Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

That being so, how will you have compassion for me?’ When
this was sung, it seems that Ishwara regretted the delay and
immediately opened the doors.”
Bhagavan continued: “After entering the temple and
worshipping the Lord therein, they came out. Appar requested
Sambandar to pray to Ishwara to close the door and when
Sambandar sang only one verse, the doors closed with a bang.

On this occasion, Ishwara tested Appar by not answering his
prayers until he sang eleven songs and favoured Sambandar
by promptly closing the doors when he sang only one song.

On another occasion, it was Sambandar that was put to a severe
test while Appar was readily granted favour. That is another
story.” When I asked about that story, Bhagavan related it:
“From the time Ishwara put him to a severe test at
Vedaranyam, Appar felt aggrieved and began worshipping
Ishwara with greater devotion than ever. Subsequently both
Appar and Sambandar went on a pilgrimage with their
respective retinues and reached a village called
Tiruveelimalai. At that time the village was in the grip of a
famine. Unable to bear the sight of the sufferings of the
people they decided to stay in two different mutts along
with their attendants and distribute food to the people.

They had of course no money with them and so went to
the local temple to pray to Ishwara. Pleased with their
devotion, Ishwara gave them a sovereign each every day.

The sovereign used to be kept on the doorstep. The one
given to Appar was accepted by the vendors of food supplies
and the required articles were readily purchased. Food
could therefore be given to the people before the afternoon
set in. The sovereign of Sambandar was however below the
standard purity of gold and so the dealers offered to take it
only at a discount. The attendants had therefore to come
back to the mutt to obtain Sambandar’s consent, then return
to the shop, buy the required articles and then feed the
people rather late, by about 2 p.m. every day.

“In due course this delay came to the notice of
Sambandar. On enquiry he found that it was all due to the
bad coins he was getting from the Lord daily. He felt very
sad, went to the temple and sang ten songs beginning with
‘Vaasi teerave kaasu nalguveer’, which means, ‘Swami, why are
you giving me coins which are not pure gold!’ Then the Lord
who is the embodiment of kindness, said, ‘Appar is
worshipping me with his mind, thought and deed, while you
are doing it with your mind and thought only. (It seems
Appar was washing the idol and worshipping it daily, along
with menial service to the temple.) It was only to point out
the difference that I have been doing like this. Henceforth,
I shall give you also good coins. Don’t worry’. And from that
day onwards good coins were given. There are many stories
like this in their biographies,” said Bhagavan.