Pattinathaar

Pattinathar attained Jnana in a moment. He was childless for a long time. The couple prayed to Lord Siva and due to the Lord’s blessing they were blessed with a son. Once, Pattinathãr sent his son on a trading trip abroad. In those days people went overseas by ships. At the time of his return there was heavy storm and the worried parents prayed fervently to the Lord for his safe return. On the young son’s return the parents thanked the Lord.
But, after a day or two the father asked the son, ‘what have you earned from your visit abroad?’ The son showed a needle with a broken ear and a ‘ratti’. Pattinathar was shocked and said to him angrily, ‘All the young men who went along with you have brought precious gems; but, you have returned empty hand.’ At once the son asked Pattinathar, ‘What did you pray to the Lord when I was caught in the storm? Did you not pray for my safety? Do you prefer wealth over my well being? Father! Know that when you leave this world even these - the needle with the broken ear and the ‘rãtti’ - will be of no use to you. Then what to speak of wealth and relatives?’ Hit by these words, Pattinathar at once gave up everything. He left his home in search of God. Pattinathãr says, ‘Deem the relatives as only a crowd in a market place.’
Once, Pattinathar found a family crying over their dead. He sat outside this house and began to weep, too. The relatives of the dead stopped weeping and looked wonderingly at this stranger who wept for their dead. They enquired of him, ‘who are you? Why do you weep for the dead? Are you related to him?’ Pattinathar said, ‘No I do not weep for him. I weep for you. Those that are to die are weeping for the dead!’