The general, named Savundra Samuntan, was a great devotee of the god, and while carefully conducting the affairs of the kingdom, the king of a tribe of hunters, who was named Sethurayen, threatened the kingdom with an invasion. On which occurrence the Pandian said to his general. Take money from the treasury, and raise some more troops." He did so but instead of raising troops presented all the money to the god; expending it in temple ornaments, feasting the Brahmins, and supporting the followers of Siva; and from time to time put off his master with excuses, falsely pretending to write letters to neighbouring countries for aid. After a month the king became impatient, and said, "Tomorrow all the troops should be here, how is it that I see none arrived?" Urged by the necessity of the case, the general went and made known the matter to the god, who replied, "I will come tomorrow with plenty of troops." The general told the king that aid was at hand; and on the morrow a great army appeared. The general then said to the king. "Such a division comes from such a country; such a one from another"; and so on. The king asked, "Who is that seated on horseback in the midst of all?" The general said, "I do not know." But this was the god, mounted on his bullock, it being transformed to the appearance of a horse. The king now put himself at the head of his own troops; and while going forth they were met by a messenger bringing news that the king of the hunters, having gone to hunt in the forest, had been slain by a tiger. On this intelligence being received, the king gave orders for the different divisions to retire to different places. This order was so rapidly obeyed by the army of Siva's followers that the king greatly wondered; and discovering that it was a sacred amusement of the god, he rendered homage to his general, and lived without anxiety.

 

 

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