(Chapter on Giving sugarcane to  Elephant made of stone)

“Ministers, Sages and Siddhars have the power to order  God himself to do their jobs. It is no wonder therefore then that he has asked a ordinary mortal like me to go over to his place . It is a mistake on my side for not having gone to meet him at his place rather asking him to come here. I will start now” so saying he rushed to Meenakshi Amman temple along with his ministers and others. On seeing their king, people who were standing around the Siddhar, gave way for him and stood with due respects. The Siddhar did not look at him at all. Upon reaching Siddhar, “ O” Siddhar, I am Abishega Pandiyan , the king of Madurai. May I know who you are? By showing these magical acts  what do you expect from my citizens? Further do you expect anything from me also.?  Siddhar made a hearty laugh at him. “O” King, My native place is Kasi. Having worshipped the Lord Viswanath there, I have come here having heard a lot about Madurai.

This place is a Mukthi Shetram. I have come here and also I am staying here, as I have heard that in this place during one’s life time one gets all wealth and Mukthi(no rebirth)after death. You just now asked me whether I require any thing from you. Do you have the capacity and power to give me what I ask for,? If I just think of it,  I can change the heaven to this place and this place to heaven. To me who have such power, you just ask me what ever you require and I will give them to you. You will also get what you ask for just as these people receive what they ask for. The King got a shock of his life when he got such a reply from the siddhar.  Yet he wanted to test the Siddhar. He took a sugar cane  from the hands of the  one of the onlookers in the crowd.  “O” Siddhar If it is true that you are having such power, then I should see whether one of elephants made of stone and supporting the Indra Vimanam(tower named after Lord Indra) will eat this sugarcane. Is it possible by you to make this  stone elephant to eat this sugarcane.? Said the King.  The Siddhar replied “ So you want to test my power. “  Saying show he made a gesture through his eyes to the elephant . That is all.  The eyes of the stone elephant became true eyes. It just looked all around. It  moved its trunk. Then made a deafening trumpeting sound. It snatched the sugarcane from the hands of the king, and put it into its mouth. There was sugarcane juice oozing out of the mouth. The people standing around  them clapped their hands as a mark of  gesture of their happiness.

Now the king did not know what to do. Lord Sundareswarar who has come in the disguise of a Siddhar did not leave the king just like that. He made another gesture by his eyes to the elephant. The elephant snatched the pearl garland worn by the king around his neck. Within a fraction of a second, it put into its mouth and swallowed it. The King became furious. His guards rushed towards the siddhar with spear and sticks in their hands. Siddhar just casually looked at those guards who came to attack him. They became stone images. The King understood the power of the siddhar. He fell at his feet and asked him to pardon him. Sidar pardoned him. “O” King, I bear the mistake committed by you inadvertently. You just ask any boon from me. “ said Siddhar. Pandiyan requested him to bless him for progeny. The Siddhar blessed him that he will be blessed with a child. Then the stone elephante returned back the pearl garland swallowed by it to the king. He reverentially put it into his eyes as a mark of reverence and respect and looked up. The Siddhar was no to be seen there. The guards who were made as stone sculptures, got back their original forms. All of them went inside the sanctum sanctorum of Lord  Sundareswarar,  as they have understood that the Siddhar was none other the God himself,  and worshipped him.  After some time Abhishega Pandiyan was blessed with a male child. The child was named as Vikraman. He studied various arts. When he reached his twentieth year, he was made a crown prince. Then Abhishega Pandiyan died..