Transformation in the Lives of Tamil Śaiva bhaktas

Transformation in the Lives of Tamil Śaiva bhaktas The article deals with the tradition of the medieval South-Indian branch of Hinduism, which can be defined here as the religion of Tamil Śaiva bhakti reflected in the poetic compositions (the corpus Tirumuṟai) composed by a group of saints called nāyaṉārs (‘leaders’). Hagiographic sources of this tradition, first of all Periya purāṇam, and the nāyaṉārs’ poetic creations reveal some constant motifs which form a certain pattern, a typology of their legendary life-stories. They include: the encounter of a bhakta with Śiva, a trial (a test of devotion, an initiation, a heroic deed), a participation in the myth, rejection of sexual (family) life, emotional experience and revelation of a poetical gift.

Jesus-Disciple Relationship and Guru-Devotee Union: An Intercultural Reading of the Gospel of John and Tiruvācakam

This paper attempts an intercultural reading of the Jesus-Disciple relationship present in the Gospel of John taking the Tamil Śaiva perspective as a distinct hermeneutical approach. The paper presents select principles of ‘union’ represented in the master-disciple relationships of both John and Tiruvācakam and juxtaposes their implications to their respective contexts.