Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi Complete ... - BrahminVoice.org

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
15th October, 1938
Talk 529.
In the course of conversation Sri Bhagavan said that Thirujnanasambandar
had sung in praise of Sri Arunachala. He also
mentioned the story briefly as follows:
Jnanasambandar was born in an orthodox family about 1,500 years
ago. When he was three years old his father took him to the temple in
Shiyali. He left the boy on the bank of the sacred tank and went in to
bathe. As he dipped in the water the boy, not finding his father, began
to cry out. Immediately Siva and Parvati appeared in a vimana. Siva
told Parvati to feed the boy with her milk. So she drew out milk in a
cup and handed it to the boy. He drank it and was happy.
The father as he came out of the water saw the boy smiling and with
streaks of milk round his lips. So he asked the boy what happened
to him. The boy did not answer. He was threatened and the boy sang
songs. They were hymns in praise of Siva who appeared before him.
He sang, “The One with ear-rings... the Robber, who robbed me of
my mind....”
He thus became one of the most famous bhaktas and was much sought
after. He led a vigorous and active life; went on pilgrimage to several
places in South India. He got married in his sixteenth year. The bride
and the bridegroom went to have darsan of God in the local temple
soon after the marriage ceremonies were over. A large party went
with them. When they reached the temple the place was a blaze of
light and the temple was not visible. There was however a passage
visible in the blaze of light. Jnanasambandar told the people to enter
the passage. They did so. He himself went round the light with his
young wife, came to the passage and entered it as the others had done
earlier. The Light vanished leaving no trace of those who entered it.
The temple again came into view as usual. Such was the brief but
very eventful life of the sage.
In one of his tours he had come to Ariyanainallur or Tirukkoilur, eighteen
miles from Tiruvannamalai. The place is famous for its Siva temple.
(It was here that Sri Bhagavan had that vision of Light on his way to
527