According to Tamil legends, Murugan was the brave warrior who defeated the powerful demon Soorapadman, and was seen as being the epitome of youth, compassion and beauty. The worship of Murugan has strong roots in Tamil Nadu. Almost all songs end addressing Murugan as Perumal, a term that traditionally had strong associations with Tamil Vaishnavism. The majority of the songs are sung to Murugan, but there are also a few songs that sing of deeds of Siva or the avatars of Vishnu, and of the power of Parvathi. At each of these, he composed songs in praise of Murugan, which are collected together in the Thiruppugazh. Arunagirinathar was transformed, and began a long pilgrimage, visiting the Arupadai Veedu (Six Abodes of Murugan), the six temples most sacred to Murugan, and over 200 other holy shrines in India and Sri Lanka. He was saved by a stranger, who, according to legend, was Murugan himself.
His disgust at his own conduct led him to attempt suicide by jumping off the temple tower at Thiruvannamalai. According to these, Arunagirinathar led a hedonistic life as a young man.
There are no historical records of the life of Arunagirinaathar, and what we know of the composition of the Thiruppugazh is largely derived from oral traditions and legends recorded in commentaries on the work. Thiruppugazh - Umbartharu The work and its contents
