Returning to the land made fertile by river Ponni, with deep devotion, Tirugnana Sambandhar prostrated to the great Lord, who is adorned with snakes, at his shrines in Tiirukkalar, Patalishwaram and others, arriving at Mullivaykarai. The river was in full spate making it impossible for boats to cross. All the boats were tied at the banks and no boatmen were present. The child of God saw the golden form of the Lord’s shrine at Tirukollampudur on the other bank. Zealous to see his Beloved Lord, who stole his heart, the marvellous child untied the boats, asked all the devotees that came along to get onto them and sang “kottame” praising Pashupati, who helps all creatures to cross the ocean of birth. Divine Grace guided the boat smoothly to the other bank. Rushnning towards the Lord's shrine, he thanked and enjoyed divine Bliss. Wishing to worship the Supreme at Tirunallaru, he, who had created the song which was evergreen even in fire at Madurai, went towards it, worshipping at many shrines on the way. He sang many hymns on the Creator dancing in the cremation grounds. Near Tirutelicheri, when they were crossing BodhiMangai, which had a sizable Buddhist population, the roar of devotees hailing the victory of Sambandhar over other philosophies, irked the Buddhists who came there with their leader Buddha Nandi. He stopped the advancing devotees. One of the devotees who used to write down the pathigams that were sung by Sambandhar, cursed him that his head be cut off. By the greatness of his devotion, Buddha Nandi lost his head by the sheer power of the words uttered. Others got frightened and dispersed quickly. Now the Buddhists, realising that they could not win using guile, asked for a philosophical debate rather than a battle using mantras, under their new head Chari Buddha. Accepting the challenge, Sambandhar met them at a hall they decided. The Shaivite devotee who recorded the Sambandhar padhikams on palmleaves, asked the Buddhist scholar to explain the basis of their philosophy. The head of the Buddhists, who had a very good knowledge of their scriptures – Tripitika , explained the way the founder of the school attained liberation. When he was asked about the concept of liberation, after some rambling, he was struck that his philosophy did not provide a satisfactory answer. To the bewildered Buddhists, the devotee of Sambandhar explained the Truth as propounded by Shaivam. Those Buddhists realising the Supreme and the supreme philosophy adopted the Vedic path of Shaivam. The devotees rejoiced. (The philosophical discussion between Tirugnana Sambandhar’s devotee and Chari Buddha is presented in verses 914 - 925 of Tirugnana Sambandha Nayanar Puranam by Sekkizhar)

Wishing to bow down to the Three-eyed Lord, the prodigy went towards Tirukadavur. He inquired the whereabouts of the king of words, Tirunavukkarasar. The devotees told him that he was serving the Lord at Punturuti. With great enthusiasm to see him, Sambandhar proceeded there. Hearing about the arrival of the saint who dispelled the darkness of ignorance wherever he went, the great sage went forward to salute him. There was a huge crowd that had gathered to salute Sambandhar. Appar, quietly, without anybody noticing him, joined the people who were carrying Sambandhar's palanquin. At that time something struck Sambandhar's mind and he asked where Appar was. The modest sage replied that by the boon of his austerities, he was right there holding Sambandhar’s feet. Shocked by Appar's deed of love Sambandhar jumped out of the palanquin to salute him and expressed his dismay in a shivering tone. The humble sage replied that it was only his expression of admiration for the great Tirugnana Sambandhar. The world that had seen only one Sun was blessed with two now, albeit cool with their modesty.

After offering worship to the Lord, who is propitiated by the five holy substances of the cow, at Punturuti, the two eyes of the Vedic revolution, reminisced their pilgrimages respectively. Hearing from Sambandhar about the events in Madurai, Appar was inspired by the affection of Mangaiyarkarasiyar and Kulachiraiyar, and the way Sambandhar uplifted the king Ninrachir Nedumarar, giving him both life and sacred ash. Sambandhar learnt about Appar’s pilgrimage to the north. Now, Appar was eager to visit the southern Pandya kingdom and Sambandhar was enthusiastic to travel North. The two saints worshipping the Lord at that town, took leave from each other for one last time in this world.  
Sambandhar journeyed north, singing hymns at Tiruneytanam, Aiyaru and Tiruppazhanam, reaching Sirkazhi. The brahmins of the town were looking forward to meeting the saint of Sirkazhi, who had won the duals with the fierce Jains in the southern kingdom. They gathered there, chanting the metrical Vedas. Along with them, the young Sambandhar went straight to prostrate the Parents of the Worlds, blissfully sitting on a boat at Sirkazhi. Taking leave of Tirunilakanta Yazhpanar, he went home to gladden the heart of his mother, whose son was revered by the world. Staying there for a few days, worshipping the Lord, Sambandhar wanted to go on a pilgrimage northwards. Asking his father to stay back to serve the Lord of Sirkazhi as laid down in the Vedas, he along with other devotees went ahead with devotional fervour. During this famed pilgrimage, he travelled, singing about the Origin of the Vedas at Tillai (Chidambaram), Tirutinai Nagar, Tirumani Kuzhi, Tirupadiripuliyur, Tiruvadukur, Tiruvakkarai, Irumbai Makalam and came to Tiruvadikai. The Lord of this Virattana place appeared to him in His blissful dance form with the Bhutas singing. At the peak of ecstasy, he sang “kundaikkuratpudham”. The young boy with great love went ahead to worship the Lord at Tiruvamattur, Tirukovalur and Araiyani Nallur. He then beheld the Infinite Fire column, now in the form of a mountain at Tiruvannamalai. At the first sight, with immeasurable respect and love for the Lord, he sang of the mountain “unnamulai”, which appeared as the Lord Himself. Here he also sang the pathigam “puvar malar”. He then reached Tondai Nadu (Pallava kingdom) entering Tiruvottur. There was a devotee who grew palm trees for the Lord but unfortunately all the palm trees were male and none of them bore fruit. The troublesome Jains of the town mocked at the devotee. The concerned devotee appealed to Sambandhar, who sang a pathigam with the words “the male palms giving fruit” in its Tirukkadaikkappu (end of the hymn with the fruits of recitation). To the surprise of all and shock of the Jains, the palm trees immediately were seen with lots of fruits. The Jains, afraid, either left the place or deserted their faith to take up the faith of the Magnificent Mahesha. Praising the Lord holding the axe at Magaral, Kuranganin Muttam, he came to Kanchi. Saluting the devotees of the town who came to welcome him in a grand procession, the devotional young saint worshipped the Lord embraced by the Daughter of mountains at Tiru-ekambam. He saluted at numerous other shrines in the town including Kamakottam, Nerikaraikadu, Anegathangavadam and Metrali. He offered garlands of hymns at the covetable feet of the Lord at Tirumarperu, Tiruvallam, Ilambaiyankottur, Tiruvirkolam, Takkolam and Tiruvural. Hesitant to set his feet in the holy town of Tiruvalankadu, where the gem among women, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, out of humble devotion, walked on her head to enjoy the bliss of the dance of Nataraja, Sambandhar stayed at an inn in the town nearby. God appeared in his dream that night to ask him why he did not sing for Him. Immediately at midnight he sang for the Lord. The next day he saluted the Lord at the shrine at Pazhaiyanir Tiruvalankadu with devotees. He offered wonderful hymns and himself to the Lord at Tiruppachur and Venpakkam. With the fervour to worship the Lord worshipped by the hunter of unmatched devotion, he proceeded to Karikarai.

He reached the place Tirukalahasti, made holy by the feet of Kannappa Nayanar, the devotee of unmatched love, who showed that supreme selfless love was the superior to all rituals when he walked and ran, anxious about the safety of God, serving Him his sacred love in the form of meat. The sight of the Lord filling his eyes, the young saint, Sambandhar, was overwhelmed by love in his heart for the flawless simple Lord bearing the mighty river. As Tamil was not the spoken language, he did not journey to the West and North outside the Tamil lands, but he sang the glory of the Lord of Kailash, Kedarnath, Gokarna, SriSailam and Indranila Paravata staying there itself. He stayed there for some time and then he travelled towards the South to salute the Lord of Tiruvotriyur.