The Life
At Sirkazhi, a Brahmin child of Sivapada Hridayar was left crying with hunger by the temple tank while his father bathed. Uma, the Divine Mother, appeared with Shiva and fed him milk from her own breast in a golden cup. When his father returned and demanded who had fed him, the three-year-old pointed to the sky and sang 'Thodudaya Seviyan,' the very first verse of his Thevaram. Known thereafter as Thirugnana Sambandar, 'he who is joined to divine wisdom,' he journeyed the Shaiva shrines pouring out inspired hymns and working miracles, and with Queen Mangayarkarasi and minister Kulachirai reconverted the Pandya king. At his wedding at Nallur-Perumanam, Shiva opened a radiance of light; Sambandar, his bride and all the guests merged into that jyoti and reached the Lord.