Periya Puranam

A Minister turned poet turned saint Sekkizhar (1113-1173 CE) created the literary masterpiece cum devotional epic cum Hindu religious history, aptly called Peria Puranam (great epic). Original is in form of 4286 Tamil verses. It deals with the lives and times of 63 Nayanmars who served Lord Siva and the mankind in their own distinct ways. The trials and tribulations they willingly undergo and the supreme sacrifices they make us wonder-struck. It is noteworthy that they belong to various castes and professions known to the Tamil society of those days; and, except one, all of them were house holders. This makes the Puranam’s appeal universal. Rendered in simple readable English prose form by an engineer turned scholar, this work is sure to introduce the epic to and enthuse the readers of the present day generation to learn more about it.