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Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Disclaimer for my Translated Materials
These English translations done by me of Paramacharya darshan and experiences of devotees from their original presentations in print and other media are posted here with the sole intention of carrying the divine message of Paramachaya to the members of this Forum, for a discussion among the members so as to understand and practice the directions contained in the message.
As a translator, I have no commercial interests or financial considerations in spreading Paramacharya's message and darshan experiences, and have no claims of copyright for the translations.
I have duly quoted the source of these translations, and I hereby acknowledge the credits to the publications, authors, devotees and any other people concerned. Since Paramacharya is the real source, I understand that the original credit of these materials accrues to SriMatam, Kanchipuram followed by the other people involved in spreading Paramacharya's message.
If anyone involved with these publications has any reservations on the implicit consents and permissions assumed in these translations, for the spiritual benefit of mankind, the same may be brought to the notice of the Forum Administrator, for necessary changes or removal of the material presented.
'saidevo', as translator of the materials presented.
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"You Want to Know the Greatness of mantra siddhi?"
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Oct 6, 2006
Once a brahmachary (bachelor) youth came to have darshan of Kanchi Mahaswami (HH Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati). He prostrated before the sage and got up.
Swamiji looked at him keenly and said, "Are you not Kulitalai Sankaran? You are fine?"
"With your blessings, yes, Periyavaa", said Sankaran.
"Alright, what is your age now?"
"Thirty, Periyavaa."
Periyavaa laughed: "So you have decided to lead your life as a brahmachari, without any idea of marriage."
"Yes, Periyavaa", said Sankaran.
"Alright, anything special about your coming here now?" Periyavaa laughed. "And you wouldn't come without a reason!"
"Yes, Periyavaa. I have come to get a doubt cleared."
"Is it so? Come on, tell me" said Periyavaa. "What is that big doubt you have?"
"It is a doubt about mantra japam, Periyavaa", replied Sankaran.
Periyavaa asked quickly: "If it is about mantra japam... Are you doing any mantra japam?"
"Yes, Periyavaa".
"Oho... You have had an upadesam?"
"Yes, Periyavaa".
"Whoever is that Guru?"
"Mysore Yajna Narayana Ganapadigal", said Sankaran.
"Good, very learned; whatever the mantra?"
Before Sankaran could open his mouth, Swamiji said, "Wait, wait. You should not tell me the mantra. That should remain with you as a secret. Just tell me which devata (God) it is about."
"Hanumat upAsanA paramAna mUla mantra, Periyavaa" said Sankaran.
"Alright. What is it that you want to get clarified in this mantra japam?"
"It is like this, Periyavaa. I am performing this mantra japam since my twenty-third year which was when I got the upadesam. I am doing it for the last seven years, still I don't know anything."
"What do you mean by saying 'I don't know anything'?", asked Swamiji with surprise.
"What I mean, Periyavaa, is that I am not able to find out if I have got the siddhi of that mantra" replied Sankaran, his voice echoing his sadness.
Swamiji said without hesitation: "What are you going to do by knowing it? Anyway, are you doing the japam for AtmArtam (to know the self) or kAmyArtam (for a specific purpose)?"
Sankaran said: "I am doing it only for AtmArtam, Periyavaa. Still, I am at a loss to understand if I have got the mantra siddhi and the grace of the devata. I pray to you to kindly tell me about my progress". As Sankaran said this with all humility, tears started rolling down his eyes.
"Only the person who does the japam can understand if he has got the mantra siddhi, by personal experience. There will be a time when the person will experience it, Sankara," said Swamiji with vAtsalyam (affection).
Sankaran wasn't satisfied. "No, Periyavaa. I haven't had any personal experience so far. And I don't understand anything about it, though I continue to do the japam, as advised by my Guru, for the last seven years. Sometimes my mind becomes very tired, Periyavaa. You should kindly inform me about any way that I can know it." As he spoke this, Sankaran joined his palms in reverence and prostrated before Swamiji.
Acharyal (Swamiji) was quiet for sometime. He understood Sankaran's confusion. He decided to make the disciple understand what he wanted to know. He asked Sankaran to squat on the floor near him and began talking:
"Many years back, in Sringeri Sri Sarada Peetam, a mahaan named Nrusimha Bharati Swamiji was the peetathipathi (pontiff). One day, a sishya (student) of the matam (hermitage) belonging to that region came to have a darshan of the Swamiji. He did not come for nothing. He bore the same question that you asked me now.
"After prostrating, he presented the guava fruits to Swamiji.
"'Come, you are fine? Tell me what you want', said Swami Nrusimha Bharati with utmost kindness. The sishya told him politely, 'Swami, I am doing japam of a mantra that was given to me by an upadesam. I am doing the japam for many years now. Still I am not able to know if I have got the mantra siddhi. How do I know it Swami?'
"Swamiji said at once, in a bid to persuade him, 'You continue to do the japam in an AtmArta way. That devata itself will bless you with the siddhi phala (fruits of the efforts) eventually.'
"The sishya was not satisfied with this reply from the Swamiji. He persisted, 'No, Swami. I need to know if I have got the siddhi of the mantra. You must tell me a way to know it, I pray to you.'
"Swamiji understood the sishya's mental state. He called him near and said enthusiasticaly, 'Don't worry, my child. There is a way!"
"'Is there a way, then kindly bless me with the knowledge, Swami!' The sishya was in a hurry of excitement.
"Nrusimha Bharati Swamiji said laughingly, 'Every day, before you start your japam, spread paddy grains on a wooden seat, and cover it with a vastram (cloth). Sit over the grains and do the japam. Continue in this fashion day after day. On that day when the paddy grains on the seat fry and blossom into flattened rice, you will understand that you have got the mantra siddhi you have been seeking to know. You understand this?'
"Even though the sishya understood it, he thought confusedly that if the Swamiji was telling him this way just to satisfy him or if this would really be possible. Suddenly he asked an unexpected question to the Swamiji.
"'Gurunathar should excuse me. I pray this to you with an intention to know. I should not be mistaken for testing a sage in the guru stAnam (the position of a guru). Spreading the paddy grains, covering them with a cloth... and they will fry...'
"Before he could finish it, Swamiji laughed and said, 'You want to know if I have had any such experience, right?' He asked for a wooden seat to be brought then and there and placed facing the direction of east. He asked for a lot of paddy grains to be spread over the seat. When this was done, Swamiji placed his vastram (cloth) over the grains, seated himself in padmaasana and closed his eyes. By this time a large crowd had gathered in the place.
"Only a few seconds later, there was a continuous noise of the paddy grains getting fried and flattened. There was a little amount of smoke also. Swamiji got up and removed his vastram (cloth) that covered the grains. On the seat were dazzling white flowers of fried and flattened rice! The crowd was amazed.
"Nrusimha Bharati Swamiji looked at the sishya who asked the question. The sishya was standing sobbing. No one could speak anything more..."
As Kanchi Swamiji finished his narration of this episode, Sankaran was standing amazed, with tears in his eyes.
When he started to say something soon after, Swamiji interruped him and said, "What Sankara, are you going to ask me to demonstrate to you?" and laughed heartily.
Sankaran fell at Swamiji's feet, his eight limbs touching the floor, and said, "Enough Periyavaa! You have made me understand the mahima (greatness) of mantra siddhi. Kindly bless me, and permit me to return to my place."
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
The Astrologer Who Astonished the Arcot Nawab!
Author: Sri P.N. Sankara Raman, Kambarasampettai
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Jul 24, 2006
As told by the author:
It is several years since the incident I have narrated here happened. At that time, my father P.M. Nataraja Sarma was working as a Sanskrit teacher in the Bishop Heber College, Trichy. He had immense bhakti and respect in Kanchi Mahaswami Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati.
Nattham village is located on the north bank of Kaveri in Trichy district. Once Mahaswami was camping there. My father wanted to have darshan of the Sri Tripura Sundari-Sri Chandra Mouleeswararar puja Swamiji was performing there. With three days coming up as holidays, he reached Nattham village on Friday night. The puja was over. Since nobody knew my father there, he was not specifically welcomed. Wearing the vibuti prasadam given by Mahaswami on his front, he lay down to sleep in a corner of the pandal. The next two days passed by in the same manner. My father had an eyeful darshan of pujas and the arAdhanas.
The third day was the Vinayaka Chaturti festival day. After the special puja was over, my father went to get the prasadam from Swamiji and told him about going back home. Swamiji raised his head and said, "First take the kozhukkattai (modakam) (a favourite sweet dish of Sri Ganesha) kept in front of Pillaiyar, sit somewhere, eat it leisurely and then come back; we shall discuss about your returning home."
My father was amazed. He wanted to take leave but Swamiji asked him to first eat the kozhukkattai and come back! After he ate the prasadam, Swamiji called him. Periyavaa was very happy to learn that my father was the paternal grandson of Pudukkudi Srinivasa Josyar (astrologer). Swamiji reminisced about his grandfather and the incidents that happened at that time. My father was quite surprised!
Swamiji continued: "Your grandfather went to Malayala Desam and learnt Jyotisha systematically. He also took up the upasana of devatas (chanting mantras on demigods). It was an interesting incident how he became an astrologer of Arcot Nawab. At that time, Tiruchirapalli was under the rule of Arcot Nawab. The Nawab had many astrologers. One day the Nawab ordered all the astrologers residing in his region, including those with him to come to his kaccheri (sabha). Many new astrologers assembled. Your grandfather was one among those present.
"After the Nawab came to the kaccheri, the Diwan got up and told to the astrologers: 'Nawab is organizing a competition for you people. You should all write down in a piece of palm leaf the name of the gate on the fort wall through which Nawab will go out for hunting today, put it inside a (palm) cover and give it to us. All the palm covers will be sealed and preserved. When Nawab returns, the seals will be broken and the leaves will be read out. Nawab will honour the man who has given the correct answer.' So every astrologer noted down as east or south or west or north as the gate according to his computation and submitted his cover.
"Ultimately, on that day, the Nawab did not go out of any primary gate. He demolished the north wall of the west gate (the northern petrol bunk side of today's Main Guard Gate) and got out, travelled some distance towards Woraiyur on the west, then turned north and went up to the Kaveri bank. Then he turned south and moved through the demolished entrance in the North Andar Street (today's name is Puduppadi Lane) to the northern street of Rockfort. Then he turned east and came to the East Andar Street via the slanted rocky path. He came round the Rock from the right and reached his kaccheri which was at today's Town Hall through the Chinnakkadai Street. He did not go for hunting at all. After the Nawab returned, the seals were broken the palm leaves were read out. Only your grandfather's leaf had mentioned about the Nawab's activities accurately. The Nawab was amazed. The others in the kaccheri also were wonder-struck.
"Thereafter, the Nawab legally gifted your father 80 acres of land in Pudukkudi. In the street south of the Rockfort, there is a black temple on the western side. Near that temple is a tall house with an iron gate. Opposite that house is a small house with thinnai (sit out). The Nawab also gave these two houses. Your grandfather spent gradually all the 80 acres of land and the two houses near the Rockfort for dharmic activities."
With this reminiscence, Mahaswami blessed my father and bid him farewell. My father used to recite this incident to me often and feel proud about it.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
"Sleep Near the Serial Furnace!"
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Sep 9, 2006
Many years back, a Cittirai month. The new year's day. Morning hours. A large crowd and a long queue at Sri Kanchi Matam. A sixteen year old boy was among those waiting in the queue, which moved slowly. He reached near the stage where Mahaswamiji was seated, around ten o' clock. Acharyalh keenly looked at him for some time. He prostrated at once before the sage, his eight limbs touching the ground. He did not get up. Swamiji waited for sometime and then said, "Get up, get up my child!"
He got up, raised his hands over his head and joined the palms. The stirrings of bhakti hadn't left him yet. Tears were flowing down his eyes.
Swamiji called the youth near him. He obeyed, his palms still joined. Swamiji inquired: "Who are you my son? What is your name? From which place you are coming?"
With great vinayah the youth brought his right palm before his mouth and replied, "Swami, my name is Balakrishna Joshi. I am a Gujarati Brahmin from Madras. My native place is Gujarat."
"Which place in Madras?"
"Hanumantrayan Koil Street Swami", replied Joshi.
"What have you read up to?"
"Up to the eighth Periyavaa", said Joshi, in a low, hesitant voice.
"Alright. Since today is the new year's day," Swamiji inquired, "you thought you would have Swami darshan at the temples in this kshetram?"
"It is not that Periyavaa. I came for a darshan of Periyavaa."
Mahaswamiji said at once: "apacAram, apacAram, shouldn't tell that way. When you go to a place, you should first have darshan of the Shiva, Vishnu temples there. Wherever I go, I first have darshan at the temples there--only then any job. You understand?" Swamiji laughed.
"I have now understood" replied Joshi humbly.
"Alright, after you have prasadam from Acharyalh, you must go to the temples here before you board a bus to Madras, understand?" said Swamiji, a little emphatically.
Balakrishna Joshi, a little emboldened now, replied: "I understand that well Periyavaa. As you have ordered, I shall have darshan at all the temples here and come back to the matam. For your anugrahah."
Swamiji said laughingly, "That's what. I am going to give the prasadam now. Why come back to the matam? Oho... after Swami darshan you have decided to have your lunch in the matam and then board a bus! Good, good," Swamiji gave his consent.
Joshi hesitated. There were tears in his eyes.
"What is the matter?" inquired Swamiji with kindness.
Wiping his tears, Joshi replied: "I wish to stay here for sometime, that's why..."
Before he could finish, Swamiji interrupted him: "Here means? I don't understand."
"In the matam Periyavaa", said Joshi with humility.
"What, in the matam? This is a place for sannyasins. What work is there for young people like you?" Swamiji said with some sternness in his voice. "Have Swami darshan and get back to your place!"
Joshi did not move. He again prostrated to the sage. And spilled the beans: "Periyavaa shouldn't say that. My wish is to stay in the matam and serve you for sometime."
Swamiji understood the situation. The innocent, plain talk from Joshi attracted him and created in him a special preference for the youth. Without showing it, he said: "Serving me! There are many young people here! Why you as another? You start getting back to Madras."
Joshi moved from that place, but not from the matam. He took his lunch in the matam and got himself seated in a corner outside the room where Swamiji used to take rest.
The evening set in. Swamiji came out, finishing his bath. He saw Joshi but hurried past the youth without saying anything. Joshi tried standing within Swamiji's gaze, wherever Swamiji happened to be. For four days he tried with the vairagya of bhakti, but to no avail.
The early morning of the fifth day. Mahaswamiji went for his ushas kala bath in the pushkarani of Sri Kamakshi Amman temple. He saw Joshi as he finished his bath and ascended the bank. "You haven't gone to Madras?" he asked obligingly.
"No, Periyavaa! I am not returning until my sankalpa is fulfilled," said Joshi with vairagya.
"Whatever that sankalpa?" Swamiji asked, as if he did not know.
"It is to serve at your lotus feet for sometime, Periyavaa", replied Joshi expectantly.
"Shouldn't have a sankalpa which is not a sAdhya." Swamiji walked away.
Joshi did not lose heart. After having darshan of Sri Kamakshi Amman he went straight to the matam. He stood before the room of the sage.
Swamiji came out for the darshan of his bhaktas. He saw Joshi. His heart softened at the vairagya of Joshi. He called the youth near.
"Your father has an employment or a business?" asked Swamiji.
"Business only Periyavaa. Buying and selling diamonds," replied Joshi.
"For the kind of temperament you have, you will also become a big diamond businessman. At that time, you should strive to get the name of a honest diamond merchant. Alright, as you wish, you stay with the other boys and serve me for sometime." Swamiji had at last showed him the green flag.
Joshi joined the four or five youth who were serving the sage. Two days went by in the darshan of Swamiji and doing the tasks he ordered. On those two days Joshi had his bed at night, along with the other boys, in a corner of the room where Swamiji slept. Joshi considered this a great boon.
Swamiji called Joshi before he went for bed on the third night. As Joshi prostrated, Swamiji said, "Balakrishna Joshi, you need to do a thing from now. Be with me like the other boys and serve me the whole day. But you shouldn't sleep here in the nights--"
Joshi was alarmed. He interrupted the sage and said hastily, "I pray Periyavaa should not give me such an order. Kindly grant me the privilege of sleeping here like the other boys do."
"I am telling you with a reason," Swamiji showed some sternness in his voice. "You should listen to me."
Joshi stammered: "Alright, Periyavaa. I shall do what you say."
Swamiji laughed and said: "Say that! You go to the kitchen at night. There will be a wooden bench near the serial furnaces (kOttai aduppu). You sleep on that bench conveniently. Get up early morning, finish your chores, have your bath and come here for the service... What, you understand?"
Joshi couldn't say anything further. Wiping his eyes, he said, "I shall do as you order, Periyavaa," and moved away. The other boys looked at this happening jocularly. He couldn't find the answer to the question as to why Swamiji wanted him to sleep alone in the kitchen near the serial furnace.
As he came out, Joshi saw a mate and asked him inquisitvely if Swamiji had ordered any of them to sleep near the serial furnace. With an expression of disapproval that boy replied, "Never had Periyavaa asked any of us to do such a thing."
Joshi felt insulted. It was ten in the night. Sobbing, he entered the deserted kitchen and settled himself on the bench near the serial furnace. He did not eat anything that night. Grief choking his throat, he was awake for a long time before he fell asleep. As the dawn set on the next morning, the matam woke up. Soon after, the vedic chantings and bhajan songs peculiar for a matam came floating in the wind.
Joshi awakened. He finished his chores, went and sat down in the sanctum of Sri Kamakshi Amman. It did not occur to him to go for service to Swamiji.
He came to the matam in the afternoon, had his lunch, and then went back to the temple sanctum. The usual bed around ten in the night, near the serial furnace. He did not go the sage at all.
Two days passed in this manner. It was the morning on the third day. Swamiji called a sevak and aksed him with a worried look: "Two days back a boy named Balakrishna Joshi came here for seva... He is not seen now! Where did he go? Perhaps he has gone back to Madras without informing me?"
Hesitatingly the sevak replied, "No, Periyavaa. He is only here in the matam."
"Then why did he not come here for the last two days?"
"No idea, Periyavaa."
Meantime another sevak boy came that side, and Swamiji asked him about the missing Gujarati boy. He too had no idea.
"Alright, check up with Joshi and tell him that I want him here now", ordered Swamji and went inside his room.
Joshi stood looking small before Mahaswamiji.
"Come, my child. Why, you were not seen here for the last two days! Are you not well?" Swamiji inquired with utmlost kindness. Joshi had no reply.
"Any sadness... or anger... with me?" Swamiji asked like a child, happiness writ on his face.
Joshi slowly opened his mouth. "No anger and all, Periyavaa! A bit of sadness in my heart though," he stammered.
Swamiji looked at him with surprise. "Sadness... with me?"
Joshi kept quiet.
Swamiji did not stop. "Come on, tell me! Is it not that I should also know about your sadness?" As Swamiji encouraged Joshi to talk, the other boys were standing nearby with folded hands.
Prostrating and bringing his palm before his mouth, Joshi began to talk. "Nothing else, Periyavaa. You ordered me to sleep in your room like the other boys for the first two nights, and I was happy. Suddenly you called me and ordered me to go and sleep near the serial furnace! I was saddened with the thought that perhaps since I am only a Gujarati brahman and not a brahmin of this side, you might have ordered me to sleep separately. Please pardon me Periyavaa..." Joshi sobbed and fell at the feet of Swamiji.
Swamiji understood the situation. He did not say anything for sometime. Silence prevailed there. Then he asked the other boys to leave him alone, and called Joshi near. With utmost vAtsalyam he spoke: "adAdA... Balakrishna... For my asking you to sleep near the serial furnace you made up this meaning! I did not say that with such thoughts in my mind! You are a small boy, so you have misunderstood me!". With those words, Swamiji asked Joshi to sit before him. Joshi hesitated and sat down on the floor.
Swamiji spoke with compassion welling up in his voice: "There was never such a reason as that you expressed now for my asking you to sleep alone on the wooden bench near the serial furnace. There was only one reason for that, Joshi. Look here!" Swamiji raised his vastram up to his thigh. There were bunches of reddish mosquito bites on Swamiji's rosy thighs!
"My child Joshi! You see these bites of the mosquitos I have at night time? I am a sannyasin, so I can withstand them. Being a child you would have immense suffering. I saw you struggling with the mosquito bites on the first two nights. You have a rosy complexion like me! So I wanted that at least you could sleep well in a safe place, which was why asked you to sleep alone. Since the wooden bench is lying near the serial furnace, there would be absolutely no mosquitoes because of the heat from the furnace. And you would sleep well! That was the only reason for my order, but it so happened that you misunderstood me!" As Swamiji said this laughing, Joshi started sobbing loudly.
He spoke sobbing, "Periyavaa, please tell me that you have pardoned me! Without understanding your compassion, I blabbered some nonsense!" That compassionate Lord was just laughing, raising his hands and blessing Joshi.
"Joshi, you will also become a diamond merchant in future. Sell your wares for a reasonable prize and do a good business." said Swamiji as he blessed Joshi once again.
In the later years, Balakrishna Joshi became a dharmic diamond merchant and was a beloved bhakta of Swamiji until the samadhi days of the sage. Some years later, Joshi also gave up his body to reach God's feet.
Glossary:
apacAram - offense, fault, something which contradicts Acaram or rules of conduct
Acharyalh - teacher
adAdA - an expression of sympathy
anugrahah - blessing
Cittirai - April
kshetram - holy place
matam - ashram, hermitage
prasadam - a sample of a holy offering
pushkarani - pond belonging to a temple
sankalpa - will, purpose, determination
sAdhya - possible, achievable
sevak - one who serves
Swami darshan - Here Swami means God.
ushas kala - dawn time
vairagya - dispassion, here firmness
vAtsalyam - affection
vastram - cloth
vinayah - modesty
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
"Sleep Near the Serial Furnace!"
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Sep 9, 2006
Many years back, a Cittirai month. The new year's day. Morning hours. A large crowd and a long queue at Sri Kanchi Matam. A sixteen year old boy was among those waiting in the queue, which moved slowly. He reached near the stage where Mahaswamiji was seated, around ten o' clock. Acharyalh keenly looked at him for some time. He prostrated at once before the sage, his eight limbs touching the ground. He did not get up. Swamiji waited for sometime and then said, "Get up, get up my child!"
He got up, raised his hands over his head and joined the palms. The stirrings of bhakti hadn't left him yet. Tears were flowing down his eyes.
Swamiji called the youth near him. He obeyed, his palms still joined. Swamiji inquired: "Who are you my son? What is your name? From which place are you coming?"
With great vinayah the youth brought his right palm before his mouth and replied, "Swami, my name is Balakrishna Joshi. I am a Gujarati Brahmin from Madras. My native place is Gujarat."
"Which place in Madras?"
"Hanumantrayan Koil Street Swami", replied Joshi.
"What have you read up to?"
"Up to the eighth Periyavaa", said Joshi, in a low, hesitant voice.
"Alright. Since today is the new year's day," Swamiji inquired, "you thought you would have Swami darshan at the temples in this kshetram?"
"It is not that Periyavaa. I came for a darshan of Periyavaa."
Mahaswamiji said at once: "apacAram, apacAram, shouldn't tell that way. When you go to a place, you should first have darshan of the Shiva, Vishnu temples there. Wherever I go, I first have darshan at the temples there--only then any job. You understand?" Swamiji laughed.
"I have now understood" replied Joshi humbly.
"Alright, after you have prasadam from Acharyalh, you must go to the temples here before you board a bus to Madras, understand?" said Swamiji, a little emphatically.
Balakrishna Joshi, a little emboldened now, replied: "I understand that well Periyavaa. As you have ordered, I shall have darshan at all the temples here and come back to the matam. For your anugrahah."
Swamiji said laughingly, "That's what. I am going to give the prasadam now. Why come back to the matam? Oho... after Swami darshan you have decided to have your lunch in the matam and then board a bus! Good, good," Swamiji gave his consent.
Joshi hesitated. There were tears in his eyes.
"What is the matter?" inquired Swamiji with kindness.
Wiping his tears, Joshi replied: "I wish to stay here for sometime, that's why..."
Before he could finish, Swamiji interrupted him: "Here means? I don't understand."
"In the matam Periyavaa", said Joshi with humility.
"What, in the matam? This is a place for sannyasins. What work is there for young people like you?" Swamiji said with some sternness in his voice. "Have Swami darshan and get back to your place!"
Joshi did not move. He again prostrated to the sage. And spilled the beans: "Periyavaa shouldn't say that. My wish is to stay in the matam and serve you for sometime."
Swamiji understood the situation. The innocent, plain talk from Joshi attracted him and created in him a special preference for the youth. Without showing it, he said: "Serving me! There are many young people here! Why you as another? You start getting back to Madras."
Joshi moved from that place, but not from the matam. He took his lunch in the matam and got himself seated in a corner outside the room where Swamiji used to take rest.
The evening set in. Swamiji came out, finishing his bath. He saw Joshi but hurried past the youth without saying anything. Joshi tried standing within Swamiji's gaze, wherever Swamiji happened to be. For four days he tried with the vairagya of bhakti, but to no avail.
The early morning of the fifth day. Mahaswamiji went for his ushas kala bath in the pushkarani of Sri Kamakshi Amman temple. He saw Joshi as he finished his bath and ascended the bank. "You haven't gone to Madras?" he asked obligingly.
"No, Periyavaa! I am not returning until my sankalpa is fulfilled," said Joshi with vairagya.
"Whatever that sankalpa?" Swamiji asked, as if he did not know.
"It is to serve at your lotus feet for sometime, Periyavaa", replied Joshi expectantly.
"Shouldn't have a sankalpa which is not a sAdhya." Swamiji walked away.
Joshi did not lose heart. After having darshan of Sri Kamakshi Amman he went straight to the matam. He stood before the room of the sage.
Swamiji came out for the darshan of his bhaktas. He saw Joshi. His heart softened at the vairagya of Joshi. He called the youth near.
"Your father has an employment or a business?" asked Swamiji.
"Business only Periyavaa. Buying and selling diamonds," replied Joshi.
"For the kind of temperament you have, you will also become a big diamond businessman. At that time, you should strive to get the name of a honest diamond merchant. Alright, as you wish, you stay with the other boys and serve me for sometime." Swamiji had at last showed him the green flag.
Joshi joined the four or five youth who were serving the sage. Two days went by in the darshan of Swamiji and doing the tasks he ordered. On those two days Joshi had his bed at night, along with the other boys, in a corner of the room where Swamiji slept. Joshi considered this a great boon.
Swamiji called Joshi before he went for bed on the third night. As Joshi prostrated, Swamiji said, "Balakrishna Joshi, you need to do a thing from now. Be with me like the other boys and serve me the whole day. But you shouldn't sleep here in the nights--"
Joshi was alarmed. He interrupted the sage and said hastily, "I pray Periyavaa should not give me such an order. Kindly grant me the privilege of sleeping here like the other boys do."
"I am telling you with a reason," Swamiji showed some sternness in his voice. "You should listen to me."
Joshi stammered: "Alright, Periyavaa. I shall do what you say."
Swamiji laughed and said: "Say that! You go to the kitchen at night. There will be a wooden bench near the serial furnaces (kOttai aduppu). You sleep on that bench conveniently. Get up early morning, finish your chores, have your bath and come here for the service... What, you understand?"
Joshi couldn't say anything further. Wiping his eyes, he said, "I shall do as you order, Periyavaa," and moved away. The other boys looked at this happening jocularly. He couldn't find the answer to the question as to why Swamiji wanted him to sleep alone in the kitchen near the serial furnace.
As he came out, Joshi saw a mate and asked him inquisitvely if Swamiji had ordered any of them to sleep near the serial furnace. With an expression of disapproval that boy replied, "Never had Periyavaa asked any of us to do such a thing."
Joshi felt insulted. It was ten in the night. Sobbing, he entered the deserted kitchen and settled himself on the bench near the serial furnace. He did not eat anything that night. Grief choking his throat, he was awake for a long time before he fell asleep. As the dawn set on the next morning, the matam woke up. Soon after, the vedic chantings and bhajan songs peculiar for a matam came floating in the wind.
Joshi awakened. He finished his chores, went and sat down in the sanctum of Sri Kamakshi Amman. It did not occur to him to go for service to Swamiji.
He came to the matam in the afternoon, had his lunch, and then went back to the temple sanctum. The usual bed around ten in the night, near the serial furnace. He did not go the sage at all.
Two days passed in this manner. It was the morning on the third day. Swamiji called a sevak and aksed him with a worried look: "Two days back a boy named Balakrishna Joshi came here for seva... He is not seen now! Where did he go? Perhaps he has gone back to Madras without informing me?"
Hesitatingly the sevak replied, "No, Periyavaa. He is only here in the matam."
"Then why did he not come here for the last two days?"
"No idea, Periyavaa."
Meantime another sevak boy came that side, and Swamiji asked him about the missing Gujarati boy. He too had no idea.
"Alright, check up with Joshi and tell him that I want him here now", ordered Swamji and went inside his room.
Joshi stood looking small before Mahaswamiji.
"Come, my child. Why, you were not seen here for the last two days! Are you not well?" Swamiji inquired with utmlost kindness. Joshi had no reply.
"Any sadness... or anger... with me?" Swamiji asked like a child, happiness writ on his face.
Joshi slowly opened his mouth. "No anger and all, Periyavaa! A bit of sadness in my heart though," he stammered.
Swamiji looked at him with surprise. "Sadness... with me?"
Joshi kept quiet.
Swamiji did not stop. "Come on, tell me! Is it not that I should also know about your sadness?" As Swamiji encouraged Joshi to talk, the other boys were standing nearby with folded hands.
Prostrating and bringing his palm before his mouth, Joshi began to talk. "Nothing else, Periyavaa. You ordered me to sleep in your room like the other boys for the first two nights, and I was happy. Suddenly you called me and ordered me to go and sleep near the serial furnace! I was saddened with the thought that perhaps since I am only a Gujarati brahman and not a brahmin of this side, you might have ordered me to sleep separately. Please pardon me Periyavaa..." Joshi sobbed and fell at the feet of Swamiji.
Swamiji understood the situation. He did not say anything for sometime. Silence prevailed there. Then he asked the other boys to leave him alone, and called Joshi near. With utmost vAtsalyam he spoke: "adAdA... Balakrishna... For my asking you to sleep near the serial furnace you made up this meaning! I did not say that with such thoughts in my mind! You are a small boy, so you have misunderstood me!". With those words, Swamiji asked Joshi to sit before him. Joshi hesitated and sat down on the floor.
Swamiji spoke with compassion welling up in his voice: "There was never such a reason as that you expressed now for my asking you to sleep alone on the wooden bench near the serial furnace. There was only one reason for that, Joshi. Look here!" Swamiji raised his vastram up to his thigh. There were bunches of reddish mosquito bites on Swamiji's rosy thighs!
"My child Joshi! You see these bites of the mosquitos I have at night time? I am a sannyasin, so I can withstand them. Being a child you would have immense suffering. I saw you struggling with the mosquito bites on the first two nights. You have a rosy complexion like me! So I wanted that at least you could sleep well in a safe place, which was why asked you to sleep alone. Since the wooden bench is lying near the serial furnace, there would be absolutely no mosquitoes because of the heat from the furnace. And you would sleep well! That was the only reason for my order, but it so happened that you misunderstood me!" As Swamiji said this laughing, Joshi started sobbing loudly.
He spoke sobbing, "Periyavaa, please tell me that you have pardoned me! Without understanding your compassion, I blabbered some nonsense!" That compassionate Lord was just laughing, raising his hands and blessing Joshi.
"Joshi, you will also become a diamond merchant in future. Sell your wares for a reasonable prize and do a good business." said Swamiji as he blessed Joshi once again.
In the later years, Balakrishna Joshi became a dharmic diamond merchant and was a beloved bhakta of Swamiji until the samadhi days of the sage. Some years later, Joshi also gave up his body to reach God's feet.
Glossary:
apacAram - offense, fault, something which contradicts Acaram or rules of conduct
Acharyalh - teacher
adAdA - an expression of sympathy
anugrahah - blessing
Cittirai - April
kshetram - holy place
matam - ashram, hermitage
prasadam - a sample of a holy offering
pushkarani - pond belonging to a temple
sankalpa - will, purpose, determination
sAdhya - possible, achievable
sevak - one who serves
Swami darshan - Here Swami means God.
ushas kala - dawn time
vairagya - dispassion, here firmness
vAtsalyam - affection
vastram - cloth
vinayah - modesty
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Can a Wife Go on a Pilgrimage Leaving Her Husband at Home?
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Sep 22, 2006
A young vaidik couple prostrated to Paramacharya and rose in SriMatam, Kanchipuram. The young vaidik appeared to be around 25 years, his wife about twenty.
The Acharyal, who was conversing with another bhakta, paused it and looked up at the dampati. Happiness spread across his face.
He said with enthusiasm, "Are you not Raghunathan, son of Madurai Seshu Ganapatikal? But then, I should address you in such a way! Because you have now become Raghunatha SastrigaL! Like your father, you have become well known in the Madurai region."
Paramacharya continued: "Obviously, this is your AmbadaiyaL. She is the grand-daughter of Tiruchirapalli Vaidhyanatha Ganapadigal. The only daughter of Subramanya Vadhyar. Am I right? Last year, your father and father-in-law both came here with your marriage invitation, to seek the blessings of Matam. You also came and prostrated, correct? Alright. Now as dampati you are both cooperative and well?" Swamiji asked with rightful concern.
Raghunatha Sastri promptly replied, "We are very well Periyavaa, with your blessings."
Swamiji did not accept that. "You have said it, but your wife doesn't open her mouth!" He laughed as he said this.
Gaining her wits, the young wife replied, "My name is Alamelu, Periyavaa. We are happy only... happy." Swamiji took note of the thread of sadness that ran through her acknowledgement.
"It is not that Amma! Your tone betrays that you are not all that happy. Come on, tell me more."
"Nothing of that sort, Periyavaa", Alamenu tried to get by.
"No, no! Your tone is telling me that you have some sadness. Come on, tell me what it is."
Alamelu said hesitatingly, "Periyavaa, I am a very God-fearing woman. Have full faith in the shastra and sampradayakah. Before my marriage, I used to go for pilgrimages with our family, relatives, and well wishers. It was very much to my liking! I am married with him for a year now. And we have not gone anywhere Periyavaa, that is the cause of my sadness!"
Before she could finish, Swamiji interrupted, "Why...why couldn't you go?"
Alamelu hesitated. "After marriage, I cannot go for pilgrimages on my own, isn't it so, Periyavaa? Only if the bharta comes along with me, the fruits of the yAtra will be realized? I asked him twice or thrice, but he did not come!" She started crying as she narrated her woe.
Acharyal persuaded her, as he understood the situation. "What Raghunatha SastrigaL, is it proper to let your wife have a drop of tear in her eyes? After all is she not asking you to observe a holy routine? tIrthayAtrA and kshetrAdanam. What is the difficulty in going as she asks you for?" Paramacharya raised his bows.
Young Raghunatha Sastry prostrated to the sage once again and said, "What she asks for is reasonable, Periyavaa. But then to visit the northern kshetrAs for at least ten days, and that bimonthly...is it possible for me Periyavaa?"
"Why don't you try it and fulfil the affectionate wishes of your wife?"
Raghunatha Sastry replied in a poignant voice, "Periyaa knows everything. I have vaidikam for vritti. My father is also not too well, so I have to take care of his assignments in addition to mine. You tell me Periyavaa, how can I go for yAtra once in two months, leaving aside all my vritti?"
Pamaracharya was silent for sometime. Then he said laughingly, "So you both have come to me for madhyastha in this matter," and continued: "What she says is reasonable. She has a taste for going tIrthayAtrA with bhakti. She also knows that after marriage the fruits of any yAtra will be available only if accompanied by the husband. What you say also has reason. Your vritti is vaidikam. You will be busy for all the thirty days in a month. It would be very very difficult to go on tIrthayAtrA with wife, once in two months. So, what can be done?"
"Only you can tell us a way Periyavaa", the husband and wife said together.
Swamiji sat for sometime, thinking. Everyone was eager to know what he would suggest as a remedy. After sometime, AcharyaL started speaking.
"Alamenu! You are determined to go on tIrthayAtrA once in two months. You also are familiar with the dharma shastric rule that the fruits of a yAtra will be realized only if your husband comes with you. Since he has vaidikam as his profession, he says it would be very difficult for him to accompany you. So you do onething..."
Before he could proceed, the couple said, "kindly bless us with a solution Periyavaa."
Sitting a little more uprightly, Swamiji said: "I shall tell you a way, listen Alamelu! Whenever you start for tIrthayAtrA, before actually stepping out of home, request your husband to stand facing east and prostrate to him! What you do, Raghunatha SastrigAL, place your upper angavastra in the hands of your wife and tell her that her carrying your cloth is equivalent to your accompanying her, and bless her for the yAtra. You both will get the punya of having undertaken the yAtra together. And neither of you will have any uneasiness of mind. What... happy now?", Swamiji asked them mercifully and gave them prasAda.
The couple were happy with the solution given by MahaperiyavaaL. With tears of joy, they prostrated to the sage. Everyone around who were witnessing this incident were happy with Paramacharya's tactful handling of the situation.
Glossary
AcharyaL - teacher
AmbadaiyaL - Tamil word for a brahmin wife.
bhakta - devotee
bharta - Tamil form of bhartru meaning husband, supporter.
dampati - husband and wife
kshetrAdanam - visiting holy places
madhyastha - mediating
sampradayakah - tradition
shastra - scriptpures
tIrthayAtrA - visiting holy rivers
vaidik - related to Vedas
vaidikam - Tamil for Vedic rituals and chanting
vritti - here occupation, profession.
yAtra - pilgrimage
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Disclaimer for my Translated Materials
In consultation with my friends elsewhere on the Net, I have added a disclaimer for my Translations that takes into account any copyright considerations.
I have added the Disclaimer at the beginning of this thread.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
MahaperiyavaL's Magical Timepiece!
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Dec 04, 2006
Kanchi Paramacharya was once camping with his entourage in a choultry at Pudukottai, Tamilnadu, on his way to Tirunelveli. After completing the Chandramouleesvara puja on the night he reached there, Swamiji was seated before retiring for the night.
He called Nagarajan, a youth who was assisting and told him, "Appa, Nagu! I need to get up at three-thirty early morning tomorrow for my snAna. You remember it!"
The youth Nagu with great reverence replied, "As you order, Periyavaa! As you told me now, at exactly three-thirty in the morning, I shall sing the namAvali hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara."
Swamiji smiled as he understood Nagu's words. He asked him, "Since it won't be proper to say 'I shall wake you up at three-thirty Periyavaa', you said you will sing hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara!"
Nagu grinned sheepishly. He did not know what to answer.
"Alright, do as you please!" Swamiji went to his room.
It was eleven in the night. The choultry was steeped in sleep. Swamiji had also retired. Nagu couldn't sleep. Worry caught hold of him. There was not a single wall clock or alarm timepiece in that choultry. What he had was a very old watch presented by his uncle on the occasion of his upanayanam. He was not used to wear it on the wrist as he was with the sage most of the time. The watch was taking refuge in his old trunk. He did not touch it after winding it up every day and setting the time.
The apprehension 'How could I wake up Periyavaa, if I wasn't awake at three-thirty?' took hold of him. Coming to a final decision, he went to the store room and retrieved his watch from his trunk. He came silently to the entrance of Swamiji's room and seated himself on the floor. He started chanting Vishnu Sahasranama silently, taking care that no sound escaped from him. Looking at his watch now and then, he was reciting the verses in repeated cycles.
When it was 3:30 exactly, Nagu got up, wiped his eyes, folded his hands, looked at Swamiji's room sang the hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara in a low voice. Within moments, the door opened. AcharyaL came out smiling, with the tejas of Lord Shiva himself and gave Nagu his suprapAda darshan. Only Nagu had the blessing to get this darshan on that day.
AcharyaL slowly walked up to the entrance of the choultry. Nagu rushed to make arrangements for the sage's bath. The choultry woke up gradually.
The next night, and the next, Nagu's pattern of staying awake, singing Vishnu Sahasra Namam and the hara hara sankara namavali continued.
On the fourth night when Nagu was doing his routine, tucking his watch at his waist, he fell asleep inadvertently. Suddenly he was awakened by a divine voice singing hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara. Jolted out of sleep, Nagu saw the smiling AcharyaL, his face replete with compassion.
Swamiji said with vAtsalya, "My child! It is exactly three-thirty now. Seems you slept because of tiresomeness. With a full day's service, it is natural you would have the strain." Smiling, Swamiji started walking slowly towards the entrance of the choultry. Nagu confirmed that the time was 3:30 from his watch at his waist.
He was wonderstruck and confused at the sage waking up at the right time. The divine voice singing the namavali echoed in his ears repeatedly. He hadn't heard such a song from the sage earlier.
It was eleven on the next night. Swamiji had retired. Nagu vowed to himself that he would stay awake at any cost the whole night. He had also brought water in a small brass pot, to wipe his eyes if he was overwhelmed by sleep.
The time was 2:30 in the night. Though he had managed until then, Nagu couldn't stay awake any further despite his best efforts, so he folded up sleeping on the floor.
The door opened. AcharyaL came out slowly. He saw the sleeping Nagu and the brass water pot on his side. He understood and laughed.
"hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara. Appa, Nagu wake up!" Swamiji called softly. Nagu got up, jolted to wakefulness and saw the smiling sage before him.
"Nagu, it is exactly three-thirty. Poor boy, you couldn't get up in time today also. Alright, arrange for my bath." Swamiji proceeded to the entrance as he did usually. Nagu wondered as he checked the time.
After the afternoon puja, Swamiji was seated alone. Nagu went and prostrated to him and stood nearby meekly without uttering a word.
Swamji began the conversation: "Appa Nagu, from your namaskaram it seems that you want to know something from me. What is it, ask me, don't feel shy."
Nagu hesitated and tried, "It is nothing, Periyavaa." Swamiji laughed. "I understand what your mind wants to ask me. When you couldn't stay awake with a watch on you, you are confused as to how Periyavaa could get up at the exact time, when he does not have any sort of timepiece! Right?"
Slightly emboldened, Nagu said, "Yes, Periyavaa. In spite of my best efforts, I somehow went sleeping at the time when I should have been awake. And you got up and awakened me at the exact time of three-thirty. I am ashamed Periyavaa. How does Periyavaa know the exact time..."
Swamiji interruped him and said, "You have the doubt that some karna yakshini tells me the time!" and laughed loudly.
"It was not that Periyavaa. Just a curiosity to know..." Nagu hesitated.
Swamiji continued: "No yakshini told the time in my ear. It was a bus that told me the time! The T.V.S. bus of Madurai T.V. Sundaram Iyengar's company. When I came out on the first morning after you awakened me with your namAvali, I noticed a bus pass by the choultry gate. On the next two mornings also a bus got past the choultry gate at three-thirty! On inquiry, I was told that it was the first bus of the T.V.S. company in the morning that arrives at Pudukottai from Madurai. There was not a second of difference in the exact time of three-thirty when the bus passed by the gate, day after day. People used to say that you can adjust your watch using the time of arrival of a T.V.S. bus at a particular place. I understood they were right! From the fourth morning, I got up as I heard the noise of the bus. There is no other secret in this, Nagu!" Swamiji laughed, absorbed in himself.
Nagu was just looking intently at the face of Swamiji, as he finished his reply.
Glossary
karna yakshini - god of the ears
snAna - bath
namaskaram - the action of prostrating
namAvali - a series of God names
suprapada darshan - having darshan of a sage when he gets up in the morning
tejas - divine splendour
upanayanam - the Hindu thread ceremony
vAtsalya - affection
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
"For this Sanyasi, perform Thirukalyanam for the Ninth time!"
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 20, 2006
This is an incident that happened some years ago. An evening time. A large crowd in Kanchi SriMatam waiting for a darshan of Maha Swamiji. Periyavar came out of his solitudinous room. He came to the stage where he usually sits and seated himself, leaning on the wall.
One by one the people came before him. Prostrated to him. And appealed to him with an earnest prayer to solve their problems. Swamiji gave them suitable replies, blessed them and gave them prasAdam.
Eight-thirty in the night. All the people had gone after darshan. Swamiji was about to raise and get back to his solitudinous room. A dampati came hurrying up. Behind them rushed a young girl. All the three of them prostrated to Paramacharya. Then they extracted the articles they had brought from four 'big shopper' bags, spread them out on the large cane plates that were seen near them, and submitted them to the sage. AcharyaL pointedly looked at the cane plates for sometime. They were filled with sugar lumps, cashews, pistachio nuts, almonds, dry grapes, and dates. Surprised, Swamiji looked at the people who brought them, and happiness coursed his face lines.
adede! It's our Viswanathan! When did you come from America? Your wife has also come... Besh, besh! Very glad. Everyone is fine? EndAppa, why have you brought such a lot of cashews and dry fruits? Any good news of a marriage? Here, standing by your side, isn't she your daughter? Oho... you have fixed her marriage! Why, Viswanathaa, there is no marriage invitation on any of these plates?" Swamiji asked.
That was it. The three of them fell at AcharyaL's feet, sobbing loudly, as if a sluice was released and a flood of water gushed forth.
Maha Swamiji could not understand. He checked himself and asked with affection, "Why Viswanatha... did I say something irrelevant? You people are sobbing like children?"
Immediately Viswanathan patted his cheeks loudly and said hastily, "Shiva, Shiva! apacAram, apacAram. Nothing of that kind, Periyavaa. The moment you asked, 'Arranged your daughter's wedding, where is the invitation?', the three of us couldn't contain our sorrow, Periyavaa! She is now twenty-five years old. We are trying, since her seventeenth year, coming over from America and staying here for two months. Not a single varan did crop up, Periyavaa! Somehow the chance slips by. She is educated. Has beauty. We have money. With all these things, there is no luck!" He started crying again.
It was nine-thirty at night. AcharyaL understood the situation. He thought of easing the tightness that prevailed. "It is alright, don't feel sad. Come and sit here, all the three of you!" He pointed to the floor oppsite him.
The three people sat meekly. AcharyaL started speaking: "Viswanatha! I know that you are doing plenty of dhana dharma for temples/ponds and the poor and destitute. Such a mental agony for you! Alright, how many years now since you went and settled in America?"
"Twenty years, Periyavaa" replied Viswanathan.
Swamiji pointed to the girl. "She is your eka putri?" he asked smilingly, "what is her name?"
Closing his mouth, Viswanathan replied, "Her name is Aparna. Yes, my only daughter, Periyavaa."
"Did you show her horoscope to the jyotishikahs?"
"Checked with a number of astrologers, Periyavaa. Everyone of them talks about some dosha or other. They also suggest remedies. I have done everything they recommended!"
"What are the things you did?" asked AcharyaL inquisitively.
"I did Pitru dosha pariharah with tila homam at Rameswaram. Then shukra prIti at Kanjanur. Rahu prIti at Tirunageswaram. Guru prIti at Alangudi. Special puja at Tirumananjeri near Kuttalam. Shani prIti at Tirunallar with a bath in the NaLa Tirtham... I did so many of such things, Periyava!" said Viswanathan.
Before he could finish, Swamiji clinched it with the words, "So you say it is a lack of phala prApti." Abruptly Swamiji said to Viswanathan's wife, "You have got the jewels-and-bolts ready for the daughter's marriage?"
"Everything is ready, Periyavaa", she replied.
"Besh, besh! How many sovereigns (of gold) you give to her?"
Viswanathan replied, "Thirty sovereigns for our daughter, Periyavaa. In addition, we have made two separate sets of jewels worth twenty sovereigns each."
"What for are those two separate sets of twenty sovereigns?"
"It is like this Periyavaa. If Aparana's marriage is fixed, with that marriage, we have decided to perform the marriages of two poor girls, meeting all the expenses. Which is why the two separate sets of jewels. But then Aparna's marriage itself is not getting fixed, Periyavaa!" Viswanathan expressed his longing, tears popping up in his eyes.
Swamiji slipped into some serious thinking. It was ten thirty at night. Then he asked Viswanathan, "Within how many days you people should return to America?"
"Twenty days more, Periyavaa."
"Besh, besh," Swamiji was happy. "You people have finished your dinner?"
"Not yet", said Viswanathan.
Swamiji sent word for the cook and asked him when he showed up, "What is available?"
"Rice uppuma and pumpkin sambar", said the cook.
Swamiji asked Viswanathan's family to go the kitchen and have their food. He waited until they came back. It was eleven in the night then. He looked at Viswanathan affectiontely.
"Viswanathaa, you have a noble heart! With your daughter's marriage, you are ready and waiting with jewels for performing dharmic marriages for two other girls. What a broad mind you have! Kamakshi will guard you". Swamiji assuaged him with gentle words and said, "Do one thing. You go to Tiruvaikkaval tomorrow morning with your family. There you perform abhisheka ArAdhanam to Mother Akhilandeswari and Jambukeswarar and pray to Them. What you ask of your daughter Aparana is that... there they would have adorned Mother Akhilandeswari with a shining tATangakah on Her ears. Ask your daughter to have a keen darshan of the ornaments without blinking her eyes and praying 'let me be married soon!'. After doing this--"
Viswanathan interruped Swamiji as he said excitedly, "Periyavaa, our family deity herself is Tiruvaikkaval Akhilandeswari!"
Swamiji said, "Besh! It is a good thing then. So you go with family tomorrow morning and do this. Then you go straight to Tirupathi. There you perform a Tirukkalyana utsavam to Srinivasa Perumal and pray to Him. Everything will turn out well. All these cashew, dry grapes and suger lumps that you have kept here generously like the endowment rows in a marriage... take all those things and offer them to Akhilandeswari." As he said this, Swamiji got up. Viswanathan's family prostrated to him.
Viswanathan looked at Swamiji and said hesitantly, "Periyavaa, since the seventeenth year of my daughter Aparna, every year when I came here, I performed Tirukkalyana utsavam to Tirumali Srinivasa Perumal. So far we have have done it eight times, Periyavaa!"
"Alright Viswanathaa! What is there to lose? As this Sanyasi says, perform it for the ninth time!" Swamiji said laughingly and hurried to his room.
In the next two days, Viswanathan's family completed the ablution and worship and tATangakah darshan at Tiruvanaikkaval as ordered by Paramacharya and reached Tirupathi.
On that day, a number of bhaktas had remitted money to perform Srinivasa Tirukkalyanam. There was a large crowd in the marriage hall. Viswanathan's family was sitting in a corner in the centre portion of the hall. The vaikanasa bhaTTAcAaryas were conducting the celestial wedding of Lord Srinivasa chanting vaivAhiha mantras in a grand manner. Their intonations reached a peak and vibrated throughout the hall.
Viswanathan grieved within his heart thus: 'Appa Srinivasa! Is this your dharma and nyAya? You get your wedding performed every day in such grand manner! What sin did my daughter Aparna commit? Why do you not get her married to a suitable varan?' He started uttering a sob. His wife and daughter began to sob and weep, suffocating in their grief.
A family was sitting near Viswanathan. The family head appeared to be fifty or fifty-five years old. He rubbed Viswanathan's back comfortingly. "Sir, my name is Vaidyanathan. Madras. I am watching you for a long time. On this occasion of witnessing the Tirukkalyanam with joy and happiness, it is not proper for you three people to sob and weep," he said tactfully.
Viswanathan was moved. Briefly he poured forth his worries to the gentleman who comforted him. Vaidyanathan turned and looked at Aparna. His mind told him that the girl was stately and beautiful.
Vaidyanathan asked him: "Your gotra?"
"vAthUla gotra", said Viswanathan.
"We are Srivatsa. Alright, your daughter's age?"
"She is now twenty-five; why do you ask?"
Vaidyanathan said, "Let this Tirukkalyanam be over. Then I shall take you and talk to you in detail."
Srinivasa Kalyanam came to a completion and everyone was given prasAdam. Vaidyanathan took Viswanathan's family to the quarters where he was staying for the occasion.
There he told Viswanathan, "I have only one son. He is twenty-six now. Name Srinivasan. We belong to Melattur on the Thanjavur side. I am now working in the Defence Accounts in Madras. My son is employed in America in the Ford Motors company with a good salary. He is coming tomorrow to Madras on leave. I have been searching for a suitable alliance for him for the last three years, but nothing settled. We are all devotees of Kanchi Kamoti Matam. Three months back we had darshan of PeriyavaaL and prayed to him with the grievance of our son's marriage being delayed. He said 'Pray to Tirumalai Srinivasa and perform a Tirukkalyana Utsavam, your son will get married immediately.' Only today came the prApta. If that Periyavaa's anugrahah is there, even you daughter can become our daughter-in-law!"
They exchanged the horoscopes and showed them to a famous josyar in Tirumalai.
What a surprise! The astrologer who examined the horoscopes said that they matched on all the ten aspects perfectly! Both the family were very happy. They returned to Chennai the same night. Srinivasan arrived from America the next day. He found Aparna suitable for him. Aparna also found him suitable for her.
Within fifteen days, Viswanathan fixed an auspicious day and booked the Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai. After the arrangements, both the families went to have darshan of the Kanchi Mahaan. Since there was a heavy rush, only around nine in the night could Viswanathan's and Vaiyanathan's family approach the sage.
Periyavaa looked at them keenly, his two palms shading his eyebrows. Both the families prostrated to him. Vaidyanathan was standing behind Viswanathan. As before, Viswanathan submitted the generous offerings of suger lump, dry grapes, cashews and so on and stood before the sage, his hands folded across his chest.
A divine happiness was seen on Periyavaa's face. After looking at Viswanathan for sometime, he said in a loud voice, "EndAppa Viswanathaa! Immediately after performing the Tirukkalyanam to Srinivasa for the ninth time for this Sanyasi, has not the phala prApti been gained? Besh, besh, your daughter Aparna is indeed lucky!" and uttered a rolling laughter.
Both the families were stunned. No one could raise a tongue.
Swamiji continued: "Viswanathaa! You grieved and wept very much the other day. It occurred to my mind that your daughter was having the janmAntriya vivAha prati bandhaka dosha. Only for the nivritti of the dosha I asked for Akhilandeswari's tATangakah darshan and the performance of Srinivasa Tirukkalyanam for the ninth time! You understand now?" Following Swamiji's laughter complete silence prevailed there.
Swamiji continued: "Who is going to be your sambandhi? What is his native place?"
Vaidyanathan, who was standing behind Viswanathan, came to the front and prostrated to AcharyaL. He said, "It is me, Periyavaa, who is going to be his sambhandi! It's all your anugrahah."
Periyavaa placed his finger on his nose. "Who is this? Oh Melattur Vaidyanathan! EndA Vaidyanathaa, three months back you came and told me that no girl's horoscope was found to be matching for your son working in America. I remember having asked you to perform Tirukkalyana Utsavam for Tirumalai Srinivasan and pray to Him. Alright, when did you perform the Tirukkalyana Utsavan?"
Vaidnathan said, "Both of us performed the Tirukkalyanam on the same day Periyavaa! We finalised the alliance in Tirumalai itself. All your blessings!" His voice turned husky as he spoke.
"Rest in prosperity!" AcharyaL blessed them with a filled heart. It was ten in the night. Swamiji said laughingly, "It is beyond time, Viswanatha! They said that it is the same rice uppuma and pumpkin sambAr in the Matam today. Do have your tiffin here without fail!" He bid them farewell with the compassion of a mother.
Glossary
apacAram - offense, fault, something which contradicts Acaram or rules of conduct
abhishekah - ablution
anugrahah - blessing, kindness
ArAdhanam - worship, homage
Adede! - (Tamil) an expression of surprise indicating familiarity
Besh, besh - an expression of appreciation, popular in the Brahmin community.
bhakta - devotee
dampati - husband and wife
dosha - defect, deficiency, impurity
eka putri - only daughter
EndAppa - (Tamil) for 'why, my boy!' or a similar expression
gotra - literally, a cow-pen; also one of the 49 sub-divisions among brahmins supposed to be sprung from and named after celebrated teachers.
Guru prIti - propitiating god Guru (Jupiter)
janmAntriya vivAha prati bandhaka dosha - deficiency from previous births that goes against the chances of getting married
josyar - (Tamil) astrologer
jyotishikah - an astrologist
nivritti - satisfaction, disappearance
nyAya - justice
Periyavar - Holy man, a grammar-friendly Tamil title for a wise man
phala prApti - attaining fruits, also success in an endeavour
Pitru dosha pariharah - corrective action for deficiency in rituals to ancestors.
prApta - attainment, fulfilment
prasAdam - a sample of a holy offering
Rahu prIti - propitiating god Rahu
sambandhi - joined in a relationship
Shani prIti - propitiating god Saturn
shukra prIti - propitiating god Shukra (Venus)
tATangakah - ear ornament
tila homam - fire ceremony using sesame
Tirukkalyana utsavam - celestial wedding ceremony
uppumA - a rice dish, also known as kichadi
vaikanasa bhaTTAcAarya - ancient and traditional chief priests in Vaishnava temples of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka
vaivAhiha - relating to a wedding ceremony
varan - (Tamil) a prospective husband
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
"A Double-Stringed Chain in Eight Sovereigns?"
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Dec 20, 2006
An early morning, many years ago. It was slightly drizzling. Maha Periyavaa was seated in solitude at Kanchi Sri Sankara maTham. After the bhaktas had darshan of him, Swamiji arose to go to his room. Just then an old grandam and a young woman came running and prostrated to the sage. Swamiji sat down again, looking a bit keenly at them.
With happiness crawling on his face, Swamiji said, "adede! is it Meenakshi Paatti? What a wonder you have come in the morning time? Who is near you? Your granddaughter? What name?"
Meenakshi Paatti said, "Periyavaa! I am coming to the maTham to have your darshan for ever so many years. Till today I haven't informed SwamigaL about me. There was no such opportunity. But then, it has come now. This girl standing by my side is my granddaughter born through my daughter. Since she was born in this town, we named her Kamakshi. I had only one daughter, and she closed her eyes twelve years ago, leaving this girl to my care. Some disease she had. Her husband also died before her due to a heart attack.
"Since then I am plodding on alone with this girl. I put her in a school. Study didn't get into her head. So I stopped it with her fifth grade. Now she is fifteen years old. My duty will be over once I give her hand to a man!"
AcharyaL listened to her patiently. "I understood when I saw you come here and stand before me in the early morning itself, that you who used to bring pArijAta puS^pam for Chandramouleesvara puja every morning around ten o' clock, have come to me now with a purpose. What is the news?" he said.
Hesitating at first, Meenakshi Paatti began: "Nothing, Periyavaa. A suitable alliance has come up for this girl. The boy is also from this place. School teacher. Sixty rupees salary. Good family. No demand-and-take harassments. They say that both the horoscopes match well. Somehow only you should perform this marriage, Periyavaa!" Paatti prostrated to him.
AcharyaL's tone showed some heat as he chided her: "What? I should perform the marriage? What are you talking?" Within moments he cooled down and said, "Alright, what do you expect me to do?"
Paatti was happy. "It's like this, Periyavaa! I have somehow managed to save five thousand rupees for her marriage. I can complete the marriage within that amount. But then the boy's mother has said compulsively, 'Paatti, whatever or however you do it, you must present a double-stringed, eight-sovereign gold chain for the neck of your granddaughter!' I couldn't do anything big by way of jewels-and-bolts for her within my income. I have arranged just a bangle of one sovereign each for each hand of this girl. Only that is possible for me. Where can I go for an eight-sovereign double-stringed chain, Periyavaa? Only you--"
Before she could finish, Swamiji asked her with some anger: "Tell me, you want me to provide her with a double-stringed chain in eight-sovereigns?"
Meenkshi Paatti prostrated to him and rose. Patting her cheeks loudly, she said, "apacAram, apacAram, Periyavaa. I am not coming to say that. A number of rich and big people come for your darshan daily. Could you not gesture to any of them to arrange for the eight-sovereign double-stringed chain?" Paatti asked him longingly.
"What? To gesture to the big people who come for a darshan? There is no such practice. If you want, you seek some other alliance where they don't demand eight or ten sovereigns! Only that is better for you." Swamiji got up.
Meenakshi Paatti said anxiously, "I pray that Periyavaa shouldn't leave me with such advise! This is a very good alliance, Periyavaa. The boy has a sanguine temperament. They got their own girls married with a gift of an eight-sovereign double-stringed chain each. Therefore they desire that the girl coming as their daughter-in-law should also come with a double-stringed chain. Nothing else, Periyavaa. Only you should provide me with guidance in the matter!" Paatti begged the sage.
AcharyaL, who had got up, sat down again. He was immersed in deep thoughts for sometime. Then he started talking with compassion: "Will you do something I suggest now?"
"I will do it definitely. Please tell me what!" Paatti was excited.
"Go to the Kamakshi Amman temple tomorrow with your granddaughter. Both of you pray to Her, 'This marriage should take place grandly with the required eight-sovereign double-stringed chain provided. Only You should arrange it, Amma!' and do pradakSiNa of the sannidhi five times. Prostrate before ambAL five times and go home. Pray this way for five days. Kamakshi will arrange the things as you have desired in your mind." AcharyaL blessed them smilingly.
As she prostrated and got up, Meenakshi Paatti said, "What is it Periyavaa, you suggest everything five times!" She asked with eagerness, "If I do it that way, AmbaL Kamakshi will surely arrange my granddaughter Kamakshi's marriage?"
"I am not suggesting the five-times requirement myself. AmbaL has the adulation panca saMkhyopacAriNi. She grants favours happily when she is worshipped in multiples of five." Swamiji said, "I told you only that, nothing else!"
"When do we start this, Periyavaa?"
Swamiji smiled. "It has been said shubhasya shIghram. Today is Friday. Why, you start today itself." He said and bid them farewell.
With her granddaughter beside her, Paatti walked towards Kamakshi Amman temple. Since it was Friday, there was a heavy rush in the temple. Mother Kamakshi dazzled in full splendour due to special adornments of that day. Both of them closed their eyes and prayed as advised by Periyavaa. Paatti had an arcanA performed in her granddaughter's birth star and secured the prasAdam.
Then they both prayed to Amman about the eight-sovereign double-stringed chain and went around the inner courtyard clockwise five times. Then they prostrated to AmabaL five times as Swamiji had suggested. With faith in heart, they went back home.
On Saturday morning, Paatti started from her house with her granddaughter. Collecting the coral-jasmine flowers, she hurried to Sankara maTham. There was a heavy rush in the maTham. Meenakshi Paatti was standing in the queue some twenty or thirty bhaktas behind. She heard what the person before her was telling his neighbour with concern. 'Today is the day of the anushA star. PeriyavaL's birth star. So Swamiji has taken up a vow of silence today. He wouldn't talk to anybody. Only mukha darshan.'
Anxiety got hold of Meenakshi Paatti. She worried, 'I thought of reminding Periyavaa about the eight-sovereign double-stringed chain, but it seems that won't be possible now.' When they got near Periyavaa, they prostrated to him. That para brahmaM was sitting with no sign of life in him. Paatti paused, yearning that he would ask something about the chain. Swamiji's assistant told her a bit sternly, "Paatti, move away please! Periyavaa adopts a vow of silence today. He won't talk. See, how many people are waiting behind you!"
She made her way towards Kamakshi Amman temple, along with her granddaughter. As advised by Periyavaa, they performed the panca saMkhyopacAra worship on that day and got back home. Maha Swamiji continued the vow of silence on the following two days also. Paatti and her granddaughter could only have a darshan of the sage at the maTham. Paatti started worrying, 'Four out of five days has gone by since Periyavaa's advice but nothing happened! Will Mother Kamakshi open her eyes and bless me or not?' She could only grieve within herself.
It dawned on Tuesday. Sri Kanchi maTham was very brisk on that day. A bhajan troupe from Arani was immersing the maTham in bhaktic ecstasy.
AcharyaL came and sat in his usual place. There was such a maha tejas in his face! He had dissolved his vow of silence. There was a large crowd waiting for PeriyavaL's darshan. A middle-aged maami in the queue prostrated to Swamiji happily as her turn came. Happiness was writ on her face. She submitted the things she had brought--a large bunch of rastaLi bananas, un-shorn coconuts, sweet lemons, oranges, pumpkins, and chubby raw-bananas--and prostrated again.
Swamiji smiled to himself as he glanced at the items kept before him. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked keenly at the woman. "Aren't you Ambujam, wife of Needamangalam landowner Ganesa Iyer? You came two months back. Told me something, feeling sad. Looking at the way you have come now with a large banana bunch, it seems that your problems would have been solved by the grace of Kamakshi, right?"
Ambujam prostrated again and said, "True, Periyavaa. My only daughter Mythili was made to stay away from her husband's home for the last three years. Two months back I came running to you, reported this humiliation and wept. It was you who advised me to do five circumambulations and five prostrations for five days and perform ablution and worship in the Kamakshi Amman temple of this town. I completed them with extreme care, and what a wonder, fifteen days back, my son-in-law Radhakrishnan who works in Jamshedpur Tata Steel Plant came over himself and took his wife Mythili back with him. It's all that Kamakshi's grace and your blessings, Periyavaa!" Tears of joy filled her eyes as she spoke.
Swamiji said, "Besh, besh, very glad. Let the dampati rest in prosperity! By the way, where did you get such a big bunch of bananas? Looks massive!" Swamiji's laughter rolled by like thunder.
Ambujam said smilingly, "This bunch was harvested from our own banana bed, Periyavaa; which is why it is so big!" She spoke with humility.
Showing happiness, Swamiji ordered her, "Alright, only Amma Kamakshi has rejoined your daughter and son-in-law. So you offer this big banana bunch to Her and distribute the fruits to the bhaktas who visit the shrine."
Ambujam said, "No no, Periyavaa. Let it remain in this sanctum. I have an identical bunch to offer to AmbaL. Now I seek your leave to have a darshan of AmbaL, complete my prayers and get back here." She prostrated.
"BeshA! After completing your prayers you must take food in the maTham and then only should get back to your place. Remember it!" Swamiji gave her his consent to leave him.
There was not much crowd in Kamakshi Amman temple on that day. It was eleven in the morning. As it was later than usual, Meenakshi Paatti hurried to the temple with her granddaughter. She halted at the shop selling arcanA packs, and told her granddaughter, "Hey Kamakshi! Today is the day of completion. So we shall do everything in five numbers as told by AcharyaL. What you do, get five arcanA packs with five coconuts, five bananas, betel leaves, nuts, etc. and come back running!" and gave her the required money.
The granddaughter bought the things as ordered. Paatti performed the arcanAs to AmbaL and prayed Her with tearful eyes, 'Amma Kamakshi, I am completely depending on You only! I have no refuge except You and SwamigaL. Only You should arrange for the eight-sovereign double-string chain and complete my granddaughter's marriage in a fitting manner.' As Paatti sobbed, her granddaughter was also moved and wept. Then they started going round the inner couryard from left to right. They were on their fourth round.
"Paatti... Paatti... Paattee!" Meekakshi Paatti looked back at the loud call from her granddaughter and chided her angrily, "Why do you cry so loud? What have you lost to raise such a noise?"
"Nothing lost Paatti, but something gained! Please come here, I shall show you!" She took her grandma to a corner, opened her right palm and showed her something. It was a severed, double-stringed chain with a front.
"Where did you find that?" Paatti asked with surprise. Her granddaughter said, "As I was coming behind you with a bowed head, my eyes chanced on this chain. I took it at once, and no one had noticed me! This chain is severed Paatti. Check if it is original or just a coated one."
Paatti took the chain in her hands to guess its weight. She said, "Looks like sovereign, Kamakshi! May be eight or eight-and-a-half sovereigns. This has been granted to us by Kamakshi Herself backed by the blessings of Periyavaa. Alright, let us go out first!" She packed the chain inside the edge of her sari and hurriedly came out, forgetting to complete her fifth circumambulation.
It was one in the afternoon. Four or five people were waiting for the darshan of AcharyaL in the maTham. Meenakshi Paatti prostrated to the sage with her granddaughter and got up. Swamiji looked at her and laughed. She was confused whether to tell Swamiji about the chain or not.
Swamiji forestalled her. "Today you should have completed your panca saMkhyopacAra pradakSiNa in order. But then it was not completed because of a vastu that came to the hand of your granddaughter! That sudden delight did not allow you to do more than four pradakSiNas. You came hurriedly, thinking that Kamakshi has given you Her pUrna anugrahah. What, am I right?"
Paatti was shocked. She became insensate, and swallowed her words as she spoke: "SwamigaL shouldn't mistake me. Once that (object) came to the hand of my granddaughter, I assumed that AmbaL Herself had dropped it for my granddaughter to take. In that sudden delight I totally fogot that I had to make one more pradakSiNa."
Periyavaa said relentlessly, "Only that you forgot. You did not forget to get the vastu weighed at Rangu Patthar's shop. Or get the severed portion melted in the furnace to rejoin." He clinched his talk with the words, "Let it go. When you weighed it, was it exactly eight sovereigns?"
Paatti and her granddaughter were stunned. "All you said now is satyam, Periyavaa!" said Paatti.
Swamiji asked her calmly, "Tell me in fairness. To whom does that padArthaH belong?"
"To AmbaL Kamakshi."
"Tell me yourself, can you take it secretly and pack it inside the edge of your sari?"
"A mistake... nothing else but a mistake! Should excuse me. I have done it inadvertently." Paatti was genuninely repenting. She placed the double-stringed sovereign chain on the brass plate that was found before Swamiji, her hands shaking. Swamiji laughed.
It was now two in the afternoon. Swamiji asked Meenakshi Paatti and her daughter to sit before him. It was at that time that Ambujam AmmaL, wife of Needamangalam Ganesa Iyer, who had taken leave in the morning, came back full of sorrow and prostrated to the sage. Her eyes were shedding tears profusely. Swamiji saw this and said affectionately, "adAdA, why do you shed tears Amma?"
Ambujam Ammal wiped her tears and replied, "It is like this, Periyavaa. Two months ago when I did the five days seva in the Kamakshi Amman temple I prayed to AmbaL earnestly that I would offer Her my eight-sovereign double-stringed chain if she united my daughter and son-in-law, who were then separated. AmbaL has united them. I went to the temple to offer my chain. It slipped from my neck and fell down somewhere. I searched everywhere anxiously but the chain could not be found. What can I do now, Periyavaa?" She started wailing.
Swamiji turned his face to Meenakshi Paatti and looked meaningfully. Paatti prostrated to him and got up briskly. She took the double-stringed sovereign chain from the brass plate before the sage in her hand. She turned to Ambujam and said holding up the chain, "Amma Ambujam. Check if this is the double-stringed chain you lost."
Ambujam took the chain from her hand and checked. "The same, the same chain, Paatti. How did it come here? Looks very wonderful!" Paatti narrated everything that happened to them in the same breath.
Ambujam Ammal hugged Meenakshi Paatti. "Paatti, you don't worry at all! I am informing you this before our AcharyaL. I shall arrange for a new double-stringed chain in eight sovereigns for your granddaughter! Her marriage will be performed grandly. This double-stringed I have prayed to offer to AmbaL. This evening I shall take you and your granddaughter Kamakshi to the jewellery shop in this down and get her an eight-sovereign double-stringed chain. In addition, I shall give you five thousand rupees for the marriage expenses."
Swamiji was sitting as the prat^yakSa kAmAkshi, witnessing this scene. Everyone prostrated to AcharyaL. He looked at Meenakshi Paatti and said, "Today you and your granddaughter did not do the five pradakSiNas. Go in the evening, do five pradakSiNas and five prostrations, and have a darshan of AmbaL." Saying this he bid them farewell.
It is not possible to narrate in words the happiness and ecstatic shiver that Meenakshi Paatti and her granddaughter experienced at that time.
Glossary:
adAdA - (Tamil) an expression of sympathy
adede! - (Tamil) an expression of surprise indicating familiarity
ambAL - Mother Goddess
anugrahah - blessing, kindness
apacAram - offense, fault, something which contradicts Acaram or rules of conduct
arcanA - worship
besh, besh - an expression of appreciation, popular in the Brahmin community.
bhajan - hymns praising God
bhakta - devotee
closed her eyes - (Tamil) died
dampati - husband and wife
maami - (Tamil) a brahmin housewife
mukha - face, countenance
panca saMkhyopacArini - pleased by five kinds of service, honour, worship
Paatti - (Tamil) grandmother
padArthaH - a thing or object
para brahmaM - (Tamil) formless God
pArijAta puS^pam - flowers of the coral tree
pradakSiNa - on the right side, go clockwise
prat^yakSa - visible, perceptible
pUrna - complete, full, whole
rastaLi - a variety of bananas
sannidhi - the building where the deity is installed
satyam - truth
shubhasya shIghram - auspicious things quickly
SwamigaL - (Tamil) Swamiji
tejas - divine splendour
vastu- an article, object (among many other meanings)
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
The Connection Between the Chettiar's Grandson and the maTham
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Oct 21, 2006
An evening in Kanchi SrimaTham. A large crowd in a long queue had gathered to have darshan of Paramacharya. Time was slipping by. Slightly tilting his head, Swamiji glanced at the waiting people and saw a twenty year old youth in the queue. Looking intently at the youth, Swamiji called his assistant Ramu, another youth, who came near him and stood, his hand covering his mouth.
"Ramu, you see the person standing as the fifteenth in the queue? A short boy with a slightly blackish complexion. You need to buy a shirt and pant piece that will suit his size", Swamiji ordered. "Get the cash from the office, and buy good quality cloth from the Mudaliar textile shop near the maTham."
Ramu was surprised and confused at this sudden command from the sage. He knew that he couldn't ask the reason, so started to proceed on his task.
"Ramu, come here!" Swamiji called. "You know about the name of the modern textile variety?"
"I know it Periyavaa."
"Come on, tell me?"
"It is called terry cotton, Periyavaa."
"Hm... the same thing. Get a costly piece from that variety."
Within fifteen minutes, Ramu appeared before the sage with the cloth. Swamiji was very happy as he looked at the cloth from a distance.
"Besh, besh. It is very good da!" Swamiji appreciated Ramu. "You do one thing. Get a bamboo plate and fill it with fruits, purna phalam, and place the cloth on them. Tell the manager that I wanted a sum of six thousand and seven hundred rupees, placed in an envelope, get the money and keep it on the plate. I shall tell you later about what to do next." With this order to his assitant, Swamiji started conversing to his bhakta nearby.
An envelope with the amount ordered was brought. Swamiji gestured that it be placed on the plate.
Now the twenty year old boy was standing before Paramacharya, who looked at him head to toe. The youth prostrated to him. Swamiji turned and looked at Ramu, who came near him, running.
"Ramu, take that plate in your hands." Ramu did as he was told.
Swamiji said with a blossoming face, "Give that plate to the boy and tell him of my bountiful blessings to him and his family."
The youth could not understand anything about the offer of cloth and money. He simply blinked at the sage, looked this way and that, and stood without knowing what to do.
AchryaL understood his confusion and anxiety. He spoke, "Ramu, ask him not to get confused. Tell him it is the blessing from the maTham to him and his family. Ask him to safely deliver the money in the cover at his home."
The youth nodded his head, though he understood nothing. He again prostrated to the sage and moved away with the surprise gift.
Fifteen minutes passed. Everyone had left, having a darshan. AcharyaL came to his room and sat. He called Ramu near.
"Why Ramu, you did not ask me the reason for my honouring the boy in a special way?"
Ramu hesitated and said, "How can I ask Periyavaa about such things? I am here only to carry out your orders."
"Alright, you don't have to ask me! I shall tell you the reason myself."
Swamiji spoke: "This incident happened many years back. Our maTham at that time was finding it a little difficult to make ends meet. I decided to undertake a yAtra to the north Indian regions with my retinue. We started at an auspicious time. I came to the entrance of the maTham. There was a small grocery shop opposite the maTham. It belonged to a Chettiar. The maTham had an account for buying groceries from that shop.
"As he saw me at the maTham entrance, Chettiar came running. He prostrated, tieing his upper vastram around his waist. I thought that he had come to offer his respect knowing that I was about to go on a yAtra.
"'What ChettiarvaL, you are fine? How does your groceries business go?' I inquired him.
"He closed his mouth and replied meekly, 'Somewhat alright, Swami, but the going is really difficult. I heard that Swami is going on a yAtra north and would return only after five or six months.'
"I told him, 'That's right, ChettiarvaL... might take five or six months to return.' He took his time thinking something, hesitated much and then said, 'It is not that Swami. The maTham has an account with our shop, as Swami knows. There is a balance amount for the four to five months goods supplied that remains to be paid. I too find it difficult, with four months rent for this shop in arrears. I am just submitting my problems to you. You finish your yAtra and come back.' As he said it, Chettiar again prostrated.
"I said, 'ChettiarvaL! Immediately after coming back from the yAtra, I shall arrange to clear your dues.' and started on my yAtra.
"When I came back finishing the six months yAtra and looked opposite the maTham, the Chettiar's shop was locked. Later when I inquired, I was told that the Chettiar had attained kAla gati three months back suddenly, when he was out of station. Nothing was known about the whereabouts of his relatives! I later inquired about the amount of dues to the Chettiar's shop. It was a sum of eight hundred and seventy five and three-quarters of rupees. I settled the debt with the principal and interest only today! You understand what I am saying? The boy I honoured today was none other than the paternal grandson of the Chettiar. What was due to the grandfather has been settled with the grandson, with principal and interest. No worry henceforth!" Swamiji finished.
Ramu was wonderstruck as he heard the tale. In the meantime another assistant boy came that side. Ramu took leave of the sage and rushed to the entrance of the maTham.
The twenty year boy was standing there with the blessed bamboo plate on his hands. Ramu was very happy to see him and tactfully inquired about the matter.
The boy said, "Yes, I learnt from my grandmother and father that my grandfather had a grocery shop opposite the maTham a long time ago. I heard that his relatives came to settle in Krishnagiri after the sudden demise of my grandfather, closing down the shop due to mounting debts.
"Now my father is running a grocer shop there. I came here touring with my friends from my place. I don't understand why Periyavanga did all these to me. It is very surprising!"
Ramu was speechless as he understood the foresight of his walking God. He went inside the maTham, wondering about what he saw and heard. It was around seven in the evening. AcharyaL was sitting alone in his room.
He saw Ramu and smiled meaningfully. Ramu did not understand. AcharyaL called him near and said, "You had a doubt about the authenticity of what I told you. So you got it confirmed from the Chettiar's grandson at the maTham entrance!" Paramacharya laughed loudly.
Ramu sought his pardon, weeping and saying that he did it out of curiosity only. Paramacharya blessed him with a raised hand, still smiling.
Glossary
Besh, besh - an expression of appreciation, popular in the Brahmin community.
da - a singular Tamil form used with males, to show affection and liberty.
kAla gati - expiry of time, death
Periyavanga - a form of addressing Paramacharya, generally used by people who are not brahmins. (Brahmins use the term Periyavaa)
purna phalam - a coconut which is not shorn from its case.
vastram - cloth
yAtra - pilgrimage
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Paramacharya Stuns a Landowner!
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 05, 2006
A Citra full moon day, many years back. An abhiSekam was performed in a grand manner with mahAnyAsa rudra japam at Sri Mahalingaswami Temple, Tiruvidaimarudur. The person who conducted it with 11 Vedic pundits was the landowner Narayanaswami Iyer of Tiruvarur. The rudrAbhiSekam that started at eight in the morning came to a completion around one in the afternoon.
The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer was extremely devoted to Kanchi Maha SwamigaL. He decided 'this rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam should be submitted to Periyavaa somehow.' He reverentially kept the prasAdam on a banana leaf and folded it inside a new silk cloth. That same evening, he boarded the Madurai Madras passenger train at Tiruvidaimarudur railway station. He got down at Chingleput station in the early morning, took a bus and arrived at Kanchipuram.
There was a large crowd at the maTham on that day. Finishing his bath and other chores, the landowner waited for Periyavaa's darshan. At about 12 o'clock in the noon, Maha SwamigaL came and sat down, after finishing his Chandramouleesvara puja. The crowd of devotees rushed forward. The landowner couldn't approach SwamigaL. He showed the prasAda bag and begged everyone, "All of you please make way! I have brought Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswamy rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam for Periyavaa. I have to submit it to him."
No one seemed to make way. An employee of the maTham who saw the anxiety and haste of the landowner, created a trail for him among the people and brought Narayanaswami Iyer near PeriyavaL. When he saw PeriyavaL, the landowner became insensate, dropped down heavily for a prostration and got up. Maha SwamigaL looked at him raising his head. He raised his brows as if he inquired what the matter was.
With his hands shaking, the landowner babbled, unpacking the prasAdam bag, "prasAdam, prasAdu Periyavaa". "What prasAdam?" asked PeriyavaL and looked at him. In the meantime, the landowner managed to extract the prasAdam. He kept it on the cane plate found there and submitted it to PeriyavaL. On that plate were found in a small banana leaf, vibuti, kuN^kumam, sandal paste together with some bilva dalam, two parts of a broken coconut, and some poovan banana fruits.
Maha SwamigaL asked, "All these are prasAdam of which kSetra?" and looked at the landowner once again. The landowner calmed himself and said with humility, "Periyavaa! I performed the rudrAbhiSekam for Mahalingaswami at Tiruvidaimarudur yesterday. It was a large abhiSekam with mahAnyAsa rudra japam. This is that prasAdam. Since Periyavaa would be happy, I have rushed here to bring it, boarding a train; you must receive it and bless me."
Looking at that prasAda plate sharply for sometime, Periyavaa asked: "Narayanaswami! You are a big landowner yourself. Even then you performed this rudrAbhiSekam for Swami, teaming up with some other people to meet the expenses?"
The landowner replied, "No, Periyavaa! I performed it myself, out of my own expenses," stressing the 'myself' part a little.
PeriyavaL smiled to himself. He did not leave it at that. "So you did for for loka kSema at Madhyaarjuna kSetra", he added.
The landowner replied with some uncertainty, "No, Periyavaa! For the last two or three years there was no yield in my fields. Some fields were even barren. I checked up with Tiruvidaimarudur Muthu Josyar. He advised me, 'On a Citra full moon day perform rudrAbhiSekam for Mahalingaswami. That will give you an abundant yield!' Only on that belief I performed it, Periyavaa".
The prasAda that was kept before the sage remained untouched. AcharyaL did not accept it. Saying, "So it seems that you did not perform this act either for AtmArtam or for loka kSemArtam", he closed his eyes and dropped into meditation.
AcharyaL opened his eyes after fifteen minutes. There was such a clarity in his face! And a knowing look of having understood many things within those fifteen minutes. Everyone around was very quiet. SwamigaL continued, "Alright... How many vedic brahmins attended the rudrAbhiSekam?"
"I had arranged for eleven vedic pandits, Periyavaa!"
SwamigaL persisted, "Did you know who were the vaidikaLs and which place they belonged to? Was it only you who made all arrangements?"
The devotees who were witnessing the scene were surprised at the detailed inquiry Periyavaa was making. They also understood that he wouldn't do anything without a reason. The landowner took a piece of paper that he had tucked in his waist.
"I am reading out, Periyavaa. Tiruvidaimarudur Venkatrama SastrigaL, Seenuvasa Ganapadigal, Rajagopala ShrautigaL, Marutthuvakkudi Santhana Vaadyhar, Sundaa SastrigaL, Subramanya SastrigaL, Tirumangalakkudi Venkittu Vaadhyar, and then--"
AchargaL interruped him and asked easily, "All experts only, who you have arranged. Alright, check if your list has the name Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL."
Seething with happiness, the landowner replied, "It is there, Periyavaa! He also attended the japam", showing surprise in his voice.
Though the devotees were taken by surprise at such detailed inquiry about an abhiSekam that was over, no one said anything. Everyone was silent and attentive.
SwamigaL said, "Besh, besh! So you had engaged Venkatesa GanapadigaL also for the japam! A very good thing. Maha Veda vid! GanagadigaL is now very aged. Even difficult for him to raise his voice. He would feel it hard to control his breathing and intone the japam."
As if he waited for this remark, the landowner replied, his tone raising, "Yes, Periyavaa! What you have said is very correct. He did not chant the rudram well. Sometimes he was siting silent with closed eyes. Often he yawned. All these resulted in the shrinkage of the counting of the japam numbers. He gave much trouble yesterday. I regretted having engaged him for the japam."
SwamigaL swelled with indignation. "What you said... What did you say? So you have the temerity to talk anything because you have the money? What do you know about the yogyatAMsam of Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL? Would you match the dust of the feet of that veda vid? How can you talk such words about him? I have now understood what happened yesterday at the Mahalingaswami Sannidhi! You answer my question now! When the GanapadigaL was sitting quiet with closed eyes at the time of the japam yesterday, did you not shout harshly at him, 'EngaaNum, are you not getting the money, you are sitting still with a shut mouth without doing the japam?' Tell me, did you shout these words to him or not?" The landowner was appalled. The crowd was amazed.
Narayanaswami Iyer fell at SwamigaL's feet, his eight limbs touching the ground. SwamigaL did not say anything. The landowner got up himself. He closed his mouth and replied shivering, "My mistake, Periyavaa! It is true that I used the very same words you spoke know to the GanapadigaL in the Swami Sannidhi yesterday. Periyavaa should kindly pardon me."
Periyavaa did not stop. "Wait, wait. Did you do that mistake only? You did honour the vaidikaLs with money, right? How much did you give each vaidikaL?"
The landowner gulped and said weakly, "I paid ten rupees for each head, Periyavaa."
SwamigaL did not leave him with that. "Tell me correctly! I know everything! Did you pay all the vaidikaLs equally with ten-ten rupees each?"
The landowner stood silently. But the AcharyaL did not relent. "Listen, I shall tell you what you did yesterday. Perhaps you feel shy to talk it out. You seated the vaidikaLs in a row at the Sannidhi and was giving the sambhAvanA of ten rupees to each of them. When the turn of Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL came, you decided, 'This man did not chant the rudram properly. Why should I give him ten rupees as I did for the others?' and gave him just seven rupees. You had the thought that somehow you had taken revenge on him. Did he care anything about it all? He just accepted what you gave him and tied it to the edge of his vastram." AcharyaL asked him hotly, "Tell me, is not what I am saying correct?"
The devotees were stunned. No one did say anything. They wondered how PeriyavaL came to know what took place in Tiruvidaimarudur temple yesterday.
The landowner prostrated to the sage and said, "A gross mistake, Periyavaa! It was out of ignorance that I behaved like that! I won't behave in such a fashion henceforth! Kindly parden me!"
Before he finished, PeriyavaaL continued, "Wait, wait! It would have been less worse had it ended there." He asked, "For the japa brahmins, you arranged for the meals at the house of Ramachandra Iyer of Mahadhana street, right?"
"Yes, Periyavaa!"
"You served sumptuous meals, of course, with a feeling of immense happiness. You had arranged for cooking very tasty sweet pongal, with lots of cashew nuts and raisins added to it, and you served it with your own hands, with ghee dripping from it in the meals session, right?"
Narayanaswami Iyer was more and more appalled. He closed his mouth and spoke with uncertainty, "Yes, Periyavaa! In the session I served only the sweet pongal with my own hands."
"Alright, does your conscience admit that you did it with the dharma for serving a meal?" SwamigaL asked him sternly.
The landowner did not open his mouth. AcharyaL said himself, "You need not tell me, I shall tell you! When you served the sweet pongal, since it was very tasty, the vaidikaLs asked for repeated helpings. And you obliged them. But when Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL, giving up his reticence asked you many times, 'Serve me more of the sweet pongal, it is very tasty...' did you not carry on without serving him more, though you heard him? How many times did he ask you, giving up his normal reticence! And you did not serve him more! You committed the sin of partiality in a meals session! Was it dharma? You insulted a great sadhu!" SwamigaL fell into silence, overwhelmed with distress.
The landowner stood with bowed head. The devotees were amazed and speechless. Closing his eyes and folding both his legs behind him, AcharyaL sat upright. His divine frame looked like the Lord Parameswara Himself. He sat motionless.
Fifteen minutes passed by in complete silence. Then AcharyaL opened his eyes. Everyone was silent. AcharyaL continued his talk, looking at Narayanaswami Iyer: "MirasudarvaL! You should know one thing. GanapadigaL is eighty-one years of age now. He had done rudra japam in countless kSetras since his sixteenth year. Sri Rudram is always coursing his veins and nerves and breath. He is such a mahAn. The way you behaved to him is an act of great sin... an act of great sin!" PeriyavaL stopped, unable to continue further, and closed his eyes.
He resumed again after sometime: "Your act of partiality in the meals session affected him deeply. You know what he did? I shall tell you, listen. He did not go back to his native place Thepperumaanallur yesterday evening. Instead, he went to Mahalingaswami temple. He did pradakSiNa of the outer courtyard three times. Went straight to Mahalingaswami and stood before Him. You know what he prayed for, joinng his palms?" PeriyavaL couldn't continue. He steadied himself and then resumed his talk.
"With tears streaming down his eyes, he spoke to the God, 'Appa, Jyoti Mahalingam! I am your steadfast devotee. Since my early days I have recited mahAnyasa rudra japam countless times in your sannidhi. You have listened to it. I am now eighty-one years old. I have the mental strengh, but that strength is gone in my speech! It can't be that you wouldn't know what happened this afternoon when we were dining. I asked that landowner many times, leaving my shyness aside, for more of that pongal, since it was very very tasty. Though he heard me, the landowner moved away as if he did not hear my request. You know that I have an immense fondness for sweet pongal. Though I asked him out of temptation, I was grieved that he did not serve me more.
'But then only after I had finished my meals, washed my hands and sat on the thinnai it occurred to me whether I could have such a jihvA sabalam at this age. Which is the reason I am now standing before you, Appa Mahalingam! With you as the mediator, I take a vow from this moment. Everyone gives up some favourite edible when they go to Kasi. It is only You who is in Kasi, as well as here. Therefore I take a vow before you that I will not touch the sweet pongal or any other sweet dish from now on until my soul goes out of the body! This is a promise Mahalingam.' With that vairAgya pramANam he said, 'Appa Jyoti Mahalingam! I take leave of you now," and did shASTaaN^ga namaskaram twelve times. Tears were flowing down GanapadigaL's eyes, as he left for his place. Now, you tell me... What you did was dharma? Will Mahalingaswami agree to it?"
Periyavaa stopped. It was then three o' clock in the afternoon. "I don't want any bhikSA today", said SwamigaL. No one moved from there. Not even for their lunch. Total silence prevailed. Tears were seen in everyone's eyes. The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer stood transfixed. He could not raise his tongue to speak. Everyone's wonder was, 'How does Periyavaa narrate everything that happened yesterday at Tiruvidaimarudur as if he witnessed them personally?'
Falling down to Periyavaa's feet, the landowner started sobbing vehemently. His tongue slurred as he said, "Periyavaa! What I did was a great sin! I did it out of vanity. Kindly pardon me. Never again shall I behave this way in my life. You should say 'I have pardoned you'!" The landowner patted his cheeks loudly.
AcharyaL did not open his mouth. The landowner was persistent. "I pray to you, Periyavaa! You should accept this Mahalingaswami rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam. Kindly pardon me!" He pointed his hands towards the prasAdam plate.
AcharyaL said, "Let it be, let it be there. That Mahalingaswami Himself will give me the prasAda anugraham."
Before he finishd his words, a voice was heard outside the crowd: "Make way, make way!" Everyone moved to make way.
Only a tuft of hair knotted at the end on the head. A bright five-folded dhoti on the waist, with a silky green cloth covering it. A large rudraksha garland on the neck. A noble man who could be around sixty-five years old, arrived near PeriyavaL, carrying piously a brass plate on which was the prasAdam preserved in a silk cloth. He submitted the prasAdam plate reverentially to AcharyaL and said, "My name is Mahalingam. I am the arcakA of Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswami temple. Yesterday a rudrAbhiSekam was performed for Swami. A landowner conducted it. My eleder sister is given in marriage to this place. I came to submit the prasAdam to AcharyaL and then look her up. Periyavaa should do me the anugraham." SwamigaL prevented him as he proceeded to prostrate.
Saying "You people have been given shiva dIkSA, you shouldn't do namaskaram to me", AcharyaL accepted the prasAdams brought and asked the Shivacharya to be given the MaTham's honours in return. Meantime, the SivacharyaL saw the landowner who was standing at some distance. "Periyavaa, it is this man who had conducted the rudrAbhiSekam there yesterday. He has come himself come here!" With these words, Mahalingam Shivacharya left the place, taking leave of the sage.
The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer again prostrated AcharyaL and patted his cheeks loudly. He pleaded, "Again and again I pray to you, Periyavaa. It is a great sinful act I have committed. Only you should tell me the remedy for this act."
SwamigaL got up briskly. "I cannot tell you the remedy for this. Only Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL can tell you the remedy."
"Will the GanapadigaL tell me the remedy for the deed of this paavi, Periyavaa?", the landowner asked with grief.
SwamigaL said in a slightly raised voice, "If you have the prAptam, he will certainly tell you!" and hurried inside. He did not come out at all.
The landowner waited for a few hours. And then, having come to a decision, he left the place and arrived at Chingleput boarding a bus. He caught a train and arrived at Tiruvidaimarudur on the next morning. He finished his bath in the Kaveri river there and with firmness of heart started walking towards Thepperumaanallur. He walked briskly with the resolution that he would somehow meet Venkatesa GanapadigaL, fall shASTaaN^gam at his feet, ask for his pardon, perform the remedy he would suggest and obtain paapa vimocanam.
The landowner entered the Thepperumaanallur agrahAram. He inquired the first man he came across, the address of the GanapadigaL. The man pointed to a house on the street before which was a crowd of people and said, "You have come to offer your condolences? That is the home of Venkatesa GanapadigaL. Early this morning, he suddenly passed away. A painless, peaceful death. Go and have a look."
Narayanaswami Iyer was stunned. He felt as if someone had hit him on the head. The firm words of AcharyaL at the MaTham yesterday seemed to ring in his ears. If you have the prAptam, he will certainly tell you!" He now understood that PeriyavaaL known yesterday itself that the landowner would not have the prAptam.
The landowner went to GanapadigaL's house, offered his condolences, and prostrated to the gross body of the GanapadigaL, seeking his pardon mentally. Then he moved away from the place.
Later, the landowner met with different kinds of adversities and happened to lose all his wealth. He went North and did service at the temple kitchens, finally arrived at Kasi kSetra and attained his mukti there.
Glossary:
abhiSekah - ablution
agrahAram - royal donation of land to Bra1hmans, land or donation given us. In practical usage, agrahAram refers to the street inhabited by brahmins, which surrounds a temple like a garland up front, hence the name agra + hAram.
aMsa - share
anugrahaH - blessings, favour, kindness, acceptance
arcakA - one who performs a worship ritual
bhikSA - alms, offered food
bilva - the wood-apple tree, commonly called Bel
Citra - the month of April
dalam - leaf, petal of a flower, part, division
dIkSA - initiation in general, consecration for a religious ceremony
EngaaNum - (Tamil) a brahmin usage meaning 'why, you!' or 'hey, you!'
jihvA - tongue, tongue of fire (flame)
josyar - (Tamil) astrologer
kSema - prosperity, ease, welfare
kSetram - holy place
kuN^kumam - vermillion, saffron
loka - earth, world, subjects, people
maTham - ashram, hermitage
MirasudarvaL - (Tamil) a respectful address of a landowner
mukti - release, liberation, deliverance
nyAsaH - gathering, placing, depositing, establishing
paavi - (Tamil) pApin - sinner, criminal, wicked
pongal - a popular South Indian rice dish
poovan - (Tamil) a variety of banana
pradakSiNa - on the right side, go clockwise
pramANam - size, shape, limit, determined testimony or proof
prAptam - (Tamil) prAptiH - fate, luck, interference
prasAdam - a sample of a holy offering
sabalam - (Tamil) temptation
sambhAvanA - paying regard to, respect, thought
sannidhiH - nearness, union, presence of
shASTaaN^ga namaskaram - prostration with the eight body limbs touching the ground
thinnai - (Tamil) a raised sit out at the entrance of a house
vaidika - derived from or conformable to the Vedas; vedic
vaidikaL - (Tamil) one who performs a vedic ceremony
vairAgya - freedom from worldly desires
vastram - cloth
vibhUtiH - holy ashes, power, valor, omniscience, omnipotence
vid - a learned man, conversant
vimocanam - liberation, deliverance, unyoking, alighting
yogyatA - skill, ability, fitness
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Shambhu's Murti
Author: Sri JanaardanAnanda Saraswathi (in Sanskrit)
Translated by: SriMaTham R. Balakrishna shastri (in Tamil)
Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, page 221
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham
('There is no sAdhu like an avadhAni' thus was praised by Sri Maha SwamigaL, a mahAn who had the title Sri JanaardanAnanda Saraswathi.
Shambhor Murti is a very wonderful literary work he wrote in Sanskrit. Periyavaa's biography is totally written in an adhyAtmika point of view. SriMaTham Balakrishna ShastrigaL has translated in Tamil this work which flows like a stream in Sanskrit. Some passages of the interesting work titled Shambhuvin Murti are given below.)
*** *** ***
In order to teach AtmavidyA and save the people who are trapped in the jungle of ignorance, and suffering from the intense heat of mundane existence, Shambhu's figure in the form of Sri Sankaracharya passes through this world, renouncing its silence and starting from the base of the banyan tree.
*** *** ***
It is a regulation that for the mUrtis to which puja is done traditionally at SriMaTham, only a person who takes the title pIThAdhipati can do the puja.
When the pundit who knew the regulations of SriMaTham explained to the young ascetic that 'this one was Sri Chandramouleesvara and this Sri Tripura Sundari', they did not seem new to the lad who took over as pIThAdhipati in his twelfth year. It seemed to him that he had a longtime connection with them.
When doing an arcanA, the feeling should be 'I remain as God'; there should no such thought as the self being different from the God that is worshipped. -- This was explained by the authorized pundit of SriMaTham.
Bala Swami got into some serious thought. 'Is it not that this knowledge of unity should be present ever? If it is said 'at the time of performing a worship' does it mean that the jiva brahma abheda buddhi should be present only at that time?' With this idea in mind he simply asked, "only when doing an arcanA?"
SriMaTham disciples were very happy at the revelation that SwamigaL was a jnana vruddha, though he was a lad.
*** *** ***
Tiruvanaikkaval Akhilandeswari temple maha kumbhAbhiSekam with tATangakah pratiSTA. The right to conduct this temple ceremony rested with Sri Kamakoti pIThAdhipatis from the ancient times. But then, now Sri Sringeri pIThAdhipatis contended this right.
The case went to the court. The judgment that was given was 'only Sri Kamakoti pIThAdhipatis have the right in this matter, Sri Sringeri pIThAdhipatis should not stay in the place, they should go elsewhere.'
The news of the judgment was informed to Bala Swami. Sri SwamigaL said: "In the court judgment a feature that is not relevant to the case is told. It was not needed to say it. Isn't it the case about the right of kumbhAbhiSekam? The court should have given judgment that was relevant only to that subject."
Sri Sringeri SwamigaL appreciated Sri Kamakoti pIThAdhipati SwamigaL for speaking frankly and clearly on a complicated subject.
*** *** ***
Looking at his divya rUpam, some people think that he has conquered manmatha by his figure. Listening to the expertise of his words, some people think that he is the sarvajhna who is wearing kalAnidhi on his head as an ornament. Looking at the enticing movements of his limbs, some people, experiencing the amrita rasam-dripping looks that float from the corner of his eye, are happy considering him as Sri Kamakshi, the Lady of the City of Sri Kanchi and the beloved of Ekambaranatha. Since Sri Acharya remains a sarvAtmaka, it is only appropriate that different people are delighted with him in different ways.
*** *** ***
The actions of men are of two kinds: doing as pleased, doing as decreed in Shastras.
The pravrutti of doing as it pleases is seen the most among people. That does not result in lofty puruSArthas. Only the conduct according to Shastras is capable of giving the four puruSArtha (dharma, artha, kAma, mokSa). But then it has declined. Which is why Arjuna thought that the para dharma shanti was better for him than his own dharma?
Bhagavan, who wished his welfare, however, made a person like him stand upright in the conduct as decreed in Shastras.
Just as Sri Krishna did, with the intent of obviating the indulgent actions throughout the Bharata Bhumi and establishing the Shastra-decreed actions, and with a purpose to make the people remain in dharmic conduct, yativara (Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi SwamigaL) undertook his vijaya yAtra from Rama Sethu to Kasi, the capital of Visveshwara.
*** *** ***
Just as the terms sarvajhna, Ishvara used with Parameshvara, are not formal usages, (gauNa prayoga), but words that denote the truth, the shabda, jagatguru used to denote Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi, the yati shreSTa, is also not a gauNa prayoga, but a satya prayoga.
(Calling a courageous person a line cub or a wealthy man a raja are examples of gauNa prayogas or upacAra prayogas.)
To call Paramesvaran the One who knows everything, and the One who rules over everything is not a formal usage, but a true usage. In the same way, to call Sri SwamigaL jagatguru is also a satya vacas and not a upacAra prayoga.
*** *** ***
Upanishads as the end of the Vedas teach many paths--advaita, samkhya, yoga, pasupada, vaishnava. People follow a path they choose.
'Just as the rain that falls on different mountains, gush through differently named rivers and reach the ocean, people who follow different paths all reach You, who is the ultimate destination!' (says the bhakta kavi Pushpadanta in his Shivamahimna Stotram).
Sri CaraNar decided to highlight the truth 'All darshans have a determined goal. There is no hostility about that goal'. Therefore, in the city of Chennai, he arranged for a sammelana called shanmadAcharya parishad. From all over the country sAkta, gANapatya, saura, vaishnava, kaumara, saiva pIThAdhipatis came together, discussed and associated among themselves. This parishad proved that Sri CaraNar was equal to everyone and that he did not like the arguments of separation.
*** *** ***
Sri CaraNar, who was devoted to the Veda and Vedanta paths, established many sabhas such as Veda Dharma Shastra Paripalana Sabha, Advaita Sabha, and NiyamAdhyayana Parishad. He motivated the Veda adhyApaka and vidyArthin in all places of the Bharata Bhumi, honouring them in many ways and rewarding them.
In West Bengal, there were numerous people who belonged to the gautama shAkhA of the Sama Veda, but there was not single person who studied and practiced it. When he came to know this, he established a pAThashAlA in Kolkatta that taught three Vedas, chiefly Sama Veda. He raised the status of the Sama-Shukla Yajur Vedic School in Varanasi city, Uttarpradesh to a Shastra school that also taught NyAya and Vedanta. He founded two schools in Utkala (Orissa) Sri Jagannatha kSetram and arranged for teaching the pippala shAkhA of Atava Veda, and Shukla Yajur Veda. He also founded a large school in Hospet, Karnataka that had facilities to study all the Vedas with their angAs and upAngAs and the Veda bhASyas. In the same manner, he established several schools in the Tamil and Telegu regions.
Near Nasik, Maharashtra, there was only one person who had studied the maitrAyaNIya shAkhA of the Yajur Veda. No one came to learn and practice that branch of Veda from him. Similarly, it came to be known that there were no students in Kerala to practice the rANayaNI shAkhA of the Sama Veda. As he came to know this, Sri CaraNar immediately sent suitable students to those regions and gave a new lease of life to the declining shAkhAs.
*** *** ***
Although there was always a crowd around him, Sri CaraNar, who always kept his mind engaged in Chandramouleesvara puja and meditation, did never have any anxiety or worry of mind. No paleness of body; no cloudiness or change of color of face; no harshness or anaucitya of speech; though redness was found in his eye, it was not due to anger, but only the mark of maha purushas. With apparently no sankalpa to do anything, he looked like the sky where the autumnal moon (sharad candra) was shining,
*** *** ***
Although he involves the people in the good things that are to be done, and involves himself in them, he remains with a controlled mind as one who has never smelled the fruits of an action. No worry such as 'Oh it needs to be done' in any matter; no attachment to anything; no grief or confusion in anything.
*** *** ***
Like Sri Ramachandra Prabhu, he acts with the purpose of setting an example in the path of dharma that he wants to establish in the world. (It is said in Ramatapani Upanishad, dharma margam caritreNa, jnana margam ca nAmadaH)
*** *** ***
Since the last four or five years, Sri CaraNar's state looks very different. What strict niyamas were observed in snAna, pAnam, sharira shuddhi, pUjA, dhyAna earlier, were now seen to be indifferent to. It is said in Gita that this is a state of brAhmI sthiti (the state of remaining as parabrahman).
*** *** ***
Just as in Kailash with all its aishvaryas, surrounded by the adhipati of the army of devas and the adhipati of pramada gaNas (viz. Kumaraswamy and GaNanathan), the adhipati of all vidyAs Sri Parameswara is shining, here, in Sri Kamakoti pITham pujya pada Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi SwamigaL is shining in the Kanchi kSetra, surrounded by the two yatIndras Sri Jayendra Sarawathi and Sri Vijayendra Sarawathi.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
PeriyavaaL and We
Author: Kamala Gurusankar (in Tamil)
Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 217-235
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham
(The author uses the second person singuar 'nee' in Tamil to refer to Paramacharya. She also switches back and forth in the three tenses in this wonderful narration of her experiences. I have tried to maintain the poetic flow of her thoughts and emotions as much as I can. -- saidevo)
jaya jaya shankara -- hara hara shankara
jaya jaya shankara -- hara hara shankara
kanchi shankara -- kamakshi shankara
kaladi shankara -- kamakoti shankara
These chantings are heard from some distance. Just the noise with no clear words or meanings initially. Going near, they become clear, and the tiny hairs of the body stand erect. There comes a large crowd, progressing slowly, like an army of ants. No pomp, no decorations, no shouts. People of different castes, speaking different languages, village folks, urbanites, men, women, children--everyone singing a bhajan in their familiar language; different namAvalis back and forth in the same procession.
A good sunshine of a four-o'-clock sun. Does the sun play a hide and seek game? A little cloudiness, seen here and there. A small cycle rickshaw in the middle of the crowd. As if it's from a circus. Torn jute blankets on and above it; a mat, an umbrella made of screw pine flowers; plus some sundry items.
With someone dragging the vehicle, behind it, holding the vehicle--You! (Nee!--the author uses a singular form of address throughout). As we see you nearby, we fall down and prostrate on the road itself, our hands and body shaking. You do not stop or wait, but bless with your eyes, as you continue to walk. Are they your eyes? No no, they are oceans of mercy!
I was thinking for countless years to see you, to have your darshan. That yearning in the heart, whenever I hear about you, or read about you. It occurred to look for what is written about you, whichever magazine is taken. An apprehension that perhaps it may not be possible to see you. In those times, you were near Kanchi. Countless number of times we have come to Madras. I have requested to come over to Kanchi and see you at least once. I have begged. We are all ordinary people. Trifles. Thinking that only food, sleep, unnecessary pomp and gossip are the primary things. We will go wherever we like to go, spend whatever we like to spend. But then it is not possible to come over and see you.
Every day, when I light the Swami lamp and look at your portrait, I would feel the twirl of distress in the mind that it would not be possible to see you with human efforts, unless you called. I never spoke my wish in words. Did you hear it, anyhow? If the child gets hungry, it need not cry to show its hunger The mother would understand it herself. Like that, my pain has been understood by you.
Is it because of my yearning that I couldn't see you that you are coming all the way to see me? What do you have, a car or a railway coach? You come walking on this tar road, your feet aching. Worn on those feet, torn rubber slippers, repaired with manji naar.
Was it a mile, or two? How long you have walked! Appa! You are coming walking all the way, over thousands of miles. This place we live in, this Hubli city, whatever puNyam it had accumulated, to have your footprints. We never thought even in dream that you would come. But then you are coming, it's a reality. Torn saffron vastram. Some covering over it, made of the fibres of a tree-bark. Rudrakshas on your neck and head.
A minute's doubt when we look at you. Is it a human figure? No, no. It is only that Lord Parameswara who is walking on, wearing a tiger-skin! A moment's satisfaction of having had darshan of bhagavan. bhagavan is appearing to us in your figure!
That day you took bath several times for your Ashrama dharma. With the result, you had intense cold and fever, people who were with you tell us. If it is just a human body primarily meant to take food, it would necessitate in seeking treatments, care and comforts, lying down.
But then in your 86th year of age, without proper food or any sort of comforts, you are walking on with fever. That is the strength of your tapas. Solid power. You appear as a mixture of man and God. Human body, divine energy. Goddess Shakti is residing in you. That is why you appear as God, as Shiva. People say that on that day you had already walked for eighteen kilometers, so you should not strain further. It is only we who strain you. We invite you to come here and there and everywhere.
As the sun had started going down, you are received in a roadside village, to a garden, near a cattle shed, in a small hut, its roof woven with straw. Like a small child, sometimes you too listen to everybody and give your consent.
Did not you feel tired, walking so much distance? Did not you have thirst and hunger? At this hour, when the light is fading, you are sitting in a small hut, not knowing any fatigue, giving darshan to thousands of people; isn't it a great thing? Only when a king is sitting in his palace, he has thousands of worries. Here, before a pauper, is sitting on the sand and dust, the Maharaja of Sandur, with his family--and so much joy in his mind!
On the next day, since you wanted to go on pattina prevesam, we prostrate and take leave of you and unwillingly leave you at the village border and get back. My husband is given the responsibility to repair the crystal garland of yours that got severed. What puNyam did we do, to have in our hands the garland that adorned your body? We repeatedly touch and see it with excitement.
You won't eat anything. You have no hunger or thirst. No fatigue. But then aren't your assistants just ordinary people? They have their hunger and thirst. On that night they say that they do not have the strength even to prepare their food. But you wouldn't let them go to sleep with hunger and thirst. You would demand to be shown at least some uppuma (kitchadi) or rava porridge. I say that I will send them some food. And they say that they would prepare a little of uppuma and show it to you. What to do? To satisfy you, they need to sometimes deceive you.
It was a Saturday. The entire city is abuzz, since you are arriving there on the next day. We know that you wouldn't enter houses. Still, festoons in every house; Kolam designs on the floor, made with flour. We have decorated everything with flowers. The look and feel of a wedding ceremony everywhere. Everyone is excited. Happy. Immense joy in everybody's heart. Our home is full of holy articles and grocery.
Why so much joy and happiness on your arrival? Are you a king, or a big politician? A millionaire? Or a cinema or drama actor? You are just a pauper with nothing on hand. A sanyAsin. A sanyAsin of sanyAsins. At least a sanyAsin will have a maTham. You don't have even that. Such a bhAgyaM for us?
We were considering where to house you when you consented to visit us. The worry was that we did not have a river bed, a pond or a well that is required for you. By chance, we had dug a well in our garden, and it was full of water. The remaining work on the well was completed in haste and a holy worship was performed to it. A small hut was built, touching the fence of our house and a shed was erected near it. Vacating the outhouses of our home, it was arranged to house your people and facilitate their cooking.
Henceforth, no mention as 'you'; only 'Periyavaa'!
On the next day, a Sunday, on 13-5-79, it is the 86th jayanti of PeriyavaaL. We have the fortune to celebrate it in Hubli. Under his (Gurusankar, my husband) leadership a committee comprising the people of Dharwar assembled. The VIPs held counsel among them and collected money from the people. Everyone was given a specific job in the arrangements to receive PeriyavaaL and celebrate his jayanti. The arrangements were made under the supervision of Sri Balachandra Sastri, a vedic pundit in Dharwar. Whenever we think about the name mentioned above, we remember what PeriyavaaL said: "You shoud pronounce the name as Phalachandra, not Balachandra. It means one with a forehead that resembled the moon."
On the Sunday morning, after having our bath, with pUrna kumbhA and holy music we all go at the time of dawn, to the place where PeriyavaaL was staying, to receive him and get his blessings. PeriyavaaL is brought into the city in a procession along the Gadag Road, with bhajans, namAvalis and nAdaswara music. Some of us leave the procession, come back home and wait at the gate to receive PeriyavaaL with Arati. The cottage meant for PeriyavaaL has been erected in the golf course near our compound wall. Green grounds as far as eye can see. A railway line on the opposite side of the cottage. Beyond that the Udipi Krishnan temple and the Raghavendra Brindavan. Since it was a large ground we thought we could manage the crowd, but we faced much difficulties as the crowd that assembled was far larger.
At some distance from our home, say about three kilometers away, the jayanti arrangements have been made in a Hanuman temple. AyuSya Homa, Navagraha Homa and many others, done by 121 brahmins with the chanting of mantras was a sight that eyes could not accommodate. As requested by the city notables, my husband and I acted as kArya kartAs, maintaining ceremonial purity (madi) and observing the dharmic and vaidik regulations, and went to the Hanuman temple to honour PerivaaL. We haven't seen such arrangements and divine presence so far. Shastrokta puja and vaidik acts are begun. Vaidikas from different parts of the South have assembled.
The homas begun in the morning go up to nearly three in the afternoon. PeriyavaaL is brought in a procession to the Hanuman temple. A heavy rush of people. PeriyavaaL is sitting on a small stage opposite the homa gundam. The buzz of people everywhere.
In the vasodara homam performed, my husband and I pour ghee during pUrNAhutI. PeriyavaaL sitting opposite us. After the homa is completed, we take the prasAda and tIrtha, go to PeriyavaaL, and prostrate, with the rush of people surging behind us. PeriyavaaL accepts the prasAda. Somebody gives a bilva garland to my husband asking him to offer it to PeriyavaaL, who accepts the garland taking it from my husband's hands and wearing it himself. This same garland is given back to us as prasAda. I could not control the tears of joy and my body is shaking. Such a bhAgyaM for us! Whose puNya is this? Ordinarily, one gets countless fortunes in life. But then the bhAgyaM of honourng a mahAn to whose feet the world prostrates--how can I term it? Only the fruits of earlier births. It only occurs to us to pray 'Hey bhagavan! Make us the best people in this life and give us this same fortune, birth after birth!'
As soon as we got PeriyavaaL's prasAda, the women there touched our feet and said one after another we were so much fortunate. I went very emotional and cried. And then, saris and blouses were distributed to 27 sumangalis, and skirts to spinster girls who sat for the kanyA girls' puja. It was nearly five o' clock when everything was over and we took our food. By then PeriyavaaL had started from there, and walking a dirty way we thought he should not happen to walk through, reached his cottage.
*** *** ***
When we see the news that PeriyavaaL is staying in a place called Hagari near Bellary, we couldn't contain our joy. This is an episode of 14 or 15 months back before he arrived at Hubli. At that time my mother-in-law, father-in-law and sisters-in-law have all come over to our home at Hubli.
We all start and go to the river banks of Hagari where we are presently sitting. PeriyavaaL is in his japa inside the cottage. Suddenly a flame of light at the entrance to the cottage. As if there is no difference between the tender morning sunlight and his saffron clothes, everything looking the same color, as a flame of light, he gives us a sudden darshan. Then was our first darshan of PeriyavaaL. We look at him, filling our eyes with the sight, as if it was a vindication of this birth of ours. But then they say that PeriyavaaL observes kASTa maunam on that day. We also remain there till evening and then get back. Like cats that have tasted milk, we go back to him for darshan, again and again.
It was evening when we went to Hagari the next time. PeriyavaaL is sitting in a new Shiva temple whose construction is in progress. It is more or less dark. A standing brass lamp and a hurricane lamp are burning steadily. We prostrate to him with our children. When my husband told him his name (Gurusankar) he asked, "Who gave you this name? And what for did they give you this name?" My husband said that it was his grandfather who gave the name and that he did not know the reason for this particular name. PeriyavaaL called an assistant and asked him to write down the name on the floor and show him. He then inquired about our native place and family and asked if the names Vedic School Krishnaiyer and Divan Seshaiyer had ever fell on our ears. We said no. (Later, when we made inquiries, it was known that they were our ancestors). He asked if we had come by the Railway First Class or Saloon. And he told my husband, "Till this date, electrical engineers have not been posted in this railway post? How did you get it? Mostly, only those from the operating department are posted as D.S."
PeriyavaaL inquired my husband about the extent of his jurisdiction. He asked, "Do you know that a road goes parallel to the railway line from Raichur to Poona?" This man (ivar) said that he did not know. He asked about Poly Vaidhyanath. We were then worrying that our son Sankar was not able to secure a seat of admission in any of the colleges. I thought within my mind that he should get an admission and come up well in life. I did not even tell this to PeriyavaaL. But my son got a seat in a college due to PeriyavaaL's grace and also studied well. He had PeriyavaaL's anugraham in many respects.
I have narrated this episode to tell how PeriyavaaL asked us about our ancestors. Nearly a year after this happened, did he come to Hubli. He stayed at Hampi and Hospet for a long time.
Let us now continue PeriyavaaL's jayanti at Hubli. About ten o' clock in the night after the jayanti vaibhavam was over. We were all with PeriyavaaL. On that day, devotees continued to arrive from different parts of India. They came in special buses and cars. Since we had no accommodation even in that large hourse of ours, we made arrangements for them to sleep in the portico, car shed and other such places.
PeriyavaaL is sitting in the light of the standing brass lamp. The hut is otherwise dark. Even people who were standing were not properly visible. He called us inside suddenly and asked, "Here, the one who is standing, isn't she your relative?" We couldn't understand instantly who or what. The woman's voice from behind replied, "Yes, yes." When we came to know it, it was Parvathi, who was standing then, the daughter of Mysore Chottappa's elder brother. Only then was it known that she was a relative. Periyavaa asked again, "On that day I asked you about Krishnaiyer, Seshaiyer. You said you did not know them. So later on you asked someone to know about them. Whom did you ask? May be you asked some elder person in the home," and replied to his question himself. He also asked us about the children's education. Then he inquired about the arrangements made on that day for the jayanti including details such as how many persons dined. Then he started narrating himself that on that day someone brought Ganga jalam for his bath, that a mango fruit he had in his hand slipped and fell in the water pot and that later when he tasted the water it was very sweet.
Chuckling to himself like a child he said that he himself couldn't understand, 'Did Ganga become sweet because of the mango fruit? Or, because of Ganaga the mango fruit became sweet?' and laughed. He ate a little of that mango fruit and sent the remaining fruit to us. We also received the Ganga jalam. Both were very sweet. The reason why Ganga tasted as if suger was added to it was not clear.
At eleven o' clock in the night, some people came in a car from Kanchipuram, carrying the prasAdams of the puja done for PeriyavaaL. We made way for them and came out.
Those who arrived slipped a large garland around PeriyavaaL's neck as Kamakshi's prasAdam. And they tied Kamakhsi's rose-coloured silk vastram as a holy scarf around PeriyavaaL's head (parivattam). Periyavaa asked, pointing to his head, "Is there a golden lace in this?" They replied in the affirmative. He asked, "The lace is a dotted one?" They said yes. He touched the cloth and asked, "Is this silk or fibrous silk? It feels like silk to touch." "Yes, silk only." "O they have brought and tied silk to my head!"
In two coconut halves were Kamakshi's prasAdams: the arcanA kuN^kumam and homa bhasmam. He took both of them and applied them profusely to his forehead. It was a sight that our eyes couldn't accommodate. Then as he started talking to those who had come, about the MaTham and such things, we left the room and were standing outside. Soon he asked, "Where is she? Gurusankar's bhAryA? Call her." We were somewhat apprehensive as he called us all of a sudden. We both go inside and prostrate. He took both the coconut halves along with the prasAdams and dropped them in my hands. Nothing was immediately intelligible to me. The greatness of the act was understood only when we were told, "what amount of puNya should you have accumulated to receive Kamakshi prasAdam from Periyavaa's hands!"
In this manner, PeriyavaaL darshan for four days and nights. Days of happiness. Inexpressible joy. The most puNya-filled days of our life.
House full of people. What name? What place? What ancestry? What status? Nothing we knew. Everyone looks very close to us. Seems we can talk to everyone in an AtmArta way. All seem to be part of a large family. Everyone of the PeriyavaaL family, which was filled only with devotion and love. We met different kinds of people; and were delighted sharing the experiences of each other.
Fourth day. Suddenly he comes out of his cottage and checks the air in the rickshaw tyres by pressing them. Does he hint at his departure from here? The disciples confirm it. "Periayavaa knows that after many days we are comfortable in your house, so he would leave now" they say. We prostrate to him that night and tell him that it was our wish that Periyavaa should come to our garden and sit for sometime. He does not reply. A long silence. The people around us jeer at us. 'Must be fortunate to have Periyavaa come such a long distance. Still is he needed to come inside the garden?" they laugh.
We go to PeriyavaaL early the next morning. We are taken aback at the news he tells us. Periyavaa says that he went round our garden at two in the night and we did not see him as we were fast asleep! An inexpressible sadness and disappointment in our hearts. We stand in silence, with tears in our eyes. We do not know if our asking him to come inside was right or wrong.
PeriyavaaL is doing japam. Suddenly he got up and looked around, his japam disturbed. As he suddenly ascended the stairs to our garden and slowly went round our house, one of his wooden sandals broke. Just the knob was found between the digits of his toe. He did not stop because of that. Wearing a sandal on one foot and just a knob on the other he started walking. His assistants ran and brought another pair of sandals. What a compassion! Knowing that the moment we learned about his night trip to our garden we would feel immensely distressed, for our peace and joy, to make another trip to our house in our presence--what to tell of that mercy? What to compare it with? Only an ocean of mercy.
His sudden departure for another place gave us pains. Everyone started following PeriyavaaL from our house. Suddenly the house became empty. It was like a theatre after the play was over. It seemed that all relatives have left us in a single day. But then Periyavaa, who is everyone's relative, coming and staying with us, blessing us and giving measureless anugraham -- it is something to reminisce repeatedly with joy throughout this birth.
After we had darshan of PeriyavaaL, the anugraham and anubhavam we got can't be expressed in words. He has made us happy telling things like a grandfather, a close relative, a mother would tell us. To say that suger is sweet is not enough; only when we put it in our mouth could we know about its taste. In the same way, it might be difficult for others to understand the extent of our experiences with PeriyavaaL if we talk or write about them. The greatness and rarity of it could be known only when a person actually experiences it in an AtmArta manner.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Maha PeriyavaaL's Story About the Value of annadhAnam
Author: Sri S. Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Jan 18, 2007
It was the time when Kanchi Maha SwamigaL was staying in Kalavai, many years before. It was a Sunday. A large crowd had gathered for darshan. One by one the devotees prostrated to the sage, received his blessings and moved away. A middle-aged couple prostrated to AcharyaL and stood up with folded palms. Keenly looking at them, SwamigaL said, "adede... who (is this)... Palur Gopalan! You came a year back. That time you spoke about some problems. Aren't you fine now?" and laughed.
That Palur Gopalan replied, "We are very fine Periyavaa. As directed by you, from the time we started feeding an atithi in the noon time everyday, only good things are happening, Periyavaa! Good harvest in (my) fields. The cows don't die as before! The money that dripped out of hands without control for expenses stays in hands now. All that is (due to) the greatness of the atithi bhojana you have asked us to do, by your anugraha. I am doing it daily. Nothing else (is the reason for the prosperity)." Tears filled his eyes as he spoke. His wife who was standing by his side was also in tears of joy.
AcharyaL said, "besh, besh. It is fine if you have understood that good things happen due to the act of atithi bhojana. Alright. Today both of you have come over here. There in Palur--who will do the atithi bhojana?" AcharyaL inquired worriedly.
Gopalan's wife replied promptly, "We have made alternative arrangements for that Periyavaa. atithi bhojana will not be missed even for a day."
Maha SwamigaL was very happy to hear it. "That's the way you should do it. You must have a resolution to feed the hungry. Doing atithi upacAra will give such an anugraha and safeguard the family! One day [i]sAkSAt Parameshvara himself will come in the form of an atithi, will sit and eat, you know that?"
SwamigaL was talking with kutUhala. To listen to these anugraha words, the people standing in the queue surrounded him. He asked everyone to sit down on the floor. The crowd of devotees sat down.
A devotee asked SwamigaL: "Is there such greatness in doing atithi bhojana, Swamy?"
SwamigaL replied immediately. "Yes yes! It is a maha puNya dharma that could lead to mokSa! It has benefited a number of people! Only when you ask people like this Gopalan who have experienced it, they will tell you. Such a lofty dharma is this one!"
A devotee got up and prostrated to the sage. He said with humility, "My name is RamaSethu. Tiruvannamalai is my native place. We all pray together to AcharyaL. We desire to listen more elaborately about the greatness of this atithi bhojana in a way we can understand it. Periyavaa should take mercy on us!"
SwamigaL asked him to be seated. The devotee complied. Everyone was watching the walking God in silence. That parabrahmam started talking after sometime.
"My memory is that it was (the year) thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight or thirty-nine. SriSankara MaTham was doing its administration from KummoNam (Kumbakonam). I am going to tell (you about) an incident that happened at that time. If you listen to it devotedly, the greatness that lies in this (incident) can be understood! I shall tell you (now), listen (carefully)."
Swamigal stopped for a brief while and then continued: "There was a large house on the western bank of the Kummonam Maamaanga (Mahamaha) kulam. A grocer by name Kumaresan Chettiar was living in that house. I remember very well... The name of his dharma patni was Sivakami Achi. They belonged to Pallathur near Karaikudi. That couple had no children. They had brought a dependable boy from their native place and kept him with them for taking care of the grocery shop.
"At that time, the age of Kumaresan Chettiar was perhaps fifty or fifty-five. That Achi's (age was) perhaps within fifty. At all times only the nama smaraNa 'Shiva Shiva... Shiva Shiva' would be issuing out of the mouth of those two people. There was no other talk! Chettiar had in his house a single-bullock cart. Seating Achi in the cart, Chettiar himself would drive! Every day both them would arrive in their cart at the banks of Kaveri to take bath. Finishing (their) bath, they would come to our MaTham, prostrate, receive the blessings and go back. They were such an intimate couple. About them, I am going to tell (you now) something that will overshadow all these, look (listen)!"
He took to silence to keep them in suspense for sometime. The devotees were waiting with eager expectations. AcharyaL started speaking again: "You know what work that couple had been doing for many years? To serve and feed the atithis! Don't be surprised! They would entertain the Shiva disciples with food, every day at noon in the hall of their house, without shrinking a face, whatever the number of disciples they received as guest. They would seat the disciple in the thinnai at the entrance (of their house), wash his feet with water, wipe with a cloth, apply sandal paste and vermillion to them and lead them to the hall and seat them there.
"They did not have any cook in their house! That amma would cook with her own hands, whatever number be the guests of Shiva disciples! Another important thing--if you ask what it is--is that they would inquire from the Shiva disciples the details of the vegetables and dishes they like, go and get them, cook and serve them! Such an elevated mind! Do you think how SwamigaL knew about all these things... There is no sort of secrecy about it. (One Sri) Sundaram Iyer, who was close to the MaTham, was looking after the accounts of Kumaresan Chettiar. Only he would tell me these things when he was free. Understand now?"
AcharyaL stopped for sometime and relaxed. None of the seated moved an inch. They were all looking with fixed eyes at Maha SwamigaL. That walking God continued: "One day it was raining very well. (It was) noon time. Kumaresan Chettiar came to the entrance (of his house) and looked (here and there). No atithi was in sight! Holding an umbrella, he descended the steps of the Mahamaham pond and surveyed the scene. A Shiva disciple was seated after bath in a small building there, wearing vibhUti (all over his body). Chettiar prayed to him and brought him for dining (at his home). He seemed somewhat like a well-read Shiva disciple. He came singing Thevaaram. Washing his feet, Chettiar led him to his hall and seated him. The couple prostrated to the Shiva disciple. Chettiar's dharma patni went to the disciple and asked, 'What vegetables are the favourite of Swamy? Please tell me, so I can go to the shop, get and serve them after cooking.'
"It seemed that the Shiva disciple was in good hunger. He got up and went to the backyard and looked around. He saw sprouts of tender spinach there. He came inside, called the mother and said that he needed nothing except the tender spinach in koottu and their stems in sambar and that it would be sufficient for him. Chettiar went to pluck the spinach with a bamboo plate in his hand. The rain had stopped by then. Since it was becoming late, the Shiva disciple who was very hungry, decided to give a helping hand for plucking the spinach, so he asked for a bamboo plate and went to the backyard.
"Sivakami Achi was standing at the backyard entrance, watching the two men pluck the spinach. Both of them placed their plates inside the house after enough spinach was plucked. You know what that amma did immediately? She washed the two spinach plates separately. She lit two furnaces, kept the spinach in two separate pans on the furnaces and started cooking. The Shiva disciple who was looking at her act was surprised! He was confused: 'What is this? Both the plates has the same spinach sprouts. Without using a single vessel to cook them why this mother lights two furnaces and cooks them separately?'
"After sometime, that amma took the pans out of the furnaces, took the disciple's spinach only to the puja room and offered it as nivedana to Swami. The disciple who was watching it was pleased with immense pride! Know what he had thought? He decided, 'I am a big Shiva bhakta. Sannyasi. So this mother has understood that Lord Shiva would accept only the spinach I plucked and offers it as nivedana. Still I would ask the mother herself after my meal about the offering.'"
Stopping here briefly, SwamigaL watched the devotees sitting opposite him. Nobody lowered a jaw. He continued: "The Shiva disciple, who had finished his dining, asked that Achi about his doubt. You know what reply did the Achi give? (She said:) 'Ayya, when the spinach was plucked in the backyard, I was watching. My husband chanted the name 'Shiva Shiva...' and plucked the spinach. So it became ShivArpaNa then and there. There was no need to offer it again. You plucked (the spinach) without chanting any name. That is why, I lit a furnace, cooked your spinach separately and offered it to the Lord.' The disciple was embarrassed to hear this. The couple then prostrated to the disciple. He appreciated the Achi's bhakti and wisdom and started on his way. They were a couple who served annam in such a way..."
AcharyaL stopped. The crowd of devotees was sitting with amazement. Nobody lowered a jaw. SwamigaL continued: "You know what was the phala prApti that was given to them for such incessant atithi bhojana? Some years later, they celebrated their shashti apta pUrti (completion of 60 years of age). On a Maha Shivaratri day they sat for darshan of the four sessions of puja in the Kumbeswarar temple. When they returned home, that amma, who sat in the puja room complaining of exhaustion, stretched out and breathed her last. Shocked, the Chettiar called her by name and went inside, but he too fell down and breathed his last. That was all. On that very day of Maha Shivaratri both of them attained the Shiva sAyujya together. Did you see the position that couple attained because of their act of incessant atithi bhojana? Even now, on every Maha Shivaratri day, I would remember the couple. They are the couple who served food in such a lofty manner."
AcharyaL finished. Tears seeped from the eyes of those who heard the story. The walking God stood up and said, "Seems it is almost two o' clock. Everyone will be hungry. Go inside and dine well", and bade them farewell with compassion.
Glossary:
arpaNa - offering , delivering , consigning , entrusting
atithi - guest, a person entitled to hospitality (from a-tithi: one who has no fixed day for coming)
bhojana - feeding, enjoying, eating
kulam - pond, usually near or in the precincts of a temple
kutUhala - curiosity , interest in any extra-ordinary matter
mokSa - emancipation, liberation, deliverance, release from
sAkSAt - before one's eyes, in person, in bodily form, visibily
sAyujy - intimate union, communion with
smaraNa - the act of remembering or calling to mind, calling upon the name of a god, a rosary of beads held in hand, not worn as a necklace.
upacAra - service, act of civility, polite behaviour
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
The bhakta parAdhIna and the Paattiamma
devotee:...... A very old woman (Paatti)
author:....... Raa. Ganapathi
source:....... KaruNaikkadalil sila alaigaL, pages 77-80
publisher:.... Divya Vidya Padhippaham (Jun. 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
It is not clear to my mind if this incident happened at the SriMaTham camp in Trichy National College High School campus, or Madurai Sethupathi High School campus.
The darshan queue was stopped from moving because of some important deliberation that was going on inside the SriMaTham camp. An old woman was standing in the queue. She can be described as the old woman of old women! She could have been over a hundred years old, standing bent at a right-angle, a staff in her hand that she was holding shakily. She was crying with all the tiredness of her soul: "Sankara, my Sankara! I was agitated if I would see you, or leave this world without seeing you. You came seeking this place! Since you have come, I came to have your darshan, but you have stopped me (nirutthi vecchu-tiyedaa) Sankara!"
Sri Sambha Murthi SastrigaL was going inside the camp, passing the old woman on his way. He was the pUrvAshrama younger brother of Maha PeriyavaL. He was of a kind heart, true to the family blood that coursed his veins. No sooner he heard the old woman's wail of yearning than he hastened his steps towards the interior. As he entered, he told Sri CaraNar who was immersed in an important delibration, "Outside--a Paatti--of a hundred or hundred and twenty or whatever age. Stands yearning and wailing for Periyavaa's darshan."
Before the last words were out of his mouth, PeriyavaaL stormed outside!
"Why have you stopped me, Sankara?" The Paatti was wailing repeatedly. He went to her, stood very near to her and said, "PaattI, here your Sankaran has come. Look! Without knowing that you have come, I was busy with something inside. And as I came to know it, here I have come running." The Ruler of Grace spoke the words of nectar, which came up as the essence of his love.
"Vanduttiya, Sankara (so you have come, Sankara)!", said Paatti and held his hands tightly! The hands that were held by his mother Mahalakshmi AmmaL, were held today by another person, after a span of about 55 years!
As she raised her face and looked at the holy visage of Sri CaraNar, the vRiddhAmbikA (the good old mother) said, "Though you have come running for my sake and stand before me, I cannot look at you properly with my dim eyesight! ennappA (my son), only you should give me some good sight for a good darshan."
It was the time of a hot sun. There was a narrow, thatched roof over the heads of the people in the queue. At Paatti's words, the bhakta parAdhIna jumped aside the shelter of the roof and stood in the hot son, barefooted!
"Is the vision better now, Paatti?" he said.
"It shows up very well ennappA, it shows very well!" Paatti patted her cheeks loudly.
PeriyavaaL gave her a complete darshan of his person, letting sunlight fall well on his face, tilting it, lifting it, and turning it in many angles, even turning his whole body giving her a darshan of his back.
In a torrent of emotion, without knowing what she spoke, the old woman stuttered and lisped, cried profusely and was very happy!
Sri CaraNar came near her again and said, "Have you seen me well Paatti! Can I go?"
"Yes, I have seen you very well (PAtthuNtempa), my son! Even for this anAmadeyam (nonentity), KaruNAmurti, you have given your darshan. I was holding my soul just to see you. I have seen you know. Take me now my son, take me!" The parama bhakta prayed to him.
"PaattI! When the time comes, let us take it. I shall ask you now to be dropped in your place. Go there and remain in Swami smaraNa (remembrance of God). Don't come running again to see me! I shall always be with you without leaving you aside for a moment!" The kRupA varSA (shower of compassion) gave her his words.
Is there anything that matches the bhAgyam of the Paatti who received such words of assurance from Sri CaraNar who out of his modesty uses words only sparingly when he gives his abhayam to the bhaktas?
Glossary:
ambikA - mother, good woman
kRpA - tenderness, compassion
parAdhIna - entirely engaged in or intent upon or devoted to
pUrvAshrama - of an earlier ashram or stage, before the sanyAsa stage
smaraNa - remembrance, reminiscence, recollection
varSa - rain, shower
vR^iddhA - old woman
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
"Where did you learn?"
As narrated by Sri D.Sivasubramanian, Dy. Director Handloom (Retd.) TN Govt. now doing seva at Sri MaTham Office, with thanks to him for his permission to post his recollection in KF:
As an ardent devotee of Kanchi MahaswamigaL, I have great pleasure to read articles appearing in magaziness, souvenirs etc. about MahaswamigaL and I am used to preserve them in my library.
On one such occasion I was thrilled by an article written by Dr. C.R. Swaminathan, former Deputy Educational advisor to Govt. of India. given to a souvenir. I reproduce a gist of the article, the message of which, I feel, should be spread among the present generation.
This happened in the year 1956-57, when H.H. Sri Kanchi MahaswamigaL was camping at the Madras Sanskrit College, Mylapore, Madras.
One evening, MahaswamigaL was about to address a huge gathering in which great personalities like Rajaji were present. He was contemplating about the topic he should speak on.
Suddenly, he called late Prof. Sankaranarayana Iyer, who was standing by the side of the dais and recited two lines of a Sanskrit verse. He asked the Professor if he remembered the remaining two lines of that verse. The Professor pleaded ignorance and got down from the dais.
This conversation took place before the mike, so audience gathered could easily hear its details. Dr. C. R. Swaminathan, the author of the article on Mahaperiyava, heard the beginning of the Sanskrit verse that Periyavaa recited. Since he happened to know the other two lines of the verse, he went to Prof. Sankaranarayana Iyer and told him those two lines.
The Professor went up the dais again and recited the lines before MahaswamigaL.
Mahaperiyava asked him, "You said you did not know the lines. How come you know them now?"
The professor replied "Someone in the audience remembered it and told me."
Mahaperiyavaa inquired who was the person and told the Profession to call Dr. Swaminathan to the dais. When he came, Paramacharya inquired about his name and occupation. Then the sage asked, "Where did you study?" Thinking that the question was about his academic education, Dr. Swaminathan replied that he studied in the Presidency College, Madras.
"Not that. Where did you learn this verse?"
Dr. C.R. said that his grandfather taught him the verse when he was a child. Paramacharaya inquired about his native place, his grandfather's name and his family details. The entire conversation was held before the mike, so the audience heard every bit of it.
The verse in question was the following:
arthathuranam na gurur na bandhu
kSudhAthuranam na ruciki na pakvam
vidyathurANAm, na sukham, na nidhrA
kamathuranam na bhayam na lajja
One who pursues wealth knows no guru or relations.
One who is hungry knows not taste or if the food was cooked well.
One who pursues knowledge knows neither comfort nor sleep.
One who has desires knows no fear or shame.
Later in the discourse, Paramacharya dealt with the Kenopanishad and explained how Goddess Parvati came as a teacher to enlighten the celestials about the supreme Brahmin.
When concluding the discourse, he referred to the earlier incident and said:
"Before I started delivering my discourse, I called a young man to the stage to know where from he learnt the subhashita verse, of which I recited the first half. I knew who he was. What I wanted him to tell you about his reciting the other two lines this moral verse was that he had learnt it, not from his school or college, but from his grand-father, and that during his childhood days. It was to impress upon you all that children should get moral education at home from elders because they cannot get it from the modern schools and colleges".
Dr. Swaminathan concluded his article with these words:
"I am recalling this incident to show that an insignificant person like myself, extremely nervous, while standing before H.H. on the dais, noticed by about thousands of people forming the audience, could be utilisied by the Acharya to drive home to the audience that (a) a joint family system with elderly parents and grand parents can serve as a valuable supplement to the school education of young children (b) the elders can usefully spend their time by narrating such stories and morals to the children and (c) such teaching can be retained in one's memory only if imparted at the formative age."
The above incident happened 50 years before, but the message holds good even today and will stand for years to come.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Sita Rescued...The Boy's Voice Got Restored!
Author: Sri S. Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Mar 18, 2007
An evening time many years ago. A large crowd in Kanchi Sri Sankara MaTham to have darshan of Maha SwamigaL. Coming out of his room, SwamigaL stood for a while looking keenly at the devotees crowd and then sat down leaning against a wall. The devotees came in a line one at a time, prostrated to the sage, spoke about their problems, received remedial advice and moved away. A middle-aged man was standing in the queue holding tightly to a boy's hand. Tears flooded his eyes and poured out in a stream. The boy stood motionless, looking bewildered.
When he moved to stand before PeriyavaaL, he did a shASTaaN^ga namaskaram (prostrated with eight limbs touching the ground). The boy also prostrated.
Maha SwamigaL looked at him with narrowed eyes and inquired comfortingly, "Endaappaa! Aren't you the Mylapore Auditor SankaraNarayanan? Why do you stand with such soggy eyes? What is your problem?"
His grief swell with Periyavaa's words of comfort. He began to sob and said, "Yes Periyavaa! An unbearable misery has fallen on me now. Don't know what to do. You are my God, somehow only you should remedy it for me. There is no other go!" He prostrated to the sage once again.
Understanding the situation, Periyavaa said with vAtsalyam (affection), "Sankara, don't get worked up! You sit there for sometime. I shall call you after these people have spoken to me and gone!" The sage pointed to a place opposite him.
"As per your orders Periyaa... I shall do it." The Auditor sat opposite the sage, at a distance. Within a half hour, the devotees had their darshan of AcharyaaL and left. There were none there except SwamigaL's two assistants. SwamigaL gestured to Auditor SankaraNarayanan to come to him. The Auditor came and prostrated. Looking at him affectionately, AcharyaaL said, "Sankara, is the practice going on (well)? You are the 'leading' auditor, so what to speak about the practice? Alright, your father Panchapakesa Aiyer is in Thajavaur (right)? He is well (I hope)?"
Wiping away his tears, the Auditor said, "The practice is going on well, Periyavaa. My father and mother had gone to stay with my younger brother in Bombay. It's two months now. Only for me a duHkham (distress) has happened Periyavaa! I can't bear it... only you should get it rectified Periyavaa!" Saying this, he hugged the boy nearby and started sobbing.
That walking God understood instantly that something related to the boy had affected the Auditor Sankaranarayan's mind very much.
SwamigaL told him, "Shouldn't cry Sankara... Whatever it is, puruSa (men) shouldn't let their eyes get soggy! Alright, who is this puLLaiyAndAn (boy), your putra (child)?"
"Yes, Periyavaa! This is my son. Name Chandramouli. It was only for him Periyavaa, suddenly..." SankaraNarayanan was unable to speak further, grief choking his throat.
With a worried face, AcharyaaL asked him, "Sankara! What happened to him suddenly? Chandramouli is studying in school?" and said comfortingly, "Why don't you tell me in detail, without getting upset?"
Wiping his eyes SankaraNarayanan said, "Periyavaa, the boy Chandramouli is studying in his seventh standard in the P.S. High School, Mylapore. He is eleven now. Very shrewd in his studies. Stands first in the class. Twenty days ago, suddenly his speech was gone, Periyavaa! When asked, he gestures that he cannot talk. He has not gone to the school from that day. Takes his meals and tiffin as usual, sleeps well, those things are alright Periyavaa, but then he is not able to talk, what can I do? Only you should show mercy and make him talk!" Tears rolled down his eyes as he prayed to the sage.
SwamigaL kept silent for sometime. Then he asked the Auditor, "You have the custom of going to temples with the boy? Chandramouli has bhakti (devotion) towards God?"
"He has it in plenty, Periyavaa. He would start for the school daily only after he takes bath and recites the Kanda Shasti Kavacham and the shlokas on Anjaneya and Rama. There is a large portrait of KothandaRamar in our house Periyavaa; a Thanjavur portrait from my grandfather's days. This boy would daily prostrate to it morninig and evening and would touch the feet of Sita and Rama several times and then dab his eyes (with the fingers that touched the feet). He would often say, 'I like Sita and Rama very much.' Two or three days in a week he would go with his mother to Kapaliswara, Mundaka Kanni Amman and Luz Anjaneya temples and have darshan. For such a good child, this has come about Periyavaa..." Unable to control his grief, SankaraNarayanan started sobbing again.
AcharyaaL pacified him and asked, after contemplating for sometime: "You have the custom of taking him to the upanyAsas that take place in Mylapore?"
"I do Periyavaa! Sometimes I would take him personally. Even the previous day before his speech had stopped, I had taken him for a Ramayana upanyAsa at Rasika Ranjana Sabha. He listened to it with shraddhA (eagerness and trust). And this happened on the next day!"
AcharyaaL laughed and said, "You mean to tell me that this happened due to his listening to Ramayana?"
The Auditor patted his cheeks loudly. "Rama, Rama! Not that way Periyavaa! I just wanted to tell you that it was from the next day (that he couldn't talk)."
"Aright. Whoever did the upanyAsa?"
"Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma, Periyavaa."
"Besh, besh. Somadeva Sarma's son; a good lineage; well read. Let it go, Sankara. Did you show him to a doctor?"
"I did, Periyavaa."
"Who was the doctor?"
"Doctor Sanjivi."
"What does he say?"
"He did all the tests and said, 'Two nerves in his larynx are affected. He may be alright with an operation.'"
"Did he not say that the boy would surely be alright (after the operation)?"
"He did not give that assurance, Periyavaa. Somehow, only you should make him to regain his speech. Only you should save us!"
AcharyaaL talked after keeping silent for sometime. "You do one thing, Sankara. You take the boy and visit all the temples in this city, have darshan and pray. Take food in the MaTham and stay here for the night. You meet me at ten in the morning, finishing your bath and any anuSTAnam (religious routine) that you might have."
AcharyaaL's words were very comforting. Prostrating to Periyavaa, both of them went away for temple darshans.
It was ten o' clock on the next morning. The walking God had come earlier and was sitting. There was not much crowd, only five or six people were waiting. Everyone of them had darshan and left. Prostrating to AcharyaaL, SankaraNarayanan stood before him with hands folded on his chest. SwamigaL looked at him penetratingly for a while and said: "Sankara, do one thing. Take the boy to Mylapore Sri Kapaliswara temple, do a pUrNAbhiSekam (an elaborate ablution) to Swami and AmbaaL and make the boy have darshan of them. Thereafter what you do, keep looking for the news of the same Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma holding a complete discourse on Srimad Ramayana. If he holds the discourse in a temple or in a sabha (auditorium), do one thing, from the Sundara Kaandam until Sri SitaRama PattaabhiSeka vaibhava (glory), take Chandramouli and make him do shravaNa (listening)! What you do on the day of completion with Sri SitaRama PattaabhiSeka, buy some good hill-grown banana fruits, hand them over to paurANika (discourser), and both of you do shASTaaN^ga namaskaram to him. You pray within your mind to that PattaabhiSeka Sri SitaRama and the paurANika. That Pattabiraman will save you... do not at all worry... good bye!" The Parabrahmam bade them farewell with this advice.
The Auditor started checking daily for any news about Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma's Ramayana pravacana (discourse) in Chennai. One day, he saw the happy news that Sri Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma's Srimad Ramayana upanyAsa will take place as navAham (for nine days) at Mylai Sri Shirdi Sai Baba temple.
That was the day of starting the Sundara Kandam. SankaraNarayanan went to Sri Sai Baba temple with Chandramouli. It was a moving upanyAsa and Chandramouli listened to it forgetting all about himself. Sometimes tears started issuing from his eyes. At those times, SankaraNarayanan caressed his back and comforted him.
It was the day of completion of Srimad Ramayana upanyAsa. A 'good' crowd in Mylai Sai Baba temple. At 10:30 hours in the night, Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma finished the Sri SitaRama PattaabhiSeka narration and ended his discourse telling the audience about the fruits of listening to a Ramayana discourse. One by one, the people from the audience prostrated to him and moved away. After both of them prostrated to him, SankaraNarayanan gave the bunch of a dozen hill-grown banana fruits to Chandramouli, asking him to submit them to the discourser and prostrate to him again. He did as his father told him. The discourser took the banana bunch happily and gestured them as arpaNa (offering) to the holy portraits of Sri Rama PattaabhiSekam and Sri Shirdi Sai Baba behind him. Then he plucked two fruits from the bunch, gave them to Chandramouli and said, "Kozhandhe! (my child!) You will remain in prosperity. You eat both these fruits," and blessed him. As they came out of the temple, Chandramouli ate the two bananas.
A miracle took place on the next morning. After he brushed his teeth in the bath room and came to the hall, Chandramouli gave voice loudly to his mother, "Amma, is the coffee ready?" Astonished, his father who was reading the newspaper and his mother who was in the kitchen came running to the hall. Chandramouli was standing there smiling.
"Was it you who gave the voice inquiring about the coffee, Chandramouli!" His mother hugged and kissed him, happiness overwhelming her. SankaraNarayanan took the boy on his shoulders and danced! Chandramouli started talking fluently as before. All the familiar people came over and were happy witnessing this change.
It was 5:30 hours in the evening on the same day. Maha SwamigaL was sitting in ekAnta (alone). There was not much crowd. Auditor SankaraNarayanan came in a van with ten to fifteen people.
The Auditor prostrated to the sage with Chandramouli and got up. AcharyaaL's first question was, "Chandramouli, you are able to talk now fluently? Besh, besh! It is all the grace of that SitaRama!"
Chandramouli immediately chanted loudly, "Hara hara Sankara... Jaya jaya Sankara." Everyone stood in ecstasy.
That Parabrahmam talked after sometime. "Sankara, I shall tell you now, listen! There was no other reason for this sudden happening to Chandramouli. By nature he had abundant priya and bhakti (love and devotion) towards Sita Devi and Sri Rama. He could not withstand if they came to any distress. When he first listened to the upanyAsa, Jayarama Sarma should have been narrating about the part where Ravana abducted Sita Praatti. Am I right, Sankara?"
The Auditor who stood amazed opened his mouth to affirm. "The same thing Periyavaa, the same thing! On that day, he talked very movingly only about that part."
SwamigaL continued: "The moment he heard that a rAkSasa (demon) was abducting Sita Mata, towards whom he had abundant love and devotion, he suffered from a condition of mental pressure inwardly that resulted in helplessness and stoppage of the faculty of speech. It was nothing else. What was the only remedy, way out for this? It occurred to me that if heard with his own ears from the same paurANika's words that Mother Sita had been rescued without any distress to her, that would ease the pressure in his mind and speech. It was for that reason that I asked you to do what I advised you. Now everything has concluded well with the grace of SitaRama. Chandramouli, you will remain parama kSema (in complete prosperity)!"
Everyone who heard the words of that walking God, stood transfixed!
Glossary:
ekAnta - a lonely or retired or secret place
paurANika - versed in ancient legends and stories, a mythologist
puruSa - a man, human being, male, person
shravaNaH - ear, listening to, hypotenuse of a triangle
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Periya Doctor... (The Great Doctor)
author:...... V. MeenakshiSundaram, Secretary, Hindu Dharma Manram, Chennai-33
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 197-205
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Aug 2006 Edition)
My memory is that it was the year 1957. Kanchi Maha SwamigaL and Sri Jayendra Saraswathi SwamigaL were camping in a house in Rameswaram Road, T. Nagar (Chennai). I was living with my parents in the northern end of the same street. My age then was twenty-two. I was studying in a Secondary Grade Teachers Training School.
Sometimes Maha PeriyavargaL used to pass through my house, either during the morning or the evening hours. I had often seen Sri SwamigaL cross my house on the street. My mother at those times would be waiting at the entrance with a camphor plate, after having drawn a kolam in front of our house. It became her custom to show the lighted camphor before Sri Maha PeriyavargaL when he came in front of our house, and prostrate to him.
The progressive thoughts in my mind, a sense of defiance, the nerve of youth, the lack of maturity to distinguish between good and bad--all these came together when I chided my mother, "This man is some sanyAsi. Why do you prostrate to him? What do you gain by that act? You are thus prostrating to him in an uncivilized way continually, is he going to save you? Don't do such wrong things hereafter." Hearing my indecent words my mother said, "Podaa, po!" ("mind your business!") and went inside.
Years rolled by. I started working as a teacher in the P.S. High School, Mylapore, Chennai in the year 1959.
A few years later, my mother started suffering from a severe setback in her health, her B.P. shooting up. The V.H.S. hospital at Taramani, Chennai had just then been established. I admitted my other there for treatment. At that time I was taking tuition at their home for the two sons of Mani Aiyer, proprietor of Kalyani Hotel (the hotel is no longer there now) near Mylapore Kapali temple. His family was very devoted and loyal to Sri Maha SwamigaL. They would often go to Kanchipuram and have darshan. They would consider doing service to his holy feet as their most enduring happiness.
Mani Aiyer was residing in a house in Mandaveli near Mylapore. In the small puja room opposite the hall of their house, an adorned holy picture of Sri Maha PeriyavaaL was kept. A lamp would always be burning by the side of the picture. I would be sitting on the swing in the hall and taking class for the two boys. Since the puja room was always kept open, when Sri PeriyavaaL's picture came under my glance, a prickling sensation would arise in me. I would get down, go and close the puja room doors and then continue my teaching. It has happened several times this way.
As I mentioned earlier, I was worrying over my mother's health condition and was teaching the lessons somewhat for the name of it. Tears would fill my eyes. The worry and fear that my mother would pass away leaving me alone would surge through my mind.
One day when the teaching was going on, Tiru. Mani Aiyer who was just back home asked me, "What Sir! You are worried, your eyes have turned red! What is the matter?" Wiping my eyes I said, "Nothing of that sort Mani Aiyer! My mother's health is not alright. Hypertension. I have admitted her in the V.H.S. That is the cause of my worry."
Mani Aiyer: You showed him to a good doctor?
Myself: I told you already that I have admitted her in the V.H.S.
Mani Aiyer: What did they say?
Myself: They said that she will be alright, no cause to worry. But I am not satisfied with their words.
Mani Aiyer: Sir! Let your worries go. I shall take you to a big doctor. Your mother will become alright if she just looks at him.
Myself: Is that so? Who is that doctor, my mother would be cured if she is shown to him? Where does that big doctor reside? When can I see him? Shall I bring my mother right now?
There was anxiety in my reply; also haste and enthusiam; much anticipation; because my mother should get well completely soon.
Mani Aiyer: Your mother need not come. It is enough if only you come.
Myself: Mani Aiyer! The disease is not for me, but my mother! If I come how can my mother become alright? Shoud not that big doctor test my mother?
Mani Aiyer: Not necessary. If that big doctor just looks at you, your mother will become alright.
Myself: (with some distrust) If I am seen my mother would become alright? Such a kind of doctor? Alright. If that is the case I shall come right now. Come on, let us go and see him.
Mani Aiyer: You cannot see him just like that. He is not here. He is in Kanchipuram.
Myself: In Kanchipuram? Why should such a big doctor reside in that place? Who is he? M.B.B.S. or M.D.?
Mani Aiyer: He is beyond those degrees. He is the doctor of the doctors. (Pointing to Periyavar's picture in the puja room) He is the doctor I referred to.
Myself: (laughing loudly without being aware of it) What Mani Aiyer! This man, doctor? He is the doctor of doctors? What do you babble? How can a sanyAsi become a doctor? If it is a question of some puja or rituals I can believe it. But then you talk of this man as a big doctor! Hmm.. would it be possible for this sanyAsi to cure my mother? This is just your imagination... (The words came out of the edge of my sorrow).
Mani Aiyer: What, MeenakshiSundaram! You who is born in the brahmin community talk this way?
Myself: What then Sir! After saying that you would take me to a big doctor, you now say that you would take me to a sanyAsi! How can it be possible, this kind of an action?
Mani Aiyer: MeenakshiSundarm, your mother should become alright for you. Only that, right? I am responsible for it. We go to Kanchipuram tomorrow itself, alright?
Myself: (with klesha) Mani Aiyer, if we go to him will my mother really get well?
Mani Aiyer: Certainly. Enough if you have darshan of him and just speak about your mother. Your mother will certainly get well. You can also remain in peace.
Myself: In that case I shall come to Kanchipuram. But when we are there you should not compel me to remove my shirt, take bath, wear vibhUti-kunkumam, or do namaskAram. I shall come; see him; tell him about my mother; that's all. (The torsion of the young blood was not gone yet).
Mani Aiyer: What ayyaa, would you not take bath daily? Would you not remove your shirt occasionally? Not wear vibhUti-kunkumam even rarely? Do those things just once tomorrow! What, will that drown your lineage?
Without knowing why, I did not object but agreed to those words of him. On the next day, the three of us--Mani Aiyer, myself and Tiru. Venkataraman who worked with me--started and reached Kanchipuram in the morning hours. Taking bath in the Sarva Tirta KuLam and wearing vibhUti and dhoti, I reached the gates of Kanchi SriMaTham for the first time in my life. And yes! There was a feeling of something like an electric vibration in my body.
We enter the MaTham. Kanchi MahaSwamigaL in the front hall! Yes, the big doctor! He was sitting, leaning on a rice bag. Fruit plates and garlands of flowers are seen before him. Also a queue for his darshan. We too tucked ourselves in that queue.
A bamboo plate in my hand. In the plate are fruits, spinach and some vegetables. My glance falls on the ascetic king seated there. Without any efforts, tears start to flow from my eyes. Yes, I weep without my knowing it. I don't understand the reason. Why should I weep?
His keen look that has divine light falls on me. Raising his head, that god gestures me to come to him. He might have known my sorrow with his prevision.
Again that talking god beckons me with a raised hand. I walked slowly and peacefully to him, placed the bamboo plate in my hand before him and prostrated to him unknowingly.
"You are ashtasahasram (a sub sect)?"
"Yes."
"What relationship do Seshadri, Kunju in Karukudi have with you?" (Karukudi is a hamlet near Tiruvaiyaru).
"They are relatives of my aunt."
"Your grandfather was the Palace Receiver in Thanjavur! Was he before or after Sundaram Aiyer?"
I nodded head that I did not know it. Silence prevailed for sometime.
Raising his head, "You have admitted your mother in the hospital? How is she now?"
What! That god asks me the same question that I came to him with, seeking remedy. For this too, I just stand sobbing, with no reply from me.
"Don't worry! Your mother will get well and return home."
Yes, that big doctor had given a new lease of life to my mother! That mahaan looked sharply at me for sometime. Then, giving me prasAdam, he blessed, "Give this to your mother. She will get back home well."
To this date, I heartily bow and adore that "great doctor" who vanquished the demon of ignorance in my mind and put me on the right path.
As foretold by that "great doctor", my mother got well and arrived home safely. The big doctor has saved my mother's life. He is taking care of us till this day.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
The 54 Lives Saved by Annai! (Mahima of Sringeri Sri SharadambaL)
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Oct 10, 2007
Series: Wonders Witnessed by this Adiyavan
This happened several years ago. We decided on a yAtra (pilgrimage) to the kSetras (holy places) in Karnataka, more than fifty devotees of us teaming up for the tour. We started our journey in a large tourist bus. It was our custom to first go to Kanchi, have darshan of PeriyavaaL and then continue our journey.
Around 4 o' clock in the afternoon of that day we stood up after prostrating to Maha SwamigaL in SriMaTham. Giving us his blessings, laughing and raising both his hands SwamigaL asked, "You people have come as a large ghoSTi... well, what's the matter?" Forthwith I elaborated on the details of our Karnataka Yatra to SwamigaL.
Feeling happy he asked, raising his eyebrows, "What is the uddesha (motive) about the first place to go?" I said, "It is our uddesha, Periyavaa, that on reaching Mangalore, we would first go to Talakkaveri, do our saMkalpa snAnam (bath and prayer) there and then go to Sringeri. After that we have decided to have darshan at SubrahmaNya, Dharmasthala, Udipi, Kollur Mukambika, Kateel Durga Parameswari... in this order."
Before I could finish SwamigaL interrupted me. "Wait, wait... In the list you have mentioned, you have missed an important place..." Looking at us who were all standing with a question mark on our faces, and smiling, Periyavaa advised us, "What, you don't understand? I shall tell you... Horanadu kSetra! Mother is staying there as Annapurani, giving her anugraham. A very special place. Must have darshan!"
He continued: "You people do as I tell you now. First go to Sringeri kSetram from Mangalore. There, do your snAnam in Tunga, first have Guru Darshan, get prasAdam from them, then have darshan of SharadambaL and start from there (to other places). After this, you may go to the places in your order of preference. Let one thing be kept in mind though. Anyday you go to Sringeri, as far as possible, reach the place before sAyarakSai (evening)."
All of us nodded our heads in affirmation, prostrated and got up. That Walking God ordered distribution of anugraha prasAdam to us all. The driver and conductor of the bus were called and the prasAdam given to them too. We started thereafter.
On the next morning, our journey from Bangalore to Mangalore. We stayed in a Kalyana Mandapam in Mangalore at night. On the morning the next day we got ready to move after taking bath. A man named Ramanathan who accompanied us came to me and said persuadingly, "We shall first go to Talakkaveri from here. After doing our saMkalpa snAnam there, why not go to Sringeri later?"
I did not agree to that. "Whatever uttaravu (direction) Kanchi Periyavaa has given, we should only follow that!", I said. It was not acceptable to them. "First we should go to Talakkaveri only!" they compelled me, as if having discussed it already among them. However much I pleaded with them, nobody was prepared to lend me ears.
The bus travelled towards Talakkaveri. Staying there for a day and after finishing our saMkalpa snAnam, we started our journey towards Sringeri. It was 8:00 o' clock in the night. Both the front tyres of the bus that was going on the mountain road to Sringeri got punctured and the bus stopped. It was pitch dark outside. In the light from a torch light, Driver and Conductor started working on removing the wheels with the punctured tyres and fixing the Stepney wheels in their place. Hunger pinched our stomach; our last meal was at noon in Bagamandala. Somehow the bus started moving at 10 o' clock. Suddenly it started drizzling. It was 11 o' clock and yet there was no sight of Sringeri. Only then we had the doubt whether we were going on the right road! As God-given, we sighted a man coming in the distance. We stopped the bus near him and inquired. He patted on his head and said, "This road leads to another place. 15 km before you should have turned on the road that branched to the right." It gave us a shock!
So the bus needed to be turned towards the direction we came. Driver got down and had a look. A narrow road, with valleys on both sides. Climbing onto his seat, Driver said with a falsely assured courage, "You people don't worry. I shall back up little by little with sharp turns on the steering wheel and somehow move the bus to an about turn!" and got on the task. Sitting with fear, we started chanting Rama Namam. Somehow having managed to turn the bus ninety degrees, Driver said in a loud voice, suddenly worried, "Sir, sir... Howevermuch I step on the brake, the bus starts slipping behind! Raise an even louder ghoSaNam (proclammation) in the name of God... Only He should save us all now!" His words had the effect of dissolving tamarind inside our belly. We too felt the bus slipping behind. All of us with tears welling up in our eyes started wailing, "Sringeri Sharadambaa, save us Ma! Sringeri Maha Sannidhaname, save us! Kanchi PeriyavaaLe, Ramachandra Murtiye, save us, save us...!"
Suddently Driver said, "Sir, I have now taken my leg from the brake! The vehicle is not slipping behind! As if a hundred people are supporting it from behind, the vehicle stands intact! Now no worry at all. Shall turn the bus in a few moments" and started on his efforts. We did not stop the nAma ghoSaNam.
appAda! (At last) the driver managed to turn the bus. All of us breathed a sigh of peace! It was exactly 12:00 hours midnight. Exactly at one-thirty we reached the entrance to Sringeri Samasthanam. A GanapadigaL who was standing at the entrance to receive us (it is my recollection that it was Nageswara GanapadigaL!) said with a laugh, "Vaango, vaango! You are all coming from Madras, right? First wash your hand and feet and come have some food. You would be hungry. Rice Uppuma and Bringal Gotsu are ready!"
"How do you know, ShastrigaaL that we are coming? We did not even write to you?" I asked him. He said laughing, "It is vAstavam (true) that your coming will not be known to people who are like us. Maha Sannidhanam, dIrgha darshigaL (with foresight) will be knowing everything, you see? It was only Maha Sannidhanam who called me around eleven o' clock and gave orders, 'To have darshan of Sharada, 54 Bhaktas from Madras are coming in a bus. They all come with great hunger! So ask our people to prepare Rice Uppuma and Gotsu and keep the food ready. In addition, for them to stay, arrange a large hall.' After arranging all that I have come to stand here and receive you all!" He sunk us in surprise.
Seeing the dIrgha dharsanam and karuNa (compassion) of SriSriSri Abhinava Vidyatheertha SwamigaL, Adiyen (I) wondered. Tears rushed to my eyes. Seeing that ShastrigaL said, "You are amazed at this thing... I am going to tell you another thing in the morning; you would then be really stunned!" and led us on. Hot Uppuma and Gotsu were served ready in 54 nuni (top) banana leaves. We ate the food filling up our stomach.
The next morning. Finishing our snAnam in the Tunga river, we started to have darsh of Maha Sannidhanam SriSriSri Abhinava Vidyatheertha SwamigaL. The ShastrigaL we met last night was seen by us.
To him I asked joining my palms, "You said you would tell us some vishayam (news) in the morning. I pray that you please tell it now."
ShastrigaL started talking: "Would have been around 12 o' clock last night. Sitting in his ekAnta (private) room, Maha Sannidhanam was examining some Shastra books. I was sitting in the outer hall. Suddenly coming out, Maha Sannidhanam kept both his hand pressed hard to the wall and started murmurming some mantra. I too got up. From the posture of Maha Sannidhanam it seemed as if he was supporting the wall from falling. I did not understand anything. Five minutes later, taking his hands off the wall, Maha Sannidhanam came to me and said, 'You witnessed and wondered why I kept my hands against the wall in that pose and did some Japam. It is nothing else. The bus wherein came those people from Madras to have darshan of SharadambaL missed its way. Later when they realized the mistake and turned the bus, the brakes did not apply... bus started moving behind on its own. The Bhaktas in them wailed, 'save us, save us!' calling aloud the name of Amma Sharada. So I supported the bus from slipping behind by resting my hands on the walls. Now everything is alright, and the bus is coming towards Sringeri! You go and make the arrangements as I told you', and went inside his room. I stood stunned!" Listening to this, all of us wept. We started to have darshan of that Walking SharambaL.
Looking at this Adiyen who prostrated and got up, SriSriSri Maha Sannidhanam said laughingly, "Should always listen to what the Mahaans say. And follow it. If you make a change in it everything that happens would be changed too. What, you understand?" With these words he did anugraha of prasAdam. This Adiyen then realized that Maha Sannidhanam only informed in sUcaka (by indicating) to the fact of our not following what Sri Kanchi Periyavaa ordered for us!
Glossary:
sUcaka - indicating, betraying, informer, sign, omen
ghoSTi - group, gathering
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suggestion required
This is a valuable information.I am looking to practice yoga and I want to know more about bhakti yoga .Can any one suggest best poses in bhakti yoga.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
(1) Jayendra was picked up as successor by paramacharya even before he was born, yet jayendra was arrested on murder charges. Paramacharya's influence was ineffectual in moulding Jayendra. Some people also say that Jayendra was involved in promiscuous acts.
By the way, paramacharya knew me personally.
(2) Professor V. Krishnamurthy is quite an authority. See the following link :-
http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/contents.html
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Namaste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
soham3
Jayendra was picked up as successor by paramacharya even before he was born, yet jayendra was arrested on murder charges. Paramacharya's influence was ineffectual in moulding Jayendra. Some people also say that Jayendra was involved in promiscuous acts.
This thread is not meant for discussing the case against HH Jayendra Sarasvati Swamiji. You talk as if you are above everyone and who knows everything and that hardly goes well with your own quote in your profile: "I am a bad boy trying to become good."
Quote:
Originally Posted by
soham3
By the way, paramacharya knew me personally.
If that be true, it is rather unfortunate that, in your own words above, "Paramacharya's influence was ineffectual in moulding" you!
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
From the Tamil book 'KAnchi mahAnin karuNai uLLam'
compiled by Sri Raa. VenkatasAmy
Pages 7-12
TyAga Brahmam sang in those days with a melting heart: "endarO mahAnubhAvalu, andariki vandanamu" ("There are so many great people: to all of them, here are my prostrations.") Who are those 'mahAnubhAvAs'?
A 'pravachana medhA' (expert discourser) explained that all those who like TyAgarAja think about Sri Rama day and night with a melting heart are 'mahAnubhAvAs'. In the same way, aren't all those who think, worship and feel happy about MahA PeriyavAL are 'mahAnubhAvas' too? Among these good hearts, so many great people have come to receive KAnchi MahAn's look of grace and have gone into 'bhakti paravasham' (totally given to devotion). They have attained prosperity in life. To know about those several incidents that time cannot erase, today we have the opportunity to listen to people and read through magazines. Still, we neither have the experience nor the age to know completely about whatsoever channels MahA PeriyavaAL's extensive attention has coursed through. This compilation of experiences is only a humble effort I have taken to let the outside world know about the direct experiences of people who have come under his 'karuNA kaTAkSham' (glance of grace and compassion). Although some of these might have been published elsewhere, it is my desire that you read them again and think about MahA PeriyavAL.
Let me start his glance of compassion, right from my home.
When my son BAlAji was born, the astrologers who were sought to compute his horoscope said, "Until sixteen years of age, this boy's 'yogam' is not proper. So the horoscope should be computed only after that age." There was no god that my wife Sarasvati who was worried about this, did not pray to; no temple that she did not visit. She is a devotee of TiruchchengoTTu ArdhanArIshvarar. Although we have two daughters, our only one son is this boy; so which mother can remain without wishing for a long life for her only son? My wife observed fasting on all the days of 'vratam' that came in a month. She was also ready to take up any sort of harsh penance for the sake of her son.
It was a Thursday, a day of fasting for her, 'AhAram' (food) at only late evening, and that after the puja. That evening, my younger daughter RAjam, who was reading her lessons after returning from the school, suddenly turned towards her mother and asked, "EnammA (Why, mother), people talk a lot about PeriyavAL at KAnchi. Why don't you to pray to him for BAlAji?" Taking these words that came through a lass as the Devi's words of grace, my wife from that day on started doing puja in worship of MahA PeriyavAL. A speciality about this is that, my wife is very serious about whatever she starts, so she started doing 'ArAdhanam' to MahA PeriyavAL with mad obsession. Her only attention was on Kanchi PeriyavAL...
One night she had a dream while sleeping. PeriyavA is sitting on the chair I use for reading and writing. Between him and her, water is flowing noisily in a stream. My wife, on this side of the stream, prays to him for her son.
That MahAn says peacefully: "You have saved a lot in the bank. It wouldn't decrease whatever you take from it. So don't worry."
The dream dissolved. It was dawn time. Thereafter, it was only Maha PeriyavAL for her. Her friends and she had started the habit of visiting Kanchi every full moon day and have darshan of Sri KamAkShi and KAnchi PeriyavAL.
My position about this was different: I am the one who think that it is enough to respect MaThAdhipatis (pontiffs)--no need to worship them.
During this time, a friend of mine bought a beautiful, small Devi statue from the PUmpuhAr Art Shop and presented it. This was followed by the debate as to whether the 'vigraha ArAdhana' could be done at home or not.
First of all, what god is this 'vigraham'? It was the situation that we could place the god on the image with certainty.
I told my wife. "You are going to see Kanchi PeriyavAL. You ask him about the god of this 'vigraha shila'. If he says it right, I shall accept him as a god among men."
This was an incident that happened twenty-five years back.
"This time, you too come with me", she said. Some 'shakti' in me told, "Go and see..." So we went... A long queue... One by one, people were having darshan of the MahAn and moving away. After some people stood my wife, me beind her.
The MahAn extended his hand and called my wife. When she went near him, he raised both his hands and blessed here well. Then he asked forthwith, "AkhilANDeshvari has come to your home?" Tears gushing from her eyes, my wife simply nodded her head in affirmation. Blessing her again, he looked at her keenly from top to toe, as she prostrated to him and got up.
Later my wife told me, "That look did something to me."
I who was listening to his words, fell before him, my eight limbs touching the ground. That hands that came together in worship in the god's presence did not come down, as we moved away.
Calling my wife once again, the MahAn blessed and sent her back. From then on, I became a slave of MahA PeriyavAL. After this, several incidents happened on their own that helped me know more about that MahAn...
The full honour of giving me that opportunity for our family belongs to Tirumigu. RAjagopAl who is administering the 'PeriyavA Griham', his wife, and to GitA mAmi who is day and night doing 'smaraNa' (remembering) of PeriyavA's name. Beyond them, another slave is forever helping me: this is Tirumigu. Ravichandran, who was the shadow of Pradosham mAmA who has attained God's lotus feet--an eminent man of sacrifice who gave up his job just for the sake of doing work related to PeriyavA. For all these people, there is no thought other than MahA PeriyavAL. It is by the help of these 'mahAnubhAvas' that I am able to give a graphic account of MahA PeriyavAL's compassionate heart at least to this extent.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
From the Tamil book 'KAnchi mahAnin karuNai uLLam'
compiled by Sri Raa. VenkatasAmy
Pages 13-15
An elderly man was doing kaingariyam (service) in the MaTham until the year 1952. His name was PanchApakesan. For one who had only service to PeriyavA as his lifetime goal, since he suffered from some ailment, he took leave from PeriyavAL and returned to his village near TanjAvUr. Although he left KAnchi MaTham, he worshipped the MahAn day and night, always thinking of him. He never spared an inch when it came to his pUja vishayam. He had two sons and a daughter, all of them married. Seeing that his father was still engaging himself only in PeriyavA Kaingaryam, his eldest son spoke to him:
"Why dad, you have interest only in service to PeriyavA at all times? For the education you had, had you gone to some Government service then, by this time you would be receiving your pension. And that money would be useful to you for your expenses, isn't it?"
PanchApakesan was panicked with these words. His body shivered. Suddenly he couldn't even talk. Relaxing himself a little, he said:
"dEi (Hey son), one should be fortunate to do kaingaryam to MahA PeriyavAL. I got that bhAgyam, and I stayed near him doing my service. By that what harm have you people come to? You all studied well, and got married well. Only that human God ensures that we have no shortfall in life." Thus the elderly man had burst out his feelings. Should his own son blame the Deivam?
"No dad, had you gone to a Government service at least you would have received your pension now; only with this feeling of regret and concern that I spoke my words", said his son, putting an end to the subject.
A marriage took place in Chennai sometime after this incident. His eldest son was needed to go and he attended the marriage, which took place grandly. Immediately after the wedding celebrations ended, the groom and bride were taken to KAnchi for Periyavar's blessings. PanchApakesan's eldest son too went with them. One by one moved away getting PeriyavAL's blessings and his turn came up. Periyavar raised his head and looked at him. "Aren't you PanchApakesan's son?" was MahA PeriyavAL's question. "Yes", replies the son with surprise. "Is your father doing well?" continues the MahAn. "How much AtmArtha bhakti he has towards me you know? Keep him well. How many children for you?" After such inquiries, the sage continued:
"It is only my desire that I should do a lot for the people who do sevA (service) in this MaTham. But then I only administer the MaTham here; so I can't do much. I do paripAlanam (nourishing, guarding) of the MaTham only with whatever people give us. This is not a sarkAr (Goverment) office, isn't it? So what else can I do except to pray to KAmAkShi day and night that everyone should be prosperious? But then for what your father did in this MaTham and for his bhakti, it is my desire to do him something. So we have arranged for him to receive 25 kalam* of paddy every month directly at his village--as his 'pension'."
When he heard this, PanchApakesan's son fell shAShTAngam before MahA PeriyavAL, wailing. "SarveshvarA! I only talked to my father with concern. I never blamed it on his sevA to you. Please pardon me."
"I have not blamed you at all. I arranged for this small return only because I cannot do anything bigger to him." That trikAla jnAni comforted the son.
For the son who thought it was enough about his father's sevA, he too followed the example of his father and became PeriyavAL's slave. Even today at NeedAmangalam the pension arrives at his home in the form of paddy. A school teacher, he came to PeriyavA Griham when he visited Salem for a marriage. This is the story he narrated then about the karuNai uLLam of KAnchi MahAn.
Note:
One kalam is equivalent to 12 marakkAl, which in turn is a measure of eight litres.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Professor who took the bhAShya pATham!
devotee:...... brahmashrI KRShNa shAstri Joshi
author:....... brahmashrI KRShNa shAstri Joshi, shrI Shankara MaTham, SatAra
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 93-97
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
[Summary of an essay in Sanskrit]
Nearly twenty-five years ago, SriCharaNargaL was camping in the shrI MaTham, SatAra, for eleven months.
At that time, my father shrI KAshinAtha shAstrigaL, prayed to him of his wish to listen to the prasthAnatraya bhAShyam from MahA PeriyavAL's tirumukham--sacred face/mouth. (The ten UpaniShads, BrahmasUtra and Bhagavad GItA are together known as the prasthAnatrayam.)
PeriyavA told him, "agre pashyAmaH (will see in future)".
When two months had gone by, he called us himself, asked us to bring the bhAShya--commentary, books, and started his elucidatation of them. One shrI RAjagopa-aiyar would chant only the first line from each UpaniShad. MahA SvAmigaL would then talk about it in vistAra--elaborately, like the sluices of a dam opened, about all the topics mentioned in that UpaniShad, citing from various texts of the bhAShyakAras. This lecture would take place every day for seven hours; this being so, it is not necessary to mention how much kAruNyam--compassion, MahA SvAmigaL had towards us.
The long event of lecturers went on in succession for twelve days and came to completion.
PeriyavA alone gave the lecture every day for seven hours! It is matter of surprise that not only did he show any shrama--fatigue/exertion, but he talked every day with great enthusiasm.
For this pErupakAram--great favour, of PeriyavA, it wouldn't be enough even if we were to take howevermuch janmas--births and serve him.
*** *** ***
A college professor used to come every day for darshan. But he never sought to talk with or introduce himself to PeriyavAL. Perhaps the darshan itself gave him limitless santoSham--happiness/joy!
After four-five months, one day, looking at him, PeriyavA asked, "How come you came here now?"
A great surprise for the professor. "I am coming here daily?"
PeriyavA asked him the same question again. The professor returned home in a state of understanding nothing of the question. As he entered his house, a letter that was lying on the floor came in his sight. He took it and read. 'Very urgent. Forthwith you go to such and such college in such and such place and start your work there.'
How was the message of the letter known to PeriyavAL beforehand?
Whatever... The professor got ready for the relocation with his trunk and bed.
*** *** ***
Four girl children for us in succession. But then we need a putra--son to save us from the put-naraka? The deities in temples did not open their mouth in reply to us. So I sought, along with my dharmapatni--wife, the Deivam that listens with its tiruchchevi--sacred ears, and replies with its tirumukham--sacred face.
He listened to our prayers for putrabhAgyam. When the darshan was over and he gave us leave, he gave a bilva-fruit as prasAdam.
Isn't the bilva-fruit one that belongs to Shiva?
In due course of time, a Shiva-pazham--Shiva's gift of fruit, arose in our home. Getting PeriyavaAL's permission, we named him as the very "Chandrashekara".
*** *** ***
In the place where SriCharaNargaL was staying, bedbugs had multiplied in large numbers. Where one placed his foot on the floor, the bedbugs were seen. On PeriyavA's sharIram--body, they would stick themselves in patches like the bees from a beehive, at times.
An anbar--devotee brought an insecticide to kill the bugs. PeriyavAL had come to know of this. He called the anbar.
"We eat food for our own sharIra-poShaNam--nourishment of body. Food for the bedbugs is the blood of the manuShya sharIram. The bedbugs themselves take their food! Without their food, how could they live? Right?
"There should be no jIva-hiMsa--injury to living beings. If we are in priyam--attached to one who does some upakAram--favour to us, it would not be a surprise; our elders would say that one who is in priyam even towards a person who does apakAram--wrong, to him is the virtuous man..."
After listening to this talk, would that Anbar have the heart to sprinkle the insecticide in PeriyavA's room?
But this is not a surprise. Within a day or two of this conversation taking place, the bedbugs themselves vanished--that is a wonder!
Perhaps the bedbugs had understood PeriyavA's bAShA--speech/language, or bhAvam--mental frame?
**********
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Darshana mahimaigaL
author:....... R.Chidambaresan, Chennai-600040
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 98-116
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
pages 98-102
A Tirupati in GauhAti
By shrI PeriyavAL's anugraha visheSham, a BAlAji Mandir and a superior eye hospital have been established in GauhAti.
Efforts to secure the land for this work were taken up in 1991. When the late shrI Hiteswar Saikia who was the Chief Minister of Assam (1991-96), had darshan of shrI PeriyavAL at KAnchipuram in the year 1992, he received with humility from the sage's sacred hands, a rudrAkSha mAlA (that became his rakSha to save him from the ULFA terrorism that prevailed in Assam then), and a crown of flowers. In addition, giving him in pratyekam--specifically for each, a plateful of kalkaNDu--suger lumps, the sage asked him to distribute it with his own hand among his Black Cat security guards who travelled with him. After shri Saikia got back to Assam, he arranged for a good piece of land that was of 50 bighA (18 acre) vistIrNa--area, and was flat and even (in GauhAti, hilly and uneven lands are more), to be donated to shrI PeriyavAL through the Government. In additional, he extended a financial assistance of Rs.10 lakhs from the state exchequer for constructing the temple. This dharma served as the basis for the establishment of the PUrva Tirupati BAlAji Mandir, built according to the South Indian shilpa shAstra--temple architecture. This Mandir now helps the people of this pradeshaM--region, to have darshan of BAlAji in GauhAti itself, thus changing the earlier position of their having to travel a long way to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh to have the darshan.
shrImant ShankaradevA NetrAlaya Hospital
An Charitable Trust called 'Shri Kanchi Shankara Health and Educational Foundation', was established in Calcutta on the 3rd of January 1994 (that is, 5 days before shrI PeriyavA attained siddhi), with the sahAyam--assistance, of Dr S.S.Badrinath, founder and Chairman (Emeritus) of Shankar Netralaya, Chennai, and by financial donations received from the Tea Estate Companies functioning in the North-Eastern and North India, and from some individual dhanikas--wealthy people.
The very day this Trust was started, a total donation of Rs.30 lakhs got collected. Later in the same shatAbdi anniversary (11.11.1994), when a three-storeyed building at GauhAti, in a place called Beltola (the term 'bilvasthala' became Beltola in their language) was sought to be taken on lease, and when the lease document was about to be written, the building owner gave his building as a free gift to the hospital. I consider this as one among the adbhuta--wonders, shrI PeriyavAL performed, and performing even now. It wouldn't be an overstatement that the hospital very soon grew in a big way, was due to shrI PeriyavAL's anugraha visheSham.
That the kAraNabhUta--cause/reason, for an eye hospital established by a ShankarAchArya SvAmigaL in the lineage of Adi Shankara, instead of functioning under the name 'Shankara Medical Centre', carrying the name of shrImant ShankaradevA, a shrI KRShNa bhakta who lived in Assam in the 15th century, was shrI PeriyavAL himself, and this fact in fairness may not be known to many people.
Admitting even this ELiyEn--simple man, to his grace
On the western bank of the SarvatIrtham located adjacent to the KAshi VishvanAthar Kovil in KAnchi, once shrI PeriyavargaL was performing a puja. A puja in great vistIrNam--elaboration, keeping the Shiva PanchAyatana in the form of sandalpaste balls on a lotus leaf. Some firty, sixty of us around, witnessing it. This puja was held in a thaTTi panDal--thatched shed.
My wife and I, sitting among the bhakta crowd, were chanting the 'LalitA SahasranAmam', in a tone that was madhyama--medium. After the puja was over, waiting with limitless compassion that no hindrance should come to our pArAyaNam until it was finished, shrI PeriyavargaL, did the dhUpa-dIpa-naivedyam, and then waved the Arati.
This incident took place in a way that gave us great santoSham--happiness. Sometime later this event happened, we received the ShrIVidyA Upadesha in order.
RAmanAma mahimA
When shrI PeriyavargaL was in Tenambakkam, my wife and I had gone there. At that time, I was engaged in the kaingariyam--service, of collecting the 'RAmanAma list' written by devotees and sent through an organization called 'ICF KAmakOTi SevA Samiti', and sending them to an Anbar--devotee, who was to build a maNDapam--pavilion, in JamshedpUr, that was to be named "RAmakoTi".
shrI PeriyavargaL asked me, "How many names did you send?" I told him. Forthwith, shrI PeriyavargaL went inside a room and came out carrying a large carton (containing the notebooks of hand-written RAmanAmas, would weigh around 10-12 kilogram). Calling us, he said, "Have this for you". When shrIKaNTan tried to get that burden from him and pass it to us, PeriyavArgaL himself gave it to us directly. We both received it together.
I consider this as shrI PeriyavargaL giving upadesham of RAmanAma to us. Keeping that carton in our puja room, I am preserving it. After some months of his happening, when I did prastAvana--broach, of this sambhavam--event, to shrI PudupPeriyavargaL, forthwith giving a portrait of 'SItA-LakShmaNa-Hanumat sameta shrI RAmachandra MUrti' (this portrait was drawn with RAmanAmas), he gave us his anugraham with the words, "Keep this too."
(to continue...)
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
pages 103-107
'As desired by me...'
In January 1976, when my eldest daughter AkhilANDeshvari's marriage was betrothed, and I sought anugraham of shrI PeriyavAL at Kalavai, he said, "You have your kumArI's marriage conducted in KAmAkShi temple itself. In KAmAkShi sannidhi, mAngalya dhAraNam, japam and such pUrvAngas; saMtarpaNa--meals to brahmins, in the nearby KollA Chatram; for the saMbandhus'--kinsmen's stay, the RAjavIdhi Chatram, and shrIMaTham; thus there are four places. 'beShAga naDaththu--very well conduct it! (his own words)' Get permission from PuDupperiyavAL telling him that I desired it."
(Although shrI MahASvAmigaL was PuDupperiyavAL's guru, since in those periods of time shrI PuDupperiyavAL himself was the PIThAdhipati, in consideration of yuktam--propriety, in his asking me to get permission from shrI PuDupperiyavAL, and in his saying he "desired it", I could see his simplicity and magnanimity.)
Knowing that when some of my relatives who attended the marriage went to Kalavai and had darshan of PeriyavAL, he inquired them about the marriage in vistAram--detail, I wondered at the compassion and love he had for me.
In ShAhAbAd
Approaching shrI PuDupperiyavargaL who was camping in TiruvallikkENi--Triplicane, in 1983, when I sought his permission to conduct the marraige of my second daughter too in KAmAkShi temple, he asked me, "enna thEthi--what date?". I told him that among the two dates May 9 and May 29, I had uddesham--intention, to conduct it on May 9. For that shrI PuDupperiyavargaL said, "If it is May 9, you can have it conducted" and permitted me. (Only many days later I came to know that May 29 was the day fixed for shrI BAlaperiyavargaL to have his Ashrama svIkAram--adoption to sannyAsa Ashram.)
To get anugraham from shrI PeriyavargaL, I went to ShAhAbAd (In the Chennai-Bombay rail route it comes after crossing the VADi station). After I got down at the railway station, I came to know that shrI PeriyavargaL was staying in a place around 7 km. from there. Boarding a bus I went to the place where shrI PeriyavargaL was staying.
I spotted after walking a small distance, a small shed in the open ground, plus a hut and a well. Some five or six people were standing there. They told me it was there that shrI PeriyavargaL was staying. Intense sunshine of the 2 o' clock afternoon sun. When I went there, shrI PeriyavargaL was in shayanam--sleeping. His rickshaw cart nearby. A chippanti--staff member named Subbaiah near it. shrI PeriyavargaL was lying down on his stomach. It was known that he had come there only a few minutes before. It was also known to me that he was sleeping in that posture to get relief from the tiredness of his body. Standing nearby, I was looking at the rekha--lines, of PeriyavAL's soles.
After sometime passed, shrI PeriyavargaL woke up and looked at his two kaiththala--(Tamil)palms. He informed them in this way of his intention to read. A kaingaryapara--assistant, named SAmaveda ChandramauLi, gave him a small book. It was 'HanumAn chAlIsA'. Turning over its pages, he was reading it until daylight declined. In the meantime, a crowd assembled from the areas of grain fields nearby. Some people came in tractors too.
With help from the nearby people, BAlu had the varappu--(Tamil)ridges of the field adjacent to the well deepened, drew water from the well and filled it and thus faciliated for shrI PeriyavargaL to have his snAnam--bath.
As shrI PeriyavargaL had his snAnam and finished his anuShTAnam, it began to get increasingly dark. shrI PeriyavargaL asked the village people to get back to their homes, saying that no one needed to stay there. Sitting in the cart in the shed during night, he took an apple and some milk. I made vijnApanA--respectful communication, to him of the proposed marriage of my putrI and sought his anugraham.
shrI PeriyavargaL spent that night in the cart itself. Since the climate was very chill, we all slept in the hut.
It would have been four o'clock in the early morning, when I woke up. I saw shrI PeriyavargaL rise and go to the koTTakai--toilet. Forthwith, cleaning my teeth, and wearing vibhUti, I went near where shrI PeriyavargaL had gone, carrying a lantern. I introduced myself to him.
After shrI PeriyavargaL came out from the koTTakai, in the light of the lantern kept in the shed, an assistant named ChandramauLi read out that day's panchAngam. As he wrongly mentioned the day, shrI PeriyavargaL told him "Read again". When he read it again wrongly, the sage asked him to read it once more. Thus after many times of repetition, the man came to understand his error. As the man corrected himself and started reading it correctly, shrI PeriyavargaL told him, "I saw you read it with an error; only now you read it correctly."
I understood the nuTpam--(Tamil)subtlety of the sage, in giving him an avakAsham--opportunity, to correct his error himself. As it had dawned in the meantime, I stood seeking shrI PeriyavargaL's permission for me to return to my place. He asked me, "Only you built the GangAmAtA temple in HaridvAr?" I replied, "Only OmkArnAth GosvAmi built the temple; I only took a photograph of it and brought."
(OmkArnAth GosvAmi belonged to a family that arrived from RAvalpiNDi at the time of the Nation's paritition and took residence in India. He had told me about Pandit Madammohan MALaviyA, when the latter had gone to RAvalpiNDi, dining in their house, and at that time as a boy this man doing the service of waving a hand fan to the Pandit when the latter was eating. During the year 1975 when shrI PuDupperiyavargaL sent me on a tour, his parichayam--acquaintance, came up for me in HaridvAr.)
shrI PeriyavargaL ordered me, "You toured many places, PuDupperiyavA sending you on that tour. Tell these people about it in vistAram--detail." Limitless joy for me, and my body had the thrill of it (as if caressed with a blade of grass). I told them briefly of my yAtra.
Then shrI PeriyavargaL ordered the Director of the nearby Cement Company, who was a white man, to drop me in the railway station in his car.
(to continue...)
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
pages 108-116 (concluding part)
'Arrange for the bhikShAvandanam'
When shrI PeriyavargaL was in Orikkai, my family and I had darshan of him. Then shrI PeriyavA told a nearby assistant Kumaresan something. Forthwith, calling me, Kumaresan said, "shrI PeriyavA says that all the Chozhiyas want to do bhikShAvandanam." I said I would try to arrange it. shrI PeriyavargaL also wanted the bhikShAvandanam of the Chozhia class people to be held continuously on the occasion of every ChAturmAsya.
A week later, for this purpose, we convened a meeting in the presence of shrI PeriyavA. In this assembly were present Chittur Gopalakrishna Iyer, myself, Sundaram Iyer, his brother, Kumaresan, and a few others. shrI PeriyavA suggested the name, 'Chozhadesiya UrdhvashikhA brAhmaNAL bhikSha'. "Among you people is there in prasiddha--well known, KriShNaPremi. Making him a patron, establish a Trust and every year the people of your class do the bhikSha", he said. Accordingly, establishing a Trust, we are performing the bhikShAvandanam every year. Since this bhkiShavandanam is done in anusaraNam of--following, PeriyavA's Ajna--orders, all of us are doing it with bhakti-shraddha--sincerity of fatih.
In the 'GururatnamAlA', a grantham--book about AchAryALs, full details of the AchAryALs of shrI KAmakoTi PITham are given. In this book, when narrating about several PIThAdhipatis, the phrase that they belonged to the 'drAviDa brAhmaNa' class is seen. That is, several AchAryas who adorned this PITham belonged to the class of Dravidian brahmins. A doubt that only UrdhvashikhA brAhmaNas are the Dravidian brahmins, arises here. And a deep thought that may be because of that shrI PeriyavA asked for arranging the bhikSha of the Chozhiyas.*
About Appar in (a)Hagari
In the place called Hagari (actually Aka-hari--pApanAshini; aka means pApam--sin and hari is to destroy it), on the banks of the river, in the campus of a temple that was newly being constructed, shrI PeriyavA was staying for sometime.
At that time, shrI PeriyavA asked his adhyanta shiShya--close disciple, Dunlop KRShNan to read out DevAram and was listening to it. The 'mUvar DevAram'--DevAram of the three saints, is voluminous, would take a few days to be read out. Staying there, Dunlop KRShNan was reading it out to shrI PeriyavA.
Appar (SvAmigaL) attained mukti on the day of the Sadaya nakShatra in the month of Chittirai (Chaitra). The place he attained mukti is TiruppugalUr.
shrI PeriyavA spoke about this: "You know it? For Appar, mukti was in TiruppugalUr. Appar entered the garbhagraha--sanctum sanctorum. Then he did not return. This everyone knows. But then there is one thing that is not known. SvAmi (Shiva) came as singam--lion, and avarai appaDiyE kaDiththu sApTuTTAr--ate him up by gnawing (underlined is the word PeriyavA used). NAvukkarasar said, 'appanE--Father, it is painful to me'. SvAmi said, 'appanE, you taste sweet to me.' (It is known that behind the Shivalingam in the garbhagraham there was a bas relief that showed this, and that this was removed in the recent times). In the TiruppugalUr patikam too Appar addresses SvAmi as 'singamE--O Lion'. These two are the AdhAra--support for this happening."
(After I returned home, I checked Appar's TiruppugalUr DevAram--Third TirumuRai, 99th Patikam--TiruppugalUr ThiruththANDagam--the second pAsuram in the patikam that starts with "eNNukOn').**
அங்கமே பூண்டாய், அனலாடினாய், ஆதிரையாய், ஆனிழலாய், ஆனேறூர்ந்தாய்,
பங்கமொன்றில்லாத படர் சடையினாய் பாம்பொடு திங்கள் பகைதீர்த்தாண்டாய்,
சங்கையொன்றின்றியே தேவர் வேண்டச் சமுத்தினஞ்சுண்டு சாவா மூவாச்,
சிங்கமே உன்னடிக்கே போதுகின்றேன் பூம்புகலூர் மேவிய புண்ணியனே.
a~ggamE pUNDAy, analADinAy, AdiraiyAy, AnizhalAy, AnERUr~ndAy,
pa~ggamonRillAda paDar chaDaiyinAy pAmpoDu ti~ggaL pakaitIrttANDAy,
cha~ggaiyonRinRiyE dEvar vENDach chamutthina~jchuNDu chAvA mUvAch,
chi~ggamE unnaDikkE pOdukinREn pUmpugalUr mEviya puNNiyanE.
I have not heard about this matter or read it anywhere. Apart from the two above references, only shrI PeriyayA's vAk--word, is the third AdhAram--support.
When the Sambandhar DevAram was read, it came to be known that he belonged to the KauNDinya gotra. Looking at me shrI PeriyavA asked, "What gotra yours?" I said, "KAshyapa gotra."
I contempted it well as to why he should have asked me this question at that time. I belong to a family of the UrdhvashikhA--frontal tuft class. The brahmin subcaste known as ChozhiyAL today.
I got the anumAnam--inference, if shrI JnAnaSambandha MUrti svAmigaL too was of the Chozhiya brAhmaNa class.
About Max Muller at MahAgaon
A village named MahAgaon is in KarnATaka. One should go in a bus from Gulbarga (to reach it).
When shrI PeriyavargaL was there, I went to the place and had darshan of him. 1982 or 1983 is my memory.
When I went there, shrI PeriyavargaL was talking about shrI VidyAraNya:
"shrI VidyAraNya has done bhAShyam--commentary, for all the four Vedas. A German called Max Muller has also done bhAshyam. Further, several Western scholars have written about the Vedas in their books. Vedas is one of shabda-pradhAna--chiefly voice-activated; not artha-pradhAna--meaning-activated. There is no nyAyam--reason, for this to be known to the Western philosophers. Still, those people, showing shraddha--sincerity in the subject of reading the Vedas, being inclined to read them and know their contents, and as required for such task, doing vRtti--expansion of their knowledge in our SaMskRta-bhAShA-jnAnam and the culture of our desham--country, have written their books. There are many of these books. Depending on the cultural background of each, there would be differences in their way of understanding the Vedas and the ways and means they wrote in their books about their understanding.
"Since there are lots of (vital) differences between shrI VidyAraNya BhAShyam and the contents of the topics these occidental philosophers wrote, if the task of bringing out the Gloss in the Vedas from shrI VidyAraNya BhASha is done, doing the related research with our scholars, and giving them the necessary dravya--financial assistance, it would be very useful for our people. Two or three vidvAns--pandits must be assigned specifically for this task."
Accordingly, he was discussing it with shrI AnnAdurai AyyangAr, who was the Executive Trustee of the Veda RakShaNa Nidhi Trust, shrI C.R.SvAminAthan was the then Educational Secretary in the Central Government, and some others. (To know the exact meaning of the word 'Gloss' that PeriyavA used fluently, we people who had received the English education had to consult a dictionary). shrI PeriyavargaL asked C.R.SvAminAthan specifically, "Is there any scope for financial assistance from the Central Government's Education Department for such type of research?"
To that shrI SvAminAthan said, "There is. We are doing such financial assistance to the Benaras Hindu University, VArANasi."
It is known that as a result of this vivAdam--discussion, the VidyAraNya Trust must have been established.
VedaPATha Nidhi Trust
The material given here was not told me by shrI AnnAdurai AyyangAr:
When Periyavar was staying in MahAgaon, a few of his bhaktas--devotees approached him and sought his permission saying, "It is 75 years since shrI PeriyavA came to the PITham. With a view to celebrate it, we people would like to arrange for a Platinum Jubilee."
To that shrI PeriyavA said, "Oho! 75 years have passed since I came to the PITham? I was a small boy when I came to the PITham. At that time the Veda VidvAns in KumbakONam did poShaka of--nourish me. Even at that time they would have been of 70,75 years of age. All of them would have now gone to the paralokam--other world. Still, whoever has sought Ashraya--refuge of the VedaMAtA, should not stand before any other person folding their hands. In that respect, we are all duty bound to do upakAram--assistance, to the Veda vidvAns who have crossed 75 years of age. Of such Veda vidvAns, some might be in extreme shrama-dashA--difficult condition of life, in their old age. Maybe their sons and daughters are not in a position to look after them. Maybe their hand, leg or eye is not in svAdhInam--its natural power. In a condition of no upAdhyAya-vRtti--living by teaching, there would be shrama--difficulty even for the daily meal. For such people (who have crossed 75 years of age), if they are given at least 75 rupees per month, that itself would be the Platinum Jubilee for me."
Then he asked me, "On this subject, will your start a Trust, in contact with many people?"
"Whatever shrI PeriyavA's abhiprAyam--opinion, it can be done accordingly."
"Do it accordingly. Do you know Palkiwala of Bombay?
"Yes, I know."
"Make him the Managing Trustee. Two more people, Harish Mahindra and Mehta are there. Also make them Trustees. Make T.S.Santhanam in TVS, Madras also, a Trustee. You be the Secretary. Make immediate arrangements to establish this Trust. If money is taken from the Veda RakShaNa Nidhi (Trust) for this purpose, it would be dharma-virodha--in opposition to dharma. There should be no sambandham--connection, between this Trust and that. This is a kaingaryam--service, we do for the VidvAns who are of advanced age and in a state of not being able to do anything, after dedicating their entire lifetime to the study of Vedas and teaching it to others. This is not dole. They must be approached with bhaya-bhakti and the money given to them in vinayam--humility."
He immediately gave me leave to return to my routine.
After I had left the place and gone some distance, he sent word for me again. "If they are given 75 rupees it would only help them eat annam--rice. If 25 rupees is added and they are given 100 rupees, it would help them to pour some buttermilk over the annam and eat it", he said. What a compassion!
This is the story of the birth of the VedaPATha Nidhi Trust.
Note:
* MahAsvAmigaL explains in his exposition 'shrI Shankara Charitam' that except the subcaste VaDama among the brahmins, all other classes originally resided in the Dravida Desham.
** Can someone post the meaning of this Appar-Devara verse?
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
oTTiya pazhamum oTTAdha pazhamum: The solid and hollow fruits
author:....... Smt.LalithA RAman, Sainikpuri
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 120-122
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
Many days have gone by since this happened. Still it reamins unfading green in my heart and guides me until today.
My marriage was held in the year 1958. My hunsband was serving as a Captain in the Army. Since even after some years there was no putra bhAgyam--fortune of a child, for me, my mother took me to have darshan of shrI KAnchi KAmakoTi PIThAdhipati shrI Chandrashekara Sarasvati MahA SvAmigaL.
It was an evening time. shrI KAnchi MahA SvAmigaL was doing japam--litany sitting in his mena--palanquin. Some time passed by, and then Periyavar looked at as with limitless compassion. My mother did vijnApanam--addressed, my grievance to shrI Periya Periyavar. Taking an orange fruit from a plate nearby, MahA PeriyavA kept meditating, closing his two netras--eyes that were in blossom like lotus flowers, and rolling that fruit over those two eyes.
After sometime, he blossomed his eyes, gave that fruit to me and said, "This you take."
With great happiness I went home and took that fruit.
Years rolled by. My husband was serving as a Major in charge of guarding the borders. When he came on leave, we both went to shrI KAnchi MaTham to have darshan of shrI MahA SvAmigaL.
Evening time. Coming out of his room, that deity of compassion welcomed us with vAtsalyam--paternal love, looked at me with limitless abhimAnam--affection, and saying, "vAmmA kuzhandhE--Come, child! Come inside!", he took us inside.
Looking at my husband, "You are serving in the Army, right?", he asked, and my husband replied, "Yes, I am in Siliguri." Periyavar asked him, "Can you get oranges there? Will you send me a basket of them?" and this man said, "sari--okay."
shrI KAnchi MahA Periyavar looked at me and said, "There are two kinds in the orange fruit. You know it?" "I don't know", I said.
Periyavar said: "Two kinds are there in the orange fruit. One will be solid, stuck to its skin. And the other (as if keeping such a fruit in his hand, taking it to his ears and shaking his hand) will do kuDukuDu--rattle like this, without sticking to the skin. More than the fruit that sticks solid to its skin, only this fruit will be tastier and sweeter. Always keep this in mind."
Asking me to take a fruit in the beginning, and then many years later, saying "Only the hollow fruit is tastier" he made me realize a great principle of life. He taught me to remain unattached like the hollow fruit.
Saying, "vA ammA kuzhandhE", he made me his child. After myself becoming his child, where is the need of a child for me?
**********
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Experiences of ViShNupuram BrahmashrI G.VisvanAtha ShAstrigaL
author:....... His daughter Smt.MohanA PanchApakeshan
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 143-151
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
Compassion towards ThAtthA--Grandpa
When PeriyavAL was camping in Kollankode, he had convened a vidvat sadas--assembly of scholars, there. Since the shrImukham--invitation, came to our ThAtthA--Grandpa also, he had gone there.
Whatever else is not available for my ThAtthA in the morning, a cup of coffee was a must! But in ShrIMaTham there was no coffee supply. Strict niyama--regulations!
When ThAtthA was yearning for a cup of coffee, a man came and took him outside the MaTham and bought him a cup of coffee. Only then ThAtthA felt his life-force returning to his body!
ThAtthA went and sat in the Sadas. In a short while PeriyavAL came there. After doing namaskAram--prostration, to the sage, ThAtthA went near him. Looking at ThAtthA, PeriyavAL asked, "Had your coffee?"
What reply to give? ThAtthA was confused. With the remorse that no one present there took a cup of coffee except him, he dodged, "vandhu--that is, EthO--somehow, he gave me..."
"Only I asked him to give you", as PeriyavAL said, ThAtthA went melting in the heart!
PeriyavAL was very strict that the people in ShrIMaTham should not take coffee. Still, some sippantis--staff members, had been drinking coffee. Since it would be difficult for them not to have a cup of coffee, for the Pandits who came to have darshan in small villages, with compassion, PeriyavA would arrange for supply of coffee to them.
*** *** ***
In those days, if it was PeriyavAL yAtrA--tour, a large rAja-parivAram--royal entourage, would go with him. Three elephants, five horses, twenty-two closed carts, fifteen cows, two riding horses (of which one was black and the other panchakalyANi--horse whose feet and face are white), two tonga horses, and in front of the savAri--ride, the tiruchchinnam--trumpet, will move making a loud noise. uLpArA--inner circle guards, five men and veLipArA--outer circle guards, five men. Apart from them, several people as Veda Pandits, aNukkat-thoNdarkaL--personal attendants, a manager, the kazAnA--treasurer, notables, and mELa-thALam--drum and long pipe.
If it is PeriyavAL vijayam--tour, the entire town will be allolakallola--in clamour. Now, that wonderful sights are to be seen only through the mind's eye.
*** *** ***
In 1940, PeriyavAL did vijayam to ViShNupuram, finishing his KAshi yAtrA. When PeriyavAL was going on savAri, as a notable approached him and uttered as SAmi ShAstrigaL, the name of the guru who taught PeriyavAl, PeriyavAL in great anguish kept asking him again and again: "enna sonnE--what did you say? enna sonnE--what did you say?"
That bhakta--devotee, was restless thinking: 'What apachAram--improper conduct, did I display? PeriyavAL is writhing in such pain?'
PeriyavAL told him, "What do you know about him? Even I have not uttered his name; only as ViShNupuram ShAstrigaL I would refer to him." Such respect for his guru!
Isn't this a kindly advice not just to the devotee, but to us also?
*** *** ***
In order to take classes for shrI PeriyavAL, ThAtthA was given jAkai--residence, in the house adjacent to ShrIMaTham in KumbakONam. My father too would go frequently and stay there.
On the open terrace of the MaTham, there were pipes to drain the rainwater. When it rained, PeriyavAL (in his boyhood) would go to the open terrace along with my father. And they both would plug the pipelines and play in the water that stagnated there! If it rained when the sun was shining, PeriyavAl would get wet in the rain, shout, "GangA snAnam... GangA snAnam!", dance and feel happy!
*** *** ***
"I want to perform panchAyatana pUja", my father prayed to him in his ViShNupuram camp. Since the pUjA mUrtas--images, such as SAlagramam, BANam, Sphatikam were not available then, the anugraham--favour to send them after reaching KumbakONam was given.
When KumbakONam was reached, the pUja mUrtas were given to a sippanti with orders to deliver them to ViShNupuram.
"In whose house to deliver?"
"Deliver it to the gRuham--house, where I am present!"
The sippanti had climbed up and down the steps of each house in the ViShNupura AgrahAram, but could not apprehend (the location of the house). As he came to our house and peeped in, he sat on the thiNNai--raised portico, with fullness of heart.
My father who came out asked him, "enna samAchAram--what news?"
"PeriyavAL asked this pUja (box) to be delivered to you."
"To me?"
"Yes, without specifying the house, he asked me to deliver it at the house where he was present. I saw PeriyavAL's portrait, plainly visible before the eyes, in the sloped front courtyard. Since he is present here, I understood that he wanted me to deliver it to this house. Here, the pUjA box."
We never had any doubt that PeriyavAL has always been residing in our house.
*** *** ***
A dhanavat--wealthy man, had great bhakti--devotion, in PeriyavAL. He came to IlayAttankuDi for darshan. He brought two wooden boxes full of apples and placed them before PeriyavAL. PeriyavAL too had a glance at the boxes and then went inside.
As the Dhanvata was saying to the shiShyas--disciples, there, "I have bought these apples for PeriyavA. You peruchchALis--bandicoots of the MaTham don't devour and empty them", PeriyavAL had arrived, receiving the words in his ears. But he did not give a hint that he heard those words.
Some Nari kurava--gipsy, families had pitched a tent in the place and were staying at that time.
On the evening the apple boxes came, PeriyavAL sent word for the boys of the Nari kurava families and gave each one of them an apple, and that in front of the Dhanvata!
Dhanvata's face showed his distress.
"I too am a peruchchALi--bandicoot, in the MaTham", said PeriyavAL.
The Dhanvata was stunned as he realized his mistake. Then he sought pardon.
The same Dhanvata, on another occasion, bought a plenty of muNDus (dhotis) from KeraLA and submitted them.
"Why so many?"
"For the sippantis of ShrIMaTham."
From them, PeriyavAL asked six dhotis to be drenched in kAShAyam--saffron dye.
The Dhanvata could not understand the reason.
"Two for Anjaneya (an ascetic who stayed in the MaTham then)! Two for Pudu PeriyavAL, and two for me! We too are the sippantis of the MaTham!"
As PeriyavaL uttered these words, the Dhanvata went mellowing and happy in the heart, realizing the sage's simplicity, bounds of which could not be discovered.
*** *** ***
PeriyavAL had great interest in ShrImad BhAgavatam. Once, RAmamUrti Aiyar reading BhAgavatam, PeriyavAL was doing shravaNam--listening, of it.
At that time, NeeDAmangalam shrI KRShNamUrti ShAstrigaL who was prabala--famous, for his BhAgavata pravachanam--exposition, came there and informed the sage that he has returned after doing BhAgavata upanyAsam in Delhi.
"The VidvAns came and listened to it?"
"They came."
"What did they say?"
"One VidvAn said, 'If the rAsa-panchAtyAyI was not there in it, ShrImad BhAgavatam would be a great grantham--book'".
Smiling slightly, PeriyavAL said, "Only after doing paTana-shravaNa-mananam--reading, listening and reflection, of the rAsa-panchAtyAyI, I decided that saMniyAsam was siddha--accomplised, for me!"
Doesn't this look like a slight reproof to those who do pravachanam just by prattling without understanding the principles?
*** *** ***
PeriyavAL had done vijayam--toured, to ViShNupuram, some seven or eight times. He had stayed there during important occasions such as Shankara Jayanti and NavarAtri.
On the entrance point to our village, in the streets and in road junctions, we would set up ornamental arches and welcome him. Select GItA shlokas would be written in large letters on those arches.
As PeriyavAL came in his mEnA--palanquin, he could not have a glance at what was written in the thaTTis--plaited banners. After the puja was over at night, he took a petromax gas light with him and walked down reading the verses one by one. A pricking sensation in our hearts, who selected the GItA shlokas. If he would appreciate them, or chide us?...
Finally he said, "All very good! You people have mentioned as to how I should be."
It was a fact that as we heard this, we were restless at heart. But then we understood that it was not an accusation that was done AropaNam--imposed, on us. We understood the truth that it was only a svaya-vimarshanam--self-criticism, done for vEDikkai--fun. The magnanimity to do self-investigation!
**********
-
Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
LakumikarA--what is the meaning?
author:....... Dr.R.KrishNamUrti ShAstrigaL, Chennai-4
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 155-171
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
pages 155-160
Greatness of AmbAL
AmbAL, Shiva--although these are of the same tattvam--principle, more than Shiva, to AmbAL--to Shakti--is the greatness; this BhagavadpAdAL explains in his 'saundaryalaharI' stotram. In its first shlokam--verse, his saying that without Shakti, Shiva cannot budge an inch--is it adhishayokti--techinique of exaggeration? or is it real? PeriyavAL asked this question about twenty years back. (see note 01)
Everyone had settled down, getting ready to begin the aniversary celebrations of the SaMskRta SAhitya PariShad. When PeriyavAL came to the stage, his AjnA--orders came forthwith to bring shrI RanganAtha ShAstrigaL from ChinnakkAnjchi. The AjnA was for him to commence the celebrations. And then as PeriyavAL did nirbandham--insisted, that he speak a few words at the commencement of the SabhA, ShAstrigaL said, "It is very ashaktam--unable, for me; can't say anything."
shrI PeriyavAL told him, "Say that very sentence", and then prompted him with a blessing, "say only the shlokam 'shivaH shaktyA yukto'".
This is an explanation that PeriyavAL gave in upadesham--teaching (on that occasion for the verse). "In shrI Rudram, 10th anuvAkam, comes the mantra
या ते रुद्र शिवा तनूः शिवा विश्वाह भेषजी ।
शिवा रुद्रस्य भेषजी तया नो मृड जीवसे ॥ १०.२ ॥
yA te rudra shivA tanUH shivA vishvAha bheshhajI |
shivA rudrasya bheshhajI tayA no mR^iDa jIvase || 10.2 ||
[Rudra! That which is your auspicious form, auspicious as the universal panacea for all ills, auspicious as the bestower of (knowledge and realisation of) Your Rudra form—with that make us live in happiness.--Tr.SvAmi KRShNAnanda]
"This shloka that says 'shivaH shaktyA yukto', remains as the vyAkhyAnam--exposition, as the veda-mUla-pramANa--Vedic evidence, for the above mantra; therefore, this is not just stuti--eulogy, but only the truth.
"Hey Parameshvara! As a mangaLakara--auspicious, part (half) of your body, as the eternal panacea that cures everyone, even you of your viSham--poison, remains the Shakti known as UmA; only because of her you live." The SabhA was immersed in surprise at PeriyavAL's explanation.
"For the above mantra in the VidyAraNya BhAShyam, for the root word 'jIvase', the meaning, 'By that Shakti you should help us live; and you do help us live' is given in a casual manner."
That shrI PeriyavAL, using just the meaning of the root word ('jIvasa'), explained this mantra as the mUla-mantra--root mantra for the 'saundarya laharI' (verse), goes to prove that he is himself a Shiva avatar!
Three nATakas--plays, three bhAShyas--commentaries
In KAnjchi MaTham, PeriyavAL one day asked me, "Do you know that in the same way that Adi Shankara's prasthAnatrayam (sUtra bhAShyam, gItA bhAShyam, upaniShad bhAShyam) is excellent, the nATakatrayam (vikrama UrvashIyam, mAlavikAgnimitram, abhijnAna-shAkuntalam) is excellent?"
"No, I don't know", I said.
"Do you know the mangaLa shlokas of the three nATakas--plays?"
Saying, "Two I know, one is not in memory", I recited the shlokas of 'shAkuntalam' and 'mAlavikAgnimitram'. The meaning of the shloka (in the play 'shAkuntalam', verse and translation added--sd) is as follows:
yA sRShTiH sraShTur AdyA vahati vidhihutaM yA havir yA cha hotrI
ye dve kAlaM vidhattah shruti-viShaya-guNA yA sthitA vyApya vishvam |
yAm AhuH sarva-bIja/bhUta-prakRtir iti yayA prANinaH prANavantaH
pratyakShAbhiH prapannas tanubhir avatu vas tAbhir aShTAbhir IshaH ||
--abhijnAna-shAkuntalam, Act 1, verse 1
(That visible form, viz. water) which (was) the first creation of the Creator; (that, viz. fire) which hears the oblation offered-according-to-rule; and (that visible form, viz. the priest) which (is) the offerer-of-theoblation; (those) two (visible forms, viz. the Sun and Moon) which regulate time; (that, viz. ether) which perpetually pervades all space, having the quality (sound) perceptible by the ear; (that, viz. the earth) which they call the originator of all created-things; (that, viz. the air) by which living beings are furnished with breath may Isha [the supreme Lord Shiva], endowed with [manifested in] these eight visible forms, preserve you!--Tr.Monier Williams
The meaning of the other shloka (in the play 'mAlavikAgnimitram', verse added--sd):
ekaiShvarya-sthitatopi praNata-bahuphalo yaH svayaM kRttivAsAH
kAntA-saMmishra-dehopya-viShaya-manasAM yaH purastAdyatInAm |
aShTAbhiryasya kRtsnaM jagadapi tanubhir-bibhrato nAbhimAnaH
sanmArgAlokanAya vyapanayatu sa nastAMmasIM vRttim-IshaH ||
--mAlavikAgnimitram, opening verse
"Although filled with excellent wealth, still wearing only an elephant's skin; although having a body merged with his wife's, still invisible even to the complete renunciates; although pervading the entire universe and wearing it through his eight bodies, still without any pride;--may that Parameshvara remove the tAmasa--gross thoughts from our mind, so that we can see the sanmArga--right path.--Tr.by the author"
PeriyavAL, saying, "I shall tell you the mangaLa shlokam of 'vikramorvashIyam', recited the shloka and gave an adbhuta--marvelous, explanation (verse added--sd):
vedAnteShu yamAhurekapuruShaM vyApya sthitaM rodasI
yasmin-Ishvara ityananyAviShayaH shabdo yathArthAkSharaH |
antaryashcha mumukShumirniyAmita-prANAdibhir-mRgyate
sa sthANuH sthira-bhaktiryogasumamo niHshreyasAyAstu vaH ||
--vikrama UrvashIyam, opening verse
1. "In the first pAda--quarter, which says, 'One who is mentioned in the VedAntas as the jagat-kAraNam--cause of the universe, and is vyApaka--pervading the bhUloka-devaloka--earth and heaven', the first chapter of the (Brahma)SUtra-bhAShyam will be included. In the SUtra-bhAShyam, the prathamAdhyAyam--first chapter, only talks about the samanvaya--conjunction, of the VedAntas in the jagat-kAraNa-vastu--entity that is the cause of the universe?
2. "In the second pAda, which says, 'to whom the word Ishvara is the most appropriate and filled with meaning', the second adhyAyam of the SUtra-bhAShyam will be included. What AchAryAL (Shankara) in the second adhyAya--chapter, rejecting all the AkShepaNas--objections, to the principle that for the sarva-vedAntam--all VedAnta, the samanvaya--conjunction, is only with the One Ishvara, did sthApana--maintained, that the VedAntas only explain the One ParamporUL--Brahman, KalidAsa has abstracted in this second pAda--quarter.
3. "The third pAda that 'one who is sought by those who desire mokSha--liberation, in dhyAnam--meditation, controlling and shrinking the prANA-pAnAdi--breath and drinking/food', is the sAram--essence, of the SUtra-bhAShyam's third adhyAya. Aren't there in vistAram--elaboration, the upAsanAdi--intense practices, that are mokSha-sAdhana--means of liberation explained in detail?
4. "The fourth pAda that 'which parampoRuL--Brahman, that is nirvikAra--changeless, and is easy to attain by bhakti--devotion, may that Ishvara grant us mokSha', is the sAram--essence, of the SUtra-bhAShyam's fourth adhyAya. Thus, the four adhyAyas--chapters, of the SUtra-bhAShya and this shlokam are in samam--on par!
"When doing pUrti--completion, of these nATakas--plays, KalidAsa prays for his mokSha (in the concluding shloka of abhijnAna-shAkuntalam, thus):
"pravartatAM prkRti-hitAya pArthivaH
sarasvatI shrutamahatAM mahIyatAm |
mamApi cha kShapayatu nIlalohitaH
punarbhavaM parigata-shakti rAtmabhUH ||
"May the king strive for the welfare of his people. May the language (of Goddess SarasvatI) that stays great by the Vedas flourish. May Shiva, called NIlalohita, who is a svayambhu--appeared on his own, remove my rebirth too."
"In such manner, has he has summarized mokSha--liberation, as the final lakShya--goal, of his nATakas--plays! Therefore, KAlidAsa's nATakatrayI looks like the prasthAnatrayam.
Notes:
01. saundarya laharI, verse 1
shivaH shaktyA yukto yadi bhavati shaktaH prabhavituM
na cedevaM devo na khalu kushalaH spanditumapi |
atas tvAm ArAdhyaaM hari-hara-viri~nchAdibhir api
praNantuM stotuM vA katham akR^ita puNyaH prabhavati || 1 ||
Lord Shiva, only becomes able,
to do creation in this world,
along with Shakti.
Without her, even an inch he cannot move;
And so how can, one who does not do good deeds,
or one who does not sing your praise,
become adequate to worship you
Oh, goddess mine,
who is worshipped by the Trinity.
--tr. P.R.Ramachander
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
pages 160-165
Removing the distress of hunger
'Compassion' will benefit many people in many ways. PeriyavAL's kAruNya--compassion, is like a mother's affection. No one should wither due to hunger. Some incidents about his feeding people who came to him, specially the Veda pandits.
(a) On the day of 01.01.1977, it was VaikuNTha EkAdashi. Myself and shrI KRShNasvAmi aiyar had gone to SivAsthAnam to consult PeriyavAL about printing certain Veda books. The time was morning six-thirty. The sight of shrI PeriyavAL starting and leaving, with a daNDam--staff, and a small kalasha--waterpot. As we told him about the subject of our coming there, he asked us to accompany him with a gesture of hand.
We started with him. We learnt that since it was the day of VaikuNTha EkAdashi, the uddesham--intention, of the departure was to go to all the PerumAL temples in ViShNu, Shiva kAnchi and have darshan. We walked.
Even before crossing the Veda PAThashAla in the YAnaikaTTi street in ChinnakAnchi, since we were having darshan in all PerumAL temples in every nook and corner, (and since my walking habit was much less), myself and KRShNasvAmi aiyar who accompanied me, sat for resting on the thiNNai--raised portico, of a house.
In a short while, an aNukkat-thoNdar--personal attendant, of PeriyavAL came running towards us and said, "Are you KRShNasvAmi ShAstri? PeriyavAL asked me to tell you:
'For him kAlshramam--can't stand exertion of legs. You go look for him, ask him to take AhAram--food, in svakAlam--proper time, at the PAThashAla, and stay at ShivAsthAnam. After I return, the subject of printing the Veda books can be discussed.'"
Can the measure of my going melting at heart then be spoken? Accordingly, we took our AhAram at the PAThashAla and took rest at ShivAsthAnam.
Finishing his PerumAL darshans, shrI PeriyavAL returned to ShivAsthAnam at three in the afternoon with a mandahAsam--smile, looking as fresh as he was when he started in the morning. Forthwith he called us, and gave suggestions about printing the Veda books in the grantha lipi.
(b) VyAsa-pUjA day, somewhere near (the village) Orirukkai. Flooded with a large crowd of people. Some of us were with PeriyavargaL.
This is what to a staff member of ShrIMaTham did PeriyavAL say: "A large number of people have come. They have the intention to take AhAram--food, after my VyAsa-pUjA is over. But then, their hunger can't withstand until then. Watching the puja after taking food also won't appeal to their minds. So to everyone, cook saltless rice, keep it in a tAmbALam--large salver with sloping rim, and distribute to them. This won't be a pAthakam--hindrance with adverse effect. Otherwise, they will suffer much."
In a short while, (saltless) curd rice was ready in aNDAs--large bronze containers. Everyone asked for it and ate. Then was the VyAsa-pUjA held until four in the evening, with a divya darshan for everyone!
What kAruNyam!
(c) Wherever the place (even a poTTal grAmam--(Tamil)barren village), whatever the time, even late in the night, whoever came to shrI PeriyavAL's mukhAm--camp, he would order his sippantis--staff members, to prepare food and feed them. Without letting it go there, he would call those sippantis one by one in private and asking him, "What AhAram did you cook and feed for those who came?"--such fairness is unique for PeriyavAL.
(d) To the children who were learning the Vedas, PeriyavAL's motherly affection is matchless.
On serveral occasions he would ask the rich devotees who came to him, "Will you do a favour for me?"
"My bhAgyam--fortune."
"Prepare sweet and savoury bhakShaNas--refreshments for the children in the Veda PAThashAla at the YAnaikaTTi street, go and distribute them to the children yourself."
Later, after some days, when those children came, he would ask with concern, "Was the bhakShaNam given that day? Did you have it?"
(This is a great revolution by PeriyavAL at the time when it was said as a proverb that the rotten banana fruits which a cow won't take was for the boys of the Veda PAThashAla.)
Wherever ShrIMaTham camped, as per PeriyavAL's orders, specially in the summer months, like the thaNNIr pandhal--charity of water at public places, he would be giving diluted buttermilk. In visheSham--distinction, the scene of PeriyavAL sitting in a hut on the bank of the PAlAr river in the Orirukkai village during a hot summer and distributing diluted buttermilk to those who came, can't be described in words.
Loka kAruNyam
It is a sarva-sAdhAraNa--quite common, scene that the bhaktas--devotees, who came for darshan, telling him their shortfalls and sufferings repeatedly and praying 'PeriyavAL should do the anugraham--favour'. Those who have darshan of PeriyavAL and return without asking him anything are very very rare. In such a state, starting from the VishvarUpa Darshan at dawn every day, even if the devotees throng continuously for many hours thereafter and come to him in turn with their kaShTa-naShTa--pain and loss, with matchless patience, his listening to them and then giving them abhayam--safeby, raising his divya-karam--sacred hand,--who can explain that aruL--blessing?
(a) A PATTi--grandma, once in KAnchi MaTham told him repeatedly of her family squabble. The sippanti--attendant, who repeated the news so PeriyavAL could hear it clearly, slightly chiding her, told her in a loud tone: "PATTi, don't you have any other work? How many times should you repeat it?"
shrI PeriyavAL: "ENDA--hey, who is that? Why do you shout?"
"Some PATTi whoever. Simply repeats what she told many times over."
"What does she say, it's not falling in my ears, you ask her again and tell me", as PeriyavAL said this, what Anandam--happiness, for the PATTi!
(b) Sometimes he would prescribe the kaShTa-parihAra--atonement/remedy for the afflictions. Asking for the devotees' financial position, his orders will be for them to visit temples and bath in sacred water sources or do dAna-dharma--charity with money and food. One such incident.
A business pramukha--notable, came to KAnchIpuram, had darshan of MahA SvAmigaL and said: "My business is dull for so many days now. Several worries I have. Can't sleep at night. Can't withstand the mental agony. I require PeriyavAL's aruL--blessing."
shrI PeriyavAL, "Will you do one thing?"
"I am waiting to listen."
"On the night of paurNamI--day of full moon, as much as possible for you, keep looking at the pUrNa chandran--full moon, in the AkAsham--sky, and do dhyAnam--meditation, imaging that shrI KAmAkShi AmbAL is in that ChandramaNDalam--lunar region. All the worries will leave you."--(what compassion!!)
-
Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
pages 165-171 (concluding part)
samatvam--equality
Whoever the bhakta that comes to him, without looking at the distinctions of paNDita-pAmara--learned and rustic, rich and poor, jAti-matam--caste and religion, his pAngu--(Tamil)manner, of showering compassion to everyone is alAti--special.
"I am taking lessons in music. I need to sing before PeriyavA", a boy supplicated to him.
"sari--alright, sing."
"lambodara lakumikarA..."
singing this song, when the boy was uncertain about some words, PeriyavAL prompts him the right padas--words. Then he asked the boy, "LakumikarA--what is the meaning?" The boy could only blink.
shrI PeriyavAL said, "In Telegu, the word 'Lakumi' is a variation of the word LakShmI; the meaning is 'LakShmIkarA'--lustrous hands. Sing well". He explained and blessed the boy.
Appreciating good qualities
To proclaim a specific guNam--quality, pANDityam--scholarship in a man (even if it is of the size of a mustard seed), and specify it as mountainous, to him in front of others, is a distinctive nature with PeriyavAL.
(a) Guru ArAchanA day in KAnchi MaTham. shrI R.NaTarAja aiyar (Secretary, METTUr Chemicals) stands before him after the ArAdhanA is over, folding his hands over his chest, wanting to take leave. A crowd of people around.
PeriyavAL says: "You do a great upakAram--service, to the MaTham and to me. In addition to doing dhana-sahAyam--monetary assistance, from time to time, all that you did in vaibhavam--grandeur, for the Guru ArAdhanA! kShemamA iru--remain in prosperity." It's not an overstatement that NaTarAja aiyar went meling in the heart.
(b) One J.VenkaTarAma ShAstrigaL is my friend. A man of great vidvat--intelligence/knowledge. One day when he was coming, PeriyavAL spread both his hands, and lifting them above his head and asked me, "varAnA--is he coming?" I understood it as saying 'sumaithAngi--support stand, varAnA--coming?' and said yes. (The man who came was from a place called sumaithAngi). When he came, PeriyavAL told him, "You are much learned, a great paNDita--pandit", and proclaimed to the people around: "This one reads lots of books. Any book that he has not read is one that is yet to be printed! Which is why we refer to him as a real sumaithAngi."
How many mahAns could there be who thus applaud vidvAns--pandits, wholeheartedly? It came to my mind that on this subject, a RAjA--king, called Bhartruhari, has spoken in his book 'nIti shatakam'.
manasi vachasi kAye puNyapIyUSha pUrNA
tribhuvana mupakArashreNibhiH prINayantaH |
paraguNa parmANUn parvatIkRutya nityaM
nijahRuti vikasantaH santi santaH kiyantaH || 79 ||
Let us see how this verse remains as the very lakShaNam--expression, of PeriyavAL:
1. manas, vAchas, kAyam--mind, speech and action, all these full of holy nectar,
2. pleasing the three worlds with numerous actions of beneficence,
3. ever magnifying the minute good qualities of others, and
4. rejoicing and blooming with happiness at heart;
how many such PeriyavALs are there? Not an iota of doubt that PeriyavAL is one who matches all the four lakShaNas mentioned above!
paNDita svabhAvam--scholarly nature
Keeping himself knowing of all the guNAdhishayas--exceptional qualities, and svabhAva--inherent nature, resting with the various kinds of people who come to him, the pAngu--(Tamil)manner, of shrI PeriyavAL advising him or that society of it, even if its a somewhat undesirable svabhAva, is matchless.
(a) A conversation about the progress of the art of printing in these days was going on in KAnchi MaTham.
"In those days, all the people, paNDita-pAmara--learned and ordinary, would read the books in full, even through palm leaves, and educate themselves. These days even with the printing facilities having arrived and books published in nice forms, no one goes through them completely."
A question to me: "As the Golden Jubilee Issue of the Advaita SabhA, a pustakam--book, called 'AdvaitAkSharamAlikA' was published. You read the book?"
"I read some essays (in them)."
"pUrA paDikkalaiyA--not read it in full?"
"No."
"Would there be some panDitas--pandits, who would have read it in full?"
"It's not known to me."
Forthwith what PeriyavAL said: "If we send a mail enclosing the book, and tell them that for those who write back having read the book in full, a sum of rupees two hundred will be sent to them from the MaTham, perhaps they will all read it in full?"
My heart was sad listening to these words. "I shall read it in full as early as possible", was the only reply I could give him.
(b) Once in Tirumala, the Shukla-Yajur Veda jaTA(pATha) pArAyaNam was held. On completion of it, a Veda pandit came to PeriyavAL and said:
"In accordance with PeriyavA's abhiprAyam--intention, we did the pArAyaNam--chanting, well. It came to pUrta--completion, yesterday." He repeated this a few times. (This was because no sambhAvana--honorarium, was given there).
PeriyavAL said, "BhagavAn VenkaTAchalapati would have been satisfied. santoSham--happiness, for everyone."
"Should give me leave to return."
"Go and come back in kShemam--prosperity."
Then in a week, to that Pandit and others, PeriyavA sent the deserved sambhAvana--honorarium, to their homes through a ShrI MaTham pratinidhi--representative.
*** *** ***
PeriyavAL had visheSha kAruNya--special compassion, prIti--kindliness, towards the Veda paNDitas. Just their having memorized the Veda shabdas--Vedic accents and words, is the complete reason for adoring them. This fact has PeriyavAL stressed many times:
(a) Took place in KAnchi MaTham one day. PeriyavAL is asking: "The vaidikas who are the vAdhyArs--teachers,--do they know the artha--meaning, of the karmas they conduct?
"Some people think low of them that there is no use if the meanings are not known."
A mail for the MaTham came to him just at that time, and he asked the vilAsam--address, on it to be read out. The man who read it out, as he read the word PIN, PeriyavAL asked him, "You know what is PIN? Does the postman know (its expansion)? Does the postmaster know it"
The one who read the address stands speechless.
"Even if no one knows the meaning of PIN, once a number is written with the word PIN, the mail reaches its destination correctly, right?
"In the same way, if we recite the Veda mantras with their svaram--intonation, even if we do not know their meaning, the articles of our homam--fire sacrifice, would reach their destined devata. There is no necessity to know the meaning.
"But then I shall give you (the expansion for) what is PIN. It is 'postal index number'." PeriyavAL had known it!
(b) Some other incident. A vaidika sammelanam--meeting of Veda pandits, in KAnchi MaTham. PeriyavAL says to me: "Even some vaidikas are short of their AchAram--required rigours, and live as they like, so why should we honour them, some people ask. For me, the tIrmAnam--determined opinion, is that they must be adored, since the Veda mantras which are devatArUpam--divine form, reside in them."
(c) Guru ArAdhanA in Kalavai. On the evening of the first day, the brAhmaNas appointed for the ArAchanA have assembled. It is time for doing their parichayam--introducing them, to PeriyavAL. PeriyavAL comes.
Arriving at and standing near the stage adjacent to the place the Vaidikas are sitting, where an Asanam--seat, for PeriyavAL is arranged, he said, "when these many PeriyavAs are sitting on the floor, no need for an Asanam for me on the stage."
The Vaidikas went melting like heated sugar syrup.
**********
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
For Salim, a rudrAkSha mAlA
author:....... PoLLAchi JayammAL
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 172-174
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
The time when shrI PeriyavAL was giving darshan as a maunin--man in vow of silence, being carried in a chair (his mena?--sd). Myself and NAgalakShmI were walking in the queue along with everyone. A man who came behind us, saying, "As told by SAmi I have come", and joined his palms looking at PeriyavAL.
shrI PeriyavAL too, without looking at anyone else, looked at him keenly, and blessed him raising his hand.
I inquired him. He said his name was Salim and that he had come from KumbakONam. "SAmi said coming in my dream yesterday, 'Tomorrow is the day I get my kShauram--cutting hair. Come, see me and go back'", he said.
That was the vapana dinam--day of cutting hair. SannyAsins should have their muNDanam--head-shaving, once in two months on the paurNamI tithi--day of full moon. The custom in ShrIMaTham is to refer to it by the SamskRta term 'vapanam'. It is our custom to come only to witness it. But then I could not understand as to why he asked that Muslim bhakta--devotee, to come.
When I told NAgalakShmI about him, as he was telling me back, "His name could have been Chellappan; might have wrongly fell in your ears as Salim", that Muslim devotee was seen again.
He was wearing a rudrAkSha mAlA too. We inquired him again, "You are wearing rudrAkSham. They would not let you enter your mosque?"
"Yes, I am a Muslim; name Salim. I have seen SAmi three-four times earlier. Once when he gave me this rudrAkSha prasAdam, I asked him what to do with it. SAmi said 'It is to be worn on the neck, but then people who belong to your religion might object to it. So, keep it in a box'".
Deciding that I should wear what SAmi gave me only on my neck, I did so. Even when I went to the mosque for my prayers, no one blamed me, nor did any one ask me to remove the mAlA."
Who can know about shrI PeriyavAL's deivIka shakti--divine powers?
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
The good fortune of darshan
author:....... Pulavar Anu VeNNilA
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, pages 175-176
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
I, who was born as the daughter of a father soaked in nAstikam--atheism, until my twenty-third year of age, had known nothing about going to a temple. Later, when a great misfortune occurred in my life, I was left in a situation of living, wherein I got separated from my koNDavan--husband, and my mother-father. I sought refuge in an orphanage in another town, with my child. Unable to tolerate the injustice that was taking place there, I quit the orphanage. Although I had undergone the secondary grade teachers' training, working as a servant, slave, cook, caught in sufferings, knowing no way out, I was dissolving daily in my tears.
It was my habit to paste in a long notebook, the pictures of KAnchi Periyavar in different poses (those published in the weeklies and monthlies). One day I had a dream that shrI SvAmigaL was reposing in my home and that I was massaging his legs. From that day on, I had bhakti--devotion, towards him.
In one moment when I was in the peak of sufferings, I had sent my secondary grade teacher training certificate and shrI SvAmigaL's picture album to a shop that bought old papers. The shopkeeper sent back my certificate and the album thinking that I had sent them to him mistakenly. With the thought that this must have a reason behind it, I preserved them both carefully.
Within the next few months, there occurred a totally unexpected turn in my life. The bad one who was my enemy was punished and I had obtained relief from him. My brother in Chennai gave me support and shelter.
Thus after twelve years, I rejoined in the service of a school teacher. After fifty years of age, I became a graduate in B.Litt., and B.Ed. I have published many books; I do service participating in the works of many samUha-sEva--social welfare organizations.
Although I have had darshan of Periyavar only once or twice, I believe it wholeheartedly that today's life of mine to have been gifted to me by his blessings.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
ChakkaratthAzhvAr
author:....... S.TirunArAyaNan
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 188
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
A great misfortune occurred in the family of my eledest sister. A veda-vittaka--Vedas expert, advised me to do the ChakkaratthAzhvAr mUla mantra japam for one maNDalam--48 days, taking saMkalpam--vow. Accordingly, taking upadesham from the ChakkaratthAzhvAr sannidhi, from the next day, I started doing the japam at my aham--home, in our PerumAL sannidhi.
A refrigerator cabinet was there in front, at the place I was doing my japam.
The surprising thing was that while I was doing the japam, a inner feeling of shrI MahAsvAmigaL too doing japam would be visualized by me daily on the refrigerator door. When I heard that on the very day the maNDalam of my japam was completed, shrI MahasvAmigaL attained mukti, there was no limit to my sorrow. It is an irrefutable fact that he held on to his life only for me for the 48 days and attained God's feet after my japam was completed.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
A paramANu that came under the glance of MahA PeriyavAL
author:....... R.B.GopAlakRShNan
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 189-190
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
In the town of KavErippaTTaNam, adjacent to KRShNagiri in the Dharmapuri district, PUjyashrI Chandrashekarendra Sarasvati SvAmigaL was camping for a month in the year 1944. I was then working as the Postmaster of that town. I was among the general public, notables and government servants who were daily involved in SvAmigaL's daily engagements. Therefore, in addition to having a close connection with the kAryams--actions, of the MaTham, I also got the bhAgyam--fortune, of coming under the direct glance of PeriyavAL many times.
Later, after many years, when he was camping in a different place, and I had the bhAgyam of having darshan of him there, I was moving in the queue of a large crowd of people, to do namaskaram and take tIrtha-prasAdam. When my turn came, PeriyavAL who was giving tIrtham, in an expression of asking me something, looked at me shrinking his eyes. Understanding it, I informed him of having had my darshans at KavErippaTTaNam when I was the Postmaster of that town. Blessing me with his hand, PeriyavAL said with a smile, "bhAradvAja gotram?" Although all these things happened within two seconds, my happiness and rapturous shivers can't be contained in words.
This incident, although it flahsed in my mind often like lightning, I could not forget PeriyavAL's generosity. Thousands of people have darshan of him and do seva--service, to him. Still, as he saw me, his blessing me uttering my gotram--was it due to his supreme memory power, supreme dIkShaNIyam--divinity, or siddhi--spiritual accomplishment? Whatever it is, it can't be contained in words.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
PeriyavargaL pratyakSha deivam
author:....... 'kaRikAitthOli' KRShNamUrti
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 191-198
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
shrI MahA PeriyavargaL, shrI PudupperiyavargaL--both these AchAryas were camping in the Rameshvaram road, T.Nagar, Chennai. My age at that time was eight. Along with my father, I had gone for darshan.
MahA PeriyavargaL asked me: "You know what your ThAtthA--grandfather was?"
"PudukkoTTai Chief Court Judge KRShNamUrti aiyar", I said.
"You should come up like him", he blessed me. Since the time of my getting the ability to think, this was the first occasion I had darshan of him.
*** *** ***
When MahA SvAmigaL was in TenambAkkam, I was to go there. With me came my two friends, who were engaged in the sacred work of building the KarumAriamman temple in SAmiyAr ThoTTam, to seek his blessings.
I introduced them both to PeriyavargaL. They were VaiShNavas. He asked them, "Is the samashrayaNam done for you?" (Check http://www.saranagathi.org/articles/samasrayanam.htm for details).
"Is done".
"You know what is samashrayaNam?", he asked me.
"Don't know", I said.
"To do such kaingkaryam--service, VaiShNavas should get the anumati--permission from their AchAryas. Without that, it is not uchitam--proper, to get engaged in this." Saying this, he asked me, "Will you build a temple?"
What could I say? I did not reply anything.
But then, two months later, for some reason, those two people, resigned from their positions. They engaged me in that work and made me a secretary.
All Maha PeriyavargaL's anugraham. With donations, that temple was built at a cost of two lakh rupees, and the kumbAbhiShekam too took place in kolAhalam--grand fanfare.
Meantime, once I supplicated to Maha PeriyavargaL, "I am doing the koil kaingkaryam. Same way I should do kaingkaryam to PeriyavargaL too." He said, "Do it for AmbAL (KarumAriamman). It would be like doing it to me."
The very next day that temple kumbAbhiShekam was over, I resigned the post of secretary of the sacred works committee, came to PeriyavargaL and informed him. "You have the skill to collect?" he asked me.
What could I say! I just kept quiet without saying anything.
He gave me this order: "It's of much puNyam, if the cow is given AhAram--food, our ancestors and elders have said. Informing the neighbouring houses, you visit them, collect the peels of vegetables that get collected on Thursdays and Fridays, and bring them here. They can be fed to the cows." I continued to do that kaingkaryam for a long time.
Because of this, I had the bhAgyam to have darshan of PeriyavargaL every Saturday.
*** *** ***
Once I thought this way when I was going to ShrIMaTham. 'PeriyavargaL told me to become like my ThAtthA? He was a judge, whereas I joined a bank and came to practise in a different area of service?'
Isn't Maha PeriyavargaL a pratyakSha deivam--visible god! Whatever we think in our mind, even as we watch the TV to know things happening at a distant place, he would know it by his jnAna-dRShTi--prevision.
When I had darshan of PeriyavargaL that day, he said, "pEran enRAl ivanthANDA pEran--if it is a grandson, it is only this one. One who has the peyar--name, is pEran--grandson. Only his grandfather's name for this one. His thAtthA had alAti--distinctive priyam--love/fondness, for me. Wherever I was, he used to come and have darshan. In the same way, this one too. He is making his thAtthA's name and fame stand firm in time."
To the question I thought about when I was on my way here, PeriyavargaL has given an explanation. My mind was at peace.
*** *** ***
The epithet 'kaRikAitthOli' got stuck to my name KRShNamUrti in ShrIMaTham permanently.
After completion of three years of this kaingkaryam, in memory of it, we purchased nine pairs of vEshTis--dhoties, and submitted them. Examining them, PeriyavargaL inquired about the details. He asked us to first take a pair of dhoties and give it to a kOnAr--milkman. We went to his place and gave it to him saying, 'PeriyavargaL prasAdam'. With great humility, he bowed, joined his palms and received the gift with bhaya-bhakti.
Coming back to ShrIMaTham, we informed PeriyavargaL. Saying, "avan ippaDi vAnggik-koNDAnA?--Did he receive it in this manner?", PeriyavargaL precisely gestured it to us in action! We were surprised. For PeriyavargaL who was sAkShat GopAla, the meyppADugaL--manners and disposition, of the KOnAr, the go-pAlan--cow caretaker, of ShrIMaTham had been known. Also he had the simplicity to act it out like a child!
A Saturday. Arriving at Kalavai camp, we had darshan of PeriyavargaL. It was my custom to take Accountancy classes on Saturdays and Sundays in the MAmbalam Institute. As long as he was in Tenambakkam, it facilitated my taking classes. Since he had gone to Kalavai, I went with the thought it would be difficult to take the class on the next day. Isn't he an antaryAmin--the soul inside us? It seemed that he had come to know of what I was thinking! We could reach there only a bit late in the night. Before our arrival, PeriyavargaL had taken vishrAnti--repose, on a rope cot. Without knowing it we had gone a bit too close to him. He woke up hearing the noise.
"yAru--who is that?"
"'kaRikAitthOli' KRShNamUrti."
Taking a torchlight, PeriyavargaL shined it so his face was seen well in the light. We had a good and happy darshan of him.
"sari--Alright, you can get back to your place", he gave us immediate leave.
An assistant nearby said, "Tomorrow is only Sunday. They may stay here and go."
"Only Sunday is a day of rest for them; and only on that day pala jOli--many tasks", with these words he gave us his blessings and leave.
Since we started at dawn the next day, it was convenient for me to take the class. What to say of PeriyavAL's compassion!
*** *** ***
Pudu PeriyavAL told me that 'go saMrakShaNam--protection of cows' should be undertaken. Accordingly, with the four cows sent by ShrIMATham, the introductory festivities of the goshAla--cowshead at Old MAmbalam Shankara MaTham took place on Aug. 19, 1977, presided by the Chennai Governor PrabhudAs PatvAri. They appointed me as its founder and secretary. Growing quickly, that goshAla is now running with excellence, with fifty cows.
The feeding of vegetable peels to cows went on well for five and a half years. Later in 1989, I got transferred to Lucknow and moved away.
My eldest daughter, when she was a three year old child, contracted the disease septicemia and I admitted her to a hospital. The doctor said it was rare to survive that disease. He said that no food or medicine could be injected for that disease.
My father went to KAnchi and prayed to PeriyavargaL. Caressing his stomach, PeriyavargaL showed abhya-hastam and blessed us. From Salem, PuDu PeriyavargaL sent prasAdam through a disciple, asking us not to worry. The child survived, much to the surprise of the doctor.
Owing to the puNya-phala--fruits of good acts, of collecting the vegetable peels from many houses and feeding them to the cows upon PeriyavargaL's Ajna--orders, it is the satyam--truth/reality that we became vesels for MahA SvAmigaL's anugraham.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
A good heart
author:....... IrAsu, Chennai-61
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 199-210
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
Pages 199-204
An evening time. Maybe around six. PeriyavargaL sitting quitely in a corner at the KAnchi MaTham, with four-five people around him. Among them was a PATTi--grandmother, crossed sixty, who had done muNDanam--shaving, of her head, wearing a white cloth, curling it up over her head. I was too a witness there.
At that time in Tamilnadu, a scheme of granting financial assistance to senior citizens had been introduced by the then ruling party.
ParamAchAryar was talking to those who had come to have darshan of him. It could be seen that PATTi was anxious to tell him something. She was one who was staying in the MaTham for a long time.
"A viNNappam--supplication, to SvAmigaL", started PATTi.
"prachchinai--problem for you too?", as SvAmigaL asked her, encouraged by it, that PATTi said, "oNNumillE--it's nothing! It is said in the sarkAr--government, they give 20 rupees as penjan--pension, even for those who have no support in life."
"AmA, adhukku ennna ippO--Yes, so what?"
"That is, if I am recommended by the MaTham...I would get that money, won't I?"
"Would get it, sari--right, what grievances you have here?... You get your meals on time. They give you saris too; and there is place to stay. Beyond these, why money, for you?"
"That is, since it is obtained summA--ex gratia, so...", that mUdhATTi--old woman, dragged in hInasvaram--low voice.
"Look here! I am one who has no Adharavu--support, too! Somehow I remain in this MaTham in a corner. Shall we both apply for that pension?" Asking her in a prankish tone, PeriyavargaL laughed.
Hearing these words, PATTi blowed her head in shame.
To misuse government's ex gratia is a great sin is PeriyavargaL's opinion. It is that he explained to PATTi and to the others.
ParamAchArya continued further:
"At leasts for us we get food to sustain our life, a place to seek refuge against rain and shine, and clothes to cover ourself for honour. They have brought out the pension scheme only to help the really poor who struggle for these things. If I get it for you, won't the chance be lost to another--real, eligible, unsupported, aged man or woman?"
That PATTi, myself and the others understood SvAmigaL's lofty heart.
*** *** ***
A dharma-sankaTam!
A day several years ago (1989); could have been six in the evening. Sitting in ekAntam--privately, KAnchi Thava Munivar was giving darshan to devotees.
My elder brother Tiru.Sundaram who was earlier a Tahsildar in KAnchipuram and now a Sub-collector, and I are sitting for darshan. During the time this incident happened, my thamayanAr--elder brother, was serving as an official in charge of the welfare of the district backward people in TirunelvEli. His constraint was to have darshan of ParamAchAryAr and return to Chennai that same night.
Our turn of darshan in the queue came. As we got up after prostrating to SvAmigaL who blessed us with a blossoming face, and said looking at us, "In hurry? Can stay for sometime and go." Obeying his command, we sat in front of him.
SvAmigaL asked all the people who were about thirty in number and standing for his darshan to sit down, gesturing it with his hands.
KAnchi Munivar's glance came round and round in that small crowd. As he called a man sitting with bhaya-bhakti in a corner, the man got up. He had removed his shirt and tied it around his waist over his dhoti.
"Your name?" as Periyavar asked, the man said, "Murugesanunga--Murugesan, sir".
SvAmigaL: What is your occupation?
"payirth-thozhil--agriculture, SAmi".
"Lokaththukku sAppADu pODarE--so you feed the world", saying it with a laughter, SvAmigaL asked him to sit down. PeriyavargaL's eyes going round again, his hand pointed to another man. He got up and said that his name was MunuSamy and that he was working as a Revenue Inspector in Vellore.
"How would you serve the people?"
"I give people nilappaTTA--title deed to land, manaippaTTA--title deed to house-plots and other necessary certificates."
Suddenly looking at me, as PeriyavargaL asked, "What occupation you are in now?", I was shaken. Because I was then serving as the Assistant Manager of the Tamilnadu Consumer Federation. The chief duty of that post was to sell the liquor varieties from the godown to the retail liquor merchants. How could this be a podhujana sevA--public service? So with hesitation I told him, "I am serving as the Deputy Tahsildar in TASMAC". However (at that time my face was full of sweat) PeriyavargaL did not ask me to explain my work.
Then as PeriyavargaL's dRShTi--sight, fell on my elder brother sitting near me, he got up and said that through his office they arrange for free education, food and clothes to the backward people and that he was supervising the work. Informing him in addition that they also distribute sewing machines and coal iron boxes, he said that he was a Sub-collector.
Listening to this, PeriyavargaL said, "In this assembly, a Revenue Inspector who gives facilities to people, a Deputy Tahsildar and a Sub-collector have come. Then, what grievances can we have?", with a prankish laugh in his unique manner.
As for me I was very anxious. Any time SvAmigaL's sight might fall on me. How could I explain my work that only gives pAthakam--grievous sin, to people?
Under that circumstance, I prayed mAnasIkam--in my mind, 'SvAmigaLE! I no longer require to be in this job that I am doing it for the last three years. Kindly give me your grace to somehow get out of it.' SvAmigaL who has compassion, did not ask about my work.
Within a few weeks after this meeting took place, I was relieved from that post and was posted as a Deputy Tahsildar in the Collector's Office.
Although it was the Government that served me the transfer orders, there is no doubt that it was only SvAmigaL's good heart that gave the orders to the Government.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Pages 204-210 (concluding part)
How I escaped!
Although thirty years now, I cannot forget that incident.
It was election time! As the KAnchipuram District Collector himself had taken up additional responsibility as the District Cheif Election Officer, the entire office was engaged in serious, election-related work. The election was to be held on the day after tomorrow. Two or three IAS Officers had come from Delhi in order to accelerate the election work and supervise all work related to the parliament and assembly elections. Among those who came to KAnchipuram was this very honest, strict and straightforward man, who at the same time, was prone to short temper. He was from another State. As the Tahsildar in the reception committee, the responsibility of taking care of him was entrusted to me.
Within a short time after introduction, I understood about the qualities of that IAS Officer. Since he was accompanied by his wife and children, arrangements were made to accommodate them in the government Traveller's Bungalow.
That I should look to it so at any time the Officer who came for election work didn't get his 'mood out' was the advice given to me. I was also told that he could understand only a few words in Tamil.
The Election Supervisory Officer wanted to have darshan of MahA PeriyavargaL, with his family. I had taken them to the KAnchi MaTham. At the time we were there, MahA PeriyavargaL was doing japam. A man belonging to the MaTham spread a jamakkALam--blanket, on the floor in the hall, and the Officer sat on it with his family; I was standing near him.
After Periyavar started giving darshan, I took the Officer and his family near SvAmigaL. With KAnchi Periyavar sitting on a wooden easy-chair, in a small room, we were to have darshan of him from outside the door. MahA SvAmigaL was in mAuna-vrata--vow of silence, on that day. Asking some questions with gestures as was usual (at such times), he acquainted himself with the Officer who had come. Blessing them, PeriyavargaL gave prasAdam.
At the same time, an employee of the MaTham who was young and always short tempered, started shouting: "Whoever may he be! Is he a big komban--big shot! Rascal, how can he sit on my jamakkALam? The sanctity of the MaTham is lost. I am going to give a telegram to the President right today."
As his continued shouting was a hindrance to us, I felt much sankaTam--embarrassment, in my mind. In PeriyavargaL's presence, an employee of his shouting, is only disrespecting him? If that election Officer came to know that his sitting on the jamakkALam was the reason for that shouting, its consequencies would not only affect us but could go viparIta--awry/amiss, to the extent of his finding fault in our office work! What to do?
After shouting for a quarter of an hour, that angry young man left the scene. I prayed to PeriyavargaL within my mind: "SvAmigaLE! The reason for the youth's shouting shouldn't be known to the election officer, who knew only a little Tamil."
When we came out of the MaTham after finishing our darshan, the question that officer asked me was: "Who is he? Why did he shout? That, before the adorable SvAmigaL?"
I uttered a lie tactfully. "Today is the day of the new moon. That youth has some chitta-bhrama--mental disorder. As the warmth of the sun increases, it is his habit to shout at someone."
"O, is that so? Had you told me this earlier, we could have prayed to SvAmigaL for him too." These words he spoke to me in English showed his generosity.
SvAmigaL, known for discipline and order had heard this shouting. After everyone left having darshan that day, he not only called that youth and admonished him sternly but ordered that he should not enter the MaTham for three days!
I came to know of this news through another chippanti--staff member, when I went to the MaTham on the next day.
Although an intelligent and close disciple, if he behaves in an uncivilized manner unable to control his anger, he need must be punished. PeriyavAL, is a great NItiyarasar--king of justice!
*** *** ***
Unexpected!
About thirty years have passed.
I was then serving as a Revenue Inspector in the KAnchipuram Taluk Office. One day as my assistant told that the Tahsildar called me, I went in.
"SubrahmaNyan! Today the Endowment Board Commissioner is coming to KAnchi. He is a friend of our Collector too. So you should make arrangements for his darshan of KAnchi Periyavar."
After my contacting KAnchi MaTham office (and making the arrangement), the Endowment Board Commission (an IAS Officer) bowed to ParamAchAryar and sat before him at the appointed time. Along with the Commission, 15 officials of the Endowment Board too bowed and sat down.
With a blossoming face ParamAchAryar started conversing with the Commissioner. Their conversation was directed towards doing the sacred work of renovation in some small temples, and about some big temples where the kumbAbhiShekam needed to be done.
ShrI ShankarAchArya SvAmigaL generally had a custom. He would raise some religious questions towards the audience and seek their answers. When they were in a quandary, he would give the answers himself and immerse everyone in happiness. Perhaps PeriyavAL's object was that by thus asking questions and then answering them, the facts would stay unforgettable for ever in the listeners' minds.
On that day too KAnchi SvAmigaL raised a question. That to the Commissioner himself! "Can you say this? For three people who were born as human beings and attained supreme loftiness of state, the thErth-thiruvizhA--car festival, is held even today. Who are those three people?"
Although asked to the Commissioner, all of us including me squeezed our brains for an answer. Generally car festivals are held for gods; but then PeriyavA is asking about those born in the humand kind?
Smiling as he saw our quandary, PeriyavAL said, "I shall give five more minutes. Anyone can answer the question."
Five minutes passed and no one came out with the answer.
"paravAyillai--alright! No one need to trouble himself, I shall give the answers!
"A car in SrivilliputtUr to ANDAL who earned the name 'chUDikkoDuththa NAchchiyAr', a car to shrI RAmAnuja the VaiShNava founder, in SriPerumpudUr, and a car to shrI MANikkavAchakar in TirupperundhuRai are there. Every year, the car festival is being held grandly for these three people. If such small things are also known to you people it would be good, which is why I asked." He laughed like a child.
That laughter has stuck in my memory till now, like a nail driven onto a green tree.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Matured devotion towards Muruga
author:....... K.IrAjA, advocate, Chennai-78
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 211-214
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
Of one who is shining as paramahaMsa parivrAjaka mahAsannidhAna pUjya shrI Chandrashekara SarasvatI MahAsvAmigaL, and who taking avatAra in our sacred, BhArata desham, is adored by the world today, until today, and for ever, as a mahApuruSha--that the good fortune of aDiyEn--myself, receiving such KAnchi Periya Periyavar's blessings, is a puNya I have earned. As I think about my darshans of him over many years and receiving his blessings, it seems that I am having those darshans once again today.
There is one personal big aruL--grace, aDiyEn received from that Maha Periyavar. That was the pERu--good fortune, of having got the opportunity to converse with him in ekAntam--solitude for about 40 minutes. Not only could I never forget it, but even today its remembrance gets me into spiritual shivers. My memory is that it was in 1983 that the above incident took place when KAnchi Munivar was camping in Kurnool.
aDiyen had gone for the nyAyasthala--law court's cases. Finishing them, I came and along with my wife, had darshan of KAnchi Munivar and conversed with him. The moment he saw me, he asked about my native place, and for a kShaNam--second, "You are the ahamuDaiyAn--husband, of Tiruppazhanam brahmashrI PanchApakesha shAshtrigaL's pEththi--granddaughter?"--my wife's grandfather who was the harikathA kAlakShepa chakravartin--and followed it with the inquiry, my mAmanAr--father-in-law shrI T.P.KalyANarAma shAstrigaL--"what is he doing? He too is doing bhagavat kAlakShepam?" I could not contain my surprise.
Such power of memory filled me with surprise. After this, as I told him about me, I mentioned that I was involved in Muruga-bhakti since the year 1937; that my father shrI KandasAmi aiyar, right from his young age until his last days, was doing pUja anudinam--daily, at home for shrI SubrahmaNya svAmi; and that he asked us his family members to continue do the stotra.
In addition, I told him that in 1937 in Chennai KandakOTTam I listened to the speech given by shrI RAmalingam piLLai (a school teacher) on "paripUjita panchAmRta vaNNam" (composed by PAmban svAmigaL also known as shrIlashrI shuddhAdvaita Kumara GurudAsa svAmigaL); that I had prepared myself for a long time to sing that composition doing chandam--rhythm, of it in five paNNs--rAgas; that I had classified many years ago, these vaNNams and the tiruppugazh songs of aruNagiriyAr, in some anya tAlas--different musical beats; and that I was regularly singing them on public religious occasions.
PeriyavargaL listened to all that I said with great surprise, asked me to sing some portions of those vaNNams and listened to them, and wondered, "appA! The PAmban svAmigaL you talk about, why did not my SvAminAthan (mahAmahopAdhyAya shrI SvAminAtha aiyar) tell me about him? Let it go. Even JagannAthan (KI.VA.JagannAthan) did not tell me?" When I told them thereafter that PAmban svAmigaL also did seva--service, in KAnchipuram KandakOTTam", he said, "appA! That I don't know about. I was at that time in the KumbakONa maTham. I get immense happiness to listen to for the first time, all that you tell me about." How can that mahAn's simplicity and greatness be brought in words?
With his blessings, PeriyavargaL gave me a shawl and said, "appA! My name is also SvAminAthan only! My father's name too was SubrahmaNyam! Your father's name is KandasAmi. I have myself spoken about 'svAmi' being the special epithet of SubrahmaNya svAmi. You will shine as a good Muruga-bhakta!"
By that anugraha-phala--fruits of divine favours, until today, I am doing it on many occasions as sangIta upanyAsam, of the Tiruppugazh songs and chiefly the panchAmRta vaNNams, at PAmban svAmigaL's samAdhi at TiruvAnmiyUr and in other holy places of Murugan, without expecting, asking about or receiving any sort of pratiphala--returns, doing them all only for my Atma anubhavam. MurugA sharaNam!
(About shrI PAmban svAmigaL here: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/pamban_swami.htm)
**********
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Jnana Deepam
Author: P.M.Jayasenthilnathan, Kanchipuram (in Tamil)
Compiler: T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 66-72
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham
Jagatguru Sri MahaswamigaL is a God who took form and walked and lived among us in our times. He lived, shrinking his oon and swelling his inner light and poured on us the insatiable nectar of Ananda. Spending most of his time inside his 'mena' (palanquin), he served for the welfare of this world.
MahaswamigaL's power of memory is very big. It was his speciality to keep every little thing keenly in his mind and express it at the right time. We shall recollect an incident here.
This sage was a cherisher of nature and solitude. He liked staying in places such as open sheds and choultries, shades of trees and roadside places during his yAtrA.
He was touring in Andhra Pradesh state once. He stayed in a shed on the roadside. A devotee came in a car to have darshan of Sri Maha SwamigaL.
"My name is Kalyanam. I am appellate authority in the customs department. I belong to the Thanjai district. Lots of problems in my family; no peace of mind. Only Periyavaa should solve them. Which is why I have come for darshan."
Periyavar asked him to sit down and heard his family problems. Then, raising both his hands, blessed
and sent him, giving him a fruit.
One or two years passed. Spring came up in the life of Kalyanam. His problems were solved and peace returned. He came back to thank the sage, who was in his yAtrA at that time too. The man had darshan of PeriyavargaL on the way, lowered the burden of his mind on the sage's feet and stood happily.
"Because of PeriyavargaL my family lives in peace. I want to submit some offering to SriMaTham." PeriyavargaL laughed and said, "Need not offer anything now" and sent him. Kalyanam returned half-heartedly.
Several years passed. maha kumbhAbhiSekam arrangements for Thillai Peruman were being made.
I was asked to come to SriMaTham one morning. Thiru T.N.Krishnamoorthy, who was the SriKaryam of SriMaTham at that time, and I went and stood before Maha SwamigaL. Sitting inside his palanquin, he was giving us orders on the tasks to be done at the time of kumbhAbhiSekam, which included Tirumurai Music, Tirumurai Seminar, reciting Tiruvacakam completely, and the children of dIkSitAs reciting Shambhu Natana Stotra.
A man came. Periyavar asked him to sit with us. The man who had come was Kalyanam, the arbitrator.
Periyavar asked him, "You met me on this day at this place (giving him the details), you remember it?" The man was astonished. When reminded of his second darshan, the man somewhat recollected the details and nodded his head.
"Are you fine now? You wanted to give money to the MaTham! Can it be given now?"
"I shall give it now definitely, no problem," said Kalyanam.
"That money is not needed for the MaTham. It is kumbhAbhiSekam time at Thillai for Nataraja. I have instructed these people about the tasks needed to be done there. You give your money for those tasks and get them done. Let that money go to Nataraja. You discuss with them and come back."
The three of us came out, discussed the details and went back to him. Maha SwamigaL was also happy and bade us farewell with a smile.
To bring to memory in those few minutes, the details of a meeting that took place many years back, and fulfil at the right time a man's wish made long back, chanelling for service to Nataraja Peruman -- it only brings amazement to think about the loftiness of such act of blessing, such divine welfare and divine feeling.
*** *** ***
The prevision of knowing before it happens is a jnana puNya gifted to him. "maunam enbathu jnana varambu" -- 'silence is the boundary of knowledge' is the axiom of wisemen. To remain without speech is the border of knowledge. Maha SwamigaL was the book of silence. He did japam for an hour daily, remaining silent. That silence was total, with no stirring of a limb, like a log dropped on the ground--kASTa maunam. A timepiece would have been placed before him but that was just for its own sake, for when the sage finished his meditation and opened his eyes, a precise time of an hour would have passed. On occasions, this silence would continue for hours--even days. Only Shivam knew his cittam.
If it necessitated to communicate when he remained silent, he would do it using signs. He would also dissolve his silence and give his grace when a situation warranted it. Only his mind was the scale that decided what those situations were.
Another Incident
A school for the visually challenged, functions in Poonamalle. A teacher from this school came and had darshan of Maha SwamigaL who was then staying in Sivasthanam. He prayed to SwamigaL, "I am planning to bring the school children next Sunday to have Periyavar's darshan. Those children have no eyesight. So they can't have a darshan of PeriyavargaL with their eyes. So PeriyavargaL should talk to them a few words and bless them. I have come to inform this proposal, I want anugraham." Maha SwamigaL heard his words with his holy ears, that was all to it, and the man went away.
On the morning of the next Sunday, that teacher brought the visually challenged children for Periyavar's darshan, in a chartered bus, which was parked outside. An assistant of the sage said, "Periyavar observes silence since yesterday." That was all! There was no limit to the distress of the teacher. He cried openly and slapped his head. A sight that moved the onlookers.
"Alas! These children have no eyesight! They can't see PeriyavargaL! Only if a few words are spoken they could hear them and be happy. Even if Periyavar does not talk to us, we would have a darshan of him and go away. What would these children do? It was only for these children that I came last week and prayed. Now I have become a maha paavi who has disappointed them!" The teacher sobbed again and again.
An unexpected situation. PeriyavargaL came out from his room and signed to the teacher to stop his wailing. He asked for a wooden plank to be placed near the well and sat on it. His silence dissolved. He called each and every child near him, patiently inquired the name, place and the reason for the loss of vision, and blessed the child. The children had Periyavar's anugraham for a full hour. He gave a big plate of fruits, raisins and suger lumps to the teacher, asking him to distribute them to the children.
Everyone was immensely pleased with this anugraham. The teacher knew no bounds for his joy. He cried even now. Cried in distress earlier, in joy now.
Even today it overwhelmes the heart with joy to think about the incident when Maha SwamigaL appreciated the needs of the visionless children and dissolved his vow of silence to bless them with words--a silence that he did not give up even for President V.V. Giri or Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Maha SwamigaL is a jnana deepam that never goes off. Let us pray to the flame of light to guide us on our path.
Glossary:
Ananda - pure happiness
oon - (Tamil) meet, body
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
The Mystic Who Dazzled the Western Professors
author:..... Dr. Padma Subramanyam, 'Nrutyodaya', Chennai
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 231-235
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
A few years back some Russian and American professors, who came to Chennai, had darshan of Maha SwamigaL.
In the year 1987, Soviet Union celebrated the Indian Cultural Festival. It was my custom to write research papers related to our culture and tradition and show it to PeriyavargaL. We took one such blessed paper to hand over to Professor Ribekov, the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow. The only picture that adorned his room was of the Kanchi Periyavar! What wonder, he had not even seen SwamigaL in person until then. He said, 'When I come to Chennai--one, I should meet the Kanchi sage and converse with him and two, I want a valampuri shaN^khu (a conch with threads going clockwise)'.
After some years, Ribekov came to Chennai. We went to Kanchi with him. As we entered the MaTham, they said, "No darshan today, PeriyavargaL has fever."
The man who came with me had noted down the questions he had in his mind and were seeking answers for them. When it seemed that we would be disappointed, somebody came and told us, "Periyavaa asked me to bring you people to him." A crowdless, private darshan for us.
PeriyavargaL, who was lying down, got up and silently looked at the newcomer. Within minutes, tears of joy started issuing out of the man who came to meet the sage. No one talked, it was very silent. At length Periyavar himself talked to me: "Tell him to ask whatever questions he has to." Ribekov said, "I got the answers even without asking them." He could not get around to speak anything more.
PeriyavargaL: Though Sanskrit is seen mixed in the Russian language, is it there in the dialect spoken in the extreme north of that country?" Ribekov was taken aback. "It is true, it is not so," he said.
PeriyavargaL: Your country has the name Rishivarsham. The reason was, it was only there that Rishis like Yajnavalkya established a Vedic research centre.
The sage gave us many more such details and made us go ecstatic. When we took leave of him, Ribekov told the sage, "What should I do to become a Hindu?"
"Even without doing anything you are a Hindu."
Not satisfied, he said, "I would rather have a Hindu name." Looking at us and laughing, PeriyavargaL said, "With a white beard this man has the look of a Rishi. Let him have the name 'Rishi'." Ribekov was immensely happy. Rishi (Ribekov) has now started a branch of the Ramakrishna MaTham in Moscow.
*** *** ***
Professor Robinson was the President of the South Carolina University, U.S.A. He was trained in Greek philosophy.
A team of professors from many departments of some of the universities of the U.S.A. came to Chennai.
I told Robinson, "You must go to Kanchi and have darshan of Periyavar." That was all! His eyes blossomed. He narrated the wonderful story of their visit to Kanchi on the very same day. They roamed Kanchi in small groups, knowing nothing about Sankara MaTham or PeriyavargaL. Robinson and two others came accidentally opposite the entrance to Sankara MaTham. They entered, thinking it was a temple. He narrates what happened there, himself:
"The cot was a charpoy fitted with ropes. A man of matured old age was sitting on it. A large crowd around him. We did not understand anything. Suddenly a boy came running to us. 'Are you from America?' he asked us. Surprised, we said 'Yes.' There was absolutely no chance that anyone there would know us. The next question stunned us. 'Who is Professor Robinson among you? I have orders only to bring him to the sage.'
"I had darshan of Periyavar. He asked me to sit near him. That was all! I was not conscious of the passing of them thereafter!" Robinson was unable to continue talking, overwhelmed by tears of joy. I understood that the one who said it did not see and the only that saw it did not say.
(This same Robinson, when he came to the American Embassy in Chennai in April-May 1994, rang up Dr. Padma Subramanyam and inquired, "Is Maha SwamigaL fine?" When he was told that Sri SwamigaL had attained siddhi, he had asked, "Is it on January 8th or 9th?"
"How do you know it so correctly?" Dr. Padma had asked him.
Robinson replied in a voice choked with emotion, "On that day Maha Periyavaa gave me darshan (in a vision), said 'Goodbye' thrice and disappeared... If I told this news to anyone in our place, they wouldn't be able to understand it, which was why I couldn't verify it with anyone here.")
*** *** ***
The daughter of the RajaMata (queen) of Greece is now the Queen of Spain. Her name is Sophia. She had aparimita bhakti (limitless devotion) towards Kanchi Periyavar like her mother. The entire Royal family had surrendered to our Periyavar, considering him their divine guru. When the sage was in Uttara Chidambaram Satara for many months, Queen Sophia had come and stayed there for four days and had darshan. When we visited Spain some years after for a dance programme, Queen Sophia called us to her palace. We were immersed in a reception mixed with love and respect.
"How could a Chakravartini (Empress) like you stay in a hotel that did not even have a room with an attached bath?"
"We would even stay in a hut to have darshan of Kanchi Periyavar. I would walk on the street! Only when I have darshan of him, I really live my days. At other times, somehow I just breathe. All this environment is not permanent; only the joy of having his darshan is real and permanent."
It seemed to me more appropriate to call him JaganMata, rather than JagatGuru.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
'Stay with me!'
author:....... R.NatarAjan, TiruvaNNAmalai
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 215-220
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
I came to KAnchi in the year 1954 to serve in the KAnchipuram Municipality High School. A place that was strange to me. My father's maternal uncle was the mudrAdhikAri of ShrIMaTham in Chingleput; obtaining a letter from him I came to KAnchipuram. Going straight to ShrIMaTham, I met shrIkAryam shrI C.S.VisvanAtha aiyar. My age at that time was twenty-one years. I was very lean, wearing a four-cubit dhoti.
I stood before shrI ParamAchAryaL and bowed to him. As he had received information from the Manager, he asked me with compassion, "When are you going to report for duty? Where are you going to stay?"
"I am going to report today itself", I said and stopped there. Five minutes of silence. Then the uttaravu--orders, came: "You stay in ShrIMaTham. Except during the school time, be with me." There was no limit to my happiness: such a fortune?, I wondered.
Keeping my trunk and bed at one side in a room, and wearing the school dress, I did namaskAram to shrI MahA SvAmigaL. Raising his hand, shrI SvAmigaL blessed me, "You will be well."
Going (to school) at 7:30 every morning, I would be back at 5:00 in the evening. After that only shrI PeriyavAL seva--service. I was required to read the newspapers such as 'The Hindu' at night. At intervals, I needed to reply to the questions that PeriyavAL might ask me. He would ask me about the lessons I took in the class. It was a daily 'test' for me.
On the third day of my joining duty, an interview from the TamilnADu government came for me. The job was that of the 'kAdi inspector'. I was somewhat tempted (to take it). Had I gone to that job, I would have (now) retired in the minimum as a Deputy Director. How to inform this matter to shrI PeriyavAL? I told the Senior Manager, but he did not like my accepting the offer. That night with great apprehension I informed shrI ParamAchAryaL about this news. Looking keenly at me, he said, suddenly lifting his right hand, "You be here. You will be well." That was all, I did not inform anyone about the interviews that came thereafter. That single AshIrvAda--blessing, became the mUlakAraNam--root cause, of the distinction, fame and awards I obtained in my work as a school teacher.
For four years from 1954-1958, I had the fortune of serving shrI MahA SvAmigaL by staying near him. What affection! What compassion! What love! They can't be explained in words. He would call me only 'NatarAju' with affection. If it was 9 o'clock in the night, "pOy sApTTu vA--go have your meal", he would say. My meal was arranged in ShrIMaTham itself. The third kAla--session, pUjA on some days would start at 9:30 in the night and end at 11:00. Only a very few people would be present for the occasion, me among them.
1954 March 22. The dawn of the golden time of Shankara MaTham. Yes! The day my GurunAthar was elected MaThAdhipati and took charge. The day of distinction when the mere shrI SubrahmaNyan was crowned as the 69th PIThAdhipati of ShrIMaTham with a new nAmam 'shrI Jayendra Sarasvati'. When the festivity that took place in the SarvatIrtham was over, and both the PeriyavargaL were waking towards shrI KAmAkShi Amman temple, I had the rare fortune of conversing with shrI Jayendrar. What followed it? Only that I became one of the principal disciples of shrI Jayendra Sarasvati SvAmigaL, known as shrI Pudu PeriyavAL, which continues to date. Fifty years since I became a disciple: to say that I am the senior-most disciple can't be an overstatement.
shrI ParamAchAryAL shaped shrI Jayendrar for the new responsibilities with love, and strictness at the same time. When I was not with shrI ParamAchAryAL, I would be with shrI Pudu PeriyavAL. Until 12 or even 1 o'clock at night, we would converse about many things. Such an experience I got for 21 years. I consider this as a great fortune I got in my life.
*** *** ***
How many rare incidents when I was with shrI MahAsvAmigaL!
It was in 1963 I think. The camp was at Mylapore. Nearly, 10,000 people had come for the darshan. Finishing his puja, shrI Periyavar himself blessed the devotees with tIrtham. When a middle-aged woman stretched her hand to get the tIrtham, he said, "The child is crying. Go give back the chain and come", and said to me, "You go with her, get the chain from her, return it (to the owner) and then come back." I was greatly surprised. At a distance was a woman crying, her child at her hip. The woman I lead to her, took a chain from her lap and gave it to that mother. Limitless happiness on the face of the mother. When it was told that only shrI SvAmigaL sent that guilty woman, every one was surprised and happy.
*** *** ***
Another incident: I think in 1965. A dampati--husband-wife, who had married recently. The man was aged 23 years, and was working in the Postal Department. The woman was aged 19 years. That young man would suddenly be affected with mental illness and would run hither and thither in ShrIMaTham. Learning that if he is given the tIrtha-prasAdam blessed by shrI PeriyavAL for one maNDalam--41 days, he would get well, the woman brought him daily for the puja.
Fifteen days would have passed by. shrI PeriyavargaL, who gave tIrtham daily to him in his hand, on that particular day, without giving it so, did prokShaNam--sprinkle, on his head and went inside without giving tIrtham to anyone else further. The boy suddenly escaped the clutches of his wife and came running in the RAjavIdhi, his wife followed him swiftly. He went and jumped into the well in the house where the dampati was residing. His wife could not stop him. A distressful event, and the wife kept wailing continuously. Before the people from the fire-fighting squad could climb down the well, he was dead.
That night, shrI ParamAchAryAL suddenly looked at the people around him and asked, "Is that boy's kAryam--rites, over?" Only then it was understood that shrI SvAmigaL sprinkled the water on his head as he found that the boy's destiny was over.
*** *** ***
I went for darshan on the day in 1964 when I had written my M.A. examinations and the results were to be published. Unexpectedly, he gave me a suger-lump. I had not told him anything. The results had come in the newspaper 'The Mail', an eveninger, and I had passed the exams. When I went for darshan in the night, "You have passed?" he asked. I was dumbfounded for a minute: keeping all these shaktis within him, how simple and sahaja--natural, is he, I wondered. Just the look of grace from shrI PeriyavargaL would be enough. All our distresses would fly away.
*** *** ***
I also had the opportunity of attending the festivities of shrI BAla PeriyavargaL taking charge (as the 70th PIThAdhipati).
It is thus my pUrva-janma-puNya--merits of previous births--the fortune of my being a priya shiShya--affectionate disciple, of all the three PeriyavargaL.
Today, under the Ajna--orders, of shrI Jayendrar, I am serving as the mudrAdhikAri since 1995 in KAnchi MaTham, TiruvaNNAmalai, and doing service to establish a branch of shrI Shankara MaTham there.
Those four years when I could do service to shrI ParamAchAryAL with great bhakti--devotion, remaining closely with him, are the unforgettable puNya dinas--days of meritorious acts, in my life.
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Veda rakShaka (Guardian of Vedas)
author:...... P. Ramakrishnacharya, Rig veda adhyApaka, Mantralayam
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 169-176
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Aug 2006 Edition)
My father is VajpeyayAji J. Padmanabhacharya. I have four brothers born with me. My father is one who has immense bhakti shraddhA (devotion and faith) with Sri Sri ParamacharyaaL; one who made a complete adhyayanam (study) of the Rig Veda.
We were living in Kumbakonam. At that time, Maha PeriyavaaL called my father and said, "Currently there are no agnihotris among Madhvas. So you take up daily performance of agnihotram." Accordingly, my father took adhyayana and became a nityAgnihotri.
Some years passed by. One day my father was doing Veda pArAyaNam (reading). Two people came from Kanchi saying that they were sent by Sri SwamigaL. They informed that it was PeriyavaaL's orders that my father should take up position as the Rig Veda adhyApaka (teacher) of the Veda Bhavanam in Calcutta and do purohitam (priestly ministration) to the Madhva population there. In accordance with PeriyavaaL's orders, my father went to Calcutta, taking my elder brother with him. He remained as the Rig Veda adhyApaka in the Veda Bhavanam there and was doing vaidIkam to the Madhava population there. After four or five years, in 1968, my elder brother died in a bus accident in Calcutta.
Maha PeriyavaaL had asked us to come to the Vijayawada satas (Vedic conference). When we met him there he directed us to give up the stay at Calcutta and remain in the Kaveri tIra (banks). So we came to SirugamaNi Agraharam. There Srimaan Venkatesa Aiyer helped us with a free house and monthly supplies of paddy in order that my father could continue his living there teaching in the Veda Pathashala and doing agnihotam.
nityAgnihotram, ishti, somayajnam--all these rituals were performed in an orderly way. By PeriyavaaL's anugraha, several Madhva vidyArthis (students) entrolled through the Veda Rakshana Nidhi Trust, studied and passed the examinations. Even today, SirugamaNi Veda Pathashala is going on. My younger brother ParasuRaman is the adhyApaka there.
After my father completed performence of the Vajapeya Yajna at Erode, we had gone to Mahakhan with our family for darshan of PeriyavaaL. We told the SriMaTham assistants there that we had come for PeriyavaaL's darshan after finishing the Vajapeya Yajna. But then Maha PeriyavaaL sent us back with the words, "Ask them to get back to their residence." We all went back and stayed in the choultry nearby with tears in our eyes that we could not get darshan of PeriyavaaL for some reason. After an hour passed, a retinue with an elephant, horse, chAmaram (large fan), Veda ghoSaNam (loud chanting) and musical instruments, came. They said, "Someone who has done a Yajna has come to stay here. PeriyavaaL has sent the Sandur Samastana Maharaja to bring them to him with family." Unable to think further, we felt shocked with too much happiness.
With the Sama Veda ghoSaNam, Calcutta Sankara Narayana ShrautigaL escorted us. The Maharaja of Sandur took my father in a procession, holding a large umbrella to him. When we reached PeriyavaaL's camp, he told us all, "Why do you all have the pain at heart? Why these tears? The Dharma Shastra ordains us to witness those who have done the Vajapeya Yajna with royal honours under a white umbrella. It was only to see you all in such honours that I sent you back." He gave us the umbrella held by the Sandur Maharaja, spoke to us for two hours and sent us with his anugraha, removing all our unhappiness. This is an ever unforgettable incident in our life.
*** *** ***
I am working as the adhyApaka of the Pathashala in Erode managed by the Veda Rakshana Nidhi Trust. In the meantime I got a job in the Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam. Before going there I had darshan of Sri PeriyavaaL in Belgaum. Though I stayed there for two days, I could not get Periyavaa's guidance, for he was in kASTa maunam (complete silence of body and mind).
Two days later, I told PeriyavaaL about the Tirupathi offer. He advised me, "Madhvas would study tarkam, vyakaraNam (logic and grammar). They won't do Veda adhyayanam. Therefore, you need not go to Tirupathi; remain teaching Vedas to the Madhva students. Vedas will protect you."
Accordingly, today I have taught complete Vedas to Madhva students in Mantralaya and sent 45 students prepared for the examination at Kanchi. If Madhvas are doing Veda adhyayanam, the reason for it is only PeriyavaaL.
My brother ParasuRaman is teaching Vedas to Madhva students at SirugamaNi through the Veda Rakshana Nidhi Trust. PeriyavaaL sent our another brother Damodaran who had completed Veda and Vedanta to study Dvaita Vedanta at Bombay Vidya Peetam. After finishing his study of Vedanta there, he now does adhyayanam to Madhva students in Erode, in a Pathashala he founded there.
Only Veda Mata and Kanchi PeriyavaaL keep doing the rakSaNam (protection) of the three of us brothers and our families.
Further if today my brother ParasuRaman is alive, only Sri Sri Maha PeriyavaaL's anugraha is its reason. Already when we were in Calcutta he had problems with his heart in 1968. We showed him to the cardiologists in large cities like Calcutta, Chennai and Bombay. Everyone of them advised immediate surgery for him, or else he wouldn't be alive beyond a year; they also recorded their advice in video cassettes and gave us. I informed all this news in detail to Maha PerivaaL in Kanchi. He directed, "Nothing (of surgery) is needed. Let him do daily and full pArAyaNa of the 41 shlokas of Dhanvantari and Vayustuti and do the homam." He did the japa-homam for many years accordingly. After that whenever we met Maha PeriyavaaL he would ask him, "You continue to recite Vayustuti?" After a long period of 20 years he gave him permission for surgery, which was done at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai in the year 1989. By Maha PeriyavaaL's grace he remains today without any problems, as the Rig Veda adhyApaka in SirugamaNi. Owing to Paramacharya's anugraha, Tiru. V.P. Raghavendra Rao met the surgery expenses for us.
During the time I was adhyApaka in Erode Veda Rakshana Nidhi Trust, Maha PeriyavaaL ordered kannikAdAnam of my daughter in the Kanchi Sannidhanam. My daughter was only nine years old; I had arranged for the kannikAdAnam and for the Kalyana Mandapam.
There were many objections to it. When it was hardly twenty days for the marriage, the officials of the Kalyana Madapam told us, "The girl is only nine years old. If any press reporter from the adjacent street here reports it, there would be problems from the police the Mandapam. So we can't give you the Mandapam."
I went to Kanchipuram and supplicated this to PeriyavaaL. Paramacharya sent a person from SriMaTham with me to the house of Ramadurai Aiyer of Ayalur near Tiruchi. We detailed Ramadurai Aiyer about Paramacharya's directions for our daughter's marriage. Ramadurai Aiyer informed us, "Ten years back Maha PeriyavaaL told me 'I would send a kanya to you. You perform the kannikAdAnam rites for her.' I am very happy that he remembered me after ten years and sent this girl." He conducted the marriage following the Madhva Sampradayam in a grand manner.
ParamacharyaL continues to give his anugraha to our family and do his rakSaNam of it. The three of us get Rs.600/- every month from the Niyama Adhyayana Trust of Kanchi MaTham, doing the Niyamaadhyayanam through the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Veda Rakshana Nidhi Trust, holding the pUrva bhAga parIkSA (entry level examinations).
We did our pUrNa adhyayanam from our father, in accordance with Kanchi SwamigaL's orders, through the Gurukula system doing bhikSAcaryam. In the same way, we have currently started the adhyayanam of our kumAras (sons) too and teach them following the orders of Kanchi SwamigaL. We all pray that Veda Mada's blessings and the anugraha of Kanchi pIThAdhipatis will always be there for our family.
Glossary:
satas - assembly, equality.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Generation Gap
author:...... N. Ramaswamy, Secunderabad
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 3, pages 010-016
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec 2005 Edition)
When Maha SwamigaL was staying near Belgaum in Karnataka, I went with my family for darshan.
When my father prostrated to PeriyavaaL, the sage's personal attendant introduced my father with the words, "He is the father of Hubli Ramaswamy." (I was then working as an official in the Hubli Railway Division. The SriMaTham assistants had given me the title 'Hubli Ramaswamy').
"Your name, isn't it Narayanan?", when Periyavaa asked "yes", said my father.
Then I prostrated. The same attendant introduced me as "Swaminathan's father."
The usual inquiries, questions, answers, tidings about the native place. Ten minutes passed by.
Looking at me, Periyavaa asked with a smile, "You are a big labour officer, right? They say 'generation gap' in English, what is it?"
I told him something but I was aware myself that it was not the correct explanation. Finally, when I finished talking, that Mahaan told:
"When they introduced someone in the olden days, they would say, 'he is the son of so and so. Those who wore pUnUl (sacred thread) would start with 'abhivadaye', inform their 'gotram', 'sUtram', 'nAmam' and introduce themselves. Look, how all that has changed now! The inverse way of saying as 'so and so is so and so's father' has come up now. This is the 'generation gap'!."
PeriyavaaL'e explanation surprised those around him who were well versed in English!
*** *** ***
I waited for two hours for the darshan, but couldn't have it. Since waiting any longer would affect my office work (I had come to the nearby junction to do the inspection), with a kumbidu (joining palms in reverence) from staying afar, I went to attend my work.
Two hours later, an assistant from SriMaTham came to the railway station and told me that Periyavaa had asked him to bring me.
"Tell me exactly what Periyavaa told you."
"Go and look in the Satara station. That Ramaswamy would be doing the inspection there. Ask him to come", he said.
Finishing my work in a hurry, I went for the darshan. In a bid to seek his pardon, "Periyavaa was very busy. I could not get back to my headquarters without finishing the work, (or else) my higher officials would shout at me...", I started.
Periyavaa did not seem to mind my reply at all. "What do you want?" he asked me.
At that time, there was only one problem in my mind--my daughter's marriage.
"My daughter should get married in a good place. Appa is much pestering me. He too sends the jAtakam (horoscope) to many people, asking for the varan jAtakam (horoscope of the boy). Most people don't reply. The horoscopes that arrived did not match..."
"Only that? Alright, go. I shall conduct your daughter's marriage."
This clear reply astonished me. 'I shall conduct...'
It seemed that a rain of ice was showered on me. Only those who encountered such unexpected attack of pleasure can understand my position then. Thinking no further, in a naive way I asked him at once, "satyamAgach cholReLA (you say it in truth)?"
Such a question to the satya svarUpam! (Thinking about it even now gives me shivers.)
The karuNai vaLLal (patron of compassion) smiled slowly. That was all. This incident at that time wasn't recorded deep in my mind.
Going back home, I got immersed in my work. Two months later, a letter came from Mumbai. The reply with the horoscope of the boy, to the letter my father wrote sometime back that was not in memory.
The horoscopes were in agreement. With the other formalities finished, the marriage also took place.
A gap of over two years.
SriMaTham camp in Kurnool.
Myself, my daughter and her child went for darshan of Periyavaa.
Keeping the child at PeriyavaaL's feet under his graceful look, we were replying to his inquiries. (The child meantime went to sleep.)
After Periyavaa gave prasAdam, I took leave with my daughter and walked four or five steps back.
It seemed that Periyavaa called us back with a snap of his finger. We turned back.
"How am I to do rakSaNa (protect) of this child, keeping it in the MaTham? Take it away!"
We were overwhelmed with embarrassment. In the pErAnanda (great joy) of PeriyavaaL's darshan, we totally forgot about the child!
My daughter ran and took the child in her arms. Periyavaa then told SriKaNtan, his assistant nearby, "Ask him if it is satisfactory for Ramaswamy."
We did not understand. Why such a question now? We are only taking leave in happiness?
We could not reply.
"Ask what his daughter's name is."
"Uma!", I said.
"mAppiLLai pEru (the bridegroom's name)?"
"Sadasivan..."
"Alright... you should not blame me. I have conducted the marriage only after taking care of the peyar poruttham ('matching of the names)!"
Tears poured down my eyes. Such a power of remembrance? Such an anugraham? The puNya (merits) of a kOti janmam (one crore births) would perhaps fructify collectively in this way.
*** *** ***
1985. Kanchipuram SriMaTham.
Prostrating, I got up.
"yAru (who is that)?... Hubli Ramaswamy? Where do you come from? Only from Madras?"
"From Vijayawada I come. My work is only there now..."
"It is not so... only from Madras?"
Thinking that what I said earlier did not reach PeriyavaaL's holy ears, I said in a slightly louder voice, "From Vijayawada...should come only through Madras..."
"No... You have come from only Madras", said Periyavaa.
With no inclination to argue it further with PeriyavaaL I received the prasAdam and came to Chennai. I had some work there. Ringing up my higher official by phone I asked him for a week's leave.
He said: "Ramaswami! Here is a bombshell... you are transferred to Madras!..."
"Sir, I had not asked transfer for Madras, only for Secunderabad..."
"Sorry. You are to be relieved tomorrow. Go to Vijayawada immediately and get relieved tomorrow."
I did as told.
A copy of my transfer orders to Chennai--would it have gone to PeriyavaaL's hands before it reached me?
"No... You have come from only Madras"--in that minute when Periyavaa said it, I had been an official in Chennai only.
All we can do is just only one thing. And that is to transfer all our burderns to PeriyavaaL, without worrying for anything!
*** *** ***
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
namaste everyone.
Today (14 vai. 5111 Kali aka 28 May 2010 CE) is the day of vaishAkha anurAdha nakShatra (vaikAsi anusham), the 117th jayanti of KAnchi ParamAchArya. Here is a simple bhajan to sing his glory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXXSHq0na6U
Here are some links to books compiled out of his teachings:
Hindu dharma: the universal way of life
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8591806/Hindu-Dharma-Kanchi
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21581029/H...al-Way-of-Life
Advaita Sadhana: kAnchi mahA svAmigaL
http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses...ds/sadhana.pdf
and his biography:
chandrasekharendra: charitam: sAmbamUrti
http://www.srikanchimahaswami100.org..._2__1_edit.pdf
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
'What Does Sir Stafford Crips Say?'
author:...... Naduvakkarai A. NarayanaSwamy Aiyer
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 244-251
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
My father Alangudi Apathsakayam Aiyer was a 'slave' of PeriyavaaL. In the 1920s, while remaining in his post of the Village Officer of UmaMaheswaraPuram taluk, he presided over the Civil Disobedience and Refusal to Pay Taxes Movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi, and was dismissed from service for having conducted the movement in the Kumbakonam and Papanasam taluks.
Then he became a journalist and ran a magazine called Gramaanukulan. Since he was also a Congress worker, he was made to suffer in many ways resulting in financial losses. Sri Maha PeriyavaaL was the kaNkaNda Deivam (God seen with one's own eyes) to him in those days, supporting him with blessings and some financial help from the MaTham, supporting his writings with money and advice, introducing him to some wealthy people and enabling him to run his family affairs. It was said that generally PeriyavaaL was fond of journalists and that he used to make them stay in the MaTham and given a meal, sometimes personally attending to them by visiting the dining place.
It was PeriyavaaL who wore the katar as kaavi! (handspun cotton cloth as a saffron cloth by dyeing it with saffron colour).
Eighteen years later, in 1938 when Rajaji became the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency, he passed orders for restoring the old VO post to my father. Our family, which was in Agnatha Vasam having lost everything, once again returned to our village.
Around the year 1950, PeriyavaaL camped in our village for some days. The entire village was happy, countless devotees visiting it, and wore a festive look.
It is in our village that the river Kaveri separates into the Kaveri and VeeraCholan rivers. To reach the Kaveri waters, one needs to cross the waters of VeeraCholan. The area in between the rivers would look as green as in Kerala, studded with coconut, banana and many other large trees. It would be a park of peace. A large banyan tree could be seen spreading its branches across, half over the land and half over the Kaveri waters. The beauty of the Kaveri waters filtering along the sand under its shades was an attraction for PeriyavaaL. He would go there daily in the mornings, sit on the expanse of the river-washed sands and do silent tapas; he would also have his snAna, japam (bath and prayers) there for hours together. It was a difficult task to cross the waist high waters of VeeraCholan to reach that spot. Women couldn't venture it. Nevertheless, a crowd of devotees would assemble there. Then, returning to the MaTham camp, there would be puja and darshan festivities till late night.
What about the darshan people had? Women and men taking their turns in separate queues would look strange! Some people talked that it was to avoid the crowd that PeriyavaaL sought ekAnta (solitude) on the spot between the rivers.
*** *** ***
One day, after the pujas were over, there was some bustle in the afternoon at the entrance to the MaTham camp. I was standing in front of our home, and rushed to see what the matter was. Two people from Kudanthai (Kumbakonam) were trying to enter the MaTham wearing their shirts and sandals, the gatekeeper was shouting at them and trying to stop them, but they wouldn't yield. With help from the people of the area, I caught them, temporarily secured them to the coconut trees and handed them over to the policemen who happened to pass that side, and sent them to the TiruvidaiMaruthur police station.
After the pujas were over on that night, PeriyavaaL sent word for me, got the details from me and asked, "Very well, but how did the policemen come there at that time?"
"Some people had appealed to the government that since I was a member of the Communist Party, I should not be allowed to hold a government job. (I was assisting my father who was a Village Officer of the nearby village at that time.) An officer from the Investigation Department had come to inquire about it. He was accompanied by two constables to identify me to him. I made use of them." As I said this, he wondered, "Is that so?"
Then he called the librarian and told him, "Tomorrow you give this man the book Six Authors About Communism that I had earlier asked you to buy." Looking at me, he gave the directions, "Read the book and tell me what it contains, within a week; if anybody asks you tell him about your reading that book."
It was a voluminous book, like a dictionary. I remember that it cost Rs.40/- when the exchange rate for a pound sterling was Rs.15/- at that time. The book was authored by Sir Stafford Crips, Anuvin Bevan, Louis Fisher and three other western experts. The very look of the book gave me the jitters. But then it was an order from PeriyavaaL! I tried hard to read the book. A week passed by. Remembering it duly, he asked me one day, "What, did you read the book? Enna solliyirukkan? (What is it that he has talked about?)"
"It is a voluminous book. I could not follow some pages of it. Could only read what Stafford Crips has written."
"Alright. What does he say?"
I said, "He says, 'All isms try to give something to mankind but Communism takes away everything from the mankind.'"
PeriyavaaL's face that asked me "You understand?" with a divine, charming smile is still fresh before my eyes.
After this incident, a change occurred in my thoughts and I gave myself in total surrender to PeriyavaaL.
*** *** ***
After the evening puja, he would be discussing about Vedic topics with many pandits and gaNapAThis (those who recite Vedas according to a specific rule). At the centre, there would be burning two large brass standing lamps that were five feet tall. (There was no electricity then). He had given me a book to read loudly, standing under the light of the lamp, and was busy with his conversation. The discussions were intense, generating a lot of noise. While I was reading, I read 'mediation' instead of 'meditation'. PeriyavaaL laughed and said, "He is an accountant! So he reads meditation as mediation?". Then he gave an exposition on meditation for a half hour and took us all mentally through the whole Bharata kaNTam.
There was absolutely no chance that anyone could have even heard what I was reading, much less understand it, in the noisy situation that prevailed there. But then who can do what with this shatAvadhAni? (one who is simultaneously attentive to a hundred things). My mistake did reach his ears!
*** *** ***
Within a few days the 'camp' left for Tiruvisanallur, the village of Sridhara AyyarvaaL. The SriMaTham elephant was affected with madness there. No one could control it as it severed and threw away many thatched sheds. Many houses were also damaged. Even buses and cars did not escape the elephant's wrath. The traffic came to a standstill. A person from the MaTham came to my home with the news that PeriyavaaL called me to consult about his thought whether the elephant could be intercepted and sent across the two rivers to our village. I was not at home at that time, so came to know it only later. It was very difficult to make the elephant cross the two rivers at that time in the evening. My health was also not in tune. So by the time I was ready to start to SriMaTham in the morning, I got the terrible news that the police had shot the elephant dead. I was aghast with sorrow and shame. With the pangs of the thought that I could have gone in the night itself, I went to meet PeriyavaaL.
Giving up his food and puja, and with no intention to see anyone, PeriyavaaL was sitting in solitude at the back of the MaTham. Grief was palpable everywhere. No one spoke anything; people were hesitant to approach the sage. Slowly, one by one, we went near the place where PeriyavaaL was seated. Wailing that I had done apacAram (offense), I fell at his feet. People were standing not knowing what to do. Half an hour passed in this way. Then PeriyavaaL slowly started speaking about his loss, with immense grief, and with the voice of a mother who lost her only son, a loud voice that could be heard all around, narrated about the elephant's birth, rearing, body marks, its character and other related things, ending it all with the conclusion that its lifetime was destined to be only that much, and became silent again, leaning on the wall, his entire face painted with worry and sorrow.
All of us went melting with the compassion shown, that was not just a thought of consideration for a jIvan that could not speak, but a flood of compassion for the entire world of living beings.
It is 50 years since this happened. I am now 84 years old. Even today, my heart skips a beat if I think about it.
*** *** ***
One can see PeriyavaaL's eyes blossom at the mention of the name Alangudi (Guru Stalam). For he is the avatara of that Guru! Whatever the crowd, when he asks me 'what, from Alangudi', it will be an experience of overall melting, as ManivachakapPerumaan said, 'uLLanthAL nindru ucchi aLavum nenjAi urukatthan' (Melting away from the feet right up to the head).
**********
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
shrI MahA SvAmigaL's power of memory
author:....... M.V.LakShmI NarasiMhAchAriyAr
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 271-274
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
shrI MahASvAmigaL's power of memory is one that would bring suprise. This, as yAn--myself, has known it, explain in this essay.
In the year 1952 during the month of May, on receiving the news that shrI MahAsvAmigaL was to make his sacred visit at KAnchipuram for the chAturmAsya vyAsa pUja, going pAdachAra--on foot, via ThaiyAr village, VandavAsi taluk, surrounded by his entourage of elephants, horses, bullock carts, parijana--attendants, and parivAra--followers, the public and the vEdhiyargaL--Vedic priests, of ThaiyAr thronged (to the main road), had darshan and bowed to him and did-prArthana--pray, 'after svAmi pUja today you might visit KAnchipuram in the evening.'
Giving the dravya--substances, needed for the puja, paddy-straw for the cattle of the carts, and plant sprout varieties for the elephants, the people of the village did-ArAdha--paid homage very well, to shrI MahASvAmigaL and his parivAram. shrI MahASvAmigaL too happily accepted it and blessed the people of the village.
shrI MahASvAmigaL's flood of compassion spread among the village people. Looking at the bhaktas--devotees, who honoured him with bhakti-shraddha--sincerity of devotion, shrI MahASvAmigaL ordered them, "If there are any veda shAstra vidvAns in this village, bring them to us."
It was at that time that aDiyEn--I/this man, (MElmar LakShmI NarasiMhan), had come (to the place) after studying NyAya-shAstram in the Ahobila maTham samSkRta kalAshAlA--university, at MadurAntakam, and appearing for the shiromaNi parIkSha--examination, in the Chennai University. The agrahAra-vasis--residents of agrahAram, introduced aDiyEn in the sannidhi of shrI MahASvAmigaL; aDiyEn worshipped him by prostrating. With aDiyEn, shrI MahASvAmigaL did kushala-prasnam--inquiry of health and welfare, in saMsRtam itself.
Since MahASvAmigaL was observing mauna-vratam--vow of silence, questions were asked by writing on a slate. Doing-parIsha--testing, of aDiyEn in the kusumAnjali of NyAya-shAstra, with great santoSham--happiness, he offered vEShTi--dhoti, fruits, and phala-mantrAkShata to aDiyEn and blessed. He also gave aDiyEn an AhvAnam--invitation, "You participate in the vyAsa pUja vidvat sadas that will be held in KAnchipuram."
*** *** ***
During 1963-64, shrI MahASvAmigaL came to TiruvaNNAmalai, doing saMchAram--an ascetic's wandering, through out the way. That time, along with shrI MahASvAmigaL, my friend in Shankara maTham, shrImAn MaNi shAstrigaL too had come. In a chance happening, he met me at the TiruvaNNAmalai temple, conversed with me, made me have darshan of shrI MahA PeriyavAL and introduced me to shrI MahASvAmigaL.
A question that shrI MahASvAmigaL asked me then, amazed me. It stunned me speechless for a second. The question that shrI MahASvAmigaL asked me was, "I had asked you in 1952 at ThaiyAr village, to come for the vidvat sadas to be held in the vyAsa pUja at KAnchipuram, why did you not turn up?" Only then my submitting-daNDam--prostrating, to him in person at ThaiyAr came to my mind. Whereas for shrI MahASvamigaL, the thought about me had stayed in his smRti--memory, for a long time. Since I was aparAdhin--one who has done something wrong, I stood without replying anything. 'What a wonder, shrI MahASvAmigaL's ninaivATRal--memory power!' with this Ashcharyam--surprise, speechless, my mind fluttering, as prAyashchitta--atonement, I fell neDunjchANkiDai--stretching myself out fully, and prostrated to him. I also sought his pardon for my mistake.
I became a pAtram--drinking vessel, for shrI MahASvAmigaL's kRpa-kaTAkSham--glance of compassion. To MaNi shAstrigaL shrI MahASvAmigaL ordered, "Today it is arranged for my saMchAram to KalasapAkkam. Ask him to come there at 10 o' clock tomorrow morning. Give him bus charge to come there." I hesitated a little. Looking at me, shrI MahASvAmigaL asked, "Why the hesitation?" "I don't know if they would give or refuse me leave in the school to have darshan of you. If I accept this bus charge money and couldn't come, I would again become one who has committed a mistake", I replied with disquietude.
"You meet the headmaster and explain the situation. You will get anumati--permission. Take leave now, and get the bus charge."
With the headmaster's anumati, I went to KalasapAkkam the next day to have darshan of shrI MahASvAmigaL. Since shrI MahASvAmigaL was engaged in the puja, I met ShrIMaTham shrIkAryam shrI RAmakRShNa shAstrigaL. Informing me of shrI MahASvAmigaL's niyamanam--allotment of task (for me), he made me recite the vAkyArtham--verse meanings, of shrI BhAShyam to the PeriyavAL who is sitting now in AsthAnam--assembly, in the MaTham, who gave aDiyEn as vidvat sambhAvana--honorarium, silver coins worth Rs.20, wrapped a KAshmIr shawl around me and honoured aDiyEn.
This reminiscence would remain with me without leaving my heart for vehukAlam--a long time.
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Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan
Foresight
author:....... Ananthan, Chennai-29
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 275-280
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil
During January 1966 MahASvAmigaL was camping in ElAvUr. As an invitation came from there, I went to ElAvUr and had darshan of MahASvAmigaL.
As he informed me that as an unprecedented event a mahAnADu--conference, where all the MaThAdhipatis of TamilnADu would participate was to be held in Chennai, he ordered me, "You should come with us to that mahAnADu and jot down everything that is spoken there." I carried out his orders.
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That mahAnADu took place in the office building of the Commissioner of the Hindu Charitable and Endowments Board, on the dates February 6 and 7, 1966 at Chennai. All the events scheduled for the two days, both morning and evening, took place without any scope for any sort of problems arising.
On the first day of the mahAnADu, in the morning, before the conference started, MahASvAmigaL did something that removed any scope of mental tension, agony, bitterness, and ego of superiority, among the conference delegates; it eased everyone's mind and made it happy. Why, it formed the entire base for the success of the mahAnADu. Put in other words, it could also have been felt as the explanatory note of ShrIMaTham's siddhAntam--principle.
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This mahAnADu was convened by the Commissioner of HR&CE. A government function. In this festivity, there was no scope for allowing anyone to sit anywhere as they pleased.
Among the MaThAdhipatis who were the delegates, as to who should be seated in the centre, what kind of seat should be provided for him, who is to be seated to his left and right--for such things, there is a Government Order. Only according to the Ranking List mentioned in that Protocol, seats were arranged in the conference hall and the names of the MaThams were also written for them.
For the starting event of the mahAnADu, MaThAdhipatis of MaThams located at TiruvAvaDuturai, Dharmapuram, ToNDaimaNDala AdhInakartas, TiruppanandAL, KAnchIpuram, Madurai, KundrakkuDi, Mayilam and so on, came one by one to partake the event. The Commissioner welcomed each of them individually according to protocol and brought them to the conference hall. KAnchi MahASvAmigaL too came. He made a survey of the arrangements in the hall with an all-round glance. He is a kalA-vittaka--expert in the art, of making sweet with his pleasant look, any tight atmosphere. With a smile crawling on his face he walked towards the seat allotted for him. All the other MaThAdhipatis too walked towards their seats.
Like one who gets into a pond to take bath would part away with his two hands, the moss that covered the water surface, and like one who would genttly dust the floor with his upper cloth before he sits there, MahASvAmigaL with his hands pushed back the seat allotted for him by the government officials, and sat on the floor at that spot.
The next moment all the other MaThAdhipatis, without sitting on the seats provided for them, sat on the floor of the conference hall. The bhUmi--ground, became the samasthAnam--seat of equivality, for everyone.
What to speak of the adhishayam--wonder, that KAnchi MahASvAmigaL, 'the jnAnamUrti who stood beyond the book of Vedas', through his foresight and subtle knowledge, demonstrated the great truth, "parampoRuL--Brahman, is only one. So what superiority is there for us who live on this earth because of our wealth, or kulam--lineage? What inferiority is there? All of us are of one kulam, one inam--species."
KAnchi shrI MahASvAmigaL was one who stood as the svarUpam--embodiment, of kalAs--arts. Artistes went to him and worshipped. He too honoured them, supporting them with great love. Many of the kalAs ran towards that kalAsAgara--ocean of arts, and did-saMgamam--merged, themselves.
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During the year 1957-58, KAnchi shrI MahASvAmigaL did-vijayam-to--visited, Chennai. The vyAsapUja was performed in the Sanskrit College, Mylapore, Chennai.
After the puja of the night session, he would do upanyAsam--lecture. I would jot down in shorthand, his words of nectar without leaving out anything and then write them back in long hand. Later, they were published in (the magazine) 'KalaimagaL' under the title 'AchArya SvAmigaL upadeshangaL'.
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One day, the event of shrI MahASvAmigaL visiting RAjA ANNAmalaipuram was scheduled. En route, at the junction of the Nallappan street and Adam street, we were waiting for PeriyavAL's arrival. The mEnA--palanquin, came. Giving pUrNakumbham, we bowed to PeriyavAL. Calling me suddenly, PeriyavAL asked, "nI engE ingE--How come you are here?" I pointed out to Nallppan street and said, "I am living in this street." He asked for the mEnA to proceed through our street. The kAraNam--reason, was not known. Before we could run to our house, open the doors and light the lamp, the mEnA had come there.
Calling me near him, he said, "You said you have written a book of shorthand in Tamil? Bring it, let us see."
Going inside my house, I brought the manuscript of the book and submitted it to him. Leafing through every page, showing no hurry at all, with a speck of smile lingering in his face, he glanced through that book until the last page. His face shining like a lotus flower, when he said, "As suitable for Tamil, you have written the book, relating the P in Pitman to (the Tamil alphabet) 'pa' and M to 'ma'", his subtle power of knowledge that took everything at a glance made thrilled us in ecstasy.
"Has this book been published?" he asked me. "No", I said. Taking the bhilva garland from his shiras--head, and placing it on the book, he gave it back to me.
The TamilnADu government itself published this book in 1964. Its 4th editing coming out in 1998, adding honour to Tamil and the Tamil world. Such is the power of grace of that deivam--god!
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