Nāyikās Love and its Stages in Cēramān Perumāl Nāyanār's Kayilāya GÑāna Ulā in the Perspective of Saiva Tirumurai

<p><em><span>Kayilāya Ñāna Ulā</span></em><em><span>, authored by Cēramāṉ Perumāḷ Nāyaṉār in the 8<sup>th</sup> century CE, stands as a significant text in Tamil literature. This literary work is placed as a part of the eleventh volume of Saiva Tirumuṟaigal in praise of Lord Shiva. The text revolves around the royal procession of Lord Shiva, captivating the Heroines, <span>Nāyikās</span>—representing women classified into seven stages based on age as <span>Pētai, Petumpai, Maṅkai, Maṭantai, Arivai, Terivai</span> and <span>Pēriḷampeṇ. </span>This paper delves into the classification of <span>Nāyikās</span> based on the emotions and love attractions they experience while witnessing the grand procession. It also explores the importance of studying <span>Nāyikās</span> in the aforementioned <span>Ūla</span> literature to understand a nuanced portrayal of Rasa aesthetics for dance. Furthermore, <span>Kayilāya GÑāna Ulā </span>serves as the foundational concept for the Royal procession of <span>Nāyakā</span>in later texts of <span>Ulā</span> format.</span></em></p>