Tirujnana Sambandhar

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

Tirujnana Sambandhar

Sambandhar took his birth in a Brahmin family in Sirkali in the district of Tanjore which is
also known by the name Brahmapuri. He was born of Bhagavati and Sivapadahridayar. Bhagavati
and Sivapadahridayar went to the tank to take their bath. The child also accompanied his parents.
They left the child on the bank and proceeded to take bath. The child cried aloud: “O father!” as he
did not see his parents. The parents did not hear the cry of the child, but Lord Siva and Parvati heard
his cry. They both appeared before the child. Parvati gave milk to the child. The child drank the
milk of divine knowledge along with the milk. From that moment he began to sing the praises of
Lord Siva in various temples. He sang soul-stirring, sublime Tevarams or odes. This incident
occurred when the child was three years old.
The parents finished their bath and came near the child. Milk was flowing from his mouth
and there were tears in his eyes. The parents asked: “My beloved child, who gave you milk?” The
child sang a hymn and narrated everything to his parents. The parents rejoiced heartily and gave to
the child the name Tiru-Jnana Sambandhar as he attained divine wisdom through the grace of Lord
Siva and Parvati. He was also known by the name Pillayar.
Thereupon Sambandhar proceeded to Tirukkolakka. He sang a hymn or ode in the temple.
Lord Siva presented him with a gold cymbal.
There was a devotee of Lord Siva in Tiruyerukkattampuliyur. He could play well on the
musical instrument Yal. His name was Tirunilakantha Yalpanar. He went to Sirkali to pay his
respects to Sambandhar. Sambandhar took him to the temple of Lord Siva and heard his music.
Yalpanar prayed to Sambandhar and said: “Let me always live with you playing thy hymns on Yal.
Grant me my prayer”. Sambandhar agreed. Thereupon, Sambandhar and his parents and Yalpanar
proceeded to Chidambaram and worshipped Nataraja. One day, Sambandhar saw the three
thousand Brahmins of Chidambaram as the three thousand Siva Ganas.
Sambandhar wanted to worship the Lord at Aratturai. He walked on foot. He got tired and so
he rested on the way in Maranpadi during the night. As he was a small boy, his tender feet were
much affected by the long walk. The Lord of Aratturai appeared in the dream of the priests and told
them: “Sambandhar is coming to Me. Take the pearl umbrella and the pearl palanquin which are

now in the temple and hand them over to him”. The priests woke up and went to the temple. They
saw the articles which they saw in their dream there. They took them, went to Maranpadi and gave
them to Sambandhar. They informed Sambandhar about the command of the Lord. Sambandhar
also knew this already as the Lord informed him also about this, in his dream.
Thereupon, the thread ceremony of Sambandhar was performed by the priests. Sambandhar
did not study the Vedas and the Vedangas, but he repeated them and explained them to the priests.
The priests were struck with wonder.
Appar heard all about the glory of Sambandhar. He came from Chidambaram to Sirkali to
pay his respects to Sambandhar. Sambandhar came forward to receive Appar. They both spoke
words of affection and love. Appar remained in the house of Sambandhar for some days.
The daughter of the king of Malaya country was suffering from an incurable disease. The
king tried all sorts of medicines. Finally, he took her to the temple at Tiruppaccil Acciramam and
left her there before the Lord. Sambandhar visited the temple and saw the princess in an
unconscious state. His heart melted. He sang a Padigam and worshipped Lord Siva. The last line in
every stanza ends: “Is it right for the Lord to cause suffering to this girl?” At once, the princess
became all right. She got up and prostrated at the lotus-feet of Sambandhar.
Then Sambandhar proceeded to Tiruppattisvaram temple. It was a very hot day. Lord Siva
of Tiruppattisvaram temple sent a pearl palanquin through His Ganas to ward off the heat of the sun.
Sambandhar sang a Padigam and received one thousand gold coins from the Lord of
Avadutturai. In the Padigam, he asks in every stanza: “Is this the way of Your looking after my
interests? If You do not give me anything, is that Your grace?” He gave the gold coins to his father.
Sambandhar proceeded to Tirumarugal. There a traveller was bitten by a snake. His wife
was bemoaning the death of her husband. Sambandhar sang a Padigam. The traveller was brought
back to life.
There was severe famine at Tiruvilimilalai. Sambandhar received one measure of gold
every day from the Lord at Tiruvilimilala. He purchased provisions for this money and fed all Siva
Bhaktas.
Kulaccirai, minister of the Pandian king invited Sambandhar to his place. He was a devotee
of Lord Siva. Mangayarkkarasi, the queen was also a devotee of Lord Siva. Sambandhar visited
Madurai and worshipped the Lord there.
The Jains set fire to the camp of Sambandhar. Sambandhar sang a Padigam. The fire was
extinguished, but the Pandian king got severe fever. The doctors and the Jains were not able to cure
him. The king requested Sambandhar to cure him. Sambandhar sang a Padigam in praise of the holy
ashes and applied them to the king’s body. At once, the king became all right.

Thereupon it was decided that both Sambandhar and the Jains were to put their writings into
the fire and that if Sambandhar’s religion was the better one, the palm leaves which he put into the
fire should not be burnt. Sambandhar came out successful in the test.
Afterwards, there was another test. The Jains said that the palm leaf which contained the
writings of a true religion should go against the current of the Vaigai river. The minister said: “What
is the punishment for those who are defeated in the test?” The Jains replied: “Those who are
defeated will be hanged”. The Jains put a palm leaf in the river. It went along the current of the river.
Sambandhar wrote one of his poems and threw it into the Vaigai. It went against the current and
reached the place known as Tiruvedangam. Sambandhar sang a Padigam to stop the palm leaf. It
stopped. The minister ran, took the leaf and showed it to the king.
Then some of the Jains were hanged. The rest embraced Saivism. Sambandhar went with
the king and queen to the temple at Madurai and praised the Lord there.
Sambandhar wanted to go to Tirukkollampudur to have Darsana of the Lord there, but there
was flood in the river. The boatmen gave up the idea of crossing it. They tied the boat somewhere
and left the bank. Sambandhar took the boat, sang a Padigam and went over to the other side along
with his party.
The devotees of Sambandhar were blowing the trumpet of victory when they were
travelling. The Buddhists became very jealous of this. They informed their spiritual head,
Buddhanandi. Buddhanandi called Sambandhar for discussion.
Sambandhararanalayar, a disciple of Sambandhar who was recording all the songs of his
master, sang a Padigam sung by Sambandhar and said: “A thunder will fall on the head of this
Buddhanandi”. At once, a thunder fell on the head of Buddhanandi. He died immediately. Some
Buddhists ran away. Some others embraced Saivism and applied the holy ashes on their forehead.
Thereupon Sambandhar visited Tiruvottur. One man came to Sambandhar and said: “O
Swami, all the palmyra seeds have become male palmyras. People are mocking at me. Kindly bless
me”. Sambandhar sang a Padigam. The male palmyras were converted into female palmyras.
In Mylapore, there lived a devotee of Siva named Sivanesa Chettiar. A daughter was born to
him after doing penance. He gave her the name Poompavai. Sivanesar heard about the glory of
Sambandhar and surrendered all his wealth and daughter to the saint. One day, Poompavai was
bitten by a cobra, while she was gathering flowers in the garden. She died immediately. Sivanesar
kept her bones in a pot and kept the pot in the Kannikaimatam. He decorated the pot with silk cloth.
Sivanesar invited Sambandhar to the place. Sambandhar came to Mylapore and had Darsana of
Kapalisvarar. The devotees informed Sambandhar about the death of Sivanesar’s daughter.
Sambandhar asked Sivanesar to bring the pot which contained the bones of his daughter. Sivanesar
brought the pot at once. Sambandhar sang a Padigam. Poompavai came out of the pot just as
Lakshmi emerged from the lotus. Sivanesar’s heart was filled with intense delight. There was a rain
of flowers from the celestial regions. Then Sambandhar went to Sirkali.

The Brahmins approached Sambandhar and said: “O Swami, you will have to marry a girl
now in order to perform the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas”. Sambandhar agreed. The Brahmins
and the father of Sambandhar selected the daughter of Nambiandar Nambi as the bride. The
marriage ceremony was arranged at Nallur Perumanam. Sambandhar went along with his chosen
bride into the temple. When he approached the Lord, he, his bride and his followers got merged in
the Jyotis or the effulgence of the Lord.
Sambandhar says in one of his Padigams: “O foolish man, do not allow days to pass. Serve
Lord Siva who has a blue neck. Hear His praise. Meditate on His form. Repeat always the
Panchakshara. Live in the company of devotees of Siva. Serve them. His name will remove all evils
and dangers likely to fall on you and your children. Worship Lord Siva. He will confer on you
eternal bliss and immortality”.