* 24 “sadhuram Marraio (4.3/sruh upon sp) to get the doors closed. There after the devotees were able to use the entrance to Worship the Lord. In Madurai at that time, the Jains (ogo.Trfägir). were powerful. They had converted the Pandya King Koon Pandiyan and many of the people followed the example of the King. But the Queen Mangayarkkarasi (losicolausfjärå) and the Prime Minister, Kulachirai (govéâamp) were not influenced by Jainism. They were Saivites by inner conviction. They had heard the glory of Sambandar and without the knowledge of the King, they sent some wise men to persuade Sambandar to rescue the Saivites from the Jain influence. He readily agreed. Appar disapproved of his visit to Madurai and drew his attention to the fact that the position of the planets was not auspicious. But Sambandar reminded him that while Siva's Grace was there, nothing untoward would happen and sang the well-known padigam “Veyurru Tholli Pangan' (Gouu/pi Gorgoň Länggir) and left for Madurai. The news of his arrival reached the Queen. She immediately proceeded to the temple, accompanied by the Minister. Sambandar sang the glories of the Lord and prayed for the success of his divine mission. He developed inner-strength to face the situation. The Queen and her followers prostrated before Sambandar for his blessings. The Jains, set fire to Sambandar's camp, and the devotees fied and informed the Saint. He sang a padigam expressing the wish that the fire, for which the King was responsible, should proceed against him. The king experienced a burning sensation all over his body. The Jain priests failed to make him feel better. The Queen and the Minister approached Sambandar and appealed to him to alleviate the King’s sufferings and defeat the Jains in argument and thereby convince the King of the superiority of Saivism.
