Interaction With Other Faiths
Thirumangai was a self-confessed religious bigot. He was instrumental in the decline of Jainism in south India. He is known for building of the third wall at the Vishnu temple, Srirangam for which he melted a gold Buddha statue from the Negapatam monastery. This indicates a conflict with Buddhism.
Thirumangai plundered "refractory" Shaivas (devotees of the Hindu god Shiva) and lived on the acquired wealth. He is described as cold-hearted Vaishnava who defeated the rival Shaivas by his words or even "argumentum ad baculum". Vaishnava texts like Divyasuri charitam and Guruparamparai prabhavams tell of his meeting with Thirugnana sambandhar, a Shaiva saint, who went to meet Thirumangai on his own and invited Thirumangai to his home town Sirkazhi so that Thirumangai would compose a poem in praise of the local deity Thadaalan. On the request of Thirugnana sambandhar at Sirkazhi, Thirumangai composed a poem on the spot, which was admired by the Shaiva - who granted Thirumangai a trident as a mark of appreciation.
Read more about this topic: Thirumangai Alvar
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