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Thread: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

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    Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    Disclaimer for my Translated Materials

    These English translations done by me of Paramacharya darshan and experiences of devotees, his discourses and other kinds of publications on and by Paramacharya, 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.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. Appaalum Adi Sarndhar (The Beyond Who Reached the Foot)
    Author: Paanaampattu Kannan (in Tamil)
    Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 1-5
    Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham

    As narrated by the author:

    A bank director in the country of France. He was keen on having a darshan of PeriyavargaL, having heard about him. Dr. Raghavan used to receive frequent phone calls (from the bank director). He would ask if he could come and have a darshan of PeriyavargaL. Dr. Raghavan (who was a Sanskrit professor in the Madras University) would inform PeriyavargaL about the request. Even though he had told, "He is very keen to have darshan of PeriyavargaL; he bothers me frequently", PeriyavargaL did not give his consent. Some years passed in this way.

    Suddenly one day Dr. Raghavan received tidings that said, 'I have arrived at Bombay. I shall come over to Madras and meet you. Should please arrange for the darshan.'

    At that time our Acharyas were staying in Mylapore Sanskrit College. One evening Dr. Raghavan was waiting to have darshan of PeriyavargaL. PeriyavargaL called him and inquired. When told about the Frechman's proposed visit to Chennai, PeriyavargaL said, "Alright, bring him."

    Before he sat for the upanyAsam after the puja, PeriyavargaL called me and said, "If any European turns up, seat him on a chair, as he would not be able to sit on the floor. I shall see him after the upanyAsam."

    When the upanyAsam was over and PeriyavargaL was about to get inside, he asked, "Did anyone turn up?" "No one turned up", I replied. At that time a man wearing a dhoti and towel came to the front and prostrated to PeriyavargaL four times. (The sampradaya is to always prostrate to sannyAsis four times.) Behind the man came Dr. Raghavan and SankaraNarayana Aiyer (professor of Philosophy at Mylai Vivekananda College). Since that European came in dhoti and towel I was misled. PeriyavargaL told me, "Ask him how did he knew about prostrating four times." The Eurpoean said, "I did as everyone did here."

    PeriyavargaL told me, "Bring only the Frenchman." I said, "I wouldn't understand the English he speaks. It would be better if Dr. Raghavan or SanakaraNarayana Aiyer is present."

    "The English you know would suffice. You bring him," quipped PeriyavargaL. Dr. Raghavan and SankaraNarayana Aiyer stood outside the thatti (a coconut leaf weaved sheet of cover).

    The Frenchman who came inside and sat spoke: "I am studying Vedanta for sometime now. Suddenly one day I felt that my entire body had gone numb, that I was residing outside the body, and my figure was extended from the earth to the sky. I also saw universes hanging from my body. It was very blissful at that time. There was no trace of sorrow. After this incident, nothing bothers my mind in my daily life. My wife deceased. My son too was dead. These occasions did not create any ripple in my mind. I was always blissful.

    "People in the bank think I am insane, looking at this mental state of mine. So I have an inherent fear that one day they might put me behind the bars (of a hospital)."

    PeriyavargaL asked him, "What is inside? And what is outside? Aren't everything is inside four walls?"

    This question created a big change in him. He requested PeriyavargaL, "You should be always with me." Finally, he asked PeriyavargaL about some upadesham.

    PeriyavargaL said, "What you are doing now (meditation), you continue. I shall be with you till your attainment." He tore a piece of the vastram he was wearing then and gave it to the Frenchman with the words, "Keep this always with you as my prasAdam." Such a heap of anugraha for him on that day. He took leave with immense happiness, having received the grace.

    Coming outside, the Frenchman prostrated to Dr. Raghavan and said, "It was only because of you I got this much bhAgyaM."

    PeriyavargaL went to bed after they were gone. After he retired, I asked him about a doubt in my mind.

    Without replying anything to me, PeriyavargaL lapsed into sleep. He called me the next morning before he started his one hour japam. He asked me, "Do you know how many are the Nayanmars?"

    I replied, "The Arupatthu Moover Utsavam is held (every year)! So, only sixty-three."

    "Go to the Kapali temple, count and come back," he said. When I did it, I counted sixty-seven. I told this to PeriyavargaL.

    "Who are those four people in excess?" he asked me.

    I went back to the temple, inqured and came back. "One of them is the 'appAlum adi sarndharukku adiyAr!'" I said.

    PeriyavargaL graced me with the knowledge, "appAl is those who are beyond desam and kAlam. Since the element of time is involved, it also refers to the adiyArs to be born in the hereafter. This man is beyond desam. He has just four janmas left."

    Though PeriyavargaL who was such a jnani is not among us now, he is always living in his figure of grace and giving us abhayam.

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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    6. Should Anandavalli Cry?
    Author: Smt. Sulochana, PudukkOttai (in Tamil)
    Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 78-82
    Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham

    My eldest daughter Anandavalli alias Meera has intense bhakti towards Sri Maha PeriyavaaL since her early age. Once when we were having a darshan of ParamacharyaaL, some small boys were reciting shlokas and Vedas in front of Sri Periyavaa. Sri Maha SwamigaL listened to them keenly and asked them some questions, which they replied to. Looking at this, Meera was crying continuously with the thought 'These people know so much of what Sri Maha PeriyavaaL likes, but I know simply nothing!'

    After they left, Sri Periyavaa looked at Meera and asked, "Who is there? Why are you crying? What is your name?" "Anandavalli," replied Meera.

    'Anandavalli' is the name of an ancient relative of us, who willingly took to the pyre when her husband died. Because of that incident, she is honoured as our family deity. All the eldest daughters in our family tree bear the name Anandavalli!

    Now to the incident with Sri PeriyavaaL. "Should Anandavalli cry? You should always be Ananda!" he said. "Do you know the songs of Janaki AmmaL who was always doing bhajans about me?" This girl said, "No." He said, "You know nothing. You know only me!"

    I said to Meera, "See, Sri Maha PeriyavaaL himself has told you. If you know him what other bhAgyaM you require? You don't have to know anything!" Meera at that time was seventeen.

    After this incident, Sri Maha SwamigaL had taught her many things, both in her dreams and in person. He gave her upadesham in her dream, and thereafter in person, of the Ganapati Mantra and the 17th shloka in MUkhapancasati Arya Satakam (I look at AmbaaL as sarvarUpi). He told her in dream to seek the meaning of the Triyambaka Mantra from me. In her dream, he taught her the procedure to perform abhiSekah to vigrahas. When she was not able to do it properly, he came in her dream again and said, "You don't do it properly. It should be done this way." and demonstrated to her. There is no limit to what Sri Maha Periyavar had taught Meera in her dream.

    *** *** ***

    After Meera had the Ganapati Mantra upadesham, a song in the pUraya mamakAmam tune struck my mother's mind, as if it was sung extempore by Meera.

    (Tamil script of the song in Baraha 7.0)
    ----------------------------------------
    rAgam: bilahari
    tALam: Athi arai iTam

    pallavi
    kuruvaip paNi~ntiTuvOm--
    Sa~ntatam jakat-kuruvaip paNi~ntiTuvOm.

    anupallavi
    kA~jci ~nakara~ntannil kAmakOTi pITattil
    ATfci ceytu ~nammaik kaTAkShittaruLum jakat-(kuruvai)

    caraNam
    kanavinil va~ntenakku kaNapati ma~ntirattai
    karuNaiyuTan aLitta kA~jcip peru~ntakaiyin
    tavattirup poRpAtattil ta~jcamenRu aTai~ntu
    a~jcali celuttiyE Ana~ntattuTan jakat-(kuruvai)

    (English translation of the song)
    ---------------------------------
    Let us bow to the Guru--
    Always bow to the Jagatguru.

    In the Kanchi city, at the Kamakoti PITham
    He who rules and blesses us with his glance (to that Jagatguru)

    Who came in my dreams and taught the Ganapati Mantra
    With grace, to that great sage of Kanchi,
    Seeking refuge at his golden feet
    And paying respects by joining palms with happiness (to that Jagatguru)

    *** *** ***

    My father, after he was a Chief Engineer in Pudukkottai for a long time and retired, started living in Thanjavur. He was for sometime the trustee of the Thanjai Bangaru Kamakshi Amman temple. My mother's name is Lakshmi.

    When my mother and mother-in-law together went to have a darshan of Sri PeriyavaaL, my mother told ParamacharyaaL about how he wrote the number '3' on her head in her dream. To that, Sri Maha SwamigaL said, "That is TrikUta. Fifteen akSaras. Sri Vidya Mantra. You take the upadesham of that mantra from Pudukkottai Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavatar."

    When Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavatar once had darshan of Sri Maha PeriyavaaL, Sri Periyavaa asked him, "What are you doing?"

    "I am doing bhajana, staying at home."

    "Don't just be there doing bhajana. Wander doing bhajana! (bhajanai seithukondu irukkAthe. Bhajanai seithukondu thiri!)"

    After this advise, Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavatar went to several places, spreading the bhajana sampradAya and became famous all over India.

    Some months later, my mother met Sri Gopalakrishna Bhagavatar at Pudukkottai and told him what Sri Maha Periyavaa had told her. Hearing that Sri Bhagavatar was very much moved and said, "He asked me to do the upadesham?!" Sometime later, he himself came to my father's house at Thanjavur and did the mantropadesham to both my mother and father.

    *** *** ***

    At Pudukkottai ValambaL's house, Sri Lalita Bhajan was held every Friday. She was very skilled in the Sanskrit language and pujas. My mother and mother-in-law got a Sri Chakra made through her and took it Sri Maha PeriyavaaL. He kept it in puja for 11 days and gave it back in the brahma muhUrta of an early morning with his anugraha.

    After this event, my mother composed a song in the 'Raghuvamsa Suta' tune, considering the three Periyavaas as Tripurasundari.

    (Tamil script of the song in Baraha 7.0)
    ----------------------------------------
    rAgam: katanakutUhalam
    pallavi
    ca~ntiracEkara i~ntira caraSvati
    caraNam bajAmi caraNam ~namAmi.

    anupallavi
    kA~jci mA ~nakaram kAmakOTi pITam
    tannilE viLa~gkum Satkuru~nAtA (ca~ntira)

    caraNam
    kuruvarya SrI ca~ntiracEkara
    i~ntra caraSvati vAkpava kUTam
    jaya i~ntira caSvati matya kUTam
    vijayE~ntira caraSvati cakti kUTam
    tripuracu~ntari SvarUpam SmarAmi. (ca~ntira)

    (English translation of the song)
    ---------------------------------
    Chandrasekhara Indra Sarasvati
    I adore his feet and seek his protection.

    In Kanchi the great city and at Kamakoti PITham
    You reside my Satgurunatha (Chandra)

    The chief guru Sri Chandrasekhara
    Indra Sarasvati is Vakpava KUtam.*
    Jaya Indra Sarasvati is Madhya KUtam.
    Vijayendra Sarasvati is Shakti KUtam.
    Let us remember them as the very form of Tripurasundari. (Chandra)

    *** *** ***

    Note: *Vakpava KUtam:
    Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple Guide
    (C.V.Ramanatha Sastry)

    Kanchee, the most sacred of the seven Salvation cities of India, has in it Rudrakottam,Punyakottam,Kamakottam presided by Sri Ekambaranathar,Varadaraja and Sri Kamakshi Devi respectively. In this booklet the sanctity and vedic particulars of Shri Kamakoti Peeda Kamakshi Devi alone are dealt for the benefit of pilgrims. In this world of fifty crore yajanai area there are sixty four thaousand seats of Divine worship. Out of these three seats are very very important. They are 'Madhya Kudam' known as 'Jalandra Peeta' which is modern Jalandar in Punjab ,secondly 'Sakthi Kudam' known as 'Ottiyana Peeta' which is modern ?Kamaroopa?in Assam and third 'Vakpava Kudam' known as Kamaraja Peeta modern Kancheepuram in Tamilnadu,India Shri Kamakshi Devi shrine, in front of Devi. Again of these three sakthi seats, Kamakoti Peeta(Kamaraja Peeta) is the most important. No wonder then that of the seven salvation cities Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kasi, Kanchi, Avanthika, Dwaraka, Kanchi is said to be the most sacred of all for Salvation. Besides it is said that a man can attain salvation by living in Kasi (Benaras) whereas by merely thinking of Kanchi a person can obtain Divine Bliss (Moksha). So much about the sacredness of Kanchee has been said by great sages and saints.
    ...

    (Courtesy: http://www.netsaber.com.br/resumos/v...mo.php?c=15802)
    Glossary:
    vittakam - skill, ability, knowledge, wisdom, learning, a hand-pose

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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    22. You Build the Temple
    Author: Jamba Nagasamy, Chennai (in Tamil)
    Compiler: T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 202-208
    Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec. 2006 Edition)

    I was in Tiruvannamalai in my young age. Our house was near the foothill. One maami used to teach us song and dance and would ask us to sing before Ramana Maharshi. We would sing and dance before him, going in circles. He would never talk, only have a look with his eyes. After I was married, a relative told me, "You have seen Kumbakonam Swamy, maha tapasvi, go and have darshan once." PeriyavaaL at that time had the name 'Kumbakonam Swamy'. My husband and I came to Kanchipuram to have darshan, but we were told that Periyavaa had gone out somewhere. We went to three or four nearby villages, but could not see him in those places. I was yearning for the darshan.

    Only when Periyavaa had come to Madras, we could have his darshan. At my first sight of him I thought, "He looks typically like Ramana Maharshi. What tejas in those eyes!" Periyavaa was keenly looking at me.

    Since then, we have been having darshan of Periyavaa for the last 50 years. If this man (my husband) has work, we would come on a Sunday and return the same day after darshan. One Sunday, when Periyavaa was in Sivasthanam, we came for his darshan. Some sumangalis were talking among them loudly and happily. When inquired, one maami said, "Periyavaa asks us to build a temple. Will you join?" We gave our immediate consent.

    We prostrated to Periyavaa and told him about the news. Periyavaa asked Rajappa GurukkaL who was near him to show us the Sivalingams. Of the four Lingams we had a look, the Sevilimedu Lingam lingered in our minds. It was a large Lingam. When we said to Periyavaa, "We had a look at four Lingams", he immediately said, "You build the temple for the Sevilimedu Lingam." Whatever way he came to know of what I had in mind? Later when we started with the arrangements, he asked us to have one Sri Nagarajan of Kanchipuram for assisting us. My husband would come every Saturday and Sunday and buy the things required for building the temple.

    Suddenly one day Periyavaa started on a yAtra. I was very eager that Periyavaa should perform in the kumbhAbhiSeka of our temple. But we were told that Periyavaa was leaving for the North and it was not certain when he would return.

    Sri Muthiah Stapati carved the AvudayAr but we built only the sanctum sanctorum. Since Periyavaa had gone on yAtra we could not perform the kumbhAbhiSekam.

    I would daily go to the Shiva temple (BharatIsvarar temple), light a lamp and go round nine times with the prayers that Periyavaa should come for our kumbhAbhiSekam. Meantime we visited the North and had darshan of Periyavaa. He was at that time in Mahakaav. When he saw us he said, "Conduct the temple kumbhAbhiSekam." I parayed to him, "Only Periyavaa should come and do the kumbhAbhiSekam." He smiled and gave me the directions, "You visit all the doorsteps here, get some rice and wheat telling the householders that they were for my sake and send them to wherever I happen to stay." Then he looked at my husband and said, "You can't come yourself. Send them through Joshi." I was doing as ordered without break.

    Because of everyone's prayer, Periyavaa came to Kanchi. On the day he reached there, we went to him with a proposed kumbhAbhiSekam date. He gave his anugraha. When we came out, we were told that there was another kumbhAbhiSekam in Sivasthanam and that Periyavaa would visit only that and not ours. We went back and told this news to Periyavaa, but he asked us to conduct it on the same date.

    The kumbhAbhiSekam day came. Ours was a simple ceremony with an expense of 6,000 to 7,000 rupees. They were doing it with a large sum of one lakh rupees. My mind was in a flutter that he should come. I was doing the smaraNa the whole night, constantly repeating to myself the words, 'Periyavaa should come', 'Periyavaa should come'. Before going to the temple in the morning when I went to have his darshan, he told me of everything I was thinking the whole of previous night. I was in a spiritual tingle.

    Just seven people were there in our kumbhAbhiSekam. When we were almost done, and was about to pour the water in the holy pot over Swami, a boy came up running and cried, "Periyavaa is coming!" He literally came running, his feet going red in the hot sun of the Chitra month, took over the pot from us and did the abhiSekam himself. With Periyavaa, about a thousand people had gathered in our place. With many cars and vans on the queue, our kumbhAbhiSekam took place in a very grand manner--what grace we had! Even when writing this, my eyes pour water. He named the Swami Kailasa Nathar and did his bhikSA inside the sanctum and showed me 'I am the God!'

    Since then, we used to do abhiSekam for Kailasa Nathar and submit the prasAda to him. If one of us did not make it to him, he would inquire the reason therefor.

    Whenever I had mental suffering he would come in my dream and say, "Why do you grieve when I am with you here?" Once when he came to Neyveli I was made a volunteer for the time of his pujas. One day I was standing alone. He called me and asked, "What would you want?" I did not know what to reply to that. I just thought that it was enough if I could have a perennial look at him. He gave me his anugraha with a gesture of his hand and gave me kungumam. My friends told me that I missed a good chance and should have asked to be blessed with a child.

    It was ten years since I was married. In this way, Periyavaa used to give me anugraha of what I had in mind, but I wouldn't be able to orally ask him anything when I stood before him. He would of course know everything about me.

    In the meantime, Periyavaa asked the then minister Hon. Veerappan to arrange for the structural extension our temple. A committee was formed and the kumbhAbhiSekam was supposed to be held by a notable in the place. When the kumbhAbhiSekam date was fixed, I went to Periyavaa and asked what I should do about it. He said "Do nothing; just continue with it." Thinking why Periyavaa said like that I went back to my place. The kumbhAbhiSekam was on the 5th day of the Thai month. The Sankranti festival was over and on the day of Kanu we were sitting after our meals. A SriMaTham assistant came and said, "Pudu Periyavaa wants you two to come immediately." When we rushed to meet him, he said, "Only you are doing the kumbhAbhiSekam. Come tomorrow. Get the anugraha of PeriyavaaL and go." We were very happy. My husband said that it was not possible for him to withdraw the money at that time. He said he would make arrangements for the money and asked us to come on the morrow. He also said, "Periyavaa's health is not very good. Do not disturb him. Myself and Bala Periyavaa would come and perform your kumbhAbhiSekam."

    On the day of the kumbhAbhiSekam, we prostrated to PeriyavaaL and took leave. I just thought inside my mind, "When we built a small room, Periyavaa came running. Now when this temple has been extended Periyavaa is not able to come." What a wonder! The Periyavaas came and performed the kumbhAbhiSekam as assured and gave us prasAdam. The crowd dispersed. When we just thought of taking some prasAdam as food, Maha Periyavaa came to the temple in that advanced age. I was apprehensive that Pudu Periyavaa might chide me, but nothing of that sort happened.

    Later when we inquired, we learnt that the 'notable' who was to have conducted the kumbhAbhiSekam was out of station, so we had the bhAgyam. In this way, Periyavaa has done a lot of anugraha for us.

    Glossary:
    AvudayAr - (Tamil) the base of a Lingam
    sumangali - (Tamil) women who had their husbands alive

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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    6. 'With the Bells Ringing Aum...'
    Author: Radha Ramamoorthy, Pudukottai (in Tamil)
    Compiler: T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 32-43
    Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    The Sound of Aum

    I used to write poems and songs on PeriyavaaL and submit to him. I would write on an ordinary paper and keep it in Periyavaa's sannidhi. He would take and read it himself or would ask Sri Balu who would be on his side to read it. Sometimes he would ask me to read it and listen.

    On one occasion, I wrote a song as a Raaga Maalika on the daily puja that Periyavaa does. I kept it near Sri Periyavaa. He said to Sri Vedapuri SastrigaL who was beside him, "Take it and read." The SastrigaL took and read the paper. When he was half way through, Periyavaa asked him to stop. Exactly at that time the MaTham's bell rang and Periyavaa said "Aum! Aum!" loudly for each stroke of the bell. After it was over he said, "Now you read on."

    Vedapuri continued, reading the next line I had written, which was "With the bells ringing Aum, Aum...". All of us there were surprised.

    Why should the bell ring exactly at that time? Why should Periyavaa recite "Aum... Aum..." for each stroke of the bell? Which God's saMkalpa is this?

    That incident seemed to make me realize Periyavaa as telling me, "You don't write anything on your own that is not known to me. It is my anugraha that makes you write."

    What Place? What Name?

    My sister-in-law's husband had come to our house at Pudukottai from Bangalore. He gave me a notebook full of 'Sri Ramajayam writing' and ten rupees in cash, and asked me to submit them to PeriyavaaL with the words, "Bangalore Kuppusamy Aiyer asked me to submit this notebook and this money of ten rupees."

    There was a large crowd near Periyavaa when I entered Kanchi SriMaTham. Famous pundits and other famous people had assembled near him. Since I could not stand in the vicinity of Periyavaa for a long time, I placed the Sri Ramajayam notebook and the money on the fruit platter of someone else and stood at a distance. Little by little the crowd dispersed. PeriyavaaL too stood up, with that notebook in his hand.

    "Who placed this?" he asked.

    "Myself", I said.

    "What is the name of the man who wrote this? Is he from Bangalore? What else did he give?"

    I was shaken at his words. "Periyavaa! Kuppusamy Aiyer came from Bangalore to our house in Pudukottai. He gave me this notebook and ten rupees. It was my mistake to have submitted it without telling Periyavaa; should kindly pardon me."

    He made me say what I hesitated to speak. And there was also a smile on his face that looked at me!

    This incident taught me that we cannot hide anything from Periyavaa. I realized that whoever told me whatever to be conveyed to him, it should be told verbatim to him and any offering submitted to be given personally to him.

    I am Ganapathi too!

    My brother-in-law's daughter Jaanaa and I often used to go to Kanchi and have darshan of PeriyavaaL. We would submit different offerings each time we went there.

    On one occasion, it occurred to us to string a beautiful aRukampul garland and offer it to him. With araLi flowers forming the border, we prepared a large aRukampul garland and went on the next morning to offer it.

    By the time we reached Kanchi it was eight in the morning. Periyavaa was sitting, conversing with everyone around him. We kept the garland pack and a pack of suger lumps in front of him. He took it and kept it aside in a corner. He did not even open the pack to look what it contained. We were having darshan of him, standing.

    A woman came around ten o' clock. She had in her hand an intricately designed silver armour for Pillaiyar. As ordained by the sage, she had arranged for the silver armour, for the Pillaiyar of the temple at their place of domicile, and brought it for Periyavaa's anugraha. Periyavaa took the kavacam from her, kept it on his lap and told his disciple nearby, "Take that," pointing to the pack in a corner.

    The disciple unwrapped the pack and handed over the aRukampul garland to Periyavaa. How did he know the contents of the pack, without looking at it or asking about it?

    He enwreathed the silver kavacam with the garland. It fitted nicely as if tailor made for the object. Then he took the kavacam with the garland, fitted it his chest, turned to all the four sides and gave darshan. We all went into ecstasy.

    The woman who brought the kavacam stood with joined palms, tears welling up in her eyes. PeriyavaaL gave the kavacam with the garland to her through his disciple.

    What we took to offer him was an ordinary thing; but for the fullness of heart we had, there was no limit to it! This was because, he made us somehow realize the abheda between him and Ganapathi.

    I am Kamakshi too!

    A woman, who was a resident of the place where PeriyavaaL was camping, had aparimita bhakti on him. Because of her family circumstances, she could not go out of her house often and have darshan of the sage.

    One day she somehow managed to be out of her house and came to SriMaTham camp for darshan. It was afternoon. Sitting on the puja stage itself, Sri Periyavaa was talking with many people. This woman went near the stage with the camphor plate in her hand to take an Arati and looked at the face of Periyavaa, but he abruptly turned his face away. She tried twice or thrice but Periyavaa did not show her his face.

    The woman was very unhappy. When Periyavaa looked like facing her, she lighted the camphor. But before she could go near and wave her Arati in circles, Periyavaa got up and went inside. Stunned, she moaned to herself, "Ambike! Why do you test me like this? What sin did I commit?" Consoling herself, she said, "Alright, I will take the Arati for you" and waved the flame to AmbaL Tripurasundari kept on the puja stage and started for home very disappointed and tearful.

    As she came out of the pandal, a man came running and said, "Amma! Periyavaa's call for you." "For me? Can't be," she said with hesitation. "Yes, for you only Amma, come!" said the man. She went inside hesitatingly. Periyavaa who was sitting on the stage told her, "Don't feel disheartened that you had to take the Arati meant for me to AmbaL. Now you show me the Arati."

    She staggered to take the camphor and placed it on the plate. Her hands shaking, she lit the camphor. Steadying herself, she went near him and waved the Arati in front of him in circles, and looked at PeriyavaaL's face. Periyavaa appeared to her as sAkSAt Kamakshi with her sugercane-bent bow and parAnkusha and smiling face. Short of fainting, the woman patted her cheeks loudly with the words, "Amma! Amma!", bhakti flooding herself.

    This was the incident that made us realize that the AmbaL on the stage and PeriyavaaL are one and the same. The woman was Nagalakshmi, of Trichy. She told me the incident herself. I have heard similar incidents where PeriyavaaL gave darshan as AmbaL to people from their own mouths.

    I am Parameshwara too!

    The Vasanta Navaraatri time in Satara. Some of us from Pudukottai went and stayed there for a week to offer suvAsinI bhikSA. We used to offer PeriyavaaL with different kinds of flowery garlands and crowns.

    On an evening, ten of us were sitting on the floor outside his room. Sri Periyavaa came out. We bowed to him. Rajam AmmaL submitted a nagAbharaNa kirITa (a crown in the borm of a snake). Made of veTTivEr (cuscus-grass), with a bead of sandal paste, it was formed as an umbrella of cobra snakes.

    Periyavaa took the crown and gave it to a disciple beside him to adorn the Shivalingam nearby.

    RajammaL hastily prayed to him, "Periyavaa should wear it."

    PeriyavaaL pointed to the Shivalingam and declared, "He and I are not different. I am Him and He is me", and gave a laugh. An instant flash of light that resembled lightning appeared before our eyes as he spoke the words. What bhAgyam! We were dumbstruck, sitting in a shiver of ecstasy.

    Compassion to the Narikurava

    A village near Villupuram. A man of the narikurava tribe camping there, decided to commit suicide due to family afflictions. He came to the railway station and stretched himself on the platform, with the intention of jumping onto the rails when the next train came.

    The man slept. He had a dream-like vision, wherein a saamiyar (sage) appeared before him and said, "You need not die. Come and see me. I shall grant you peace." He woke up with a start. A wave of freshness spread through his body.

    It occurred him to search for the sage who came in his dream. He sold the gold ring he was wearing for a long time and started on his search using the cash he obtained for the ring. He went from village to village and had darshan of many sages, but none resembled the man who came in his dream. He did not give up, though he was depressed.

    Maha Periyavaa was camping at that time in the village called Ekambarakuppam near Vellore. The nomad who came that side sighted the sage one evening. He stood before the camp entrance and started shouting: "Oh Saami! This is the Saami! You asked me to come! Come on, come out!" Sri Periyavaa called RajammaL and told her, "Find out who he is and serve him some food. I shall see him tomorrow morning."

    As RajammaL went to him and said, "Appa, who are you? I shall serve you food. Saami will see you in the morning and talk to you!", he repled, "Yes, Thaayi (mother)! I had a quarrel with my two wives. I married a third girl. One day I saw her mix poison in the food she served to me. I was shattered and decided to end my life. At that time this Saamiyar came in my dream and asked me to see him."

    Periyavaa came out on the next morning. The nomad immediately wailed, "Saami! You appear to me like my mother. I shall collect the garbage and be with you here!"

    Periyavaa said, "Get back to your village properly. People will treat you with respect henceforth. You think of me whenever you face a difficult situation. Everything will be alright!" He gave the nomad fruits. He also collected and gave money from the people there and sent him back to his place.

    This incident was narrated to me by Pudjkottai RajammaL. When this happened, Trichy Subhalakshmi, Trichy DharmambaL and some other women were there with her.

    He Thought, It Came About

    Sri Periyavaa was conversing with people and giving darshan with a smile on his face. Before him on the floor were platters of different kinds of fruits. My memory is that it was during the month of Purattaasi (Aug-Sep) or Aippasi (Sep-Oct).

    A girl child was walking round and round the crowd. Periyavaa called the child and said, "Take one fruit that you like from these fruits." There were pineapples, apples, grapes, guavas and oranges on the platters.

    But then the child said, "I want a mango!" It was not the season for mangoes. Even the maavadus (tender little raw mangoes) had not started to grow on the trees. Periyavaa sat thinking! He said, "Vedapuri! Check with Mettur Swami if he has any dried mango chips", closed his eyes and started meditating.

    Within minutes, two people came from Andhra with a fruit platter, picking their way among the crowd. There wre two large mango fruits on the plate. Periyavaa opened his eyes. He called the child and said, "Take them!" The child happily picked up one fruit from the platter.

    Vedapuri returned with the words, "No mango chips there" and was stunned to look at the mango on the child's hand.

    "ENdaa! How did the mango fruit come?" asked Periyavaa.

    With overwhelming emotion, Vedapurai replied, "Periyavaa thought about it! And the mango came!", tears coursing his eyes.

    We were happy to witness the PeriyavaaL's shakti with own eyes.

    It was not known where the Andhra people who brought the mangoes went. May be they had gone to a place not visible to our eyes?

    I am Narayana too!

    My daughter Janaa had designed an aishvarya kolam. It was on a framed Mahalakshmi portrait, decorated with broken glass pieces of different colors. We submitted it to PeriyavaaL. He took it, admired, and said, "This is Mahalakshmi. Where should I keep Mahalakshmi? Should be on my chest." With these words, he kept the Mahalakshmi portrait on his chest, turned to all the four sides and gave darshan to everyone there. We understood that Periyavaa made us realize that he was also the aMsa of Narayana.

    Subhalakshmi AmmaL of Trichy once told him with regret, "Periyavaa! Today is somavara amAvAsya (a Monday new moon night). Without remembering that I should walk around the peepul tree this evening, I have come over to Kanchipuram."

    Pat came the reply. "So what? You go round me 108 times. That would be enough!"

    Periayavaa was not just Narayana; he was also Asvatta Narayana!*

    Note:
    * The peepul tree was considered as the male principle (Asvatta Narayana) having multiple tiny seeds for maximum propagation. In Tamil its name itself is 'Arasu' (King). The neem tree on the other hand (with a single large egg-like seed) was always associated with Mother Goddess (female principle) in South India.

    (http://mkvnarayan.sulekha.com/blog/p...pts-of-god.htm)

    Glossary:
    AbharaNa - ornament, decoration
    abheda - undividedness, sameness, identity
    aishvaryam - supremacy, sovereignty, might, power, affluence
    amAvAsya - the night of new moon
    aN^kushaH - a hook a goad used to control an elephant
    aparimita - unmeasured, limitless
    araLi - oleander
    aRukampul - (Tamil) harialli grass, cynodon dactylon
    kavacam - armour, mail, jacket, the bark of a tree.
    kirITam - crown, diadem, crest, any ornament used as a crown
    narikurava - a nomad tribe that hunts for eating and sells strings of beads and articles made of animal horns.
    saMklpaH - will, volition, mental resolve
    somavAra - Monday
    suvAsinI a woman married or single who lives in her father's house.
    veTTivEr - (Tamil) 1. cuscus-grass; 2. black cuscus-grass

  5. #5
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    Shastras' Valuable Truths: Sri PeriyavaaL's Elucidation
    author:..... Dr. R. Krishnamurthy SastrigaL, Mylapore, Chennai - 600004
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 177-196
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Aug 2006 Edition)

    Translating this essay is really a tough task for me who is not much exposed to the Sanskrit sentences and phrases of the Shastras discussed here. Although I can understand and translate their meaning, there is bound to be errors in my transliteration of the Sanskrit verses and phrases. I shall be grateful if members would point out and correct them then and there. What does the phrase 'tRtIya vipakti abheda' mean? -- saidevo

    Pages 177-182

    Sri PeriyavaaL would give many apUrva, sUkSma (rare and subtle) elucidations of verses from all the Shastras at the end of the Sabhas of Vidvans (pundits) from many disciplines that he conducts. We cannot find these elucidations in any Bhashyas or other Granthas. I have got the great bhAgyam of compiling those rare elucidations that he told in Sabhas and to me privately and present a write-up of them.

    1. aNoraNIyAn

    [aNoraNIyAn mahato mahIyAn Atmasya jantor nihito guhayAm
    "Smaller than the smallest atom is the Atman. Most expansive is He, greater than the great. Because He is the innermost existence in every thing, He is seated in the hearts of all beings." -- Swami Krishnananda's commentary]

    This mantra occurs in our Narayaneeya Upanishad. PeriyavaaL gives a wonderful elucidation for this mantra.

    idam (place): near Kanchi (a spot on the way to Orirukkai).

    samayam (time): the day of the Vyasa Puja.

    sandarbham (occasion): Evening around four o' clock after the Vyasa Puja was held in a leisurely way. The beginning stage of the vAkyArtha sabhA (word by word discussion forum) of the Pandits.

    "Now, till this time I was the vyAsa pUjAkarta, you people its witnesses. The multitudinous gurus, deities are all a single Paramatma only; there is no bhedam (distinction) at all. Being two is just a mere appearance. Only the ParamPoruL is the Satyam that appears as the multiple forms. It is explained in this aNoraNIyAn mantra: 'One who is smaller than the atom and (at the same time) greater than the greatest (which is the universe) is the Atma that remains in the hRudaya guhA (heart's cave)' is the mantrArtham (meaning of the mantra).

    "If this meaning is to suit (this verse) completely, there should be only One Thing. If there be a Second, in comparison, This can only be either bigger or smaller (than the Other). It cannot be both. If a man says, 'This is the eldest of my elder sons and the youngest of my younger sons', then it is certain that he has only one son.

    "But then initially this philosophy of Advaita will not be intelligible. Only after we do all the puja, punaskArya (winding up the puja) as bhagavatArpaNam (dedicated to God) and then do the shravaNa, manana, nididhyAsana (study, reflection, meditation), this will be understood. It is that philosophy of Advaita that Vyasa has deduced in the Brahma Sutra. These people who are pandits in that Sutra Bhashyam are now going to give you the vAkyArtha. Everyone should listen to it and attain the state of Advaita."

    2. brahmavidApnoti param

    This vAkyam is in the beginning of the Ananda Valli of our Taittiriya Upanishad.

    The day of completion in Kanchi MaTham, of the visheSa satas (special assembly) of the Advaita Sabha. On the morning of that day PeriyavaaL gave a rare elucidation to this vAkyam.

    "brahmavidApnoti param--in this (sentence) there are four padams (words): brahma, vid, Apnoti, param. For these four words, a Rik (mantra) in four pAdAs (a quarter of a four-versed stanza) gives the explanation.

    "It is customary in the Veda to do the vyAkhyAnam (explanation) of the mantras, in the BrahmaNa. But here, for the brAhmaNa vAkyam brahmavidApnoti, the vyAkhyAnam is given in the mantra which is Rik rUpa. Mostly in the Upanishads, mantras occur here and there to either confirm or explain what is said in the BrahmaNa. It occurs in those places as tatheSap yuktA--this Rik says the same thing given above.

    "For the term brahma, the vyAkhyAnam is in the first pAdam as satyam jnAnam anantam brahma. SatChitAnanda Brahmam is the meaning. anantam means infinite; also has the name bhUma. Only bhUmA (fullness) is the sukham (bliss), not the alpam (trifle). So anantam is sukham, Anandam. Sat Chit Anandam.

    "The Vid is one who has realized this Brahmam. How to realize it? By becoming the Atma that shines in the Akasha and realizing it in his lofty hRudaya guhA (cave of the heart). What is it that he gets thereby? He gets in one kSaNam (moment) all the sukha bhoga (enjoyment of bliss) completely (since they are all inherent in his svAtmAnandam). He gets nothing new. The para prApti (attainment of Param) lies in understanding the Advaita bhAva (state) of brahmaNA vipachitA, that is, remaining as the realized Brahmam, as pUrNAnandA (complete bliss)."

    [It can be compared here that Lalita Sahastranamam says that it is only the svAtmAnanda lavam (a drop of the complete bliss), including the Ananda experienced by the Four-faced (Brahma).]

    "The meaning in the third case (vetRumai) as 'going and reaching Brahmam' should not be taken here; since the other vAkyAs say 'he becomes Brahmam here and now', 'amrita iha bhavati', here it mentions this tRtIya vipakti abheda."

    3. ajnAnena AvRitaM jnAnaM

    For this shloka occuring in the Bhagavad Gita, the rare meaning that Sri PeriyavaaL told me in saMbhASaNaM (conversation) when he was camping in a place called Mahagav:

    PeriyavaaL: Know that there are Guttu Shlokas in Bharatam (Mahabharata)?

    Myself: These are Guttu Shlokas because they were composed to reduce the speed of PiLLaiyar's (Ganesha's) writing.

    PeriyavaaL: There is a Guttu Shloka in Gita! You know?

    Myself: Don't know.

    PeriyavaaL: 'aj~nAnenanAvR^itaM j~nAnaM tena muhyanti jantavaH | j~nAnena tu tadaj~nAnaM yeSAM nAshitamAtmanaH ||' (5.15,16)

    "Atma who is jnAnarUpam (in the form of knowledge) is veiled with ajnAnaM (ignorance). People are deluded because of that. If the ajnAnaM is destroyed by jnAnaM, Moksha will be attained."

    Isn't this doctrine puzzling, confusing? How can ajnAnaM veil jnAnaM? If it is veiled, how by that same jnAnaM will ajnAnaM be destroyed? -- is the confusion. Vinayaka blinks. In those few seconds Vyasa has readily composed the shlokas of many chapters.

    For this puzzle that comes in the fifth chapter, he gives the answer in the tenth chapter!

    teshAmenukampArtham ahamaj~nAnajaM tamaH |
    nAshayAmi AtmabhAvastaH j~nAnadIpena bhasvatA ||


    To show mercy on the bhaktAs who always sing and think only about me and melt by those acts in their hearts, I as the jnAna rUpi (form of knowledge) enter the state of mind that remains akhaNdAkAram (not fragmentary, entire, whole) and is known as AtmabhAvam (state of the soul), reach the prati-bimbam (reflection), strengthen the jnAnam and set aside (the veil) of ignorance.

    (In other words, svarUpa jnAnam by itself will not set aside ignorance. It only notifies its presence. But if the same svarUpa jnAnam is reflected by the mano vRiddhi (expansion of mind) that results from continued experience of the state of meditation on the Vedanta Maha Vakhyas after studying and reflecting on them, that will immediately burn the ignorance. Even if the sun has the svabhAva (inherent nature) to burn cotton, it burns the cotton only when the rays touch it through a special lens!

    In this way, PeriyavaaL has the capability to give answers for many Guttus.

    Glossary:
    sandarbhaH - occasion, circumstance, stringing/collecting together, arranging, mixture, union,

    Pages 183-186
    4. bhUta-prakRti-mokSaM

    At the end of the 13th chapter (verse 35) in Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan says thus:

    "They who, with their eye-of-wisdom, come to know the distinction between the kSetra (field) and kSetrajna (knower), and the liberation of beings from prakRti go to the Supreme." (Swami Chinmayananda)

    Adi Sankara's explanation for this passage runs thus: "of the bhUta-prakRti = of maya, mokSaM = total destruction." But then scholars like Vedanta Desika give the meaning as "of the bhUta-prakRti = of Shakti or maya, mokSaM = leaves."

    PeriyavaaL: Thus the two Acharyas explain--that is, after the tatva-jnAnam sets in, maya perishes and they reach the Param--is this right, or to say that maya (just) leaves the tatva-jnAni is right? What happens after one becomes a jnAni? -- Perivaa kept asking such questions.

    In reply my Guru BrahmaSri S.R.K. said, "Only PeriyavaaL who has the experience has to explain with certainty. How can we say anything?"

    PeriyavaaL: 'kaNdavar viNdathillai (those who have seen never explained it). It will be understood only after getting into the state of a jnAni.--Saying this, he laughed (the question away).

    5. What is the Shastra?

    There are sUtras in Brahma Sutra that mention what is Shastra in four ways. Veda and the Shastras are one and the same. 'vedAt shAstram param nAsti*'. That which teaches hitam (good) to us is the shAstram (authority, scriptures).

    The hitam is of many kinds. So Vyasa says that the shAstram is also of four kinds.

    1. In the third Sutra that says 'shAstra yonitvAt', he resolves in the first explanation, taking the meaning 'the whole Vedas' for (the word) shAstram, that the one that arranged for the creation of those Vedas is Brahmam, so Brahmam is sarvajna (omniscient).

    2. Only the Upanishads that are known as Vedanta are shAstram. Because of these only that it is taught that the ParamPoruL (Brahman) is of the nature saguNa-nirguNa. Therefore, the Vedas are the pramANam (verbal authority) to know Brahman.

    3. 'kartA shAstrArthavat-tvAt'*--in the third chapter the Sutra that talks about jIvakartRtvam, he means only the Karma Kanda, the pUrva bhagam (the earlier part) as the shAstram.

    4. 'shAstradR^ishhTyA tUpadesho vAmadevavat.h' (1.1.30)*--in this Sutra it is mentioned that Indra teaches Pratardana to do upAsanam (meditation) on him only, because having experienced the truth that the Shastras are the MahaVakyas, he is and with Brahmam. Therefore, it is concluded that only the Mahavakyam that talks about the jIvabrahma-aikyam (oneness of Jiva and Brahman) becomes the shAstram.

    Thus the shAstra padam (the word Shastra) is given the vyAkhyAnam (explanation) in four ways with four different meanings.

    6. samitpANi

    The Upanishads have mentioned that one who desires to have brahma-jnAnam (knowledge of Brahman) should approach a Vidvan who is brahmaniSTha (absorbed in the contemplation of Brahman) and through him should know the Atma. It is mentioned in the Mundakopanishad that at such a time the disciple should take in his hand samit (twigs used in Vedic fire ceremony) as an offer to his guru.

    'tadvijnArArtham sa gurumeva abhiyagacchet
    samitpANiH srotriyam brahmaniSTham
    ' (Mundaka Upanishad 1.ii.12)

    Our PeriyavaaL here gave a wonderful, rare meaning.

    "Joining both the hands well (in anjali, with devotion) is the meaning of (the term) samitpANi.

    "Because, 'samyak, itau, pAnI yatra' (when the two pANis have joined well)--we can thus do the samAsam (combination) [after such vigrAham (analysis)]. There is no shramam (exertion) to go after the samit twig if the guru is acquired. Enough to just join the palms!"

    What amount of compassion in PeriyavaaL!

    ('anjali paramAmudra kSipram devapraSadinI' -- It is explained that Anjali is the mudra that fetches God's immediate grace ).

    Notes:
    'vedashAstrAt paraM nAsti na daivaM keshavAt param'--Mahabhararata, 2.71

    With both the hands held up, it is stated that there is no shastra superior to the Vedas; there is no God superior to Kesava. (This is) true; (this is) true and again (it is) true. (http://www.vmission.org/docs/pdf/gurustotram.pdf)

    'kartA shAstrArthavat-tvAt' --Sutra 31

    kartA - the doer; shAstra - of the scriptures;Artha - meaning;
    vat - possessing; tvAt - because of having the nature.

    He performs actions. This is so because the scriptures are
    meaningful. (http://achintya.blogspot.com/)

    'shAstradR^ishhTyA tUpadesho vAmadevavat.h' -- 1.1.30 (30)

    he declaration (made by Indra about himself, viz., that he is and with Brahman) is possible through intuition as attested by Sruti, as in the case of Vamadeva.

    (http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bs_1/1-1-11.html)

    Glossary:
    kSipra - flying back with a spring, elastic, quick, speedy, swift, fast, immediately

    samAsa - throwing or putting together, , abiding together, aggregation, conjunction, combination, connection, union, totality

    shramaH - toil, action, exertion, effort, distress, practising, achievement

    vigrAham - division, analysis

    Pages 186-188
    7. durgAM saraNamaham prapadye

    An evening in Kanchi MaTham.

    PeriyavaaL: (to me) Just as it occurs oftentimes in the suprabhAta stotra, 'srI venkatesa caraNau saraNam prapadye' (Sri Venkatesa! I stay at Thy feet), does this 'saraNam prapadye' occur in any place on any Deivam (deity) in the Vedas?

    Myself: No idea; only PeriyavaaL should tell me about it.

    PeriyavaaL: Vedam says 'saraNam' only to AmbaaL who is the ParAShakti: 'durgAM devIM saraNamaham prapadye'. 'I surrender to Durga who removes all duHkham (sorrow)' is the meaning. To no one else in the Vedam is such 'saraNam' is mentioned. Therefore it is determined that ParAShakti is everything.

    8. saptAdeva pramita

    For Brahma Sutra (1.3.24), the rare explanation that PeriyavaaL gave:

    In the (following) vAkyam (assertion) that occurs in the Katopanishad,

    angushTa mAtraH purushaH jyotirivaadhUmakaH |
    IshAno bhutabhavyasya sa evAdya sa u shvaH


    the word IshAna only refers to the paramporuL (Brahman). Therefore, the one referred to in the previous vAkyam as angushTa parimANa (thumb sized) is also the paramAtma. He appears as a drop in the cave of the mind. In the pUrva vAkhyam, the lingam (symbol) that is angushTam is weaker than the sruti. IshAnaH is not the lingam (symbol). It should be taken as the direct pramANam (proof) of Sruti. So, with the sruti that is prabalam (strong), only the lingam that is durbalam (weak) should adjust itself.

    This is why, it occurs in the last line of the Bhashyam as 'IshAnasaptasrutereva'.

    (I am not able to understand what Paramacharya means in the lines that the angusTam is weaker than the sruti, etc. What does the word sruti mean here? Knowledgeable members may please explain. -- saidevo)

    9. sahanAvavatu.

    In the Mahagav camp where many vidvAns had assembled in the sabhA, when the sabhA was about to start, PeriyavaaL called A.Sivaramakrishna SastrigaL and told him to give the bhASyam (meaning) of the sahanAvavatu mantra. After the SastrigaL finished giving the meaning, PeriyavaaL's saMbhASaNaM (conversation):

    PeriyavaaL: How is this 'mA vidviShAvahai' [The prArthanA (prayer) is that by guru and I should remain without dveSa (hatred) for each other]? Since the guru is a jnAni (enlightened), will dveSa occur to a jnAni for a shiSya (disciple)? If the dveSa is there, how come he is a jnAni? What exactly is in the bhASyam?

    Everyone was silent.

    PeriyavaaL: Bring the pustakam (book) and see.

    The book was brought and read: 'Let there be no dveSa arising out of pramAdam between the guru and the shiSya.'

    PeriyavaaL: Oho? pramAdam is only thinking in a thattukittu (confused) manner (right)? Did the shiSya thattukittu (disciple in confusion) was deluded into thinking that his guru had dveSa towards him? (For) dveSa cannot approach a jnAni who is pUrNam (complete)!

    It is not right to even say that the dveSa occured to a jnAni in an unguarded moment! It should only be taken as dveSam being on the side of the shiSya because of his delusion.

    'tatra ko moha kah shokah' -- thus the jnAni is the one who has no shoka-moham (sadness and delusion)? Is not the moham the mUla kAraNam (root cause) for dveSam? Can there be a tree without root?

    *** *** ***

    Note:
    1. angushTa mAtraH purushaH jyotirivaadhUmakaH |
    IshAno bhutabhavyasya sa evAdya sa u shvaH


    -- Katha Upanishad, Iv.13

    The thumbsized Purusha, the lord of the past and the future, is like a flame without smoke; He stays the same today and tomorrow. This is verily That.

    2. OM sahanAvavatu|
    saha nau bhunaktu|
    saha vIryaM karavAvahai|
    tEjasvinAvadhItamastu mA vidviShAvahai||
    OM shAntiH.. shAntiH...shAntiH||


    -- Mantra from ‘Bhrugu Valli of Taittariya Upanishad” of the Krishna Yajur Veda

    There are five steps in this peace chant:
    1. Sahanaavavatu means may we both be protected. The emphasis of this first word is protection.
    2. Sahanau bunaktu means may we both be nourished. The emphasis continues to bunaktu, or nourishment.
    3. Sahaveryam Karavavahai means may our activity become energetic. The key here is energy.
    4. Tejaswi Naava dheeta mastu means let there be radiance.
    5. Maa Vid Vishavahai means let there not be hatred.

    http://nvraghuram.blogspot.com/2006/...tu-part-5.html

    3. The intrinsic message of the Gayatri Mantra engulfs a wide gamut of ideals such as what the Isha Upanishad says:

    yastu sarvani bhutanyatmanayay vamu
    pashyeti sarva bhuteshu ch atmanam tato na
    vijugupsate yasiman sarvani
    bhutanyatmyvbhdi janatah tatra ko moha kah
    shokah eikatva manupashytaha


    "He who sees all creatures in himself, himself in all creatures, does not show abhorrence to any one; knowing all beings to be one's own-self and seeing the unity of man-kind, how can there be for him delusions, sufferings and sorrows".

    http://www.koausa.org/Festivals/Yagn.../article1.html

    Glossary:
    moha - m. unconsciousness, bewilderment, perplexity, swoon; error, infatuation, darkness or delusion of mind (ph.), ignorance, folly.
    pramAda - m. intoxication RV. MBh.; madness, insanity L.; negligence, carelessness about
    prapad - throw one's self down (at a person's feet); f. the forepart of the foot.
    suprabhAta - n. a beautiful day-break or morning. n. beautifully illuminated by dawn
    vAkya - n. speech, words; statement, deposition (j.); sentence, periphasis (g.).

    Pages 188-193
    10. pUrNamadah pUrNamidaM

    This Shanti mantra talks about the akaNda brahmam (infinite Brahman). pUrNam - infinite. It is pUrNam and besides from it came out this world which is also pUrNam. Even after this came out, that pUrNam still remains pUrNam. Thus, since this mantra talks the truth about Brahmam, all this world is just a super-imposed appearance on Brahmam, which is due to our pramAda (intoxication). pUrNatvam (infinitude) is akaNdam (without break). In that, kaNdams [that is, binna (brokenness)] will not really suit it.

    11. odana savayAgam

    Everyone has a right to chant the mantra in the odana-savayAgam. If there is shortage of food in the world, a yAgam (fire sacrifice) called odanasvam should be performed. By that act there will be anna chezhippu (food prosperity).

    At the time of the pUrti (end) of such a yAgam, all the people in the manner of a cooperative prayer should recite the prArthanA mantra.

    It is mentioned in the TaittirIya brAhmaNa (2.7) that in this prArthanA one and all [without any varNa-bhedam (class distinction)] should recite the mantra. In a large sabhA (assembly), PeriyavaaL said:

    PeriyavaaL: It can be recited by everyone without any jAti-madha veRupAdu (caste-religion distinction)--is there any such mantra?

    The Sabha was stunned.

    PeriyavaaL: One who is pAtram (fit) for annam (food) is only the hungry. No adhikAri bhedam (distinction of authority) there.

    (Anyone who is hungry is fit to receive food. Except the hunger there is no place for any distinction there.)

    In the same way, for the yAgam that removes the food famine which is common to sarva jana (all people), the prArthana mantram should be recited by everyone.

    Saying this, he quoted 'sarve puruSAH | sarvAN evAnnAn yavarunte | sarvAn puruSAn | (2.7)'. What a sarvaGYatvam (omniscience)!

    12. braHmaNOhi pratisTHAhaM

    An ArAdhanam (homage) day in Tenambakkam -- two o' clock in the afternoon.

    PeriyavaaL was sitting on the bank of a pond, keeping one leg in the waters. It was time for me as ArAdhana brAhmaNAL to get inside for the ArAdhanam, wearing the vastram (cloth). PeriyavaaL's AGYA (order) for me, calling me by his clap of hands, to sit near him with a piece of paper and pen. The pen and paper were brought at once! PeriyavaaL started uttering Sanskrit words one by one. At some points, just telling me the meaning and asking me to produce the Sanskrit padam (word), when the words formed a line, a beautiful stuti called 'Durga Pancharatnam' came up. [Svetasvara Upanishad sAram (essence)]. Each shloka (verse) ends with 'mAM pAhi viSveshvari mokSadAtrI'. (This shloka is written on a marble stone on the left side when one goes to Kamakshi temple).

    In the middle of the above stotram (hymn) when the word 'You are the one who taught the Gita' (upadiSTa-gItA) came up, looking at my considering it for a kSaNam (moment), he asked, "Why, does it seem incorrect to you to say that Kamakshi did gItopadesham?" I kept quiet with a smile.

    Forthwith an AGYA clapping hands to bring the Gita bhASyam (commentary) book. The next moment came the bhASya book in eight volumes! PeriyavaaL turned the page once, and showed me the first page that came up and said, "Read this shloka and its bhASyam."

    This is that shlokam: 'braHmaNOhi pratiSTAhaM'

    "For the changeless, eternal Brahmam, the Maya which is Shakti is the pratiSTA (that through which Brahmam spreads as the many worlds is called pratiSTA). I am That. I am the Brahmam; and I am its pratiSTA will be appropriate; because, there is a bhASyam that 'shakti shaktimatoH abhedAt' [both the Shakti and the One who has it are not of different tatvam (nature)]."

    As I read up to this line, PeriyavaaL asked, "Is not Kamakshi the Shakti of Brahmam? 'tatvamasi parabrahma mahiShi'. Is not Shakti the Brahmam, therefore to say that Kamakshi instructed Gita (upadiSTa-gItA) is correct only, right?"

    For the states of wonder, happiness and bliss that befell me then, there is indeed no limit.

    Meantime, to those who sent word for me the ArAdhana brAhmaNAL, he said, "A big shAstra vichAram (scriptural deliberation) is going on; he will come once it is over." and then only after getting the 'pancharatnam' ready in about an hour, he gave me permission. Even in that he dictated only four shlokas and gave me AGYA, "You write the fifth in the same way, right now, before your meal." When I said that I was not familiar with writing shlokas, he sent me inside with the words, "ellAm varum pO (you will anyhow get it, go)".

    Later, when the ArAdhana bhojanam (Aradhana meal session) was going on, PeriyavaaL surprisingly came and stood near my leaf-plate. That is, in the old Tenambakkam building we brahmins sat in two rows at 16+16 persons per row. From the other room one should go round the outer walls to come to my room. But then PeriyavaaL used a square hole at the bottom of the central wall, squeezed his head and daNDam (staff) slowly through it, came fully out of it and stood before me; how can I forget that scene!

    Forthwith he asked me, "You got the fifth shlokam?" When I spread out an empty hand, he dictated the fifth shloka himself to me twice and said, "Remember to write this along with the other four shlokams and give them to me." Thus, the avatara of Durga Pancharatnam took place on a Guru Aradhana day!

    I saw with my own eyes that he is not only a mahA jnAni, but a mahA yogi too, one who is capable of exercising the aNimAdi siddhi (the eight siddhis beginning with the Anima Siddhi) anAyAsa (effortlessly)!

    Note:
    braHmaNOhi pratisTHAhaM amRUtasyAvyayasyaca |
    SASvatasyaca dharmasya sukhasyaikAMtikasyaca ||

    -- Bhagavat Gita 14.27

    "For I am the abode of Brahman, the immortal and the imperishable, of ever-lasting dharma and of absolute bliss."
    -- Swami Chinmayananda's tralslation

    Glossary:
    anAyAsa - absence of exertion, facility, ease, idleness, neglect
    odana - grain mashed and cooked with milk, porridge, boiled rice, any pap or pulpy substance
    sava - one who sets in motion or impels, an instigator, stimulator, commander; any sacrifice MBh.;
    upadiSTa - specified, particularized; taught, instructed; mentioned, prescribed, commanded, initiated; n. counsel, advice.

    Pages 193-196 (concluding part)
    13. AbrahmakIta jananI

    --a nAmAvaLi (row of names) in this phrase in Lalitha SahasranAmam. The nAmA next to this is varNASramaviDHAyinI. Combining these two names, PeriyavaaL answered a difficult question.

    When PeriyavaaL was giving darshan after the puja was over and he returned after his bhikSA, a bhaktA (devotee) asked: "Since Lalitha SahasranAnam mentions that AmbaaL is the mother of all this world we all become sahoDharAs (brothers and sisters). If this is so, why to move with some people without physically coming in touch with them or touching them? How is this untouchability appropriate?"

    Periyavar: For this question (why is there such distinction) the answer is in the very next nAmAvaLi. "AmbaaL who is the Mother of everyone has also established the niyama (regulation) of varNASrama (four divisions). She is also the varNASramaviDHAyinI!

    14. ataH param

    Just as two kinds of Brahmam, saguNa, nirguNa (with and without attributes) are accepted by the Advaitins, it is mentioned (in the Sruti) that those who get brahmaloka prApti (attainment of Brahma Lokam) reach the Karya Brahmam and there by him get tatvajnAnam (higher truth) taught and at the time of pUrti kAlam (dissolution), with him reach ParamaMukti by their brahmAmajnAnam, so they do not get rebirth.

    The doubt 'of these two Muktis which is better qualitatively (param or higher)' and the question 'are there indeed two kinds of Muktis?' arise. PeriyavaaL explained this thus:

    "Vyasa in his own vAc (words) says in Brahma Sutra that he (such a soul), without getting it (his attainment) pUrti (complete) even after reaching the Brahma Lokam, reaches the Mukti that is even higher, along with the Karya Brahmam.

    kAryatyaye tadadhyakSena sahAtaH paramabhidhAnAt

    Since it is mentioned that when the Karya Brahma Lokam also is in praLaya (dissolution), he attains tatvajnAnam, and along with that lokAtyakSa (ruler of that world) Brahma, ataH param - they both reach the even higher paramapadam (feet of Paraman), this establishes the presence of krama mukti (progressive liberation). 'Because it is impossible for the paraprApti to happen just by going to a place, without realizing that he remains as the ParaBrahmam himself'--the Sutra BhASyam mentions it in this way. So, like the two kinds of vidyA (knowledge) paravidyA, aparavidyA, mukti is also two. In them the abheda sAkSAtkAra paramukti (realization of distintionless Paramukti) will happen by tatvajnAnam is the opinion of the Sutra."

    Note:
    Lalitha SahasranAmam:
    285. AbrahmakItajananyai ~nama:
    -- one who created everything from Brahma down to the worm.

    286. varNASramaviDHAyinyai ~nama:
    -- onw who established the system of varNASrama.

    Brahma Sutra IV.3.10 (527):
    kAryatyaye tadadhyakSena sahAtaH paramabhidhAnAt

    "On the dissolution of the Brahmaloka (the souls attain) along with the ruler of that world what is higher than that (i.e., the Supreme Brahman) on account of the declaration of the Sruti."

    For more, check Swami Krishnananda's Website at:
    http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bs_4/bs_4-3-05.html

    15. yaccAsya santato bhAvah tasmAdAtmeti gayate

    When explaining the meaning of Atma shabda (the word Atma), PeriyavaaL mentioned this vAkyam (shlokam) many times to me in is speech:

    yaccApnoti yadAdatte yaccAtti vishayAniha |
    yaccAsya santato bhAvaH tasmAdAtmeti gIyate ||


    and explained its essential meaning:

    "jAgrat, svapna, suSupti (waking, dreaming, deep sleep) -- in these three states, the Atma (jIvan) that looks different as if he is of three different natures, in reality, continuing nirvikAra (without change) as sAkSi (witness) for the three (states), remains prakAsha (shining) in (a state of) Ananda (bliss), as a single kutasta (immutable entity), antar bahicha vyApin (spreading in and out)."

    When saying this, the way he explained it with abhinaya (gestures), rolling both his hands in four directions and speaking yacca asya santato bhAvaH is the rarest of the rarities.

    Note:
    yaccApnoti yadAdatte yaccAtti vishayAniha |
    yaccAsya santato bhAvaH tasmAdAtmeti gIyate ||
    -- Vishnu Sahasranama

    "That which pervades, thatwhich receives, that which enjoys the objects,and that which exists always, is called the Atman."

    16. The complete knowledge is only in Vedanta

    "Although the many Shastras speak differently of Atma, and although it is spoken with finality in the Karma kANdam which is the Purva kANdam of the Vedas that Atma that goes to Paralokam and returns is one who is different from the body, Atma's paramArta nityamukta (identity with the Supreme and eternally liberated) nature is explained only in the Upanishads that become the Vedanta. Since this tatvam (truth) is not knowable from any other books and pramANas (testimonies), for everyone to learn the tatvam of the Upanishads through a guru, consider, realize, get convinced and then experience the svasta mokSa (blissful liberation) which is a state of silence, the almighty Kamakshi should give Her grace."

    PeriyavaaL has given such upadesham several times.

    Glossary:
    sAkSAtkara - mfn. putting before the eyes, making evident to the senses; m. evident or intuitive perception , realization

    vyApin - reaching through, pervading, covering, diffusive, comprehensive, spreading everywhere

  6. #6
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    Naveena Sankara Bhasyam
    author:...... BrahmaSri Ramakrishna Dikshitar, SriMaTham Vidwan, Kanchipuram
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 3, pages 17-27
    Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec 2005 Edition)

    A shloka in the Bhaja Govindam runs in these words:

    यावत् पवनो निवस्ति देहे
    तावत् पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे।
    गतवति वायौ देहापाये
    भार्या त्रस्यति (बिभ्यति) तस्मिन् काये ॥

    yAvat pavano nivasti dehe
    tAvat pRucChati kushalaM dehe|
    gatavati vAyau dehApAye
    bhAryA trasyati (bibhyati) tasmin kAye ||
    (verse 6)

    When I finished reciting this shlokam in susvaram, Sri PeriyavaaL ordered me, "Come on, chant it once more?" I recited it again.

    "What is it... You say trasyati? Only bibhyati is customarily recited there?"

    "My father taught me only in this way."

    "trasyati, bibhyati--what is the difference?"

    Forthwith he sent word for some Maha Pandits in SriMaTham. Several printed books from the SriMaTham library were also called for. In all the publications only the term bibhyati was mentioned.

    The Vidvans started analysing the dhAtu, root word and meaning of both those words. AcharyaaaL said at length:

    "bibhyati means the fear that normally arises. But then, looking at the situation explained in the shloka, it seems that saying mere 'bhayam' might not have been AcharyaaL's abhiprAyam.

    "ennannA (what it is is that)..., patni is one who is with (her pati) for a long time. One who is in close proximity, intimacy. She was not afraid of that sharIraM even when her bharta suffered from severe diseases.

    "But then, now, after the life was gone, what happened?

    "A feeling of loathing, asUya (displeasure) had taken possession of that (same) patni! trAsam is the fear mixed with hatred. It seems only this is right (here).

    "What? Henceforth, when the Bhaja Govindam is printed, let the (word) bibhyati be marked with a star at its top, and at the footnote let the (word) trasyati be also mentioned--you take care of it."

    The Vidvans returned with a fullness of heart.

    *** *** ***

    In Sivasthanam, the floor of the room PeriyavaaL resided would be very cool. Unable to bear the heat outside, even nattuvAkkAlis (scorpions large as crabs) would be crawling in the room. But they never harmed PeriyavaaL.

    Perhaps even the poisonous creatures were aware of PeriyavaaL's divinity. Only several men did not realize it, one is inclined to think.

    *** *** ***

    PeriyavaaL was sitting in his palanquin. One Anbar from Bangalore had sent two baskets of fruits. We unpacked and kept them before Periyavaa.

    Some monkeys came and started eating the fruits. At the same time some squirrels also came and started nibbling on the seemai ilantai (estate jujube) fruits. Also, some crows assembled, and were pecking at the sugar in a plate.

    Looking at me, PeriyavaaL asked, "You have heard of kurangu, aNil, muttam?"

    There is a place named KurangaNiMuttam, six kilometers from Kanchipuram. There a kurangu, anil, muttam (monkey, squirrel, crow) worshipped Paramesvara. A siSya told this news.

    "Look! Here kurangu, anil, muttam all the three are eating now; reminding us of the KurangaNiMuttam Ishvara!..."

    Behind every occasion and animal, to witness the Bhagavan is PeriyavaaL's speciality.

    But then I had a different thought.

    Maha PeriyavaaL is sAkSAt Paramesvara's avatara. Therefore, in order to re-enact the incidence of Puranic times, it seemed that the kurangu, anil, muttam animals were acting out their part before our eyes.

    To comply with the explanation 'purANam pura abhinava' and to inform that the Purana incident was not just eulogy, this new incident happened before our very eyes!

    Endowed with fortune, were we; no, no, only those kurangu, anil, muttams!

    The Bhaja Govindam shlokam no.6:

    yAvat pavano nivasti dehe
    tAvat pRucChati kushalaM dehe|
    gatavati vAyau dehApAye
    bhAryA trasyati (bibhyati) tasmin kAye ||


    (yaavat.h = so long as; pavanaH = air / breath; nivasati = lives / dwells; dehe = in the body; taavat.h = till then; pR^ichchhati = asks / inquires; kushalaM = welfare; gehe = in the house; gatavati = while gone; vaayau = air (life-breath); dehaapaaye = when life departs the body; bhaaryaa = wife; bibhyati = is afraid; fears; tasminkaaye = tasmin.h + kaye, that body.)

    "When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare . When the soul departs and the body falls, even one’s wife is afraid of the corpse."
    --analysis and meaning from http://www.geocities.com/bhikka/Verse5ro10.html --sd
    *** *** ***

    'SrI SarasvatI-jayAya namaH'

    Thirty-five years ago, the Sarasvati Puja day, at the conclusion of the Navaraatri.

    After completing his usual Sri ChandraMaulishvara Puja, Maha PeriyavaaL had started performing Sarasvati Puja separately.

    One Vaidika was reading from the Puja Kalpa book holding it in his hand.

    After reading out the Sankalpam--Avahanam--PraNapratiSTA--Angapuja, he started reciting Sarasvati Ashtotram.

    Perivaa was doing archanA with a pushpam for every 'namaH'.

    "'Aum brahma jayAyai namaH'", the Vaidika read out.

    The pushpam that Maha SwamigaL took hovered in the air in his hand, without reaching the charaNa of Sarasvati.

    The reader of the Ashtotram again said, "'Aum brahma jayAyai namaH'".

    The pushpam did not launch out from the sage's hand.

    The Vaidika chanting that NamavaLi again and again in the same words, and Periyavaa, his hand held high with the pushpam frozen like a chitram... everyone started worrying about it. They anguished, with no understanding, 'Whatever mistake happened here?'.

    The matter reached the ears of Manager Viswanathan Aiyar. He came to the Puja Mandapam.

    "Read it out that again..."

    The Vaidika again chanted, "'Aum brahma jayAyai namaH'", and the pushpam was still held in Periyavaa's finger tips.

    Fortunately, another Vidwan who was nearby, corrected the mistake and chanted, "'Aum brahma jAyAyai namaH'", and the pushpam that was held in Periyavaa's hand reached KalaimagaL's holy feet!

    It might seem what big difference is there in these two name chantings.

    'brahma jayAyai namaH' means "Namaskaram to the one who conquered Brahmaa".

    When chanted as 'brahma jAyAyai namaH', with a 'leg' added, it would mean "Namaskaram to Brahmaa's Patni."

    This is an example nidarshana of how Periyavaa does not perform his pujas mechanically. An evidence of how he involves his whole mind in the puja, knowing the meaning and performing the ritual.

    Let it be 'brahma jayAya' or 'brahma jAyAya'. If we surrender to PeriyavaaL saying "Aum SarasvatIjayAya namaH", we would get all the Vidyas with ease, right?

    *** *** ***

    A news that relates back to several years.

    When Periyavaa was giving darshan, four or five Vidwans who had come for darshan, were sitting on the floor.

    In the course of his conversation (with the devotees), Periyavaa asked them, "When Bhaktas do namaskaram to me, I bless them with the name 'Narayana, Narayana'. What do you people who are samsAris say for blessing?"

    "We say, '[b]dIrgha AyushmAn bhavaH[b]'; only that is the custom."

    "What does it mean?"

    "'Remain in saukyam for a long time' is its meaning."

    Periyavaa asked all the Vidwans present there, one by one. Everyone said the same meaning.

    Periyavaa remained in silence for sometime. Then he said, "The meaning you all said is a wrong one."

    The Pandits were taken aback. Everyone of them was a bade bade Vidwan, and had earned the Siromani title.

    For the Samskrta Vaakyam 'dIrgha AyushmAn bhavaH' even those with a little knowledge of Samskrtam can tell the meaning. Such simple words! Yet Periyavaa says the meaning is wrong?

    "Shall I tell it myself?..." The Pandits sharpened their ears.

    "Of the twenty-seven Yogas, one is named AyushmAn. Of the eleven KaraNas, one is the called the Bhava. Among the week days, the Saumya Vaasaram falls on a Wednesday. When all these three--on a Wednesday, the AyushmAn Yoga and the Bhava KaraNa--occur together, that day is said to be shlAgya. Therefore, if these three occur together, whatever good phalas would be got, I bless that you may get all those fruits..."

    All the Vidwans got up in together and did namaskaram to PeriyavaaL.

    For the Vaakyam that four or five Siromanis and five or six Vidya-Vachaspatis had been repeating like a kiLippiLLai (parrot) until then, what thriving and deeper meaning has this Jnana PiLLai pointed out!

    *** *** ***

    Vinayaka in Ramayanam?

    The name is Phala-Sruti for that part of the text which describes the good fruits obtained by reading Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam.

    After saying that such people would get good children, would come by good Varans (would-be life partners), those who are separated would reunite and such other things in order...

    a line occurs that reads, "vinAyakAscha sAmyanti gRuhe tishthanti yasya vai".

    What is the meaning of the word 'VinayakAH' here? It is generally explained as 'hurdles, obstacles'.

    PujaSri Maha SwamigaL once explained it as under:

    "'Shubha itara sthAneshu sthithAnAm gRuhANAm dosham sAmyanti shubha-sthAneshu sthithAnAm gRuhANAm anukUlyam yada jAyate, shubhedara sthAneshu sthithAnAm gRuhANAm anukUlyamabhi labhyate'"--ityarthaH!!"

    Periyavaa gave the above explanation in a Satas full of Vidwans in Ilayankudi, when he was camping there.

    For the experts who have learned from the usual commentaries only the usual meanings arise in minds; they don't drive their mind into subtler researches.

    What did PeriyavaaL say?

    "By reading and listening to Ramayana, 'vinAyakAH sAmyanti'.

    "It is only just and right that the planets residing in good houses give lots of good fruits in a man's horoscope. But then if the Ramayana is read, even those planets that reside in houses that are not good would give good fruits just like the planets residing in good houses; this is the meaning."

    Who else except PeriyavaaL can thus dive for the pearls in the ocean of words?

    We can give the vAkku that those who read and listen about this incident would also get 'vinAyakAH sAmyanti, right?

    *** *** ***

    The Important 'seven'

    An assembly of experts who perform Vaidika karmas. One Upadhyaya explained about the shrArdam.

    Periyavaa asked: Which (things) are pointed out as "shrArde sapta pavitra"?

    One Vaidika said: "ucchishtam (cow's milk), Shiva nirmAlyam (the Ganga), vamanam (honey), savaparpaTam (white silk), dauhityam (daughter's son), kutapa (time), tila (sesame)."

    And then Periyavaa explained:

    "savapaTam should not be taken to mean 'the silk cloth made of silk fibres obtained by killing a silkworm'. 'savam' means a silkworm that was dead on its own, (so) the pattu veshti prepared from the silk obtained from such worms. Which is why even today there is a custom in Kerala to gift white silk to the tithi nimantraNa vaidikas (priests invited to perform the Tithi ceremony), a custom that continues.

    "Next, dauhityam. Thinking that this word is dauhitraH, the custom has arisen that the daughter's son sits to partake the meal of a shrArdam.

    "dauhityam means the vessel (ladle) made of the horn of a gANDAmRugam (rhinoceros). All mRugas (forest animals) will have two horns. Only the gANDAmRugam has one horn. Which is why it has also the name eka-shRungi (one-horned). They have given the vyAkhyAnam as "dauhityam ekashRungi pAtra visheSaM..."

    Such subtle explanations would Maha SwamigaL give anAyAsa (effortlessly).

    *** *** ***

    Glossary:
    nidarshana - pointing at, proclaiming, teaching
    shlAgya - praiseworthy, excellant
    susvara - the right tone or accent, having a beautiful voice, well-sounding, harmonious, melodious, sounding well or loud

  7. #7
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    Namaste 'extreme_me'.

    If you doubt my purpose in posting these experiences why call it a 'nice post'? The sub-forum name this thread comes under says it all.

  8. #8
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    Paramacharya's paripUrNa kaTAkSa
    author:..... Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, Chennai-92
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:....... MahA PeriyavAL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 89-92
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    On a day some fiteen years ago, we received the paripUrNa kaTAkSa of Kanchi ParamAChAryAL -- Paramaatma.

    My wife, daughter and I went to Kanchipuram and had darshan of ParamAChAryAL, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi SwamigaL and Sri BAla PeriyavAL; we also had darshan of the night puja. And then we had the early morning viSvarUpa darshanam of ParamAChAryAL and witnessed the go pUja.

    We had purchased at Kamakshi temple two copies of the first-time-published Guru pictures that had all the three AcharyaaLs together. We went to Sankara MaTham to give the pictures to ParamAChAryAL and get his anugraha. We had PeriyavAL's darshan and gave him the pictures praying for his blessings on them. Receiving them, MahA SvAmigaL inquired, "Where were these bought?" It seemed that he was having a glance at that publication for the first time.

    He called an assistant, ordered him to get the pictures framed, and on receiving them framed, hang the pictures in two places in the MaTham.

    We had boundless ecstasy that the pictures we gave were going to adorn the MaTham. That is the grace of ParamAChAryAL! How many devotees are waiting for an opportunity to hang gold-framed pictures on the walls of the MaTham! This being the case, it was our parama bhAgya that he gave us the opportunity. We were reminded of Sri Krishna Paramaatma voluntarily asking and taking aval (flattened rice) from Sudaaman.

    We went back to MaTham around one o' clock with the two framed pictures and another copy of the picture (we bought for us).

    ParamAChAryAL came and sat around 3:30 hours. We gave the three pictures to the assistant for handing them over to PeriyavAL. He ordered the framed pictures to be hung on the MaTham walls. He was keeping the third picture with him. We came to know the reason for this act only later. We understood that it was PeriyavAL's saMkalpa to grace us with a holy scene resembling the one in which Adi Shankara and his disciples sat and did vedanta vicAra.

    We had that eye-overwhelming sight very soon!

    ParamAChAryAL came and sat like Adi Shankara. BAla PeriyavAL sat before him, two vedic pundits sitting beside him. The vedanta vichAra started. And we witnessed the scene of Adi Shankara teaching his disciples! BAla PeriyavAL uttered some verses on brahmAtmAnanda anubhava from the Taittiriya Upanishad and MahA SvAmigaL did the vyAkhyAnam for them.

    Don't we say "gurostu maunam vyAkhyAnam" about Sri Dhaksinamurthy? Here it seemed to us as "gurostu lalita vyAkhyAnam". One particular sentence recited during that vedanta lesson comes to mind even now: "tat brahmana: parimara ityupAsita.* BAla PeriyavAL's vyAkhyAnam for this verse was "[i]parimariya te iti parimaraH - vAyurityartaH". He said that the term parimaram meant vAyu.

    The two pundits who sat beside BAla PeriyavAL participated in the spiritual debate. The three of us exprienced this brahmAnanda for an hour. Then ParamAChAryAL gave BAla PeriyavAL and the others curd-filled, seeded coconut halves as prasAdam.

    We had limitless joy when we understood that it was only to give us this brahmAnanda darshan that he kept us in the MaTham under the guise of ordering the pictures to be framed.

    Then he returned to us the third picture (that had the three Acharyas, ParamAChAryAL in the middle with joined palms) with the mantrAkSata and his blessings.

    My complete faith about this incident is:

    1. ParamAChAryAL took chittam to give us karuNa kaTAkSa. That was why (though there were many devotees waiting to give him gold-framed pictures) he took the two pictures from us by voltuntarily asking for them.

    2. He gave us the immense fortune of ordering that the two pictures we gave be hung on the walls of the holy Sri Sankara MaTham.

    3. He also made us experience the brahmAnanda of the vedatana vicara scene that could be had nowhere else.

    Note:
    *The verse is:
    tat brahmana: parimara ityupAsita|
    paryenam mriyante dvishantas spatna: |
    pari ye (a) priyA prAtruvyA:||


    We should (also) worship Him as the destroying force. The person doing so would conquer and destroy all His enemies, haters, and bad persons.

    -- The taitrIya brigu valli verse 10.4
    (http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/srir.../msg00175.html)

    Glossary:
    kaTAkSa - a glance or side look, a leer, caught by glance, an arrow-like look of love, a sidelong glance
    vyAkhyAnam - explanation, gloss, commentary

    **********
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  9. #9
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    The PeriyavAL I Saw
    author:..... bhAShyamaNi Dr. Sivaramakrishna SastrigaL, Tiruvanaikkovil
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:....... MahA PeriyavAL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 236-240
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    We have the pride of having lived in the time when the walking God ParamAChAryAL was living. When Sri Rama's eminence is spoken

    yam cha rAmam na pashyettu yashcha rAmam na pashyati ||*

    Those who Rama did not see and those who did not see Rama were both bhAgya hIna (forsaken). There were many people who had just been looking at him for hours at a stretch, considering that PeriyavAL need not talk to them, but their just looking at him was a great bhAgya. 'Periyavar's glance should fall on us. If his glance touches us, is there any act that does more pAvana (purifying) than that glance?' There were people who went and stood near him with this consideration. I have seen many who were yearning to talk him or just hear him inquire 'who are you?' and 'which place?'

    On one occasion, some ten to fifteen of us were standing (in his presence). At that time Periyavar's vAk (words of advice) blossomed.

    "We study Vedanta. But no one has brought it into experience. No one takes any efforts in this direction. The Brahman of our Advaita shAstram (philosophy) is of two kinds: nirguNa, saguNa (without and with attributes). NirguNa Brahman is without avayava (parts or limbs). On the same NirguNa Brahman we meditate, by bringing it into saguNa. In the form we meditate on, it would arrive (as the Devatas). It is said that there are thirty-three crores of Devatas (gods). The (same) Brahman remains anugata (inherent) in all the Devatas. If looked at in this manner, the Muslim-worshipped Allah and the Christian-worshipped Jesus are all our Brahman only! If this opinion arrives in all the religions, then there will be no fights in the world in the name of religion."

    Everyone was immersed in surprise, having known about the broad-mindedness of PeriyavAL.

    *** *** ***

    One should not find fault with anyone.

    A man is coming to Kanchipuram for the first time to have dharshan of SwamigaL. When he came by a bus he asked the man seated beside him, "I need to go to the MaTham to have darshan of SwamigaL. Which stop should I get down for that purporse?" The man said that he had no idea. This man somehow got down and arrived (at the MaTham). He went to see SwamigaL with a plate of fruits. When he went inside, he saw the same man who was seated beside him in the bus talking to SwamigaL.

    This man was seething with anger. He at once complained to PeriyavvaL. PeriyavAL immediately said, "After all he did it only for your good! If he showed some place as the place for you to get down, you might be misled and delayed. Therefore you should think that he only did you good by saying that he did not know." Both the men who were listening to this advice stood ashamed.

    *** *** ***

    Once a devotee brought a mentally deranged boy before SwamigaL and said, "This boy has mental illness. His is not consistent in his normal behaviour. He does not even know hunger. He remains just like he is mad. You should give your anugrahA and cure him."

    The reply SwamigaL gave to that was strange. "Why do you think of getting him to normalcy? It can be said that he does not have puNya or pApa (virtuous or sinful acts) in this birth. Only a person whose mental status is normal would daringly commit sins; and suffer its effects. He would have self pity when he suffers. This one does not have that status! A bhakta calls even Parameswara Pitthaa! piraisoodi (O the Crazy! who wears a crescent). Therefore it is better that he remains like this."

    The man looked somewhat satisfied and took away the boy after bowing to PeriyavAL.

    In much the same way, PeriyavA would reply to questions such as 'This one has defective vision; this one's ears are not capable of hearing; this one is dumb, he can't talk; should give anugrahA to these people.' His reply would be on these lines: "Does this one have no vision? Then he does not have the sins committed by the eyes. Sri Krishna gave divine eyes to Dhrita-rashtra and made him have His Visva Rupa Darshan. Is it an ordinary thing that an eyeless gets eyes and has darshan of God! Krishna Paramatma told him, 'Remain with eyes henceforth.' You know the reply he gave to that? 'I do not want to see the sinners with the eyes that have seen You. So You make me blind once again.' Therefore this one does not have the sins committed by the eyes."

    "The earless will also never commit the sins done with ears. Words unfit for the ears will not fall on his ears. He will not listen to words that speak ill of great people. TirukkuraL says:

    "yaathanin yaathanin neengiyaan nothal
    athanin athanin ilan.


    "That is, whatsoever a man has dispassion for, he won't get the distress due to that (he has renounced).

    "The dumb will not commit the sin done with speech. It is due to speech that we easily earn pApa. That will not happen to this one; he can do satya vAkya paripAlanam (keeping up the words of truth). He won't get the words of blame that he lied, that he bore false witness, that he talked ill of great people. Therefore, it should be considered that it is a great bhAgya for this one to remain a dumb. If someone gives him the power of speech, then that someone will become a great sinner. If I say these things openly, some people will be unhappy with me. Therefore I would simply say, 'Remain in prosperity.'"

    In this way, PeriyavAL's vision would be a tatva dRuSTi.

    Note:
    *The actual verse is:

    yashcha raamaM na pashyettu yaM cha raamo na pashyati || 2-17-14
    nindataH sarvalokeshhu svaatmaapyenam vigarhate |


    All the people blamed the one who did not see Rama and the one who was not seen by Rama. Such a person would blame himself of it.
    -- Valmiki Ramayanam, Ayodhya Kandam, verse 2-17-14

    Glossary:
    anugata - hanging behind; gone after, followed, visited, occupied, conquered; following, complying with, obedient; equalling, resembling
    avayava - a limb, member, part, portion
    dRSTi - seeing, viewing, beholding (also with the mental eye); sight, the mind's eye, wisdom, intelligence; regard, consideration; eye, look, glance.
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: Devotees Who Sought Jnana

    adiyongaLaiyum AtkoNda aruLALar (The Merciful Who Elevated His Devotees)
    author:..... P. Srinivasan - AndaaL, Baranur
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:....... MahA PeriyavAL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 21-77
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Dec 2006 Edition)

    This is a long story of stunning spiritual experiences by the authors. I shall translate and post them in convenient instalments. -- saidevo

    Pages 21-24

    I had not seen Kanchi Kamakoti PITham MahA PeriyavAL until that day in person; only in pictures. I had a dream one night: MahA PeriyavAL is standing in my dream. After having darshan, I prostrate to his holy feet and get up. He gave me a persistent, keen look of grace. I awoke in that state of ecstasy.

    'Who is he? Nothing about him was known to me except that he is an Advaita sanyAsi, Kanchi Kamakoti PIThAdhipati.

    'Perhaps he is guiding my Atma vicAram (Self Inquiry)?

    'I have heard that he has the custom of going on yAtrAs. Where would he be staying now?'

    I met Sri Duraiswamy Aiyer the next day in his office and asked him, "Where is Kanchi MahA PeriyavAL staying now?" He replied, "MahA PeriyavAL is in Neyveli. He is coming to Panruti from there."

    We (me and my wife) went to where he was staying in Panruti one day. He was sitting on the floor in a room.

    Sri MahA PeriyavAL gave darshan veiling his body in a saffron cloth, with which he had also covered his head.

    Some people paid their obeisance to him and returned with prasAdam. Even after paying their obeisance, some old women were supplicating their family matters to him. It was not possible for us to get past the people who stood like a wall in front of him, blocking the view; we were losing patience. Finally we stood before the holy personality of Sri PeriyavAL and prostrated to him.

    As he saw us, Sri PeriyavAL closed his eyes. He was silent for sometime. Though we stood before him with hesitation, he did not open his eyes. We moved away. Suddenly Sri PeriyavAL's voice was heard loud and clear. He conversed something with those who stood before him. We were surprised!

    We went to him once again and stood after prostrating. Immediately Sri PeriyavAL closed his eyes and became silent. We couldn't understand the reason; we moved away from him. And Sri PeriyavAL's voice was heard again! Thinking what sort of a wonder it was, we went to him yet again, prompted by curiosity, prostrated and stood up. The same disappointment! Sri PeriyavAL kept silent, closing his eyes. We lost heart. Since it was Shivaratri on that day, six sessions of puja were held there until dawn on the next morning.

    Later, we started for our native village. Duraiswamy Aiyer, who was an office friend, also came with us in the bus.

    "Did not MahA PeriyavAL talk anything to you? He usually inquiries and talks well with everyone! Also give prasAdam?" He sympathized with us with his words.

    *** *** ***

    Duraiswamy Aiyer was an officer where I worked. He was a graduate who had culture and devotion. He was a man with close connections to Sri Ramakrishna MaTham and had interest on the SwamigaL of that MaTham. His family members were disciples of the MaTham of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti PITham.

    Because of his concern for me, he gave me the English book Ramakrishna, my Master (written by Sri Sarada Nanda, prime disciple of Sri Ramakrishna) and asked me to read it.

    In those days (1960) only we two (me and my wife) were living in our house in the Vazhaipattu village. For us it was complete solitude!

    Daily during the night hours I would make her sit before me, read out that biography of Ramakrishna line by line and translate it into Tamil for her. Though she was literate in the English and Sanskrit languages, since it required special experience to understand the spiritual and vedanta paribhAshA (phraseology), I would give her the explanations. She grasped the details well. Likewise, I would also read out Swami Sivananda's books and articles to her. She also started to have devotion and faith towards Swamiji. She told me that she had Sri Swamiji's darshan in her dream and got comfort for her entreaties. Thus, we had an agreeable family life.

    In the year 1965, we moved to a new house in Nellikuppam.

    It was only after that we had spiritual experiences such as Kanch Sri MahA PeriyavAL darshan, worship of Emperumaan in the Divya Desams, Satsangs, and arrivals of sAdhus (sages) and bhAgavtas (songster discoursers).

    Glossary:
    paribhAshA - technical terminology; phraseology, discourse, censure
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

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