Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

[saidevo]

Are the Glass Pieces AlakAlam?
author:...... Jayalakshmi Ammal, Pollachi
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 8-12
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec 2006 Edition)

After Sri PeriyavaaL came out finishing his bhikSA, I kept raisins, cashews, cardamoms, and saffron flowers in a thin vial on a plate before him as arpaNa (offering) and prostrated. As I bowed, the thin vial of saffron flowers dropped to the floor and broke into a hundred pieces.

Before I could move away to get a cloth and clean the place, Sri PeriyavaaL began to drop the saffron flowers mixed with glass pieces into his mouth and started eating them. He did not take into his ears my cries, "aiyo, aiyo! Glass pieces have got mixed with the saffron flowers. Please do not eat them. I shall bring a fresh supply", and ate the entire lot.

I was affected by intense fear and sorrow. The glass pieces would enter Periyavaa's stomach and cut his intestine! My buddhi agitated by the thought, 'It is going to be a great danger for him. I have become the cause for it!', I took no food and sat like a stone statue in a corner.

When Kannan, Periyavaa's personal assistant came that side in the evening, he asked me, "Why are you crying, sitting here?" I narrated the incident to him.

Kannan said immediately, "Sri PeriyavaaL is an avatar of Parameswara who took the AlakAla poison and survived! No peril will come to PeriyavaaL. You go and take your food. And attend to your other work." He moved away.

As told by him, nothing happened to PeriyavaaL! He was attending to his kArya krama (schedule) in the normal way.

Only then I got back my breath! Perhaps the glass pieces that got mixed with the saffron flowers also became the flowers?

*** *** ***

Though Sri PeriyavaaL used to describe himself as a sAmAnya sanyAsi (common ascetic), there are incidents wherein he displayed his svaya rUpam (real self), of his own accord.

It was the time when Sri PeriyavaaL was camping in Tiruvanaikkaval. Me and my husband needed to have darshan of him and return to Thanjavur. The next day was a somavAra amAvAsya (Monday as new moon day). We had to do pradakSiNa of a peepul tree in Thanjavur.

Periyavaa conversed with everyone who came there and bid them farewell with prasAdam. But, when we did prArthanA he would remain as if he did not hear our words; when we went in the queue he would stop giving prasAdam with the person before us, and when our turn came, would get up and go inside--he was doing such things repeatedly.

We gave up the plans of our Thanjavur trip and stayed there for the night. I was very angry within.

After the viSva rUpam on the next early morning, before he sat for his one-hour japam inside the menA, he directed the kArvAr (manager), "After three quarters of an hour, even while I am in the japam, make arrangements to carry the menA to the banks of the KoLLidam", and shut the door of the palanquin.

Thinking, 'Can't do pradakSiNa of the Asvatta (peepul tree). At least let me go round PeriyavaaL', I started doing pradakSiNa of the menA. After it was over, the menA started. We accompanied it and took our snAna (bath) in the KoLLidam.

As Sri PeriyavaaL sat for his anuSTAnam, he called me and asked, "How many pradakSiNas did you do?" I said, "Ninety." There was no way Periyavaa could have known about my pradakSiNa! Then he asked me to complete the remaining count of pradakSiNas.

After the pradakSiNa was over, he asked me, "Reciting what shloka did you do the pradakSiNa?"

Me: I did pradakSiNa, reciting 'Gurur brahma gurur vishnu gurur devo maheshwarah'.

Sri PeriyavaaL: What would you recite during the Asvatta pradakSiNa?

Me: 'mUlato brahma rUpAya, madhyato vishNu rUpiNe, agrataH Siva rUpAya vRukSa rAjAya te namaH'.*

Sri PeriyavaaL: Then what? It is TrimUrti there; it is the same here too!

With these words, he blessed me with the prasAdam.

From then on, I took up the niyamA (routine) to do pradakSiNa to PeriyavaaL only on the somavAra amAvAsya.

*** *** ***

When we were in Thanjavur, one day in the early morning he appeared in my dream and asked, "Will you get me bAdAma (almond) kernels?"

On the very next opportunity we bought almonds and went to Orikkai village near Kanchipuram. It was then that Sri PeriyavaaL had given up anna bhikSA and was taking only nel pori (parched paddy grains). We stood confused as to who to entrust the almonds with so that they might reach PeriyavaaL's bhikSA.

An AmmaaL took us to ugrANam (groceries) Gopalaiyer. Since he was anxiously searching for something at that time, he said, "Please don't disturb be now. It is time for PeriyavaaL's bhikSA." When we asked him, "What are you searching? Anything we could buy?" He started lamenting, "Where would you get bAdAma here? Ants have eaten all the stock of almonds in a single night. If the manager comes to know of it, he would get angry with me. Only if you go to Kanchipuram you will get almonds. By that time PeriyavaaL's bAdAma will be over."

Our joy knew no bounds! We gave him the almonds we had brought. Gopalaiyer heaved a sigh of relief!

We understood that things connected with PeriyavaaL would go well automatically, and that those who consider them as the doers were only instruments in the scheme of things.

Note:
*'mUlato brahma rUpAya, madhyato vishNu rUpiNe, agrataH Siva rUpAya vRukSa rAjAya te namaH'

You are Brahma in your roots, Vishnu in your trunk and Siva in your branches. O the King of Trees, I bow to you!

Glossary:
sAmAnya - equal, alike, similar; whole, entire, universal, general, generic, not specific (opp. to vaizeSika); common, common-place, vulgar, ordinary, insignificant, low

[saidevo]

An A-one Meal!
(From Chapter 8. A Mixed Garland of Incidents)
Author: SriMaTham Balu (in Tamil)
Compiler: T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 89-92
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec. 2006 Edition)

These days TV programs telecast cooking instructions. If the instructions given on the small screen are followed verbatim, will the ultimate dish be fit enough to be put inside the mouth? It is doubtful.

If no new recipes are found, they would make do with the instructions for the traditional sambar and curry items such as the drumstick sambar or the ladies finger curry!

Periyavaa had never entered the samaiyal kattu (kitchen) in his pUrvAshrama; after he took sanyAsa there was no necessity for it. But then somehow he had acquired the knowledge about the blends of cooking and had a knack for new dishes!

We were returning from Pandaripuram. We reached a tiny village that had just four or five huts. We camped under a large tree.

After preparing PeriyavaaL's biksha, we managed to finish our lunch with the few items that we had prepared in excess. It was time for an afternoon recess.

Suddenly, some twenty people arrived, making much noise!

All of them were from the Chennai side. They had come with the hope they would get some tasty food as Sri ChandraMauleesvara prasAda in the SriMaTham camp!

But then SriMaTham was camping under a big tree! There were no utensils, groceries to cook?

ParamacharyaaL was not worried about such things! His only aim was to serve the people who had reached him hungry.

There was a close assistant by name Brahmachary Ramakrishnan. Periyavaa ordered him, "Cook food for everyone!"

Ramakrishnan stood helpless, wringing his hands. "I shall cook and serve them after we reach our next camp?" he said.

PeriyavaaL understood that there was some problem. He asked, "Is there rice?"

"Yes; also some payattham paruppu (broken green-gram)."

"That's good! What you do, soak and wash rice, and collect the washed water in a separate vessel. Add some salt to it, squeeze a lemon and then add some cut leaves of naaratthai (Indian wild-lime). This will be the buttermilk.

"Boil the green-gram with plenty of water, separate the water and the gram and then add lime juice to the boiling water. That will be the rasam!

"Now you have the boiled green-gram. Add salt and cut chillies to it. That will be the curry!"

Everything was ready in a half hour. Meantime, we collected plantain leaves and water for the guests.

So we had cooked rice, green-gram curry, rasam and buttermilk for our dinner of hexa-tastes!

"The meal was A-one!" said one of the guests.

"devAmrutam" (nectar of the gods), said another.

"I have not tasted such a tasty meal before!" said a third man.

We the assistants laughed among ourselves. We knew that it was all the ruci (taste) of PeriyavaaL's words.

One should learn a lesson from PeriyavaaL on hosting. An akSaya pAtram, his skill of words!

Glossary:
akSaya - exempt from decay, imperishable
pAtra - drinking vessel, goblet, utensil, an actor or a part in a play.
samaiyal kattu - (Tamil) literally, cooking construct; kitchen

[saidevo]

Anusha Homam
Author: Paanaampattu Subbu (in Tamil)
Compiler: T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 123-125
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham

It was the time I worked in the Parry & Co., Ranipet. I had gone to Sivasthanam near Kanchipuram on the Maattu Pongal day in January 1978 to have darshan of Sri ParamacharyaaL. Instead of giving his usual blessing with a graceful smile, he said as he looked at me:

"No one in your family performs the homams done by your father after his demise. Your going to and fro office is what you are doing as your big anuSTAnam."

I had not seen PariyavaaL speak in that manner. Regretting that I did not have yogyatA for Vedic rites and with the intention of giving an excuse I told him, "Countless people have been doing homam for PeriyavargaL." To this he said, "Whoever is doing whatever. I asked you about what you do." Immediately, an assistant standing nearby told me, "These are his directions to you. Go ahead to implement them without replying anything more."

After I was back in Ranipet, I gathered details of the homams that were performed by my father, and with the blessing of a Sri Vidya UpAsaka, started for the first time, on the day of Guru Pushyam, the performance of homams for the welfare of Paramacharya and the world. I continued the homams on the Anusha nakSatra day, the janma nakSatra of Sri PeriyavargaL, every month and submitted the prasAdas whenever I had an occasion to go to his place.

During the year 1989-90, on a similar occasion, PeriyavaaL looked happy at SriMaTham. A large crowd of devotees was around him. He pointed me to them and said, "His father, Paanaampattu Duraiswamy, performed homams for my welfare for twenty years and gave me the prasAdam in person wherever I happened to be. Many people are now doing homams for me. But then even today I am experiencing the fruits of the homams done by him in those days. He has left the world. And my longevity goes on increasing." He also referred to me and said, "This man is also doing homams himself for me for the last ten years."

My father Paanaampattu Duraiswamy Aiyer was a man of atyanta bhakti towards Sri Paramacharyaar. He was a man of great niyama niSTa. For the welfare of Sri Paramacharyaar he performed homams on the special days such as his birth-star and full moon day and submitted the prasAdas to him in person. This sort of service was done during the period 1950-1970.

I got back home, thinking of the exceptional memory of Sri Paramacharyaar and melting at his compassion to our family. It is our bhAgyam that due to his anugraha the homams are being performed now for the last twenty-three years, without interruption.

Glossary:
atyanta - excessive, very great, very strong, unbroken, absolute, perpetual
niyama - controlling, limitation, restriction, determination, practising religious
observances
niSTai - meditation, observance of religious duties and vows
yogyatA - suitableness, fitness, propriety, ability

[saidevo]

Guru Darshans in Dreams
From Chapter 30. anusha tAraka
Author: Indra Balasubramanian, Mumbai (in Tamil)
Compiler: T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 308-318
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec. 2006 Edition)

Periyavaa is an expert in showering his grace by giving darshans in dreams also. An elder brother of mine died when he was just eighteen years old. My mother was then only thirty-four. When she was contemplating suicide with no thoughts about her other children, Periyavaa came in her dream, consoled her and made her change her mind.

Many years ago, my mother was extremely unwell. I cry it out to Periyavaa in my dream. There is a half coconut in his hand. It is filled with tender coconut water. He says, "Look, I have only given you a good coconut." I am not able to understand the exact meaning of those words until now. But I considered his very darshan in my dream as his paramAnugraha and rested at peace thinking why should I worry when Periyavaa himself had undertaken the responsibility for the welfare of my mother.

Today my mother is eighty years old.

*** *** ***

Once, in my dream, SwamigaL descended from his picture I usually perform Anusha Puja to. A string of jasmine flowers in his hand. Through the entrance to our home comes Sri Jayendra SwamigaL. To him Periyavaa gives the jasmine string and says, "Give it to her." It is remarkable that at that time we did not have a picture of Sri Jayendra SwamigaL at home.

*** *** ***

This happened very recently. My younger sister had saved some money for Kamakshi Amman. But she could not get around to do anything for Amman due to many hurdles. Around that time she had gone for an upanyAsa. The upanyAsaka narrated an incident in which he showed two packages to PeriyavaaL and said, "One of these two is you and the other for Kamakshi." PeriyavaaL said, "Then you say that both are for me?" When she heard this incident, my sister took the money she had saved for Amman and used it for buying puja and abhiSeka articles for the Panchaloka Vigraha of Periyavaa in his adhiSTAnam.

I was thinking if it was proper to perform Varalakshmi Puja within a year after the death of my father. I wrote to MaTham and asked for their opinion. Bala Periyavaa came in my dream and said, "Do the Varalakshmi Puja" and blessed me.

Glossary:
adhiSTAnam - tomb of a Hindu ascetic, abode, position

[saidevo]

The 'meyyar' (Realized) Who Came in the Dream
author:...... Jaanaa Kannan, Mylapore
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 5, pages 043-050
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Jun 2007 Edition)

Maha PeriyavaaL leaning on a wooden plank, stretching his holy feet is a scene that everyone can witness. Specifically, when he gives darshan sitting inside his mEnA (palanquin), his feet would remain stretched.

'Why not make a cushion on which Periyavaa might keep his feet?'

Buying some airy, light, soft sponge made of rubber, I cut it into a wide circle; covered it with a velvet cloth and stiched it in place; an eight-petalled lotus flower in a different colour at the centre; I decorated the edges with laces.

When I went for darshan of PeriyavaaL, he was sitting inside his mEnA.

My mother and I submitted the sponge preparation to PeriyavaaL. (That is, we kept it on the floor adjacent to the mEnA.) PeriyavaaL said, "aSTa-daLam (eight-petalled)?" as he took away his feet from inside the mEnA and kept them on the velvet pAda-pITham (feet rest). We experienced a shiver of ecstasy inside our heart. Without saying, "Alright, keep it here and go", as a way of immediately accepting the article we offered with bhakti, he kept his holy feet on it! What other greater bhAgyam could be there than this one?

An aNukkat-toNdar (personal assistant) was standing by the side of PeriyavaaL.

"You know the Lalita Sahasranama Dhyana Shlokam?"

After a minute's thinking, the assistant started with 'aruNAM karuNAtaraMgitAkSIM...'".

"Another..."

"'sindUrAruNa-vigrahAM...'"

"That's it! Look, there is a vidvAn (pandit) standing there. Go and ask him about the meaning of the 'ratnaghaTastha-raktacaraNAM' that occurs in this shlokam (verse)..."

The assistant went to the pandit and came back. "He said the meaning was 'AmbaaL keeping her ruddy feet on the water-pot made of precious stones...'".

Another vidvAn was standing adjacent to the mEnA. Looking at him, PeriyavaaL said: "SaastrigaaL! There was a doubt lingering with me for a long time. Which is that why should AmbaaL be keeping her feet on a ghaTam (water-pot)? Seems that doesn't go quite well here, right?"

The Pandit nodded his head with humility in affirmation. (He did not want to take the chance of 'What meaning would you attribute?' from Periyavaa!)

"That doesn't seem apt here, right?"

"Yes..."

"Now, after looking at this pAda-pITham, my doubt simply ran away!"

Periyavaa explained: "It would be right to say that AmbaaL is keeping her ruddy feet on a pAda-pITham such as this one. It seems to me that removing the 'ghaTastha' and substituting it with 'paTastha' would look alright. paTam means cloth, so a soft pAda-pITham. The padam (term) that was initially 'paTastha' could have become in the custom of speech 'ghaTastha', it seems to me. We should consider the 'paTastha' which means 'on a cloth' as a sama-vAcakam (equivalent) of 'on a woolen cloth' (because that should be smooth without hurting the feet!)."

None of us (including the pandit) recovered from the astonishment we had (on hearing it)!

"I was thinking it over for a long time. I understood once I looked at this."

This, this velvet pAda-pITham!

PeriyavaaL says his doubt was solved by a simple offer from an innocent like me, who stood on the last row without any sort of qualifications.

The gush of the tears of joy in me has not stopped yet; nor did PeriyavaaL's arULAnanda pozhivu (blissful shower of grace) stop with that!

*** *** ***

The days when I was studying in a college.

The time when I had only known about PeriyavaaL generally, with no special bhakti.

Suddenly he gave me darshan--in a dream! I couldn't push it away as some sort of imagination. He came and gave darshan often.

Should I not give a honour to these holy dreams?

I took up fasting on guruvAram (Thursdays). From that time I got darshan on every Thursday. It was a very happy experience, but it did not last long.

Suddenly Periyavaa stopped coming. What mistake did I commit for that?

It was a Thursday. Sitting on my bed, I pray closing my eyes: 'At least today should give
darshan...'

hmhUm (no). PeriyavaaL did not come.

Two days later, he gave darshan in a dream. "PeriyavaaL darshan was given me often in the earlier times. Nowadays Periyavaa never comes", I told him sorrowfully.

PeriyavaaL smiled slowly. "Am I not aged now? I have become a kizhavan (old man). (Showing his daNDam) I can't come that far carrying this staff. Only you should come to see me."

"If Periyavaa's anugraham (favour) is there, I shall come."

"You will come for the utsavam (festival)?"

"Shall come if there is anugraham."

The dream dissolved. Nothing was intelligible. Should come for which festival? What is the connection between it and PeriyavaaL darshan?

The surprising event happened the very next day.

My periyammA (mother's elder sister) had to attend a marriage in Chennai. "You come with me," she said. "If you come, on the way we can have darshan of PeriyavaaL in Kanchipuram."

I was ready the next minute!

When we reached the entrance of Kanchipuram MaTham the next day, Goddess Kamakshi who had come on a procession was standing there. A very large crowd. All the three Periyavaas were going around the Goddess.

"What is the speciality today?" I asked a local woman.

"Don't you know? Kamakshi Kovil utsavam is going on."

I don't have to narrate how I would have felt then. "Come for the utsavam?" was not a mere dream; deiva saMkalpam (divine will)!

*** *** ***

Having monthly darshan became my custom (from then on). Every time I went, I would submit some such thing as a garland or kirITam (crown) of cardamoms.

Once he asked his assistant Panaampattu Kannan who was nearby, "Whenever she comes to see me, she brings ten garlands? Count how many garlands are there on my neck."

Since the garlands worn were not removed, there were a number of them on his neck. Counting each by touching them, when the last one arrived for counting, Kannan said, "patthu (ten)".

"pOi kaiyai alambu (go and wash your hand)", said PeriyavaaL with a sportive smile.

(Those who observe the AcAra-anuSTAna [scriptural precepts of daily routine] would understand what patthu, thIttu, ecchal means. It is a custom of Acara that if a cooked article is touched that would result in deficiency of purity known as patthu. Since Kannan said 'patthu' PeriyavaaL asked him to wash his hand to remove that shortcoming. PeriyavaaL's words of frolic and humour--it is not possible to limit them to letters!)

Kannan told him: "sakala jIvarAsis (all the beings) are in Periyavaa's sharIraM (body). Therefore there is neither patthu nor padinonRu (the number eleven--as 'patthu' also denotes the number ten)!"

Yes, we have only one thing: PeriyavaaL!

*** *** ***

A motivation to submit some article that can be used by PeriyavaaL.

In those days, when Periyavaa sat down, they would place a wooden plank on the wall for him to lean on.

It seemed to me that leaning on the wooden plank would not be comfortable, so something that gave hitam (welfare) to the sharIraM could be made and offered to him.

'Shall keep sponge on the plank and cover it with velvet? Or will a cloth of wool be necessary?'--thoughts streamed by when sitting in PeriyavaaL's sannidhi (presence).

At that time, PeriyavaaL who was conversing with his assistant Chandramauli said in continuance of the conversation, "To lean on, I need only wool." I had the answer!

During my darshan the next month, I submitted a plank covered with sponge and knitted with the threads of wool to cover it.

That kSaNam (moment) when PeriyavaaL leaned his back on it gives me a permanent darshan.

Later the personal assistants told me: "The woolen plank you gave is very useful. To use it in his mEnA for his one hour japam, PeriyavaaL specifically asks for it!"

Had Periyavaa wished, the Maharajas would have offered him a golden plank. What I submitted was a mere wooden plank!

One hand is not enough to write down PeriyavaaL's limitless compassion; many hands would be required.

But then am I an aSTAdasa bhuja durga (Goddess Durga with eighteen arms)?

Glossary:
paTa - woven cloth, cloth, a blanket, garment, veil, screen, a painted piece of cloth

[saidevo]

Maha PeriyavaaL who ruled over me
devotee:...... T.A.Bhashyam, North Mada Street, Chinna Kanchipuram
author:....... T.A.Bhashyam
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 6, pages 1-12
publisher:.... Vanathi Padhippaham (Jun 2008 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil

Pages 1-5

The fortunes I obtained worshipping Maha PeriyavaaL are many and varied. Every time I went for darshan, I had filled my eyes with and felt happy at the sight of his graceful compassion that he showed towards all his devotees.

When Periyavar stood in blessing at Kollarchatram, two old smArta brahmins came in darshan of him.

After the usual inquiries, he asked, "A sAma veda pAThashAlA was run in your village, wasn't it?"

"Yes, we both studied our Veda only there..."

"And then, I went to seek another job..." Both of them stood with their heads down.

"At least something of what you studied is in memory?"

"No..."

"Will come to mind. Both of you recite now..."

There was no other go, they got stuck with PeriyavaaL. They couldn't say "No we can't recite" decisively, for that would be construed as a big apachAram (disrespect).

"HariH Aum", they started, and that was followed by a pravAham (gush) of susvara sAma gAnam (melodious Sama Veda songs) for a quarter of an hour.

They were themselves surprised that they could sing sAmagAnam without a single discordant note.

Later when giving them prasAdam, he said, "If you recite the brahma yajna prashnam daily, what you have studied won't be forgotton." They took leave promising to do as advised.

*** *** ***

Sitting inside in the Kollachatram, Periyavar was talking to his bhaktas.

He stopped suddenly and said to a disciple, "A yAchakan (beggar) who has lost both his legs is going in the street with a kakSha daNDam (crutch supported by the armpits). Call him."

The beggar came and stood near the entrance. Periayar looked at him and ordered that a dhoti-towel be given to him.

A beggar going in the street--how did he come in the sight of Periyavar sitting inside?

*** *** ***

A turbulent situation in SriLanka. The Tamilians could not live without fear. Various kinds of constraints. Some of them who saught refuge in Tamilnadu came for darshan of PeriyavaaL.

It was then only a week after a leader of the SriLankan Tamils, Padmanabha, was murdered. A frightful tumult ensued in SriLanka.

A long queue for PeriyavaaL darshan on that day. When the turn of the Lankan Tamils came, they started talking about their sufferings just falling short of shedding tears. Periyavar looked the very personification of compassion.

"Leaving all your properties, you people have come just to escape from the situation? How is your jIvanam (life) here? If you return, would you get back your properties?"

Perhaps nobody talked to them with such kindness! Those people narrated the situation in Lanka in a heart-rending manner. PeriyaaL's words of sympathy were precious remedy to the bruises of their hearts.

"Peace should return to your nation... You people should get back your properties!", he blessed them with these words.

People awaiting their turn in the queue started feeling irritated (by this long interview). When an attendant of the MaTham explained to them, "We all can come back again another day and have darshan of PeriyavaaL if it is not possible today. But just look at the fate of these people...", the people in the queue were pacified.

*** *** ***

A few days before PeriyavaaL went for paramapadam (samAdhi), he was talking about our divya prabandha ghoSTi (Divya Prabandha Group).

"You have a shikhA (tuft of hair), lakShaNam (appropriate) to look at. If everyone in your ghoSTi keep a shikhA and do the prabandha sevA it would be blissful to look at", he said.

Some of the members who heard these words keep a tuft and do anvayam (associate) in the Group. "The day will come soon when everyone sports a tuft in accordance with PeriyavaaL's abhilAShA (desire)", I told him.

*** *** ***

The time when PeriyavaaL's shatApt (hundredth year) celebrations were held. He asked our ghoSTi to come over to the MaTham and do the Divya Prabandha service.

We recited arranging the divya prabandha pAsuras as koyil, tirumalai, and perumAL koyil.

When we stopped at a place, PeriyavaaL said, "Do the sevA of 'kaNNinuT chiRuttAmbu'." We were all surprised, because when the entire nAlAyira divya prabandham is about PerumAL, only the eleven pAsuras sung by Madurakavai Azhvar and started with 'kaNNinuT chiRuttAmbu' were in adoration of Nammazhvar. The people of our Group were very happy to realize that since the Azhvars are even more adorable than the Bhagavan, PeriyavaaL ordered recital of that pAsuram of Madurakavi.

*** *** ***

[saidevo]

Pages 6-12 (concluding part)

A VaishNava Jeeyar SwamigaL had newly received the sannyAsa Ashrama svIkAram (order of the ascetic).

As he had much interest in Maha PeriyavaaL since his pUrvAshramam (earlier state of life), he wanted to meet the sage now. When his wish was conveyed to Periyavar, he sent the MaTham van. Jeeyar SwamigaL, myself and some assistants went in the van.

As the Jeeyar SwamigaL came, Periyavar welcomed him with a blossoming face saying, "vArum, shrI rAmAnujarE (Welcome, Sri Ramanuja)!" and followed it with the words, "No, no... srI irAmAnusarE!!" (This was because when do sevA of the prabandham, we would call it IrAmAnusa NUtrandAdi, adding an 'i'; and Periyavar had that subtlety in mind).

When the prabandha sevA was over, the sage blessed the saint with the words "innum oru nUtrANDirum--live for another hundred years..." and honoured him with a green shawl with jari decorations, and fruits. At that time the sage told the rare newsbit that the palanquin in the SriPerumpudur temple was given as a gift by the previous Sri Kanchi PIThAdhipatigaL.

*** *** ***

The Rajagopura Kalasam of Kanchi Varadaraja PerumaL temple had fallen down and broken. The divine repair project to the Rajagopuram was started at the initiative of Periyavar and the works were going on.

Periyavar at that time was camping in Tenambakkam. He took it as his custom to do daily pradakShiNam of the sannidhi mADa streets of the Kanchi Devaraja PerumaL temple. The pace of Periyavar's walk was one that could not be met by the others!

Periyavar stood for a few minutes at the entrance of our home in the North Mada Street and did dhyAnam; he looked towards the inside of the house. We did not understand then as to 'what for is this look of grace'. It was not known as to why Periyavar who passed our house with his usual pace every day stood before it on that day (23-12-1977) and then passed along.

Could it have been due to tiredness of his frame caused by the swift pace of his walk? No.

We understood the reason during that night. Yes, my sacred father on that night attained paramapadam (obtained VaikuNTa prApti).

(My father had no eyesight. He was always doing pArAyaNam of the Vishnu SahasranAmam. He would attend the gopUja, gajapUja held in the evenings at SriSankara MaTham located in the Yanaikatti Street; and do sahasranAma pArAyaNam there.

*** *** ***

I had gone to do sevA of PeriyavaaL, along with three directors of the New Delhi Central Government Transport department. Morning six-thirty on a Tuesday.

'Periyavar is not well, so no darshan today', the SriMaTham chippantis (assistants) told us.

The directors Tiru. Anandakrishna Aiyyar, Suman (a North Indian) and Gopalan were much disappointed.

Venkudi doctor examined PeriyavaaL and said, "Fever with 103 degrees of temperature; may not do the snAnam."

"Today is mangaLa vAram, I must do snAnam in the mangaLa tIrtham..."

"A thousand mangaLa vAra snAnas you have done; it's alright if one mangaLa vAra snAnam is not done."

Periyavar got up suddenly, came out quickly, inquired the Muslim who was selling pori at the GangaikoNdAn Mandapam entrance of his health, passed that way to the MangaLa TIrtham and prepared to take bath!

The MaTham assistants were aghast! They ran to him and said, "We shall bring some warm water, and Periyavaa should do snAnamin that warm water on the banks of the pond." Periyavar agreed to it.

Forthwith all of us (including the Delhi director) started doing pArAyaNam of the Purusha SUktam.

On the banks of the MangaLa TIrtha PushkaraNi, a mahonnata abhiShekam (divinely eminent bath) took place as a sight that filled the eyes and overflew.

It was a wonder of wonders for the three officials who were worried on that day about having at least a minute's darshan of Periyavar,--the sight of Periyavar doing snAnam, Purusha SUkta pArAyaNam becoming food for their eyes and ears!

*** *** ***

Once it happened that I, who was working in the administrative office of the Chennai Harbour, had to take my higher official Tiru. S.Ganesan for darshan of Periyavar.

After inquiring him of his pUrvottaram (preceding and following members in the family tree), the places he worked and such other things, Periyavar asked him, "Do you perform the sandhyA vandanam every day?"

"No. My udyogam (calling) is does not suit it... Periyavaa should excuse..."

After keeping silent for a minute, Periyavar said: "Shall I tell you a prAyashchittam (atonement) for it? Could you do it?"

"Shall do it", said Ganeshan.

"You said you have three daughters. What would you do if you had four?"

"I shall educate that girl too well and get her married in a good place."

"Assuming that you have four daughters, whatever you would do that fourth daughter, spend that money for a kAryam (task) I shall tell you now.

"According to our Shastras, the nitya karmAnuShThAnas (daily religious observances) and studying the Vedas differ as per the gotra--sampradAya. The SandhyA Vandana mantras are not identical for everyone. With proper pandits, you should arrange to examine those mantras and classify them based on the shAkhA-gotra-pravartAdi (brach of the Veda and gotra), and publish handy books. You must distribute those books free to the boys studying in colleges and polytechnics. At least a few of them would in later days undertake the karmAnuShThAnas as per their tradition. You call the Mahapandits of the Mylapore Samskrta College to your bungalow, discuss with them and publish the books..."

My higher official agreed to the proposal enthusiastically. (But then I have no knowledge if those books were published).

This incident is an example that Periyavar had concern for the next generation.

*** *** ***

Periyavar had unnata bhakti (high devotion) towards Sri Kanchi Devaraja PerumaL. (Deva PerumaL = Devarajan = Varadarajan).

On the day of Garuda sevA, if PeriyavaaL happens to be in Kanchipuram, it was his custom to do sevA to PerumaL standing in some place (inside the sannidhi, at the Gopuram entrance, entrance of the sixteen-legged mandapam, entrance of the Kacchabesvara temple or near the GangaikoNdAn Mandapam opposite the MaTham).

In return in the evening, as accords a MaThAdhipati, the honours of bahumAna panchamudra saDAri* would be done to Periyavar.

In the same way, if Periyavar happens to be in Kanchipuram, on the day of Sri VaikuNTa EkAdasi he would come to the temple (sometime between the morning and night), do sevA of PerumaL without disturbing others and return to his place. I have also witnessed his going on pAdayAtra to the eight sannidhis in the eight Divyadeshas in Kanchi for having the aShTa vishNu darshanam on the VaikuNTa Ekadasi day.

*** *** ***

Note:
*This link, among others, has information as to why is a saDAri honour done in a PerumaL temples:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?q...9231146AAZhtuW

[saidevo]

The Stories Periyavaa Told
devotee:...... Radha Ramamurthi
author:....... Radha Ramamurthi
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 6, pages 173-179
publisher:.... Vanathi Padhippaham (Jun 2008 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil

A tuRavi (ascetic) who was going on pAdayAtrA (tour on foot) to Rameswaram stayed in the village common maTham, acceding to the request of the people of the village.

He would visit every house in the village daily in the morning and ask, "arisi vAngalaiyO?" (did not buy the rice?--literally).

The village people enjoyed this new custom in the beginning. But then later on they started feeling irritated by the ascetic daily asking them this question.

One man took courage and asked the ascetic: "Swami, aren't we sending you your bikShA (alms) every day each taking his turn among ourselves? Then why ask 'arisi vAngalaiyO?' If we don't have the rice how can we give you the bhikShA?"

The ascetic was calm for a while, without feeling angry. Then he said: "It is only my mistake not to have told you people in a way you would understand it. I did not ask "arisi vAngalaiyO?" Only to remind you of the name of the God, I asked "ari sivA engalaiyO?" (did not say Hari, Siva today?) In this age of Kali, only the name of the God is the simplest way towards liberation. I was prompting you only towards that way (by my question)..."

The villagers' respect towards the ascetic multiplied several times on hearing this explanation from him. Everyone came forward competing among themselves to be of service to him. The relationship between them was becoming closer. After four days, however, the ascetic left the village to continue his yAtrA.

*** *** ***

aDiyArs crowd (throng of devotees) around PeriyavaaL. Men on one side and women on the other.

On that day PeriyavaaL talked about 'easy' things and was drowning the devotees in the flood of humour and laughter.

Suddenly he turned towards the men's side and asked, "Who among you knows cooking?"

The men, including those who had not even peeped into their kitchen, said in a single voice, "Yes, I know it!"

"How would you prepare the kuzhambu (sAmbAr)?" was the next question.

The man who was first in the queue started saying: "Dissolving tamarind in water, then adding red chili powder and salt to it; the mixture should be boiled well and then served."

The man standing next said, "The mustard and red chillis should be first seasoned in some oil, then after the tamarind-salt-chili powder mixture is boiled, boiled dhal should be added to it, and after the whole thing boils once, the coriander and curry leaves should be added..."

Another man said, "The tamarind and red chilis both should be ground with water in the ammi (grinding stone) and then salt, boiled dhal and a pinch of asafoetida added to the mixture which must be boiled well..."

Thus some of the men narrated many wonderful ways of the recipe. Then PeriyavaaL's turn came up.

"All of you are great jnAnis! Those who have forgotten their ahamkAram (ego). For my part, I am still trying (to accomplish) it."

What does PeriyavaaL say?

"The reason for people to get confused is the thought of tAn (me). All of you people have no thought of that tAn! Only the tamarind-salt-chili-asafoetida stay in your memory. The thought of tAn never came up. Isn't this the state of jnAnis?" (PeriyavaaL was alluding that they forgot to mention about the vegetable added to the kuzhambu which has the name tAn--sd).

The ADiyArs stood as rock statues at the foothills of the Kailash mountain.

*** *** ***

A divine opportunity of having darshan of PeriyavaaL on the day of Tamil New Year came up.

We had gone there from Pudukottai, and submitted him the (tiny) flowers of the neem tree along with some tamarind and jaggery.

"How do you prepare the neem flower pachchaDi (salad)?" asked PeriyavaaL.

We spoke about it in a clumsy way.

PeriyavaaL said: "These three products are not enough. You must add honey and ghee. If you do it in pakvam (proper way), the pachchaDi will be tasty. The salad prepared in this way must be distributed to others; and they would become enchanted towards you!

"First, naivedyam (nivedanam--offer) to AmbaaL; and she would be enhanted! Then, to the ahattukkArar (householder, husband); and he would nod his head to whatever his wife says! Then, it must be given to the household servants, and they would do their work without murmur!"

Then he ordered to the ukkirANam (kitchen) for preparation of some neem flower salad, bringing it over and distributing to us.

"Know what is this for?"

A woman replied: "So that all of us would conduct ourselves in accordance with PeriyavaaL's Aj~jA/AGYA/Aj~nA (precepts)..."

"That is right... (but then) this is Tripurasundari prasAdam. You all should remain always as the bhaktais (women devotees) of AmbaaL."

What was in our palms did not seem to be a spoon of neem flower salad, rather as the sea of amRutam (divine nectar).

*** *** ***

[saidevo]

Incidents that never escape from memory
devotee:...... Srimati Indira Balasubramaniam, West Thana, Mumbai
author:....... Srimati Indira Balasubramaniam
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 6, pages 180-196
publisher:.... Vanathi Padhippaham (Jun 2008 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil

Pages 180-185

Kanchi MahAn needs no introduction. If it is one kind of joy to read about the experiences had by those who approached him, it is another kind to share them with others; and to write about them is a third kind. He was also unique in fulfilling the yearnings of those who sought him.

It was the time when kanakAbhiShekam was being arranged for the MahAn. A letter received from the MaTham said that those who wished to participate in the service might give according to their shakti gold worth one sovereign or an equivalent amount in rupees.

I decided to give the pair of bangles that I had made for my marriage. Although it was a month and a half for the day of the kanakAbhiShekam, we had no plans to visit Kanchipuram at that time. And this man (my husband) would be very strict that what we offer should not be known to a third person; so it wasn't possible for us to send the offer through a third person. He said we might send a 'draft' for an equivalent amount (for the bangles).

Whereas I said, "Have already kept it for Periyavar, can't change it." I had inquired with two jewellery shops as to whether the pure gold obtained from melting the bangles would amount to a sovereign. With confusion in mind, as I thought that perhaps PeriyavaaL was not willing to receive my offer, tears welled up in my eyes.

As I entered the house, what a surprise! A man from the MaTham was talking to 'this man'. He said that the letter was sent as an advance announcement and that he had come in person to receive the offer.

A relative woman of mine had lost a number of her jewels since her husband was not behaving properly. I told her, "You too give a sovereign." She did as I said and thereafter she did not lose anything.

*** *** ***

Thinking of PeriyavaaL if one climbs down his/her doorsteps, it would be his responsibility until the person returns home. During the MahAn's north Indian yAtrA we went to Solapur where he camped. The railway station master of that place, though a Marati, guided everyone who sought his help to the place where the sage was camping.

He asked us to take a bus, so we got into a bus. The conductor asked us to get own at a place. We got down and walked. It was very dark, with no sign of human movement. A stretch of fields on both sides. Even after walking for a half hour we couldn't locate the place where the MahAn was staying. Fear seizing my mind between its jaws, I thought of the MahAn and prayed to him. Not even five minutes would have passed and we sighted a boy riding on a cycle at a distance. We also came to know that he belonged to the MaTham. When we asked him he said, "Only ten minutes walk, follow me."

Once we went to a place called Miraj and stayed with the MahAn in the MaTham for two days. The day of our return came. A Marati man came on that day with family for darshan. When he inquired us about Periyavar, we said, "you can go inside and have darshan." When he went inside, we came out and stood under a tree. We were discussing, 'there seems to be no vehicle or bus from here to the Miraj railway station; how are we to go there?' A car that went passed us stopped suddenly. The Marati man we were talking to awhile ago, got down and told us, "Where do you want to go? You can't get a vehicle here, so come in our car." Getting rapturous about the MahAn's compassion for us, we accompanied them.

*** *** ***

The MahAn was staying on the other side of the river in Pandaripuram. When we went there, it was eight o' clock at night. A boatman promised to take us to the other side and did so. When we offered money for the service, he refused to take it. "I don't get money from people who come to have darshan of the MahAn", said that poor Marati boatman.

We could buy lots of the tulasi leaf bunches there. Stringing them into a garland using the fibre of the banana tree, we gave it to him and stood aside. I was a bit distressed at heart that he did not even have a look at it. A hour passed. A Marati man brought a statue. He said, "This Lakshminarayana statue we got when we dug our land." Periyavar did abhiShekam to the image with water from his kamaNDalu. Adorning it with the tulasi garland I had submitted, he asked the man to take it home. Perhaps he did not wear the garland himself knowing that the statue would be brought to him.

*** *** ***

Sometime later, four or five people brought a man bitten by a snake. With his mouth foaming, the victim found it hard to breathe. Periyavar looked at him once and gave a lot of vibhUti. A man who brought the victim smeared it all over the body and dropped some in the victim's mouth. Half an hour later, the victim was restored to normal health and went back walking with the people who brought him.

*** *** ***

He was an expert in appearing in dreams too for blessing a person. One of my elder brothers died when he was eighteen years old. At that time my mother's age was hardly thirty-four. When my mother had thoughts of suicide with no thought towards her other children, he appeared in her dream. My mother changed her mind and lived on, and reared us all, feeding us with devotion towards Periyavar.

Many years back my mother became unwell. I found myself crying before Periyavar in my dream. The cut half of a coconut was in his hand, filled with its water. He says to me, "Look, I have only given you a good coconut." Today my mother is eighty years old.

*** *** ***

During the year 1974 my father once took diamonds to a goldsmith's home to make them into a diamond stud for me. He went around eight in the morning but did not return even at nine in the night. Those days there were no telephone facilities like we have today. Worry started spreading in our mind. My mother said, "Come, let us pray to Swami." Crying, I said, "Who else is there for us, except PeriyavaaL?" Before I could finish that sentence, my father's head was seen at the doorsteps. It is another matter that he explained the delay in his returning.

*** *** ***

[saidevo]

Pages 185-191

We had gone to Kalavai. 'This man' had taken the examination for the A.M.I. and told so to Peiyavar, with the discomfort of having not done well in the exam showing in his voice. The MahAn blessed him and we returned. The exam results came, and he had passed it successfully in a good class.

It is our custom to keep new clothes, savouries and whatever else, before his portrait and then use it. On the morning of the day PeriyavaaL attained samAdhi, I did anusha pUja. At three-fifteen in the afternoon, I placed to his portrait a sweet ball made of sugar, soyabean flour and wheat flour. At seven-thirty in the evening a phone message came from Chennai. My mother told me that Periyavar had attained samAdhi at 2:55 pm and asked me to do nivedanam with pAyasam for at least ten days.

*** *** ***

He was an ascetic, jnAni; and would say that keeping more wealth than required was the cause of all afflictions. Although we only seek from him our ihapara sukham (worldly comforts), he would fulfil our needs and also stress his opinion.

At Kalavai, a devotee told him: "I have got promotion. They have included me in the 'A' grade."

"Will get income that meets your needs?" asked Periyavar.

"I get more than what we need", said the devotee.

"Then why the promotion?" asked Periyavar, sporting an enchanting smile.

*** *** ***

My husband had pain on the left side of his stomach. The doctor could not understand the reason for it. We asked my mother to represent the case to Periyavar. Periyavar told Amma, "Pray at the DakshiNamUrti Sannidhi. Ask them to serve meals to two brahmaNas at Rameswaram on the Sankara Jayanthi day." We complied with his advice for three years and the stomach pain subsided and vanished. When we went to Satara we told him that we were doing the act of charity for three years. The MahAn said it was enough.

*** *** ***

When my sister AvayAmbaaL and I were children, the darshan of Periyavar we got at ILayAttankudi was our first memory. Some years back, she had arranged to come over Pune and then go to Bombay and Chennai. But then since the wife of a popular leader died on the previous day, there was tension in Maharashtra, a bandh (closure) was announced and the autos and buses were off the road. I rang up Pune and asked her to change her date of departure. But she said that she had to go to office on that particular date at Chennai, so a change of date would not be possible for her. "There could be problems due to anti-social elements. Some people have even lost their lives", I said.

She replied in a single word, "All those things Periyavaa would take care." 'Tut, this did not occur to me?' I thought. On the next day I went to Kalyan, received her and got down at Muland. As we came out, only police heads could be seen everywhere. We had a heavy trunk and a bag in our hands; would take twenty-five minutes to walk down the distance. We stood perplexed not knowing what to do.

"Amma, what did you come here for? Want to go home?" a voice was heard. Turning my head, I saw Velu, the newspaper delivery man of our adjacent street. I had talked with him once or twice. He came forward, took our bag and trunk, kept it at the backseat on the bicycle and accompanied us till we reached home, pushing his bicycle all the way.

*** *** ***

Once in my dream, he descended from the portrait I usually do anusha pUja to and stood before me. A string of jasmine flowers in his hand. Sri Jayendra SwamigaL comes from the entrance of the house. Giving him the string of flowers, the sage says, "Give this to her." It is remarkable that at that time there was no portrait of Sri Jayendra SwamigaL in our home.

*** *** ***

I was travelling alone from Chennai to Bombay. Three men were on the side seats. I had the habit of sleeping deeply at night. Could have been two-thirty at night, I was awakened suddenly. I did not know how I woke up, but found a man standing on the side of my head. I sat up, seized my handbag hard (a photograph of Periyavar was in there) and asked him, "What happened to you? What do you want?" "Nothing", said the man and returned to his seat. I woke up the women sleeping in the adjacent seats, told them what happened and asked them to keep awake for the rest of the night. I had no doubt that it was only Periyavar residing in the form of a photograph in my bag who woke me up at that right time.

*** *** ***

We were living in Muland. I could publish a book of our search efforts for an own house. We were tired with so much efforts of looking out. There was even an occasion of having paid an advance money that was returned. When we went to Kanchi we informed Periyavar. Periyavar would always inquire about a thing and get to know it thoroughly. He asked, "What is the next (railway) station? How far is Dombivili from there?" Then, "Only the pagaDi (house advance) system in our place? How much pagaDi did you pay for the house you reside in presently?"

After we returned home, we got our own house, at Thana.

*** *** ***

At Miraj, a Marati man submitted two baskets full of bhakShaNas (savouries) that included adirasam. Periyavar was in meditation. Sometime later, hearing Periyavar's voice, my husband peeped out. "Call SriKaNTan", said the sage. When the man came, "Distribute these bhakShaNas to everyone", he said. Two hours later, he inquired if everything was distributed. Even a small thing would not escape his memory.

Looking at a family who came in the evening, Periyavar asked, "Your son who quit house when he was a boy, how is he now?". Then he asked, "Am I telling you jOsyam (astrological prediction) now?" After a minute's silence, "Had he gone in a good manner, he would only be in a good position". That family returned, confident that their son who had deserted them was doing well. And the MaTham's rule that no astrological prediction should be done was also not transgressed.

*** *** ***

When my husband had gone to Kanchipuram, a woman wept to Periyavar, "My tirumAngalyam is lost in a theft. I am very poor." Forthwith Periyavar asked a MaTham assistant to bring a new tirumAngalyam from the MaTham stock, gave it to the woman with his own hand and asked her to wear it.

*** *** ***

Periyavar came walking from Tenambakkam to Kanchipuram. We followed him. My mother at that time picked up some sand from Periyavar's footprint that was not obliterated by any other footprint and gave the sand to me. Today that sand is receives the utmost consideration in our anusha pUja at home.

*** *** ***