By God's grace

In the fertile Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, there lived a devout childless couple, Shanmukha Shikamani Kavirayar and Sivakama Sundari Ammaiyar. They went to Tiruchendur and prayed at the Shanmukha temple there.

By Lord Shanmukha's grace, a son was born to them. But their joy was shortlived, for the child could not speak. So they went back to Tiruchendur and prayed to Lord Shanmukha again. Imagine their joy, when the child, Kumaraguruparar, spontaneously composed verses in praise of the Lord and started reciting them!

Kumaraguruparar became the court poet of King Thirumalai Nayak of Madurai. But he felt the urge to visit various temples. When he visited Tiruchendur, he heard a divine voice stating that he would find a guru to guide him.

It further said the man in whose presence Kumaraguruparar would find himself speechless would be his guru. Kumaraguruparar's story shows how God guides saints and blesses them in their endeavours, said M. Girija in a lecture.

From Tiruchendur, Kumaraguruparar went to Tiruvarur, where he sang Tiruvarur Nanmani Malai on Lord Thyagaraja. From there he moved to Dharmapuram, where the mutt was headed by Srilasri Masilamani Desigar.

Kumaraguruparar paid his respects to the math head, who asked him to explain a verse from Peria Puranam. But Kumaraguruparar was unable to do so. He then realised that this was the guru he was seeking. He requested Desigar to be his guru. But Desigar said he would accept Kumaraguruparar as his disciple only if the latter went to Kasi on a pilgrimage.

Realising the time such a journey would take, Kumaraguruparar asked if the rule could be relaxed and he could, instead, be allowed to go to Chidambaram. The swami agreed.

After reaching Chidambaram, Kumaraguruparar composed more works soaked in bhakti. After staying there for the stipulated period, he went back to the Dharmapuram Mutt and was initiated into sanyasa.

Thus, by God's grace, Kumaraguruparar, who was born mute, acquired the power of speech and became a poet too.