Page:The story of saiva saints.pdf/8

Rh chieftain of the place called Narasinga munaiyaraiyar took him home and brought him up in his palace. When the marriage of Suntharar was about to take place, Lord Siva appeared in the form of an aged brahmin and said that Suntharar, according to a former agreement with his grandfather, was his slave and that he should serve him for ever. Though Suntharar remonstrated, the case was proved, but to the amazement of all, it was found, that the aged man was no other than Lord Siva of Thiruvennainallur. Suntharar thereupon sang the hymn beginning with "Piththa Pirai soodi".

Then Suntharar began his pilgrimage and after beringbeing [sic] blessed by God at Thiruvathigai, he proceeded to Thiru Arur and married Paravaiyar. He composed at Thiruvarur, the Thiruththondaththogai in which he adored and worshipped all Saiva Saints known upto that day. He was once given mounts of paddy by one Kundaiyur Kizhar and as Suntharar sang a Pathigam (decad) Lord Siva bade his demons to carry the paddy to Thiru Arur.

At Thiru Nattiaththankudi, Suntharar was the guest of Kotpuli Nayanar who with reverence and piety, gave his daughters to Suntharar and Suntharar accepted them as his own children. At Thiruppugalur, by the grace of Siva, bricks were transformed into gold for the sake of Suntharar. While he had been to Thirukkachchoor (near Madras) Lord Siva himself gathered food by begging at each door and served him.

At Thiruvotriyur he once again got into wedlock with Sangiliyar. The mediator for the marriage was Siva himself. The marriage took place only after he swore that thethey [sic] would not leave Thiruvotriyur. Suntharar cannot keep up to his word and longing to have a darsan of Lord of Thiruvarur, he left Thiruvotriyur. No sooner did he leave than he lost his