Page:The story of saiva saints.pdf/25

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and asked him who gave him the milk. Sambanthar atonce sang the Pathigam "Thodudaiya Seviyan” (and this is the first Hymn in the Thevara collections). The father was astonished at this and this news spread throughout the land. Crowds of Bhaktas visited Sambanthar.

He went to Thirunanipalli and as he sang a hymn, the barren land there became fertile; At Thirukkolakka he was supplied with Talams by the Diving grace. One Thiruneelakanta Yazhppanar (a violinist) accompanied him. At Thirunelvayil a palanquin, umbrella and horn were presented to him. He wore the sacred card, when he told the priests about the greatness of the Panchakshara, the mystic five letters by a Pathigam. At Pachil achchiramam, he cured the daughter of Kollimazhavan of a chronic paralysis called "Muyulagan". At Thiruppatteeswaram he was awarded a canopy of pearls, At Thiruvavaduthurai, he was bestowed with a purse consisting of 1000 gold coins for his father to perform sacrifice or yaga according to Vedic rites. Au Thirumarugal he brought back life to a merchant stung by a cobra. He in his tours met his contemporary Saiva Devotees viz. Thiruneela Nakkar, Siruth thondar, Murga Nayanar and Kunguliyakkalayar. At Thiruvizhi Mizhalai and Vedaranyam he worshipped Lord Siva along with Appar.

From Vedaranyam he proceeded to Madurai at the invitation of Mangaiyarkkarasiyar, the consort of Pandya king, Mara varman who was a Jain. The matt where Sambanthar was camping was set fire to by the Jains and Sambanthar bade the fire to go to the Pandya. At once the Pandiya king was afflicted with high fever. The Jain Monks tried their best to cure the king of the disease in vain. Sambanthar was invited and he besmeared the body with sacred Ash, singing the pathigam “Manthiramavathu Neeru" and the fever faded away. The Jain Monks were prepared for a second test. They wrote out their doctrine on a palm leaf and placed it