The jury at Tiruvennainallur that had passed a fair judgement based on the evidence, requested the Old man, who had just won Nambiyarurar as his slave, to show them the location of his house in that town. The Lord, who comes to enslave His devotees on His own accord, in the guise of the old man, asked them to follow. He entered the Tiruvarutturai (abode of Grace) - the temple in Tiruvennainallur - and disappeared. Sundarar and the others were shocked. The Lord then appeared on the horizon on the Holy Bull and said that He had come to rescue Sundarar as promised. He further told Sundarar, who was now in the depths of humility and devotion, that as he had used harsh words against Him, he would be praised thenceforth as “Vanthondan” and bade him to offer worship by singing hymns on Him in sweet Tamil. The peerless devotee worried, "Oh Flawless! The One who came to enslave a dog like me out of Thy grace! What do I know and how could I sing about You?" The charming three-eyed Lord said that since he had called Him piththan(mad), he could sing starting with the word ‘piththan’. Sundarar then started singing “piththa piraichudi” in sweet Tamil set to the melody “Ithalam” for this world, in praise of the Supreme with words dripping of love. The Lord ordered His loving devotee to continue singing. The daughter of Sadangaviyar, the bride, with her thoughts absorbed in Sundarar entered Shivaloka. Sundarar went onwards to Tirunavalur and sang about the God of the celestials.

Sundarar then travelled to Tiruthuraiyur and praised Lord Shiva with the hymn requesting Him for discipline in leading an austere life. With pure love in his heart, eager to salute the Dancing Lord at Tillai, he set on a pilgrimage towards it. On the way he reached Tiruvadikai while crossing the river Penna. Hesitant to step on the land where the holy sage of Shaivism Tirunavukkarasu Nayanar lived, he stayed for the night at the Siddhavata mutt on the outskirts. That night the Lord came to that mutt in the guise of an old man and lay next to him. At one time he kept His Feet on Sundarar’s head. Arurar awoke and told the Oldman that His Feet were on his head. The Old man replied that because of His age he didn't realise the directions. Sundarar moved his head some distance away and lay there. There too the Oldman kept His Feet on his head and this repeated for a while. Great is the chaste heart of this devotee on whose head the Lord Himself laid His Holy Feet, the Feet which even the celestials and sages long for! Arurar irked by now, shouted at the Oldman – “Who do you think you are?” The Lord, whose play is visible even in the infinitesimal parts of the Universe, asked Sundarar if he had not realised yet and suddenly disappeared. The astounded Sundarar ecstatic, sang the song about Grace of the Lord at Tiruvadikai starting – “tammanai ariyada”.

He worshiped the Lord who sported the divine Ganga on His matted locks, in Tirumanikkuzhi and Tinainagar, before reaching the town revered in the hearts of devotees - Tillai. Crossing the lands fertile with banana and clove trees, he reached the land fertile with devotion and worship of the Absolute. He entered the temple, adorned with four towers, one in each direction, through the northern tower. Saluting the Lord's holy abode all through the way, he worshiped the “Perambalam” (the Great Hall) and then entered the gate to worship the Lord who dances in the hearts of the devotees ever blissfully at that holy Tirurchitrambalam. With the hands held over his head in salutation, his five senses tuned to the one vision, the four Antakaranas merging in his mind and the three qualities becoming the one pleasant sattva, he rejoiced in the Great dance of that the Moon adorned Lord. He bowed down, praised, saluted and sang about that Immense Joy. Then, a divine voice asked Sundarar to come to His Arur.

With the Lord’s blessing Sundarar left for Arur. On the way he came to Kazhumalam where the young beacon of Shaivism, Tirungnanasambandhar, was born to dispel the enshrouding darkness of ignorance. Sundarar did not want to set his foot in that splendid town where Sambandhar was born. So, he saluted the town from the outskirts and went ahead. The Lord of Kazhumalam appeared in the sky to bless the devotee. The servitor of the Lord saluted and sang about the Benevolent Lord of Kazhumalam. He praised the Lord at Tirukkolakka, Tiruppunkur and many other abodes before reaching the banks of river Kaviri. Crossing river Kaviri, worshiping the God at Mayiladuthurai, Ambar Makalam and Tiruppukalur, Nambiyarurar reached Arur. 

Guru Pooja: Aadi / Svati or Karka / Svati

Har Har Mahadev

• The Puranam of the Lord's Intercession in English Poetry
• தடுத்து ஆட்கொண்ட புராணம் - செய்யுள்
• சுந்தரமூர்த்தி நாயனார் புராணம் உரைநடை