The sight of Sirkazhi, where the love of his life sat with the Goddess, whose plait was sought by bees, filled Sambandhar’s eyes and mind with joy. Singing His glory, he entered the town and saluted the Lord waited on by Brahma. Hearing that Tirugnana Sambandhar had reached Sirkazhi, the other servitors of the Lord, Muruga Nayanar and Tirunilanakka Nayanar arrived. While the divine servitors spent their time together singing the Greatness of God, Sambandhar's father and other relatives felt it was an appropriate time for Sambandhar to get married. They requested him to get married for performing Vedic rituals as a householder. But the servitor of the Great Lord, who of yore had reduced Kama to ashes, with his mind focussed only on the meditation of Mahesha, did not wish to get married. His father appealed to him yet again. For the purpose of upholding tradition, Sambandhar agreed to marriage. Sambandhar's father chose the loving daughter of the devotee of the Lord- Nambandar Nambi for his great son. He went with his relatives to Tirunallur Perumanam, the town of Nambandar Nambi. Nambandar Nambi welcomed Shivapadahridayar with decorated lamps, flowers and fruits and agreed to the marriage proposal as a boon. They decided on an auspicious date and arrangements began with great joy.

The streets of Sirkazhi were decorated with pots, lamps, flags and garlands of flowers and pearls. For the marriage, grains were grown to begin the functions. Clouds of perfumed smoke from burning incense pervaded the air of Sirkazhi. The crowds of devotees who came to participate in that wonderful marriage were hosted with great care. The devotees and relatives took the auspicious wrist thread, that the groom should wear before the wedding, around the town in a procession and then wound it on the soft wrist of Sambandhar on the morning of that great day. The prodigy who had come to spread the Truth of Shaivam, went with his pure heart and body to salute first the Yogi who sits with His most beautiful Lady at the temple in Tirutonipuram. With Their blessings and the devotees who had come from all around, Sambandhar went in the pearl palanquin that the Lord blessed him with, to Tirunallur Perumanam. Getting down from his palanquin he went straight to fall at the feet of the Lord at Nallur Perumanam and sang His glory. The officiating brahmins asked him to get dressed in the clothes as required for the wedding. He was adorned with sandal paste, shining white garments, golden chains with the nine gems and a glittering crown. Above all he bedecked himself with the most precious of all things in the world - Rudraksha and Sacred Ash chanting the Holy Five Letters. Saluting the Absolute, he took the garland of the groom and reached the wedding altar to the resounding cheer of the gathered devotees.

The father of the blessed bride washed the feet of the peerless devotee with sandalwood water. He sprinkled that water made pure by the holy touch of the great saint’s feet on himself and all others present there. The beautifully adorned bride was brought to the altar and her tender hands were placed into the hands of the indomitable beacon of Shaivam, amidst the chanting of holy scriptures. The couple was asked to walk around the sacred fire. As the culmination of the wedding rituals, the saint rose to circumambulate the Lord of Nallur Perumanam. In his heart he wished to merge with the Lord along with his newly wed wife rather than leading a married life. With all the devotees and relatives following, he went with his bride to the Lord and sang entreating Him that it was time to take him– “kallur perumanam venda”. There appeared a magnificent glow in the shrine of the Granter of liberation. Sambandhar sang a beautiful hymn extolling the greatness of the Holy Five Letters of the Lord – Namachivaya Tirupadikam, affirming that only the holy mantra “nama shivaya” could rescue and bless the world. He then asked all the devotees assembled there to step into the glow. The pure hearted devotees including Tirunilanakkar, Murugar, Tirunilakanta Yazhpanar, Shivapadahridayar and Nambandar Nambi entered the luminescence along with their families. Finally, the torch of Shaivam along with his wife prostrating and circumambulating the Glow merged into It. Immediately the glow vanished from sight. The people who stood outside were left shocked. The Devas showered praises from the heavens. Salutations to the Lord of Sambandhar who stole his heart and made him sing wonderful devotional hymns about the Truth in Tamil. Let the affectionate cry of Tirugnana Sambandha Nayanar calling out to obtain bliss, singing the Lord’s glory, winning over the ignorant followers of other philosophies and being steadfast on the path of the Truth stay in our minds always.

Guru Pooja: Vaikasi / Moolam or Vrishabha / Moola
Har Har Mahadev
 

Life of Thirunyanasampandhar - through his thEvAram
சேக்கிழார் எடுத்துத் தந்த திருஞானசம்பந்தர் திருப்பதிகங்கள்