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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1905.
of them both, and their radiant lotus eyes and the disc, and the conch." Immediately the other two saw the wondrous vision, and all were transported with joy. Then upon that sacred spot each one composed a hundred stanzas, full of love and devotion to God. They were so arranged that the end of one set was the beginning of the next. So they went their way together, relating to all their marvellous experience.
II.
Tirumalli Sai Alwar. Part I.
This saint was born supernaturally, and was found in a cane-bush by a man called Tiruvalan, who took home the child and reared it. When Tirumalli Sai was seven years old a great desire to practise yoga arose in him. In the practice of yoga, meditation is the principal part, but it is necessary to have something to meditate apon. So Tirumalli began to try to find out what that something is. He spent some 400 years in studying the philosophical treatises in several languages which existed in his time. Then he became a Sri-Vaishnava. After this God showed him all the fullness of the two worlds, the transitory and the eternal. Also God showed him the order of creation. When Tirumalli saw this, any doubt he had before in his mind was removed, and he exclaimed "I have studied all the sankhya philosophy, and all the works written by Siva, and in the end, by blessed fortune, I became a servant of Vishnu! Now I am perfectly sinless, and have nothing more to know." Saying this he took Vishnu to his heart, and remained in yoga 700 years in his village near a tank called Gagendra. He cared nothing for the world and lived in rags.
One day he was sewing up the holes of his red cloth, when Siva and Pârbati were traversing the sky. Seeing them, Tirumalli, to avoid Siva's shadow falling upon him, moved a little to one side. Observing that he did this, Pârbati was displeased, and enquired of Siva who this was and why he behaved thus. Siva replied, "It is no use resenting this, if we approach him, he will only slight us." But Pârbati insisted, and so they both descended and stood before Tirumalli, who however paid no attention to them whatever, and continued to sew his rags. Then Siva asked him how it was that he paid no attention to them, Tirumalli replied, "I have nothing to ask of you." But Siva offered to give him something. Whereupon Tirumalli said, "Are you able to give me emancipation ?" Siva replied, "Vishnu alone is able to give you that." Then Tirumalli asked, "Can you prolong a man's life for at least one day ?" "No," said Siva," that depends on Vishnu's karma." Then Tirumalli asked, "Well then can you make my needle follow my thread." Upon this Siva lost patience, and became angry, and opened his third eye, which emitted burning fiery rays. But Tirumalli also possessed an eye of the same kind in his right big toe, and with this he did battle with the fire of Siva's eye, who found this unbearable! Meanwhile the world began to burn! Whereupon the Dôvas and Rishis went and complained to Vishnu. Then Vishnu bethought himself of some clouds, which were kept in readiness for the time when they should be required to drown the world. These he ordered should be used to quench the fire. The clouds however refused to obey the order on the ground that they could not act against the Rishi Tirumalli. Vishnu persuaded them, by saying that he would take the responsibility upon himself. During this time Siva was being fearfully burnt by the fire, and was calling loudly for help. Then the clouds spread themselves over the heavens and let fall their water, and quenched the fire of Siva. When Tirumalli saw this he shut up the eye in his toe, so the remaining fire was also put out. By this time Siva's anger was abated, and looking, he saw that Tirumalli was sitting quite unmoved by the downpour of rain. Then addressing all the Devas and Rishis standing round, he expressed to them his wonder at the steadfastness and imperturbability of Tirumalli, whom he would henceforth call Bhaktisaru. Furthermore, he related to them stories showing that the devotees of Vishnu are never affected by any injuries done to them Then he and his wife with a good will took leave of Tirumalli, and went their way.
