Tirumazhisai Azhvar’s disciple – The Hindu

Kani Kannan was Tirumazhisai Azhvar’s disciple, and an ardent devotee of Vishnu, said V.S. Karunakarachariar in a discourse. Kani Kannan had his ashram in Kancheepuram. He was so engrossed in dhyana, that he never got round to cleaning his ashram. But when Kani Kannan was immersed in meditation, an old woman swept his ashram every day. When he opened his eyes and learnt of her service, he asked her what she wanted. The old woman said she wanted her youth back. Kani Kannan granted her the boon she wanted, and she became a lovely teenager! The King of Kancheepuram fell in love with the young girl that the old woman had become, and married her. Over the years, the king aged, but she did not. When the king learnt of the secret of his queen’s eternal youthfulness, he asked Kani Kannan to give him the same gift of youth. But Kani Kannan refused. He said the old woman had served him selflessly, and the blessing she had received was a reward for her devotion. He said the king could not make demands of him. The angry king exiled him, and Kani Kannan had to leave Kanchi.

When Tirumazhisai Azhvar came to know of this, he said to the reclining Lord of Thiruvekha: “Kani Kannan is leaving. And I, the fearless poet, am leaving too. You too roll up your snake bed and follow us.” The Lord did as He was told! With the departure of the Lord, Kanchi was plunged into darkness. When the king came to know the reason for the sudden darkness, he realised his mistake and requested Kani Kannan to come back. Tirumazhisai Azhvar then said to the Lord, “Kani Kannan is returning to Kanchi and so am I. You spread your serpent bed again.” And the Lord promptly spread the snake Adisesha, who served as His bed, and went back to His reclining position in Tiruvekha.