When Ramalingar was hardly five months old, Ramaiah pillai decided to go to Chidambaram and worship God nataraja,the presiding deity in the famous temple.Accordingly,he went to chidambaram with his wife and children.He was having Ramalingar in his arms.When they entered the great temple,the bell rang as if it were welcoming the saintly baby.
Appayya Dhikshitar who was the priest in attendance,at that time, led ramiah pillai and his family to the sacred presence of God nataraja.nataraja is the noblest image depicting incessant activity (dance)of god, which any art or religion can boast of.The dance represents His five activities Viz: Creation,Preservation,destruction,Concealment and salvation.The cosmic activity is the central motive of the dance.This is also expressive of His ecstatic joy and grace.The child was looking at the beautiful image with rapt attention.When the priest lit the camphor and made the usual offerings to the deity the smiling face of the deity shone with splendour in the blaze.The child was intensely fascinated by the beatific vision and he appeared to feel some mystic experience which made him burst into a loud peal of laughter(Anandam).This was a strange phenomenon considering the
infancy of Ramalingar.The priest was wonder-struck at the peculiar behaviour and charming features of the child.He at once exclaimed,"Ramiah Pillai! Your son has received divine vision and grace;he is born for something great with grace of God inherent in him." Ramiah pillai thanked the priest for his good wishes,worshipped god Nataraja and returned to Marudur.
This incident appears to be an apt illustration of wordsworth"s words,viz,"The child is the father of the man";for it serves as a prelude to the future saintly character of Ramalingar.This should not be considered as a legend because Ramalingar's song bears ample testimony to this fact. The following is the gist of the stanza in "Arulvilakkamalai" or "the Garland of Divine Grace"- "When I was a child I came to you at Thillai 9 chidambaram) for worship,along with my mother and other relatives.There I was blessed with a mystic vision in which you showed me everything without concealing anything,You,Being my teacher,the incarnation of truth.
Appayya Dhikshitar who was the priest in attendance,at that time, led ramiah pillai and his family to the sacred presence of God nataraja.nataraja is the noblest image depicting incessant activity (dance)of god, which any art or religion can boast of.The dance represents His five activities Viz: Creation,Preservation,destruction,Concealment and salvation.The cosmic activity is the central motive of the dance.This is also expressive of His ecstatic joy and grace.The child was looking at the beautiful image with rapt attention.When the priest lit the camphor and made the usual offerings to the deity the smiling face of the deity shone with splendour in the blaze.The child was intensely fascinated by the beatific vision and he appeared to feel some mystic experience which made him burst into a loud peal of laughter(Anandam).This was a strange phenomenon considering the
infancy of Ramalingar.The priest was wonder-struck at the peculiar behaviour and charming features of the child.He at once exclaimed,"Ramiah Pillai! Your son has received divine vision and grace;he is born for something great with grace of God inherent in him." Ramiah pillai thanked the priest for his good wishes,worshipped god Nataraja and returned to Marudur.
This incident appears to be an apt illustration of wordsworth"s words,viz,"The child is the father of the man";for it serves as a prelude to the future saintly character of Ramalingar.This should not be considered as a legend because Ramalingar's song bears ample testimony to this fact. The following is the gist of the stanza in "Arulvilakkamalai" or "the Garland of Divine Grace"- "When I was a child I came to you at Thillai 9 chidambaram) for worship,along with my mother and other relatives.There I was blessed with a mystic vision in which you showed me everything without concealing anything,You,Being my teacher,the incarnation of truth.
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