Enjoying the blissful sight of the Lord seated with Uma and Skanda on the majestic Bull at various places of pilgrimage, the matured child saint Tirugnana Sambandhar returned to Sirkazhi. The Vedic brahmins and devotees of the town came forward with the traditional decorated pot and their hearts filled with eagerness to salute the splendid prodigy of their town. Returning the salutation of the crowd, the small child of immense reputation and deep humbleness went with them to worship the feet of Lord Tiruthoniyappar. After making arrangements for Tirunilakanta Yazhpanar at a beautiful mansion, he went home. He stayed in Sirkazhi with the Lord, who resides in a boat at that temple, always in his heart.
Tirugnana Sambandhar reached the age when he was eligible to learn the sacred Vedas and the initiation ceremony called the Upanayanam was arranged. Though the wise prodigy had already been blessed with the Milk of Knowledge by the Mother, who is the feminine form of the Lord of the Vedas, the pandits investured him with the sacred thread and traditionally accorded him the status to learn and practice the Vedas. To their astonishment Tirugnana Sambandhar sang in his sweet tone the holy Vedas even before they began teaching him. Was there any need to teach that blessed devotee, who was given all the knowledge without any effort by the source of all possible knowledge, the Lord Himself! Vedic scholars got their doubts on the Vedas clarified from that marvellous child who was supposed to be given initiation that day! Explaining the wisdom expounded in the Vedas, Sambandhar made it clear that it is the Holy Five Letters of the Lord that is the source of everything and is superior to all other mantras through the padigam “tunychalum tunychaliladha pozhdinum”. Those scholars realizing the truth from these words saluted the Lord of Sirkazhi and lived with His thoughts. 

One day, the king of inspiring words Tirunavukkarasu came to Sirkazhi to salute the prodigy on hearing about his marvellous hymns. As soon as he came to know of his arrival, the king of Sirkazhi – Sambandhar, went to welcome and adore him considering it as a covetable boon for his austerities. Seeing the sage of strong and mellow devotion, with no care for bodily comforts, his hands holding up the hand-plough to serve the Lord which verily indicated his determination of service, the sacred ash smeared Tirugnana Sambandhar, with persistent tears of love, prostrated to that seer who was already bowing down on seeing him. Along with the seer, he worshipped the Lord of Sirkazhi. He took the sage to his house and hosted all the devotees to a great feast along with the generous serving of his love. The two saints out of great mutual respect stayed together for some days before Appar took his leave to visit the various abodes of the Lord with matted hair. 

A scholar of Tamil language, Sambandhar sang many songs with sophisticated constructs like “tiruvezhukutrirukkai” and “malaimatru” on the Lord of Sirkazhi, with devotion which enhanced the literary beauty. His works are rich in literary devices like similes with a refreshing portrayal of nature. With the euphonious music of Yazhpana and Matanga Chulamani, he started his pilgrimage again, reviving devotion in the nooks and corners of the Tamil land. Paying tributes and singing about the Lord, he travelled west, to Tirukkannarkoyil, Pullirukkuvelur, Tiruninriyur, Nidur, Tiruppunkur, Pazhamannipadikarai, Tirukkurukkai, Anniyur, Pandanainallur and Tirumananycheri. He sang about handsome Hara in a wedding semblance at Tiruvelvikkudi and sang about His form in Tiruthuruthi at nights. He praised the Lord at Kodika, Kanychanur, Manthurai, Tirumangalakkudi, Viyalur, Tirundudevankudi, Innambar, Vadakurankaduthurai, Pazhanam, Aiyaru, Perumpuliyur, Tiruneythanam, Mazhapadi, Tirukanur, Anbilalanturai and Tirumanthurai.

He reached Tirupachilachiramam to offer his obeisance to the Lord there. The king, Kolli Mazhavan, of that place had a lone young and pretty daughter. She was suffering from a disease called “muyalakan”. All the efforts to cure the ailment did not succeed. Coming in the culture of surrender to the Ash-smeared Lord, he kept his daughter inside the abode of Mahesha. When he heard the refreshing news of the arrival of Tirugnana Sambandhar, he ordered the town to be decorated with all auspicious symbols to welcome the great devotee of the Lord. He came forward and fell at the feet of the child of God. With his blessings, he took Sambandhar in a grand procession through the town to reach the illuminated tower of the Lord's shrine. The devotee with great sympathy saw the pitiable condition of the young daughter of the king. He prayed to the Greatest Healer with a song to cure her disease. At the completion of his devotional prayer, the young girl sprang up like a deer and stood with her father. The surprised and delighted Kolli Mazhavan, fell at the tender feet of Sambandar, who continued to praise the unparalleled mercy of Lord Shiva. Though he was a saint of matchless spiritual power, he attributed these miraculous deeds to prayers and to the glory of God. Adoring the Lord of Tirupachilachiramam, he went to TirupainyIli and then to Tiruingoymalai, atop a hill, to worship the Lord. Then he continued his journey to the Kongu Nadu, the hilly western part of Tamil land. Seeped in devotion, he sang about the Lord riding the fierce Bull at Chenkunrur, Tirunana and various other beautiful shrines of the Lord while staying at Chenkunrur. 

Winter set in. People clad themselves with warm woollen clothes, the hills clad themselves in with white snow, the Sun hid behind a cladding of fog and haze, the leaves of trees clad the ground below and the temple festivities were conducted behind closed doors. The winter made people fall sick. The devotees who travelled with the imperturbable Tirugnana Sambandhar, appealed to him about their suffering. The child of God worshipped God with the padigam “avvinaik kivvinai” singing thus – “..even though it is only nature’s play, Oh Lord! You stopped the terrible poison in the throat, let sufferings not touch Thy devotees!”. As if submitting to that order, people throughout the land got cured of the painful fever immediately. Hailing the Lord at Tirupandikodumudi, Venychamakudal and other abodes, the beacon of the true philosophy of Shaivam, turned towards the east and continued his journey. Saluting the Lord at Karuvur he came to the southern bank of the river Kaveri. He sang many a Devaram, which are known as the Tamil Vedas, on the Lord saluting His abodes at Paraythurai, Tiruvalanturai, Tiruchenturai, Tirukarkudi, Mukicharam (Uraiyur), Tiruchirappalli, Anaikka, Tirupatrurai, Erumbiyur, Nedunkalam, Kattuppalli, Tiruvalampozhil, Punturuti, Tirukandiyur, Chotruturai, Tiruvedikudi, Tiruvenni, Tiruchakkarapalli, Pullamangai - Alanturai, Chelur, Palaiturai, Tirunalur, Tirukarukavur, Avalivanallur, Tiruparidi, Tirupuvanur, Avur, Tiruvalanychuzhi and numerous other shrines of the Great God. During the time when Sambandhar made this pilgrimage, there was no proper means of transportation. This child, small in appearance, with immense purity in devotion, travelled huge distances to light the flame of Shaivam in the minds of masses. This journey through the Tamil lands took many seasons. By the time they reached Tiruvalanychuzhi, it was Summer with the sun literally burning the land. While the world was hesitant to walk out under the fiery Sun, the prodigy who enjoyed the presence of the Lord was not perturbed by the physical stress and continued his pilgrimage even in that heat. Desirous to go to Pazhaiyarai from Tiruvalanychuzhi, he walked with other devotees to Arai Metrali and Tiruchatimutram saluting the Lord, proceeding towards Tirupatticharam. The Lord of all creatures, to provide comfort, blessed this firm devotee by sending his Bhutas with a brilliant pearl canopy that provided a pleasant coolness to the devotee on his path. Praising the Lord's Mercy, Sambandhar, walked under that canopy which was nothing but the shade of the raised foot of the Lord of the Universe. He submitted himself to the Lord of Patticharam and hailed His grace. He travelled further and saluted the Lord at Arai Vadatali and Irumpulai with his mind delighting in the Honey of His feet.

See also:
1. Thirunavukkarasar