|
Finding
him brooding over and helpless, his second wife Sallama Devi approaching him
asked his permission to go to the Sanyasi. The virtuous king nodded. While in
the bed room, the Sanyasi pretended sleeping, and when the Queen touched him, he
changed himself into a child. She gave the child to the king and reported all
that happened. And lo! before the close of narration, the child vanished into
air. To the sorrowing couple, Lord Siva recounted all and said that he would
perform his funeral obsequies. And disappeared. The cup of joy of the ideal
couple overflowed. When he left this world. Lord Siva did obsequies as promised.
And this ritual is still observed every year on the Magha Nakshatram day in the
month of Masi, when the image of Arunachaleswar is taken of Pallikondapattu with
great devotional fervor, Ah! what a compassion! How fortunate was the king! Lord
Maheswar is Bhaktavasankar unparalleled in any place or at any time.
|
