Tree Miracle and Statue Miracle of a Saivaite Saint
Thirugnana Sambandhar was a child prodigy. He started composing poems when he was three years old. We know many other child prodigies from different parts of the world who composed poems. But there is a big difference between Sambandhar and those poets. He composed devotional poems in different metres and genres. Though he did compose them 1300 years ago still they are used by millions of Tamil Hindus. His words had miraculous powers. Whatever he wanted to achieve, he achieved them through his verses. His poems led to a big moral and religious reformation. Above all, though we lost several thousands of his verses, we have more than 4000 of them today.
Hundreds of miracles happened during Sambandhar’s life. He travelled to nook and corner of Tamil Nadu and sang about the temples. We come to know a great deal of Tamil history through his poems. Periapuranam of Sekkizar commented on everything he did and added further details. This hagiology of Tamil saints in Tamil poetry form was composed by Sekkizar in 12[SUP]th[/SUP] century, approximately 500 years after Sambandhar.
Sambandhar’s big achievement came in Madurai ,the capital of seventh century Pandya kings. He reconverted Pandya king Nedumaran to Hinduism and defeated the Jains in several contests. Jains are a peace loving community and they believe in absolute non violence. The 24[SUP]th[/SUP] Jain saint (Thirthankara) Mahavir was the contemporary of the Buddha. He and his followers commanded great respect. But the Jains who occupied Madurai involved them in politics and violence. When Sambandhar visited Madurai at the request of Pandya Queen and the Chief Minister, the Jains set fire to the building where the boy wonder Sambandhar was staying. This increased the tension between the Saivaites and the Jains.
Palmyra Tree Miracle
When Sambandhar visited Tiruvothur he saw a devotee crying. The devotee raised some Palmyra trees so that he can use the income for his community service in the Shiva temple. By rare coincidence all the trees were male trees and did not yield fruits. Atheists were mocking at him and teased him asking when his god would yield him fruits. When Sambandhar asked him the reason for his sad face, he told him about the male only Palmyra trees. Later Sambandhar visited the Shiva temple and looked at the Palmyra trees and he sang ten verses in praise of the Lord and said the male trees will yield (Kurumpai Aan Panai Eenum in Tamil). Next minute all the trees bloomed and bore plenty of Palmyra fruits! Dr R Nagasamy, renowned historian and archaeologist, has quoted the Sanskrit lines from the Upamanyu Bhakta Vilasam giving the same meaning: Tala: pumamsa: sruthvai they bhavanthu paritha: palai:
Temple Statue Miracle
Sambandhar visited Tirukkovilur. It is the custom of the Hindus to worship the temple tower as soon as they see it for the first time. When Sambandhar saw a temple building from a distance, he immediately paid due respects to the temple. The devotees who were following the Boy Wonder were embarrassed because it was not a Hindu temple. With very great hesitation a few of them went to him and informed him it was a Jain temple. But yet Sambandhar went in to the building and to the surprise of everyone, it was a Siva statue in the sanctum sanctorum. He converted the statue by his miraculous powers. Periapuranam was translated in to several languages including Sanskrit. Srinivasa Kavi of 16[SUP]th[/SUP] century translated it verbatim. Dr R. Nagasamy has found out several missing pieces of Periapuranam, through his meticulous research. This episode of statue miracle is found in the Sanskrit version of Periapuranam, Upamanyu Bhakta Vilasam, according to Dr R Nagasamy. He believes that the Periapuranam Tamil verses regarding this miracle might have been lost.
