A Mahatma by the name of Sridhara Ayyavaal lived in the holy town of Tiruvisanaloor near Kumbakonam. Daily he used to visit the Mahalingaswamy in the nearby Tiruvidaimarudoor. He was in the habit of going over to this temple for the darshan of the midnight Puja that was conducted just before closing down the temple. Come what may he never missed the darshan of Tiruvidaimarudoor Mahalingaswamy.

One day, as was usual with him, he started for Tiruvidaimarudoor. In those days to go to Tiruvidaimarudoor from Tiruvisanaloor one had to cross the river Cauvery. That day the river was flooded due to a heavy rainstorm. The boatmen had all left for their homes as it was just not possible to row their boats across the flooded river. It continued to rain heavily. Even under such severe weather condition Sridhara Ayyaval did not have the heart to return home without the darshan of Lord Siva. Standing on this side of the banks of the river he looked over to the other side at the 'Gopuram' (the steeple) of the temple and began to pray fervently.

Sridhara Ayyaval has said a very interesting thing in this prayer of his - "A hunter once ordered his men to 'pra-hara' (beat) 'sam-hara' (kill) and 'aa-hara' (bring) and You bestowed him with 'Siva loka' (the abode of Lord Siva). The reason being he had uttered 'hara, hara, hara' ('hara' means Siva) even though unconsciously. Then, do I who cry out 'Siva Paahi Siva Paahi' not belong to You?" The saint posed this question to the Lord.

At that time an 'archakar' (priest) of that temple, who was familiar to Sridhara Ayyaval , came over to him and gave him 'Siva Prasadam' such as vibhuti (holy ash), flower, etc.

Moved to tears Ayyaval received the prasadam. He then fell down at the 'archakar's' feet in prostration. Only on his way back home did he come back to the normal plane of consiousness! It was then that the thought struck him, "The river was in spate and when I was unable to cross over how has this archakar managed to come over to this side of the bank? Morover, he was not drenched in this downpour! How has this been possible?

And also how was it possible for the 'vibuti' (the sacred ash) to have remained dry and not get wet?" He just could not figure out. He spent a sleepless night. The next morning the flood had subsided. Ayyaval crossed over to the temple. He thanked the 'archakar' for having crossed over in the torrential rains to give him prasadam and prostrated to him. But the 'archakar' was perplexed. He said, "I did not meet you last night. How could I have crossed over the flooded Cauvery? I did not bring any prasadam to you."

At once Ayyaval realized that it was Mahalingaswamy Himself who had, for his sake, brought the prasadam. He cried out in joy and pain and felt puzzled at a loss to know what to do. He wrote the 'daya shatakam' (daya - compassion: shatakam - hundred verses) on Lord Parameswara.

Dear Children we, too, should therefore look up to the Lord with strong/deep faith.