The sage who won over evil by love, undertook pilgrimages to pay obeisance, sing and serve the Lord Shiva in His abodes. He got the blessings of God in Tiruvennaainallur and Tirukkovalur. He then went to Tiruthunkanai madam of the Lord with matted hair. There he requested the Lord with golden feet to get the imprints of the emblems – the trident (trishula) and the holy bull - on his shoulders as a mark of his servitude to God thus ending all his earlier association with Jainism, by singing the Devaram - " Ponnar thiruvadikku ". Accepting the prayer of his pure heart which had already been indelibly etched with the Lord, those holy marks were marked on him. The great and humble sage submitted himself to the Supreme and thanked Him from the bottom of the heart for blessing his request. While serving the Lord there, he offered worship at the nearby abodes of Tiru-arathurai and Tiru-mudhukunram. He then proceeded eastwards praying at many shrines on the way and reached the Lord at Tirunivakkarai.

Yearning to see the famed Tillai (Chidambaram), where the Lord magnificently dances, the dance that causes the entire world to function, the mountain of knowledge Tirunavukkarasar made his way there. He crossed many fertile fields flowing with water that appeared like the fields melted at the sight of the lovely form of that seer. The devotees of that coveted Tillai came to pay obeisance to the sage. Along with them he entered the town where the harmony of the Vedas being recited heightens consciousness and the service rendered by the servitors of God is flawless. Saluting at the seven-storeyed western gopuram (tower) of the temple, with the eagerness to pray to the dancing Lord increasing at each step, he entered the kanaka sabha (Golden Dance Hall) with the Lord dancing in his heart. His hands were folded above his head, his eyes were raining tears of joy, he prostrated at every step, the hair on his body stood up as his emotions peaked, and his love crossed all the limits on seeing the Feet, synonymous with beauty, that were not found even by Brahma or Vishnu. From his divine mouth wonderful nectarine words burst out in the form of devarams. He performed the service of cleaning the temple with deep love. He then proceeded to worship the Lord at Tiruvetkalam and Tirukazhippalai.

Still thinking about the Lord Nataraja, Tirunavukkarasar returned to Tillai singing "How can I, the slave, forget the dancing Marvel even for a moment?!" While he was serving the Lord there, he came to hear of the gem-like devarams of Tirugnana Sambandhar through devotees. He wanted to salute the great child who had been fed the milk of knowledge by the Mother of the Universe herself and had sang pointing to God, "He is my Lord!" at that tender age. Immediately he started from Tillai. He worshiped God at Tirunaraiyur on the way and arrived at the abode of the Lord, where He had come in a boat at the time of the deluge - Sirgazhi. On hearing that the old adored sage, the king of words, Tirunavukkarasar was coming with the group of devotees, the son of God, Tirugnana Sambandhar, came forward to prostrate. The sage fell down on the prodigy's feet with extreme love, the extraordinary child prostrated to him back in all obedience and called out to him with great respect, "Appare!" (Oh! father!) to which the sage responded, "I, thy slave". The God had showered the greatest boon on the devotees who were present there, they could worship the two greatest peerless saints together.

The two wondrous saints who are like the two eyes of Shaivam, arrived at the abode of the eight-armed Lord. Prostrating at the tower of the temple in Sirgazhi, they went in to worship Him with the Mother of the Universe by His side. As requested by the prodigy, with deep devotion, Appar sang a devaram. They stayed together in that town for many days thereby increasing their love for each other. Appar wanted to pay obeisance to God at various shrines on the banks of river Kaveri. The great child, with great love and respect for him, accompanied him to Tirukolakka and returned.

Appar continued his travel to worship the Lord at the divine places of Tirukkaruppariyalur, Tiruppunkur, Tirunidur, Tirukkurukkai, Tiruninriyur, Tirunanippalli, Tiruchemponpalli, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruthuruthi, Tiruvelvikkudi, Tiruedhirkolpadi, Tirukkodika, Tiruvavaduthurai, Tiruvidaimarudhur, Tirunagechuram and Pazhaiyarai. In Tiruchathimutram, he prayed to the Lord for placing His holy feet on his head before dreadful death approached. The Lord who won over Death directed him to come to Tirunallur. There, He placed His feet, that are praised in the Vedas and that reside in the minds of the devotees, on the head of the great sage taking him to heights of ecstasy. He sang “ninaindhurukum adiyarai” - "The Lord of Tirunallur placed His holy feet, which are wet with the honey that drips from the finest blooming flowers that Devas offered, on my head!!" He was happy like a poor man who just struck upon never-ending wealth and served Shankara there. He paid obeisance to the Lord at Tirukkarukavur, Tiruvavur and Tiruppalai while he was engaged in the service of the Lord of Tirunallur.

Receiving the blessing of the Lord, he went to serve the luminant Lord, who dances in the dark forests, in the town Tirupazhanam. Worshiping the many wonderful temples of God around Tirupazhanam, he reached Tingalur. He heard about and witnessed the excellent services of the devotee, Appudhi Adikalar, a brahmin par excellence. He was serving the devotees of God admirably in the name of Tirunavukkarasar. Appar went to his house and humbly introduced himself as the person who was rescued by the mercy of God from the ignorance of Jainism. Appudhi Adikalar was thrilled to see the sage he worshipped. He pleaded with the seer to accept food at his place. The sage accepted it and for Appudhi Adikalar it was the greatest boon. His family prepared the most delicious food and made fine arrangements for the feast. When everything was ready, Appudhi Adikalar asked his son, who had the name of the sage himself, to get a banana leaf for serving the food. The fate that was waiting in the form of a snake in the garden, bit the boy. But the great young boy, who was in no way lesser in devotion to the Lord and His devotees, rushed back to his mother to hand over the banana leaf, before dropping dead. The couple of unimaginable dedication hid their loving son's body and proceeded to host the feast. Coming to know of the events, Appar was appalled at their sacrifice. He prayed to the Source of everything and got the child back to life out of His grace. He made Appudhi Adikalar happy by having food at his place. Appar praised his greatness in the hymn he sang as they went to Tirupazhanam.

He prayed to the Lord at the places near Tiruchotruthurai, as he continued his services at Tirupazhanam. He then came to the southern bank of river Kaveri to prostrate to the Lord of Tirunallur. While serving God there he wanted to pray at Tiruvarur, the abode of Tyagesha. On his way to Tiruvarur, he worshiped the Lord at Pazhaiyarai, Tiruvalanychuzhi, Tirukkudamukku, Tirunalur, Tirucherai, Tirukkudavayil, Tirunaraiyur, Palur, Tiruvanychiyam and Peruvelur. To the loud cheers of the assembled devotees, the sage who floated on the sea winning over the Jains, was given a grand welcome as he arrived in Tiruvarur. He stepped into the town with the emotion of being a servitor to those wonderful servitors of God. He saluted the Devashraya and went to worship the Lord in the anthill - the altar of the temple. With the tears of joy flowing from his sacred eyes, he saluted the Lord and sang about His fame. He stayed in Devashraya with the adiyars cleaning the surroundings of the temple. He sang of service to God – “naminandhi adikal”. He then saluted the Lord at Tiru-araneri. He proceeded to worship God in Tiruvalivalam, Kizhvelur and Kanrappar before returning to Tiruvarur. He witnessed the grand Tiruvadhirai festival when the Lord comes in procession blessing the Devas, sages and all who salute Him. Appar stayed in Tiruvarur for many days unable to part with Lord Tyagesha.

Thirunavukkarasu Nayanar - part IV (Grassroots Movement – Taking the Glory of God to the Masses)