THE HISTORY OF MANIKKA-VACAGAR. 99 



§ 5. His Ministry. 



When intelligence of this is brought to Manikka-Va(?agar, 

 he is plunged into the deepest grief, both at the humiliation 

 of the God, and because he himself had not been permitted 

 to see and converse with Him. His lamentations and com- 

 plaints in the poem are as usual very beautiful, if somewhat 

 hyperbolical. The king now pays the saint a visit, acknow- 

 ledges all his mistakes, declares his unworthiness to have 

 such a minister, and offers to resign to him the kingdom. 

 The sage however has but one wish, and that is, to return 

 to Perun-Turrai there to dwell at the feet of the God. His 

 request is granted, and the king returns to his palace, while 

 the sage, now released for ever from the entanglement of 

 worldly affairs, finally puts off his courtier's dress, and 

 assumes the garb of an ascetic. His conversion and conse- 

 quent trials are over, and he enters upon the new life. 

 From that day it was his one work to glorify his Master. 

 He loses no time in returning to fall at his Guru's feet, and 

 pour out all his soul in the Sacred Presence. 



After some time the God announces to His disciples that as 

 His design in coming to earth, namely the conversion and 

 confirmation of the sage is accomplished, He will now return 

 to Kailasa. To the 999 devotees who are His attendant hosts 

 He gives the charge to remain in the grove with Manikka- 

 Va9agar, worshipping and meditating until in the sacred tank 

 fire appears, into which they are to cast themselves, and so 

 pass home to their Master. They must patiently wait. And 

 fertile neophyte himself, a further trial is enjoined. He is to 

 remain behind, even after all his companions have gone home, 

 that he may establish throughout the whole Tamil country 

 the faith of ^iva, and compose Tamil hymns which shall be 

 the Vedas of the South. The day of the ascension comes, 

 and the Master departs, but halts under a Kondrai* tree, 

 whither the sage follows him, still begging that he may at 

 once accompany Him, and be for ever at His side on the 

 Silver mount. " Nay," replies the God, " learn rather to know 

 that I am everywhere. While thou art doing My will. I am 

 with thee. Wait patiently. In Uttara Ko9a-mangai, thou 

 shalt be taught mystery of the eight mystic powers.f From 



* A large and beautiful tree of the Cassia fistula genus. It has very 

 magnificent golden flowers. (See Ainslie I., 60.) 



t The Siddhi or supernal powers. (See the sixth song.) 



