The mendicant transformed the young man into a woman …!

It was during the regime of a Pandya king in Madurai that a mendicant suddenly entered a crowded place. He was not wearing anything above his waist. He was sporting a beard and a ‘jadamudi’. His eyes were very powerful. People were perplexed to see him suddenly in the midst of the crowd and wondered whom he could be. When a young man approached the sage and asked him whether he was a saint or a magician, the sage simply smiled at his question. Then he asked the youth what he wanted. When the youth challenged him whether he could fulfill any wish, the sage replied in the affirmative. At this, the youth, pointing a girl, asked him mischievously whether he could transform that woman into a man. To this the sage asked why he wanted to change that girl to a man. Then, the youth asked whether he could transform him into a beautiful teenager. The sage told him that he should not regret afterwards for expressing this wish. At this, the youth showed arrogance and laughed at the sage. When the sage chanted some mantras with his eyes closed, water appeared in his hands.

Then, the mendicant told the crowd that he was going to transform the young man into a woman by spraying the water on his body and that once changed, it would be very difficult to restore the original form. And, he sought the consent of the people for doing the miracle. The crowd was confused. But the young man told the crowd not to believe in the words of the sage telling that he threw the challenge only to prove the sage’s fraudulent claim and that people should take him to the king and make him undergo punishment if he failed in the challenge. But the saint didn’t look affected by the words of the youth. Instead, he asked the youth whether he was prepared to take the risk. But the youth took his words very easy and almost ordered the sage to transform him into a woman. At this, the sage sprayed the water on his body. The youth was transformed into a woman instantly! The entire crowd fell at the feet of the sage at this miracle. The young man, now a woman, fell at the feet of the sage and cried and begged him to restore his original form. But the sage refused and told him to remain a woman for some time.

Word spread about the miracle. People rushed to see the saint who granted the wishes of all. He gave food, clothing and gold coins to the poor. He made dumb people talk by treating them with herbs. He remedied many handicaps through his prayers. People started realizing that the sage was a Siddha. And those, who tried to destroy him out of jealousy met with failure and disappointment only.

One day, the Siddha called all the people and told that he was Sivanandi Siddha, that he used to keep roaming in Podigai Hills, Chathurgiri Hills and Velliyangiri Hills, that he was ordered by Lord Siva to help the people of that area and that he was leaving the place as his mission was over. Before leaving, he told them that he would rush to their help the minute they sought his help even mentally. And, he restored the original form of a man to the woman who was transformed by him.

Even today, Sivanandi Siddha is among us, though in invisible form, helping all those who are in need of his help.