Lord Shiva, on the report of Dharmavathi about the atrocities committed by men in the world, sends Kubera from Kailas to be born as Thiruvengadar at Kaveripoompattinam.

At the age of 20, Thiruvengadar, marries Sivakalai and leads a happy, successful and pious life with her, with the only sorrow that they are childless.

To his astonishment, precious stones gleam through the broken cakes and the sand bags hold gold dust.

He rushes in to see his son Marudhavaanan (who is Lord Shiva himself), who has disappeared mysteriously, leaving only a small box with his mother Sivakalai.

On reading the scroll, realisation of eternal truth and teaching of life dawn on him and he renounces all his worldly possessions.

Meenakshi, his elder sister, feeling that the dignity of her family will suffer by his conduct, decides to kill him by giving him a poisoned Appam (Breakfast pancake).

Deciding not to beg for alms in future, he goes to a lonely Lord Ganesha's Temple in the jungle and sits behind the Vigragam (God's idol) for meditation.

A band of robbers returning from a successful loot of King Badragiri's palace, throw a necklace at the Vigragam as their offering.

At Thiruvidaimarudur, Pattinathar and his disciple station themselves at the eastern and the western gates of the temple, till years later Badragiri attains salvation.

More than the box office success of running for over 25 weeks, the film brought in a strong social change on the need to find the true meaning of life rather than amassing wealth.