hiː kənsˈɪdɚd dʒˈʌmpɪŋ tə hɪz dˈɛθ fɹʌmðə tˈɛmpəl tˈaʊɚ bˌʌt ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə lˈɛdʒəndz, ðə dˈiːəti mjˈʊɹɹuːɡən hɪmsˈɛlf pɹɪvˈɛntᵻd hˌɪm fɹʌm kəmˈɪɾɪŋ sˈuːɪsˌaɪd, kjˈʊɹd hɪz lˈɛpɹəsi, ʃˈoʊd hˌɪm ɐ pˈæθ ʌv ɹᵻfˈɔːɹm ænd pˈaɪəɾi, ɪnˈɪʃɪˌeɪɾᵻd hˌɪm tə kɹiːˈeɪt dɪvˈoʊʃənəl sˈɔŋz fɚðə bˈɛnɪfˌɪt ʌv mæŋkˈaɪnd.
He considered jumping to his death from the temple tower but according to legends, the deity Murugan himself prevented him from committing suicide, cured his leprosy, showed him a path of reform and piety, initiated him to create devotional songs for the benefit of mankind.