Sambandar

Sambandar was born to a pious Brahmin couple, Sivapada Hridayar and Bhavathiar, in Sirkazhi, Tamil Nadu.

- Hema Rajaraman

They were ardent devotees of Siva and refused to embrace Jainism, even though the forces of Jainism were very powerful and devastating at that period. Sivapada had long prayed to Lord Shiva for a worthy son who could re-establish the glory of Saivism in Tamilnadu. Their prayers were answered when a radiant son was born to them.

One day, Sivapada Hridayar and his wife took their three-year-old child with them to the temple tank in which they wanted to bathe. Sambanthar had insisted on being taken with them. They left the child on the bank and went in to bathe. The child looked at the tower of the temple and began to cry for his parents.

Lord Thoniappar (Siva) appeared with Mother Parvathi and asked Her to feed the child with the milk of divine wisdom. On coming out from his bath, his father saw Sambandar with a golden cup overflowing with milk and drops of milk on the child’s lips. Sivpada angrily asks his son where he got the cup of milk from. Sambandar pointing to the sky, broke extempore into his first hymn,