tamil Nadu, especially as the first song of the Oduvar (temple singers).

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Invokes Lord Shiva in His most beloved iconographic forms, deepening loving devotion (anbu) and surrender.

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Believed to draw Shiva's grace and protection, as Sambandar's own hymns were said to perform miracles.

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Cherished as the opening of the Tirumurai, the sacred Saiva scripture, and a treasure of Tamil bhakti.

How to Chant Thevaram — Thodudaiya Seviyan (Sambandar)

Repetitions5times

Best TimeEarly morning, on Mondays, Pradosham and during Shiva worship; sung as the opening of Saiva temple service

FaceFacing the Shiva deity or east

Bathe and sit before an image or lingam of Lord Shiva, light a lamp and apply sacred ash (vibhuti). Recite the verse in its traditional pann (melodic mode) if known, dwelling on the form of Shiva described line by line — His ear-ring, the bull, the crescent moon, the sacred ash. As the very first Thevaram verse, it is fittingly chanted at the beginning of Shiva worship.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Thevaram is the collection of Tamil Saiva devotional hymns by the three saints Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) and Sundarar. Forming the first seven books of the Tirumurai, it is the central scripture of Tamil Saivism and is sung in Shiva temples to this day.

It is traditionally regarded as the very first verse of the entire Thevaram, sung by Thirugnana Sambandar at Sirkazhi (Brahmapuram). Because of this, it is held especially sacred and is often the opening hymn of Saiva worship and recitation.

Sambandar was one of the most celebrated of the 63 Nayanar saints of Tamil Saivism. Tradition holds that as an infant at Sirkazhi he was fed the milk of divine wisdom by Goddess Parvati herself, and thereafter poured forth hymns of Shiva; he is revered for the many miracles wrought through his songs.

It means 'the thief who has stolen my heart' — a famous and beloved phrase in which Sambandar describes how Lord Shiva, by His enchanting beauty and grace, has carried away the devotee's very heart in love.