However, Shiva disguised as a Kungiliya merchant or hawker and asked if he wanted to buy the incense. Unmindful of his family's condition, Kungiliya Kalaya traded the thali for a bag of incense and went to the temple to burn it. The wife waited patiently and finally put the children to bed and prayed to Shiva. Shiva was pleased with the devotion of the couple and appeared in the dream of the wife and promised to restore their wealth. When she woke the next day, the house was filled with valuable objects. She sang a panegyric in honour of the Lord and prepared the meal and waited for Kalaya. Shiva then appears before Kungiliya Kalaya - who had lost his senses and was immersed in devotion till then - in the temple and blesses him. He instructs him to return to his home and wife. Kungiliya Kalaya returned home to find his house transformed into a mansion with all wealth. Several devotees of Shiva gathered there. Kungiliya Kalaya served the devotees and distributed money amongst them. Another tale associates Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar with the Aruna Jadeswarar Temple, a Shiva temple in Thiruppanandal. The Nayanar wanted to visit the Thiruppanandal temple. The "lingam" (Shiva's aniconic symbol, generally worshipped as his form in the sanctum sanatorium of the temple) of this temple was bent. It was said that a female devotee called Thadaga was garlanding the lingam where her upper part of the sari slipped; she tried to garland the lingam with one hand while holding her sari by the other. Shiva bent his neck (shaft of the lingam), making it easier for her to garland the lingam. The lingam remained in the leaning posture since that day. Many tried to straighten the lingam, but failed. The Chola king, who was renovating the temple, was upset. The saint offered to help the king. He sang the "Panchakshara" mantra and offered Kungiliya incense to Shiva. He tied one end of the rope around his neck and other bend around the shaft of the stone lingam, at the risk being suffocated by the noose. He pulled gently and Shiva complied by making the lingam straight. The king became happy and rewarded Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar with many gifts. The hagiography says that after serving Shaivas for many years, Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar attained Kailash, Shiva's abode on his death.