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Thread: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

  1. #91
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    A Scene that Stands Green in Memory
    author:...... G. Kanakasabhai, Lalgudi
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 29-31
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    Thirty-five years ago from now, I had gone on a sthala yAtrA to Kanchi Nagar with my tuNaiviyAr (wife). With the diDha eNnam (firm determination) to have darshan of Kanchi PeriyavaaL, we went to TiruMaTham on a puNya dinam (holy day).

    A firm intention to somehow become the ilakku (target) of SwamigaL's nayana dIkShA. At nine in the morning we went to the SriMaTham office, met the Manager and told him about our abhilASha. He said that the darshan of SwamigaL could be had only after ten-thirty, gave us the kAla sandhi prasAdam and made us be seated. We told him that "we belonged to the Kaarkaattha Pillaimaar caste (see footnote 1), and had also obtained the Shiva DIkSha." "What if it is so? You people are also of pure thoughts", was the reply and the upachAra was given all along from the beginning.

    When the directions came after ten-thirty that darshan of SwamigaL can be had, I too removed my mElangi (upper cloth), did pAda shuddhi (feet-washing), wore TirunIRu (vibhuti) and with bhaya-bhakti, stood in the queue with my tuNaiviyAr.

    A long rEzhi (courtyard) before where PeriyavaaL stayed; an open passage at its outer end. Only through these the sevArtis should go. SwamigaL gave his aruLAsi (graceful blessings) with his hand from his PiTham to the sevArtis who had come.

    When we both went, a disciple standing in the rEzhi asked us, "Who are you people? Where from you have come?" I said, "We are from Lalgudi, from the family of TambachiyapPillai." (Earlier the elders of my family had told me that when Kanchi PeriyavaaL came to Lalgudi our family elders had darshan of him in a bhikShA vandanam they hosted, so I told about our Periya Thatha ThambachiyapPillai.) For us too, SwamigaL gave his aruLAsi with his hand. We did namaskAram to him and moved away.

    At that time the man who was in the rEzhi told us that SwamigaL called us once again. We went with the thought that it was our bhAgyam to have his darshan again. PeriyavaaL then asked me, "Nataraja Pillai pEranA? (grandson of Nataraja Pillai?)" I could not bear the pleasant shock it gave me. What to say about PeriyavaaL who recollects people who lived so many years ago! With his jnAna dRShTi (vision of knowledge), how he blossomed it all in blessing through his tiruVai (holy mouth) that Nataraja Pillai was kumArar (son) of Tambachiyap Pillai and that I was his grandson!--we were immersed in surprise over his long time vision.

    We took his blessings again and then took leave. Even today we think about this kidaitthaRkariya pERu (a fortune not easily got) and go swelling in our hearts.

    Footnotes:

    1. Pillai is a title used by many castes such as Vellalar, Vanniar, Karaiyar, Ahamudayar, Kallar et in Tamil Nadu and is also used by some Nairs of Kerala. It is also used by many Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka.

    The early census reports and manuals (I’ve read) give both karkatta and karaikkatu as synonyms for one of the subdivisions of the Pandya Vellalars. others are nangudis, panjais, arumburs, sirukudis etc. it was suggested that it derived from the territorial 'karaikaadu'.

    ...the name suggests Vellalars who saved or protected the clouds, or one of the authors says 'waiters for rain'. there is the legend of god Devendra withholding rain from the Pandyadesa after a quarrel with the king, and later instituting the Vellalars of the Pandya land as security for the clouds, hence the name of 'Karakava Vellal Waru', redeemers of the clouds.

    (Ref: http://members.rediff.com/dockan/ori...namepillay.htm )

    Glossary:
    abhilASha - desire, wish; covetousness, affection
    dRuDha - diDha (Tamil) mfn. fixed, firm, hard, strong, solid, massive; firmly fastened, shut fast, tight, close; whole, complete; difficult to be bent; steady, resolute, persevering
    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

  2. #92
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Incidents that Give a Poignant Feeling
    author:...... R.Santhanaraman, Chennai-33
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 44-52
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    Pages 44-47

    I think it was the year 1950. Periya PeriyavaaL Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati SwamigaL for chAturmAsyam was staying in the Semmangudi village near Tiruvarur. Wearing tirumaN and without even taking my (morning) cup of coffee, I was waiting to receive the first tIrtham after Periyavaa completes his puja. Around 12 o' clock when PeriyavaaL finished his puja and came to give tIrtham, the surge of the crowd pushed me who was standing first in the queue away by 30 feet. Since the others pushed me away who was standing in the queue for six hours without taking even a cup of coffee I cursed them within my mind, 'Let no one here be given the first tIrtham.'

    Periyavaa who took the uttaraNi to give tIrtham said, without giving tIrtham to anyone, "There, call that AyyangAr boy standing at the corner". I went to him. He said to me, "'Although (my) PATTi asked me to, I did not take my coffee and waited starving for six hours, to get the first tIrtham; and still they drove me away? Let no one here be given the first tIrtham', you cursed? I appreciate your bhakti. You will be amogha. Here, get the first tIrtham!" Everyone appreciated me.

    *** *** ***

    Could have been 15 days since my upanayanam was held. PeriyavaaL did pattina prevesam in the Semmangudi village only on that day. Everyone prostrated to him on the street. I too prostrated and did an 'abhivAdaye'* to Periya PeriyavaaL. At once the people nearby looked at me and said, "apachAram, apachAram! You should not do an abhivAdaye to PeriyavaaL." I looked closely at Periyava PeriyavaaL. (There came the doubt in my mind, our VAdhyAr asked me to prostrate and say abhivAdaye to elders? But these people tell me I should not do it now? So is this man an elder (periyavar) or not?). PeriyavaaL looked back at me and said, reading my thoughts like an X-ray (reads the inside of a body), "A doubt has come to you as you looked at me if I am PeriyavaaL or not, right?" Then he told me, "'abhivAdaye' is a life history.--In those days, people would not buy a mAppiLLai (bridegroom) as they bought mADu (cattle) at the NIlatthanallUr shandy. They had learnt ingitam. Through the 'abhivAdaye' they would know that such and such man is of such gotram, such sUtram and then decide about giving their daughter in marriage to the man or not. Whereas I am a tuRavi (ascetic), I have no wife, I have no daughter--to give you. Therefore it is not necessary that you do abhivAdaye to me. It is not a mistake that you made an abhivAdaye, however. You understand?" "I understand", I said. In the middle of the road, an upadesham for me for 10 minutes. Can't forget it!

    *** *** ***

    In that same Semmangudi village at PattAmaNiyAr's house, after the puja was over, everyone went away. I was standing alone at the place where the kUDam (hall) and tAzhvAram (courtyard) met. PeriyavaaL is having bhikShA in the kitchen room at the other end of the hall. Throughout the (walls of the) hall, (framed) portraits of (the gods) Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Thanjavur Krishna and such others are hung. Raising my head I looked at a portrait. In one portrait PeriyavaaL having bhikShA was visible as a shadow. Forthwith I turned my eyes to look at some other side. PeriyavaaL saw me standing, called SriKAryam and asked him to tell 'the boy', "Don't look, move away." SriKAryam came and told me, "Looking at PeriyavaaL having bhikShA is improper; move away." I told him: "I did not look of my own accord. It was itself visible to me in that portrait located straight in my vision. Forthwith I stopped looking." Since this talk fell on PeriyavaaL's ears, he said from where he was, "Don't admonish that boy. He did not look at me with a wishing mind. My having bhikSha being visible from here at 45 degrees in the portrait as a shadow and reflected back to him at 45 degrees reaching his eyes."

    Appreciation from PeriyavaaL for explaining my actual position; and kind words for me. Never to be forgotten.

    *** *** ***

    Note:
    abhivAdanam - By Abhivadanam an individual expresses his descent-namely dynastic rishis,
    gotra, sutra, veda, saka and name.

    "When we do abhivadanam to elders, we state what sutra we follow – Apasthamba, Bodhayana etc. These refer to Srouta sutras. In ancient times, the Srouta karmas were given greater importance than grihya karmas. In addition, there are other texts called, sulpa sutras, dharma sutras etc. Among the four vedas, the kalpa sutras of Atharva Veda (which itself is very very less in practice), are not readily available." -- http://kosal.us/Hinduism/Vedangas.htm

    Rules on abhivAdanam are given at:
    http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/archi...il/013694.html

    Examples of suitable representation of names in abhivAdanam are given at:
    http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ar...2000/0145.html

    The position of women and ascetics with respect to abhivAdanam is discussed at:
    http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ar...2002/0050.html

    If saying abhivAdanam is dvaidic and fosters the ego is discussed at:
    http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/arc...st/026434.html

    An overview of Gotras and Pravaras is given at:
    http://www.salagram.net/Gotras.html

    Glossary:
    amogha - 1. a. infallible, efficacious, auspicious 2. unfailing, reaching the mark, fruitful
    amogham - (Tamil) 1. unfailing, reaching the mark, fruitful 2. abundance, fullness, plenitude
    ingitam - (Tamil) 1. hint, sign, indication of feeling by gesture. 2. sweetness,
    agreeableness.
    tirumaN - A Vaishnava's holy symbol that he wears on the forehead.
    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

  3. #93
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Pages 47-52 (concluding part)

    For tirumanjanam (ablution), SriKAryam brings tIrtham from the Semmangudi river, in a silver pot, sitting on the paTTatthu yAnai (sovereign elephant). As it came to the entrance of the house, the elephant started going crazy. SriKAryam immediately jumped with the silver pot from the elephant and ran inside the house. The mahout of the elephant too ran away for life towards the adjacent village. All the people in the street close the doors to their house and look from their windows. I was also having a look. Running amuck from the east end to the west end in the street, the elephant smashed the pandal legs, pillars at the gates, and the thattis (thatched boards for cover) on the thiNNais (raised porticos).

    SriKAryam who ran inside told Periya PeriyavaaL, "The elephant is running amuck." PeriyavaaL at once came out alone, went near the elephant and said, "Gajendra! What naughtiness are you indulging in? Go back in silence and lie down!" What wonder! Forthwith, the elephant, like a cow on a rope, lay down filling the street, its head on the north and tail on the south side, and remained silent. PeriyavaaL called SriKAryam and asked the man to bring camphor, incense, bananas, and flower. SriKAryam brought and kept them on the thiNNai and went back inside, apprehensive of any danger to his life! PeriyavaaL stayed alone and performed the Gajendra Puja to the elephant that lay down in the middle of the street, made the animal wear flowers, waved the incense then the camphor to it and finally gave the animal the banana bunch. The elephant ate the fruits. Then he told the elephant, "Get up and go. Don't do any viShamam (mischief) henceforth." The elephant got up and stood to a side. That the elephant's frenzy subsided within an hour is a miracle, which happened only due to PeriyavaaL's divine act; and I witnessed that puja, my eyes filled with the sight.

    The greatness of the Agnihotra House

    Fifty years ago, PeriyavaaL's bhikSha was arranged in the house of a mirAsdAr (landowner) in Semmangudi of the Nannilam taluk. But even before the appointed time, PeriyavaaL came on foot from the adjacent village and sat down on the vAsal thiNNai (raised portico at the entrance) of Agnihotri Tiru. Nageswara Dikshitar's house. He told the people there, "Isn't this the house of Agnihotri Nageswara Dikshitar? Where is he? Call him? Today only in this gRuham is the bhikSha."

    Dikshitar was supervising the work in the fields. People went to him and said, "Sitting down on the thiNNai of your house, PeriyavaaL has said that the bhikSha is in your house; he sent us for calling you." Dikshitar rushed back to his house, prostrated to PeriyavaaL and said, "apachAram, I have made you wait." PeriyavaaL replied, "Your house where the Agnihotram is performed has dragged me down to it." The bhikSha went on well in the landowner's house. What greatness has the Agnihotram!

    PeriyavaaL's novel explanation

    Periya PeriyavaaL used to do upanyAsam at the entrance of Tiru. S.S.Natesa Ayyar's house, fifty years ago. We all would go there and listen to it. This is a news PeriyavaaL said one day.

    He stayed in Ranchi, Bihar state for two months. He said that in the whole of those two months he was not able to see the Ranchi RamakoTi PiThAdhipati, since the pontiff had gone on yAtrA to other places. Even later on, when the pontiff stayed in Ranchi, he was not able to meet the Kanchi Kamakoti PiThAdhipati even once. At last when they met one day, the Ranchi PiThAdhipati asked Kanchi PiThAdhipati, "Though all these days passed by, why is it that I was not able to meet you?" PeriyavaaL said that he replied to the question as

    वो राम का काम नहि
    और काम का राम नहि

    "vo rAm kA kAm nahi
    aur kAm kA rAm nahi
    "

    quoting a Hindu shloka. Ranchi RamaKoTi was taken aback, and was happy, for PeriyavaaL tactfully quoting a Hindi verse to one whose mother tongue was Hindi, and giving it the right meaning that applied to the circumstances. (It was not Rama's work. In addition, this is not a RamakAryam (work for Rama.) Maha PeriyavaaL said that he thus put a fullstop to the talk indicating in sUchakam (hint) that the MaThAdhipatis not meeting each other might have some alpa kAraNam (trivial reason) which need not be tied to any divine act.

    PeriyavaaL's friendliness

    Maha SwamigaL's bhikSha was arranged at the TozhudUr landlord's house, located on the north bank of the KamalAlayam tank, Tiruvarur. But when PeriyavaaL came on foot from the adjacent village and was passing through the Durgalaya Road, he suddenly entered the house of T.V.Krishnamurthi Ayyar, a retired district doctor. Krishnamurthi said, "apachAram, when I am here to welcome you, you have come seeking my house on your own?"

    "Those things are only for the others. You and I are schoolmates. Between us, no such saTTatiTTams (rules and plans)", PeriyavaaL said, "You come without fail to TozhudUrAr's house." He added, "You start giving free treatment daily to the poor. That itself would be a great puja for you." From that day on, that doctor until his last days, took up the practice of free treatment to the poor, giving them free medicine, money to buy any medicine from the shop, and money for food and bus charge to the poor who came from adjacent places. These acts were witnessed by me and my father. If PeriyavaaL's friend is of such kindness, who can measure the compassion of PeriyavaaL?

    *** *** ***

    Several years ago when PeriyavaaL was staying in Pudukottai, Kunniyur landowner K.S. Sambasiva Ayyar stayed there for a few days, having darshan of the sage. One day PeriyavaaL called Sri Sambasiva Ayyar and said, "You get back home; the field harvest is to take place. Go back and look after your family affairs." To that Sri Sambasiva Ayyar replied, "I shall stay here for one day today, watch the puja and then leave."

    But PeriyavaaL said a little sternly, "You get back today itself to Mannargudi. You should not stay here today. Start immediately." So he left for Mannargudi. And in that night Sambasiva Ayyar attained Shivaloka PrApti (Shiva's heavenly abode).

    My father PerumALagaram P.K.Rajagopala Ayyargar told me this new. What dIrgha darshanam (foresight), PeriyavaaL's!
    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

  4. #94
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    The Experiences of Two Devotees
    author:...... K.Nataraja OduvAr & R.G.Venkatachalam
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 53-56
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    Tiru K.Nataraja OduvAr, residing in the TirumetraLi Street, PiLLaiyArpALayam, Kanchipuram is now seventy-eight years old (2003). Limitless bhakti towards Maha SwamigaL. He says:

    When PeriyavargaL was going on his palanquin, I have sung the Tevara hymns many times. Once he rose in blessing at TirugnAnaSambandhar Kacchi MetraLi, PiLLaiyArpALayam. I sang the 'TirumetraLi Tevaram'. Forthwith PeriyavargaL directed me, "You sing the Tirumudukkundrap Pathikam." I sang the GnAnaSambandhar Tevaram that begins with the words, 'dEvA, siRiyOm pizhaiyaip poRuppAy, periyOnE!' ('my Lord, please bear with my mistakes, I am a small man'). Then the AGYA (orders) was to sing the 'TiruEkambam Pathikam'. I sang the Appar Tevaram beginning with 'paNDu seyda pazhavinaiyin payan' (the result of karma done in olden days). PeriyavargaL was happy and he blessed me.

    When he was camping in Satara, we three OduvArs went to that place as part of a holy pilgrimage. SwamigaL was very happy when he saw us. He directed us to stay for two days and sing Tevaram during the puja. Accordingly, the three of us stayed in SriMaTham and sang Tevaram. At the time of our taking leave of him, he blessed us with the gift of a vEshTi (dhoti). The grace that touched us even more than that was his helping us with a van to reach the railway station.

    In the Periyavaa MaTham located in Kanchipuram Bangaru Gardens, pratimAdam (every month) during the viShesha pUja on the day of anusha nakShatra, around ten o' clock in the daytime, if I continue to do the Tevara ParayaNam; and when the portrait procession goes on the pushpa pallAkku (flower-decorated palanquin) at night too, if I continue to do the Tevara ParayaNam as a service--the reason for it all is Maha PeriyavaaL's apAra karuNai (immesurable compassion) only.

    *** *** ***

    R.G.Venkatachalam, pramukha (notable) of the Manjapra BrahmaNa SamUham, Palakkad District (Govinda Nilayam, 25, Ganga Nagar, Kodambakkam, Chennai-25) is among the SriMaTham parama bhaktAs. Now living in Chennai after holding high positions, he has immense affection for the 'soil' of his birth. Collecting money for over fifty lakh rupees, he has renewed Sri Guruvayurappan Alayam in Manjapra.

    Although the paramAnanda anubhavams he had with Sri Maha SwamigaL are a lot many, he goes into rapture, repeatedly talking about a specific incident.

    It was his custom to come regularly for SwamigaL darshan every year during the bhikShA vandanam.

    In December 1988, the transport people were on strike. Just when it was thought that he might not come, this man somehow managed to reach Kanchipuram. During the darshan, Sri SwamigaL asked him, "What is your salary?" He replied to it.

    The anugram was, "Henceforth, when you come for bhikShA vandanam, come with two-three tirumAngalyams made to order."

    This man was in confusion. To what sampradAya (tradition) to make the tirumAngalyams? As smArta sampradAyam, telegu sampradAyam and so on, each of it is different?

    "What are you thinking? Whatever the sampradAyam, it is alright..."

    Venkatachalam was amazed, wondering how his talk with his own mind fell on PeriyavaaL's ears.

    Three years passed by after this incident.

    It was the time of bhikShA vandanam. Venkatachalam came to SriMaTham. A crowd was waiting to seek darshan of PeriyavaaL. Standing at a distance, Venkatachalam was waiting for his turn. Some elderly sumangali woman, seemingly in a poor state, was earnestly appealing to Sri SwamigaL about something.

    On the face of Sri SwamigaL, parama shAntam (supreme peace).

    When his turn came, Venkatachalam went near SwamigaL.

    "As per Periyavaa's AGYA (order), I have brought the tirumAngalyam."

    With a snap of his fingers, PeriyvaaL called the elderly woman who talked to him earlier.

    "She says her daughter's marriage is fixed, so she needs a tirumAngalyam? Here, give this to her with your own hand."

    Venkatachalam was moved. He says:

    "Ayya, I faced a lot of difficulties. Even then, I did not stop bringing the tirumAngalyams! Is it not Periyavaa uttaravu (orders)? How can I forgo it? Will not PeriyavaaL know it all?... My patni (wife) passed away as a sumangali, without any suffering. What else do I need?"

    **********
    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: A Virtual Darshan

    The Drop from the Sky and the Green Grass
    author:...... 'Guru kaingarya siromaNi' T.V.R.Chary, Kanchipuram
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 57-63
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    As with the world-famous Adi Sankara, the world would also know well about the greatness of Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati, the sixty-eightth PiThAdhipati of Sri Kanchi KamakoTi PiTham.

    Miracles happen rarely. At those times, the world is in a position to know about the divinity of sages. Through those incidents we can realize that they are deivAmsa sambMbhUta (made of divinity), that they are avatAra puruShAs. In that way, it is the fortune aDiyEn (myself) received through Sri MahaSwamigaL's anugraham--the miracle of making the inarticulate child of mine speak.

    The time I was working in All India Radio Station, Puduvai (Puducherry). Pondicherry Gopala Aiyar was the one who helped, by taking me to Sri MahaSwamigaL and making me have the darshana bhAgyam of the sage. I used to come every week, to look up my family, which was residing at Kanchipuram. Every month, the Avahanti homam was also conducted in Pondy. To submit the prasAdam to MahaSwamigaL, Gopala Aiyar would bring the other devotees also, arranging a separate bus. Accompanying him, and bringing the artistes of the Pondicherry Radio Station also and making them sing in Guru Sannidhi, I received the fortune of this service through the grace of Guru. It also made me suitable to receive AcharyaaL's abhimAnam (affection).

    During the years 1969 and 1970, Sri MahaSwamigaL was in his blessing stance in the SivAsthAnam at Tenambakkam. My second daughter Santhalakshmi was inarticulate though she completed three years of age. Even the words 'Amma, Appa' did not come out of her mouth. Since it happened in birth, the doctors told that it was an impossible task to make her talk. They said no treatment could be effective since it is 'genetically predetermined'. They (also) said that only by a miracle happending through the divine power of Vaidhyanatha Swami or Lord Sri dakSiNAmUrti, would it be possible to make my child talk.

    If Sri Adi Sankara is an avatara of Lord Sri dakSiNAmUrti, my family and I were adoring in mind Sri MahaSwamigaL as talking Kamakshi.

    Having heard about the karuNA vilAsam of Sri Kamakshi whose divine power made Sri Muka Sankara (of Kanchi)--who was deaf and dumb since birth--talk and gave him the skill of singing hymns, and made him compose and sing the stotra ratna mAlA called 'Sri Muka Panchasati', adoring Her as 'gurumUrte tvAM namAmi kAmAkShi; and about the adbhuta mahima of AcharyaaL Sri Adi Sankara who made the dumb Hastamalaka talk; my wife prompted me to take the child to Sri MahaSwamigaL and pray for his anugraham!

    I took the child to the sannidhi of Sri MahaSwamigaL. On that way, there was not much crowd near Sri SwamigaL. Disciples like Sri Balu, Sri Ramamurthy, Sri SrikaNTan, Sri Kumaresan were with him.

    "Chary has come!"--Sri Balu supplicates to MahaSwamigaL.

    "Who is this child?"--Sri MahaSwamigaL's question.

    "Adiyen's child. She can't talk. With Periyavaa's anugraham she must talk. My ahamuDayAAL (wife) asked me to pray to you..."

    "Why, you don't have that desire?"

    Knowing nothing to reply, I looked stupid.

    "She will talk well, and she will talk much, go!" Sri MahaSwamigaL blossomed his holy mouth and spoke the words of grace.

    "All Periyavaa anugraham", I said, prostrated, and returned home.

    During that three-four hours time when we went to SriMaTham and returned, the child could have been hungry, thirsty. Still, because of the greatness of Sri AchayaaL's look of grace, the child was calm until we reached home. Once we reached home, the child ran inside, brought her dining plate and spoke, "ammA, mammu poDu (Mommy, give me food!)!" What a wonder! The inarticulate child talks! Our bodies were shivering in ecstasy. The miracle that happened by the divine power of Sri Acharya's favour. No words to express it. Thinking about the supreme compassion of that walking God, and holding on to his holy lotus feet in mind, we adored him and felt happy. What can the graha balam (power of the planets) do, only the Acharya's anugraha balam is the power, we realized and started adoring the Guru's grace.

    Since it was already night time, we met Sri MahaSwamigaL on the next day, prostrated and told him the miracle of the child talking.

    I supplicated to him, "By Periyavaa anugra mahima, speech has come to the child."

    "[i]nannA pEsuvA; nannA iruppA! she will talk well; she will be prosperous!", said Sri MahaSwamigaL.

    A minute's silence.

    "You should do one kAryam."

    "uttavaru (your orders)."

    "JanakiRamaiah and Dr. Rajappa are arranging for music concerts in the Kamakshi temple during the Navaratri time. Rajappa does not have a normal vision. You are working in the Radio. For the sangIta vidvAns only the upachAram (attention) is more important than the sambhAvanA (honorarium). Wherever you are during the Navaratri time, take leave and supervise the Navaratri concerts in AmbaaL Sannidhi."

    "Periyavaa uttiravu", my happiness knew no bounds as I said this.

    From that day until now, I make arrangements for and supervise Sri Kamakshi AmbaaL Tirukkoyil Navaratri Utsava Art Festival Programmes. Sri MahaSwamigaL arranged for the music artistes to do their musical service first in SriMaTham and then in Sri Kamakshi AmbaaL Tirukkoyil. It is a fortune favoured to me by our AcharyaaL to continue with that kaingariyam (service)! It does not rain only for the crops, also for the grass. There are many who are capable of receiving God's grace. Of them many are the parama bhaktas who have the eligibility. Some with nothing to qualify them, sometimes get the honours like the grass, because of divine grace. It is God's nature to shower compassion. saulabhyaM (nearness) is his svAbhAvika guNam (intrinsic nature). God's lakShaNa (characteristic) is to dispense grace without looking at the vAsi (learning and status). Graceful compassion is the deity's nature. Like the green grass also getting the benefit of the raindrops from the sky, Sri MahaSwamigaL's apAra karuNA (boundless compassion) that takes charge of even an akiMchana (indigent) like Adiyen and gives grace, expresses the state of his anavarata (uninterrupted) divinity and exemplifies the sky-drop-to-grass gift this indigent received.

    *** *** ***

    Recently, when the ShataChaNDi MahaYajnam was held in SriMaTham, during the time of pUrNAhutI (completion) PujyaSri Sankara Vijayendra Sarasvati SwamigaL, the seventieth PiThAdhipatigaL of Sri KamakoTi PiTham gave his kaTAkSha (look of grace) to Adiyen and spoke gracefully, "Meditate well and pray to ParAmbika. You will get what you ask for. Also janma rAhityam (release from births)."

    "Enough if there is Periyavaa's anugraham. I am not in need of janma rAhityam. I want births in the hereafter; and all the births should have sambandha (connection) with the holy feet of Sri KamakoTi PiTham's AcharyaaL. I should get continued Sri Kamakshi AmmbaaL, Sri AcharyaaL kaigarya prAptam by Mother Kamakshi's innaruL (sweet grace) and Sri Acharya SwamigaL's anugraha", I stood praying.

    "baMTu rIti koluvIya vayya svAmi"

    "Give me even the job of a servant, O Swamy!"

    Only this is Adiyen's prArthanA I submit to the holy golden feet of Sri AcharyaaL.

    Glossary:
    akiMchana - a. without anything, poor, indigent
    saMbhUta - a. born or produced from; made or composed of; become, being, existing; furnished with.
    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

  6. #96
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    The Golden uttaraNi that was Missing!
    Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
    Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 9, 2007

    Series: Wonders Witnessed by this Adiyavan

    Several years ago, Kanchi Maha SwamigaL was camping in an old choultry called the RMM Choultry in the Mahadana Street of Tiruvidaimarudur. Bhaktas (devotees) from the surrounding villages arrived daily to have darshan of Maha SwamigaL. ADiyEn (I) was then studying in school. Since my father was an official of the local Kanchi MaTham, he used to go to Tiruvidaimarudur often and come back after having darshan of AcharyaaL. He would also take me during my school vacation. On such occasions, it was a sukhAnubhavam (pleasant experience) to have darshan of SwamigaL with bhaya-bhakti (intense devotion) and receive his prasAdam!

    One Sunday. It could have been eight o' clock in the morning. Along with my father I prostrated to AcharyaaL and got up. There was not much crowd. Calling my father near him, SwamigaL said, "Santhanam, aren't the people of your village coming here? Ask everyone to come. No one should go back empty. As ChandraMauleesvara prasAdam, they all should have their vaisvadevam* (bhojanam, food after offering it to God) and then only go... What, you've understood?" SwamigaL gave his orders with a smile, with the compassion of a mother.

    My father said with humility, "Periyavaa uttaravu (orders)" and prostrated. ADiyEn too prostrated. Periyavaa did not leave it at that. Looking at my father he ordered, "Today you have darshan of ChandraMauleesvara Puja, have your vaisvadevam here and then go!"

    Father and myself finished our afternoon bhojanam and had some shrama parikAram (rest) in the choultry thiNNai (raised portico). It could have been three o' clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, there was a bustle in the choultry. The MaTham people ran here and there and searched for something in wild hustle. We did not understand anything, so we inquired.

    A man of the MaTham said, "It is nothing else. When Periyavaa does ChandraMauleesvara Puja, for him to offer arghya, pAdyaM (waters in honour and for washing feet), a notable from Kummaanam (Kumbakonam) had given an uttaraNi in gold. Would be about three sovereigns! Till yesterday it was in Periyavaa's puja. Today it is not found there. We are searching all nooks and corners. Not yet informed Periyavaa, he does not know about it yet!" and continued on his search.

    SriMaTham kAryastA (in-charge) said with worry, "Before this reaches Periyavaa's ears, it should somehow be found and placed (where it belongs to)." He called the sippantis (clerks) one by one and conducted his inquiry. Everyone said that they did not know anything about it.

    "Everyone has been interrogated...only one man remains," said the kAryastA. "Call Ramanathan who does the ugrANa kaingkariyam (kitchen service)!"

    A man went to the kitchen and came back. He said, "The cook assistant Ramanathan is not there. They say he had gone to TepperumaNallur to call on his mother who was not well. He can be expected only in the evening," and moved away.

    It was five in the evening. Maha SwamigaL came out of his ekAnta (private) room. Letting his gaze wander in all the four directions, he stood for a moment. Then he sat on the Asanam (seat) made for him at the entrance of his room, adjancent to the wall. Sometime later, a youth who does pUja kaingkariyam came by the side of the hall. Calling him near, AcharyaL asked with a smile as if he knew nothing, "EndAppA (my boy)... I am witnessing it all since this noon. The chatram (choultry) is all allOlakallOlam (hullabaloo, great noise), what samAcaram (news)? Any romba periya manushA (VVIP) is coming here today?"

    Prostrating shASTaangam (with eight limbs), the youth said, "Nothing of that kind, Periyavaa", and swallowed.

    SwamigaL did not leave him. He asked smilingly: "oNNumillEnnu solliptA epdidAppA (how come you can say it is nothing)! The whole choultry is in amarkaLam (great bustle as in a war), what else is the viSayam (news)?"

    Swallowing again, the youth said feeling sorry, "When you do ChandraMauleesvara Puja, to offer arghya, pAdyaM, won't you be having a pavun uttaraNi (golden spoon)? It is not found Periyavaa. That is why they are all searching every nook and corner of the choultry."

    Periyavaa next threw him a bait. "EndAppA, is there a suspicion on any of our manushyA (people)... any talk on those lines?"

    "I have no idea Periyavaa! Only the kAryastA mAmA (man in-charge) was saying several things. Only he should be asked to know it all!" said the youth.

    "Alright, you go and ask the kAryastA mAmA to come here and then go (your way)!"

    Standing in a corner there, our hands folded across the chest, Father and I watched the proceedings.

    The kAryasta who came to the hall prostrated shASTaangam to PeriyavaaL. Periyavaa asked him laughingly: "EndAppA, seems the pavun uttaraNi in the puja is missing?"

    "Yes, Periyavaa."

    "When from it's missing, any knowledge about it?"

    Hesitatingly, the kAryasta said, swallowing his words, "For two days, we did not take the uttaraNi for use at ChandraMauleesvara Puja, Periyavaa! When we looked today, it was missing."

    "Alright, what you think?"

    "What seems to me is that somebody must have taken it Periyavaa."

    "Alright, can you do the anumAnam (inference) as to who could it be?"

    "Can't say that way with dIrgham (certainty), Periyavaa. Still there is suspicion on one pErvazhi (person)."

    "Who is that pErvazhi?"

    The kAryasta wavered and hesitated. "There could be nothing unknown to PeriyavaaL. Still I shall tell you what strikes my mind!" He dragged on his words.

    "Tell me, I shall also know about it."

    "My tIrmAnam (conclusion) is that it is the cooking assistant Ramanathan!" Before the in-charge could finish his sentence, SwamigaL countered him: "How do you say that?"

    "For the last ten days that Ramanathan was pestering me: 'My mother is not well. I need to admit her in KummaNam Municipal Hospital for treatment. I want an advance of three hundred rupees.' Not only that Periyavaa. He was also annoying me daily to give an increment in his salary. Therefore..."

    Interrupting him, AcharyaaL said, "So you have come to the conclusion that he should have done this kAryam (act) since he has paNamudai (financial shortage)!" and laughed.

    SwamigaL contined: "Alright, alright. Where is that Ramanathan now? Bring him here saying that I called him."

    The kAryasta said in submission, "He has gone up to TepperumaNallur to have a look at his mother saying that she is very unwell, Periyavaa."

    "Let it go... You say he asked for an advance and increment. You have given them?"

    "No, Periyavaa."

    "Then what did you do?"

    "I told him, 'For those two viSayams (things) you asked, now it will not be saukaryam (practicable) in the MaTham', Periyavaa!"

    When he heard this, SwamigaL lapsed into thinking for sometime, closing his eyes.

    A while later he said to the kAryasta, "Right, you do one thing. When that Ramanathan returns from TepperumaNallur, come to me and bring him with you; you understand?" Giving him this order, he went back to his ekAnta room. We all were standing with folded hands forgetful of ourselves. Time was ticking on.

    It was eight in the night. Ramanathan arrived from TepperumaNallur. The in-charge came to the hall with him. As if he was foretold, PeriyavaaL also opened his door and came out and sat down (on his Asanam). Ramanathan fell down shASTaangam and prostrated to SwamigaL.

    PeriyavaaL at once inquired him with vAtsalyam (affection), "Ramanathaa! I heard that your mother was unwell. How is she now?"

    With reddening eyes Ramanathan replied, "They say a tumour has cropped up in her stomach. Could only be treated with an operation, admitting her at the KummaNam periyAspatri (government hospital)."

    Before he finished, SwamigaL inquired, "You asked kAryasta for an advance for that purpose?"

    "Yes, Periyavaa!"

    "You also wanted increment it seems?"

    Ramanathan did not reply to this (question).

    "Why do you not reply (to my question)? What salary you get every month now?"

    "Sixty rupees, Periyavaa."

    "What increment do you now expect?"

    No reply. Periyavaa too did not leave him at that.

    Ramanathan hesistated and said in a feeble voice with persuasion, "Ten rupees every month Periyavaa!"

    "Every month you want a salary of seventy rupees. Is that so?"

    No reply to this too. SwamigaL looked at the kAryasta. "He asks for a ten rupee increment. What you do, you give him an increment of fifteen rupees and give him a salary of seventy-five fupees. Also give him the advance he asked for... what, you understand?" SwamigaL gave his orders.

    "Shall do as you say, Periyavaa!" said the kAryasta.

    "What Ramanathaa, aren't you happy now?" asked SwamigaL.

    Ramanathan brought a palm before his mouth and nodded his head in affirmation.

    Looking at his audience in the hall, Periyavaa said suddenly, "EndAppA! You people said that you have searched every nook and corner for the missing pavun uttaraNi. Tell me if you searched in the place I am going to tell you about now." Periyavaa stopped with a suspense.

    The audience looked at one another, and then looked at SwamigaL with uncertainty.

    SwmigaL continued laughingly: "You have missed searching at an important place. I shall tell you now, listen. You people discard the nirmAlya puSpams (used flowers) of the ChandraMauleesvara Puja every day in a place in the backyard where they won't be walked on by human legs? Should you not search for the pavun uttaraNi in that heap? But then don't go in search now in this night! There might be some pUcchi pottu (insect or worm) there. Go and look in kArthAla (the morning). It will be found there due to ChandraMauleesvara's kRpA (compassion)."

    SwamigaL got up briskly saying this as if in sUcaka (indication) to someone. We all prostrated to him and took leave.

    The next morning. I entered the Mahadana Street choultry with my father, in anticipation. My father inquired the MaTham kAryasta about the golden uttaraNi. The in-charge replied with a happy laugh: "As Periyavaa said, we went in the morning and rummaged the nirmAlya puSpams. In that was found the shining golden uttaraNi! But then how it came there is a satyam (truth) known only to ChandraMauleesvara and PeriyavaaL."

    This adiyavan stood transfixed in wonder when I heard it!

    Note:
    I came across this verse about vaisvadevam being one of the six nitya karmas of a brahmin. It will be helpful if anyone could say where this verse is from.

    snAnam sandhyA japo homo devatAnAmca pUjanam
    Atithyam vaisvadevam ca shhaTkarmANi dine dine


    (http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/archi...ly/009644.html)
    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: A Virtual Darshan

    Paramacharya's Daily bhikSA
    Author: 'Paranthaman' (V.Narayanan) (in Tamil)
    Source: Paramacharyar pages 69-79
    Publisher: Narmadaa Padhippaham

    As everyone of his devotees knew, Paramacharya's daily bhikSA was nothing more than nelpori soaked in curd or buttermilk or otherwise suitably prepared. He took only a little quantity of this 'food', which was the mainstay of his dietary habits throughout his life. At one time, he wanted to give up rice totally, and tried the flour extracted from raw bananas, but had to give it up on the entreaties of his doctor devotees because of the adverse effects this type of food might have on his health.

    Sri 'Paranthaman' in his book Paramacharyar recalls interesting incidents about the nelpori offer by devotees. Before we go into them, let us have a glance at what this divine food item can do for us.

    We use nelpori--parched rice, and aval--flattened rice, cooked and sweetened with jaggery and offer it to God on the day of the Kartikai festival. At the time of the annual shraarda ceremony, a few paddy grains are parched in the homa guNDam and consumed by the doer of the ceremony.

    Thus nelpori is paddy parched in heat. The Sanskrit term for parched or fried grains is lAjAH. They are known as kurmura in Hindi. Parched rice grain is different from puffed rice, which is made by heating rice kernels under high pressure. Puffed rice is used by us on the day of Sarasvati Puja as an offering to the Goddess. In the North Indian dish bhel puri, puffed rice is a main ingredient.

    Even though we generally use the rice grain for parching or frying, there are other grains that can be prepared as food this way. These include amaranth, maize, wheat, millet and barley. Non-grains that can be puffed include soybeans and markhana (a kind of water fruit). A brief discussion of the puffing process of grains is given at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffed_grain.

    Though nelpori is also known as puffed rice in English, we might use the term parched rice grains or parched paddy for this variety, to distinguish it from flattened rice, which is our aval and the puffed rice which is our rice pori. The Website http://www.medindia.net gives a simple recipe of cooking nelpori as a liquid diet that can be used for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sprue, fever, diabetes, obesity and caugh. Called Laja Peya, this Ayurvedic diet is made with two cups of parched rice grains and four cups of water, boiling the rice grains in water for 5-7 minutes and then adding salt, buttermilk and onions. Extremely light to digest, this diet balances the tridosha, quenches thirst, pacifies pitta and improves appetite.

    Now to Sri Paranthaman's reminiscences:

    The jnana bhumi magazine was conducting puja, japa, and homa at many places for the welfare of the world. The magazine team was approached by Pondicherry Sri Sankara Seva Association to conduct the jnana bhumi homam on the occasion of the anniversary of their association.

    Sri Gopala Iyer and Sri Sridhar came very late for the puja and homa rituals. When asked about the delay they said, "We went to Kanchipuram to meet Sri Paramacharyar, apprised him of the anniversary celebration details and took his blessings for the occasion."

    I apprecited their principle and asked them, "Do you meet him often?" Gopala Iyer said, "How can I be anything without his grace? It was because of his anugraham that I am alive and active today." He continued, "Some months back, I was in the intensive care unit of a hospital for treatment of a heart disease. Even after coming home on discharge from the hospital, I was mostly bedridden, unable to act without the help of an assistant. Only during those one or two months I couldn't visit Kanchi MaTham or have darshan."

    Gopala Iyer said, "For the last 25 years I have darshan of Paramacharyar with an offer of the edibles that is used for his daily food." When I asked him, "You don't take anything in return?", he replied, "What could be more valuable than his hearty blessings and support? Two months back, because of my ill health, I sent the edibles through my son-in-law Sridharan. Paramacharyar had suddenly asked him, 'Where is Gopalan? Nowadays he is not seen here?'

    "Sridhar explained him about my ill health and my inability to stand up and walk. He told Sridhar, 'Tell him that I told him and ask him to come here.' Before Sridhar could reply, 'He is not in a position--', Paramacharya said, 'He can come, ask him to come.'"

    "Within two days we arranged a van and started with our friends and relatives. It was arranged that I would travel sitting on a wheelchair inside the van. What wonder, and what to say of the grace of Acharyar! I started getting up on my own and walked up to the van. It was the first time in a few months that I was able to walk on my own.

    "When we reached Kanchipuram, Paramacharya was informed about my arrival. He said, 'Ask Gopalan to come here.' My people said, 'He can't walk, shall we carry him?' He said, 'No, don't carry him. Ask him to come over here walking!'

    "They held me by my hands and I was able to walk until I reached near Paramacharyar. As his holy figure was sighted by my eyes, I started weeping, shedding garlands of tears. Acharyar gestured to the people who held me to leave me free. He asked me to sit down then and there. With tears flowing, I prostrated him in a half posture and sat down. After sometime, he blessed me and said, 'Rise up and go walking!' I did as he told me to. From that day, I am on foot, with no sign of my disease. Everything is the grace and blessings of Paramacharyar!"

    Though his family was connected with Kanchi MaTham and Paramacharyar from the times of his ancestors, it was only recently that he was made an agent of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti MaTham.

    This Gopala Iyer should have collected a large amount of puNyam in his early births. It was them that had given him the bhAgyaM of offering the edible that Paramacharya consumed daily, even to the extent of making others jealous of him.

    It can surely be said that no other saint in the world has conquered the tastes of the tongue as Paramacharya has done. He has disproved the theory that healthy life is possible only with a large amount of nutritious food. In the history of his 93 years of life (so far) he did not seem to have had inordinate food or sleep or ill health. Despite such strict austerity, he never tired in reading, giving darshan, discussing, praying, administering SriMatham, travelling or implementing plans.

    It can be said with certainty that no other feet have traversed the length and breadth of Bharat. His feet have touched and sanctified every temple and tIrtha ghat from the Himalayas to the Kumari, from Dvaraka to Jagannath.

    His daily food was just the nelpori, soaked in curd or buttermilk or otherwise suitably prepared. There are interesting incidents connected with his daily diet.

    About 25 years back, Paramacharyar was camping in a village called Ayyur, near Villupuram. At that time, when this Gopala Iyer went for darshan one day, Paramacharyar suddenly asked him, "Is it possible for you to prepare the nelpori required for me?" Since this man was a landowner, he brought finely prepared nelpori the very next day. Paramacharya said with happiness, "These are very good. You supply me these daily to the extent of my needs."

    This task of supplying parched rice grains was already being done by the Thanjavur advocate Venkatarama Iyer. He asked Paramacharyar rightfully, "Can you disppoint me like this, when I have been supplying you the pori without fail all these days?" The sage said, "Gopalan's pori is good. All these days you have given. Let him give henceforth." Venkatarama Iyer persisted about his daily supply and Paramacharyar said, "Alright, you too supply me." Since Gopala Iyer's pori was deemed to be good, Venkatarama Iyer took the paddy grains from him and made parched rice grains out of them. Both of them supplied the pori the next month. On the month after, Venkatarama Iyer had left the world. Only then people understood why Paramacharya gave the order to another man when a man was already supplying him the food item.

    From that time, Gopala Iyer never failed to supply the parched rice grains, whether he was in station or not. He even visited the places where the sage had camped and supplied the pori. For this purpose, he had visited places like Machlipatnam, Hampi, Bellary, Kurnool, Rajamundry, Satara, Sakapat, Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tenambakkam. When he went to Sholapur with the pori, Paramacharyar told him not to supply it any more. Gopala Iyer asked him anxiously, "What mistake I have done to get this order from you? At least on this errand I have the bhAgyaM of your darshan once in a month."

    Paramacharyar said, "I am going to stop the pori AhAram. It is coming from paddy. The paddy plant has much of life in it. So I have stopped eating its products considering it a sin. Instead, I am planning to try the flour of raw bananas. Can you prepare and supply it?"

    Gopala Iyer agreed readily to the proposal. He told me with gratitude, "From that day, I arranged for a relative at Trichy to supply me with the nendrankai raw bananas. I dry them, pound them, and sieve the mash into fine flour and supply it in tins. He is using it in a way that suits him, either as a porridge, or as iddlies or in another simpler preparation. He has granted me the bhAgyaM of supplying this flour continuously until now."

    Using the nendrankai flour as children's diet is a custom in Kerala from ancient times. In dietary habits, children and old people have much in common. They need food that gives strength and digests easily.

    One might raise a question: whether the banana tree does not have the same life as a paddy plant. The answer is that for every produce, the paddy plant has to kill itself, whereas the banana tree goes on spawning saplings from its roots, so plucking the banana crop does not amount to killing the tree.

    Glossary:
    AhAraH - fetching, eating, meal
    lAjAH - parched or fried grains (esp. rice grain)
    nendrankai - a variety of slim bananas, found in plenty in Kerala
    shrArda - an annual Vedic ceremony performed to the ancestors.
    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: A Virtual Darshan

    BrahmaSrI Vazhutthur Rajagopala Sarma
    Author: 'Paranthaman' (V.Narayanan) (in Tamil)
    Source: Paramacharyar pages 129-142, 1992 edition
    Publisher: Narmadaa Padhippaham

    BrahmaSrI Vazhutthur Sri Rajagopala Sarma recalls the blessings he received from Paramacharya in these pages.

    A longtime devotee of Paramacharya, Sarmaji is one of the best Sanskrit pundits who also learnt Veda Shastras through the Patashala curriculum. At an young age, he studied in Kumbakonam Govinda Dikshitar Raja Veda Patashala where he learnt Sanskrit also. A man of Acara anuSTAnam and good qualities, he later completed his graduation in the Madras Sanskrit College.

    He had exceptional interest in teaching Sanskrit to others, which brought him a wide range of students from the very big to the very ordinary. It would be more appropriate to call them the fortunate who were destined to learn Sanskrit from him, rather than students. Some of them were officers of high rank, who made themselves his students despite their age. Some of them were were well-read in other languages.

    The Mylapore-Chennai branch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan bears testimony to his abilities. Since its inception, he is successfully holding the charge of its Sanskrit education development wing. During his 27 years of service there, he remained as the cause of Sanskrit education to thousands of students. Many of his students have accepted him as their kula guru.

    On completion of his Sanskrit college education, he went back to Kumbakonam and studied in the Pazhamaaneri AiyUr Aiyer Veda Patashala. Then he took up the Sanskrit teaching job at Ramakrishna Mission School, Chennai and held the post for 26 years.

    When he taught in Ramakrishna School, about forty years ago, he started a Purana Pravachana Sabha and conducted discourses in puranas for three days in a week in the Ramakrishna Mission Central Elementary School auditorium.

    Even in those days thirty-five years back, people suffered from water scarcity due to paucity of rains. The great, learned man Rajaji was ruling the then Chennai State as its chief minister at that time. He asked people to perform pujas and prayers throughout the state.

    Sarmaji says:

    It was then that some Astika well-wishers came to me and requested recital of the Virata Parva in Mahabharata. I recited it for over two months continuously. God blessed us with rains during that time on two or three occasions.

    Following it, many well-wishers asked me to give a pravacana of the entire Vyasa Mahabharata. Counting on Acharya's anugraha, I ventured to start the Mahabharata pravacana. It took four-and-half years to complete it, at three days a week. We never approached anyone individually for financial or any other sort of help. There was no shaking of the hundi for voluntary donation during the speech. We just kept a contribution box for those who were willing. It was only due to Paramacharya's TiruvaruL that the pravacana ran for four-and-half years without any hurdles. Before starting the puranic story every day, I would recite the Vishnu Sahasranama in full. It was my strong belief that this japam was another main reason for the success of the pravacana.

    (After this,) I decided to arrange for recital of Vishnu Sahasranama for 18,000 times every Sunday, for 18 Sundays, to match the 18 Parvas in Mahabharata. The recital was held at different parts of the city on invitation from well-wishers, who also contributed to the targetted count. After seventeen weeks passed by, we were discussing the venue for the last and eighteenth week.

    Kanchi Kamakoti PeriyavargaL who visited Chennai at that time, was staying in Sri Sankara Gurukulam, Abiramapuram. We had darshan of him and submitted for completion of the recital for 18th and last week. He gave us the anugraha to complete the last instalment where he was staying and ordered for announcement of the event over microphone to the people.

    It was dvAdasi on the next day and we were left with limited time to complete the count of 18,000 before the pAraNam. It was our custom to start the japa only after kalasa puja and puja to the framed portrait of Sri Lakshmi Narayana Swami.

    This custom was followed on the last day too. Paramacharya asked about the tentative time to complete the recital. Since many people participated in the japa I said we would finish it early. Aisles of bamboos had to be built to regulate the crowd of Paramacharya devotees for his serving tIrtham to them, which he did at the far end of the MaTham.

    The recital was over and dIpArAdhanam was started. When the bell rang, the loud utterance of puNDarIka from the devotees rented the air. On hearing it, Paramacharya rushed for the dIpArAdhana darshan, crossing over the bamboo aisles. Only later we came to know that he had asked his assitants to remind him when dIpArAdhanam started. I carried the kumbha japa tIrtham, along with its garlands and flowers to submit before Paramacharya. He asked for a wooden stool to keep the kumbham on, since it was the maha japa tIrtham.

    AcharyaL sprinkled the tIrtham on everyone using a bunch of mango leaves and then distributed it as tIrtham to the people.

    I submitted to his lotus feet a large plate that had on it betel leaves, betel nuts, bananas, coconut, a garland of flowers and eighteen one rupee coins.

    Paramacharya asked me, "Did you perform the seventeen sahasranAma japams already done in this same manner?" I said that it was so. When he repeated the words, I was moved to tears and replied, "Yes, to the extent of our shakti."

    He ordered the people who participated in the japam to have their meal there. He was very happy. Paramacharya's dialogue with me was held in Sanskrit. Finally he graced us with the words, "mahat itam kAryam saubhAgyodaya pravartate".

    In the evening I went to Gurukulam to get Sri Lakshmi Narayana's framed portrait. It was time for Paramacharya to visit the Sanskrit College camp. He used to start from Abhiramapuram and walk through the Nageswararao Park Street and then via KarpagambaL Street. With the portrait in my hand, I joined the crowd of devotees and walked slowly in the front. When we had just turned to enter KarpagambaL street, a man hurried towards me and said, "AcharyaL is going via your home only", and moved away. I was shocked and surprised. Thinking how it was not known to me walking in this crowd, I rushed to my house.

    I arranged for immediate sprinkling of water and drawing of a kOlam in front of my house. A festoon of mango leaves was displayed at the entrance. I also arranged for the portrait to be placed on a chair in the front entrance and garlanded, with a standing brass lamp lighted before it. pUrNa kumbham and camphor Arati were also readied. Every arrangement was made in a hurry, but without any omissions. Learning about Paramacharya's passing through the street, people started gathering on the footpath.

    Our neighbours and we came to the entrances and waited with folded hands. I did not request SwamigaL to visit my house, thinking humbly that I did not have that kind of qualification. I learnt that Paramacharya had decided to deviate from his usual path to the Sanskrit College via Nageswara Park Street, KarpagambaL Nagar, Vivekananda College East Street and Sullivan Garden Street.

    When so many people were yearning for his lotus feet to grace their homes, I was moved to tears of joy at the sudden bhAgyam that came my way.

    His people would have definitely requested Paramacharya to avoid the present route he took, since that part of the area was littered with black flags and graffiti of atheist slogans. He perhaps thought to sanctify those places with his holy feet. Once when he was advised against going through a slum area to reach the United India Colony in T. Nagar, he said, "Such worse places? Then it is only proper that we go by that way."

    A crowd gathered in front of our house. Paramacharya entered and gracefully sat on the wooden Asana decorated with kOlam. We did pUrNa kumbha pAda pUja and Arati. My wife, children and I came round him thrice and prostrated to him. Paramachara pointed his hand to the divine portrait kept in the inner room and told the gathering, "It is with this Sri Lakshmi Narayana portrait kept for worship, that these people conducted the four-and-half years Mahabharata (pravacana) and the recital of Vishnu Sahasranamam for a total of three lakhs and twenty four thousand counts." AcharyaL then clapped his hands to gesture to the people who had gathered inside the house blocking his view to move away. He looked keenly at the portrait and said "Rajagopala!" calling me near him. He let his glance fall on my old house which had a low, tiled roof and asked me, "So this is your house and you are living here?" When I said yes, he told me, "Have another prostration." All our family members prostrated to him again.

    Within days after his arrival, we were blessed with an opportunity to leave that old home and acquire the larger home where we are living now. Good things and marraiges started happening in this new house, following our moving in.

    The fortune of Badrinath and Kedarnath holy yAtrA also came our way. When I took the blessings of Paramacharya for these trips at his camp in Madurai, he blessed and told me, "Go with all the family! Not only Badrinath, but also visit Kedarnath!"

    It was the time when the fear of the eight planets assembling in a line was dominant throughout the world. He asked me to visit Kedarnath as a remedy, and also blessed me with a garland of rudrAksAs.

    With his abundant grace we had a successful pilgrimage to the places, overcoming with ease the hurdles that came our way.

    The journey was delayed at Rishikesh due to landslide on the Himalayan roads en route Badrinath. When the bus trips commenced two or three days later, there was a heavy rush and we feared that we might need to stay longer at Rishikesh than was normal.

    I acceded to the request of the people in the Nepali ashram where we stayed and held a discourse in Puranas. I spoke in Sanskrit and a guruji translated it in Hindi. The North Indian devotees became fond of my discourses. At the end of the discourse I told them about our predicament. I came to know that day the respect and love showered by the North Indians towards Sanskrit pundits.

    A man from the crowd of devotees rose and spoke to me, "I shall take up the responsibility of taking you to Badrinath. Be ready in the morning. How many people are there with you?" And he kept up with his words. Even in the Badrinath darshan we had problems of rush, which were solved by good people who appeared suddenly from nowhere at such times. I believe all this happened due to Paramacharya's anugraha. Our Kedarnath pilgrimage was also completed without problems due to his grace.

    About twenty of us who undertook the pilgrimage, at last reached Chennai safely. We had a continuous stream of calls from relatives and students seeking to ensure our safe arrival.

    I knew the reason for this wide attention only later. After our return, news had come in the press that the routes in the Himalayas were closed due to landslides and that many travellers met with accidents.

    Within two or three days, I reached ILayAtthankudi village with family to have darshan of Paramacharya. I submitted the tIrtham I had brought from Ganga. The Dhanuskoti tIrtham had also come. When Paramacharya took his bath in the pond the next morning, he poured over him the two tIrthas. Looking at this we felt the happiness of deliverance from the cycle of births. We also took our bath there along with other devotees.

    SwamigaL later inquired about our pilgrimage and said, "I heard there were landslides in the Himalayan roads?" I replied, "Those things did not affect us since we had the kavacam." He said, "kavacam?", repeating the word. I touched the rudrAksA garland on my neck and said, "When this form of your blessing was with us, what hurdle could we have had?" He smiled. We prostrated again and took leave of him.

    Even though many years have gone by since these things happened, the memory of them is fresh in mind.

    Glossary:
    pAraNam - eating, taking food, breaking a fast, satisfaction
    pravacana - exposition, talk, recitation, teaching
    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. #99
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    The Deivam that saved my life
    devotee:...... P.K. Ramanathan, Chennai-24
    author:....... P.K. Ramanathan, Chennai-24
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 064-069
    publisher:.... Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    Perhaps Sri S.Gopalan's friend's father in that story and the narrator of this story are one and the same person. Perhaps they are not. Perhaps some stories of Periyavaa darshan are taking the shape of urban legends varying in tone and narrative details as they pass through people. I do not know what made me jump suddenly to Book 2 of Vanathi publication from book 6 I was posting from a short time back, and happen to pick up this story instead of another for this post, without consciously selecting it. One thing is sure, however: it's all Sri PeriyavaaL's lIlA.--sd[/i])

    *** *** ***

    Since I was residing in Kanchipuram, I got PeriyavaaL's darshan daily.

    Once an ArAdhana was performed on behalf of the MaTham. For some reason, the required number of vaidIkas could not be employed then for the purpose. Therefore, Sri PeriyavaaL nominated and made be partake the ArAdhana along with the other vaidIkas. After the bhojanam was done, he called and ordered me to do Gayatri Japam for a thousand counts on the next morning, as prAyachitta (for my ineligible participation). I complied with his orders.

    udyoga nimittam (Because of my job) I was transferred as the head clerk of the Chingleput District Court. Thereafter, I could not have frequent darshan of Sri PeriyavaaL. Therefore, on the day of his holy nakShatram Anusham, I used to visit Kanchipuram, do triShati archanA to Sri Kamakshi Amman and submit the prasAdam to Sri PeriyavaaL and have my darshan.

    Once when I went for his darshan, it was heavily crowded in SriMaTham. I was waiting outside. Sri PeriyavaaL suddenly ordered, "Call the SherAstAr" to the people standing near him. Some people called out, "SherAstAr, SherAstAr!" towards the crowd. Somebody took and made me stand before Sri PeriyavaaL and said, "There is no SherAstAr, only a Court head clerk is here."

    I told Sri PeriyavaaL, "I am not a SherAstAr, only a head clerk."

    Sri PeriyavaaL said without giving up his point, "Why, can't you become a SherAstAr?"

    I told him decidedly, "I have none of the required qualification. I have studied only up to the S.S.L.C. Many who have undergone the study of law through B.A.B.L., M.A.B.L. (courses) are there working under me. Based on my educational qualifications I have no eligibility, even to a small extent. Moreover, the man who is the District Judge now certainly won't recommend me. So I can never reach that position." Later, Sri PeriyavaaL gave me leave to return.

    After a few days, some people came on inspection from the Chennai High Court. Impressed by my work, those people gave a report in confidence to the Hight Court Judge that I was the fittest person for the post of SherAstAr. A few days later, I received the orders for the SherAstAr post. It was a surprise to everyone, even a 'great thunder' (pEriDi) to the people who drank the 'virtual milk' (manappAl) that only they would be selected based on their educational qualifications.

    Meantime, I went to Kanchipuram for the next Anusha NakShatram. When I placed Sri Kamakshi Amman prasAdam before Sri PeriyavaaL, raising and showing me his hand over his head, Sri PeriyavaaL asked, "Can be called SherAstAr now?" All my eight-span body thrilled in ecstasy, my eyes going snowy, except for worshiping that Deivam who ordered my promotion, I could not manage to say anything. "Only a Deivam would know the daiva saMkalpam", I realized on that day.

    *** *** ***

    I had asked for a loan from a Mudaliar in Kanchipuram, for my daughter's marriage. Agreeing to give me the loan, he had asked me to come at three o' clock in the afternoon on a specific day. Starting from Chingleput on that day, I proceeded to Kanchipuram to get the money. I thought to have darshan of Sri PeriyavaaL before that, so I went to SriMaTham (first). I got Sri PeriyavaaL's darshan only around two o' clock on that afternoon. Moreover, as never before, Sri PeriyavaaL started talking many subjects with me in vistAram (elaborately). Whereas for me, only the news of Mudaliar asking me to come at three o' clock was gnawing in mind. At length around five-thirty Sri PeriyavaaL gave me leave to quit the place. I reached Mudaliar's home walking and jogging along the way. I was anxious, fearing that perhaps Mudaliar would not give me the money since I had not kept the time. Still, I gently knocked at his door. Mudaliar himself opened the door saying, "vAnga, vAnga (come, come)!", welcoming me.

    He said, "I had asked you to come at 3 o' clock. Since I too went out, (I was not at home and) I could return only now; moreover, until six o' clock today, the yogam is not proper. So I thought of asking you to come at 6 o' clock. You have on your own accord come at the right time! Since the good time has arrived, you receive the money right now." Only then I got the flash as to why Sri PeriyavaaL gave me leave to quit after so much time.

    *** *** ***

    Once a High Court Judge from Chennai came on inspection to the Chingleput District Court. He would always have a lot of work awaiting his attention. So he would schedule his work meticulously and come over. Accordingly, he was to return early to Chennai. The Judge had planned to have only Sri PeriyavaaL's darshan on completion of the inspection, before he returned to Chennai. Making the necessary arrangments, I went with the Judge in his car to SriMaTham, Kanchipuram, and we had darshan of Sri PeriyavaaL. After conversing with the Judge, Sri PeriyavaaL ordered me to take the Judge around some big temples in Kanchipuram.

    I was apprehensive to talk to the Judge. He wanted to get back immediately, but for me, I could not refuse to comply with Sri PeriyavaaL's orders. With great saMkocham (cowering) I told him about Sri PeriyavaaL's orders. As he agreed to it half-heartedly, I took him to some of the temples. After a delay of around two hours, the Judge started back for Chennai.

    A strong wind with rain was blowing at that time. When we reached the highway, we saw workers removing a large tree that had fallen on the road. When inquired, they said that the tree fell down about one and a half hour back but they could manage to assemble workers and start getting it off the road only by then. Only then we understood the sUkShmam (subtle work) of Sri PeriyavaaL's orders.

    Perhaps if we had ignored Sri PeriyavaaL's words, that tree could have falled right on our car. Even if it was not to be so, we could have got struck in the place for a long time without being able to continue our journey. The compassionate orders of Sri PeriyavaaL saved our lives on that day and I can never forget it.

    **********
    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

  10. #100
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Blossoms of Experiences!
    author:..... Poet Subbu Arumugam, Chennai-600078
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 70-76
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    Pages 70-73

    Mankind would ask the yearning: "God hasn't come in person?" But if God does come in person, the mankind would be doubtful if that is really God! Going beyond these two stages, it is the general lakShya (target) of everyone belonging to Sri Sankara Mandalam to feel the 'Sarveshvara' who came in person as that Parameshvara, adore him and offer flowers to his lotus feet. I get the AnmIka sukham (spiritual comfort) in speaking about it with humility.

    In the last thirty-five years, the pERu (fortune) I received from the Walking God Sri Kanchi Maha SwamigaL, I share with this world--with this thought, my head bows on the holy feet of Lokamata Sri Kanchi Kamakshi AmbaaL!

    The first incident when Sri Paramacharya Deivam blessed me with his grace:

    Turning the story of Mahatma Gandhi into a villisai that was broadcase by the AIR, Chennai, and then into a book, I offered the book to his holy presence when I next went for darshan of Sri Mahaswamy. Place: Tenambakkam. SwamigaL to my eyes appearing as Sarveshvara, gave me the orders, "In the forthcoming Agama shilpa satas, you sing the life story of Tirunavukkarasar as villuppATTu!"*

    There were hardly two days for the event. I started writing the story keeping in mind Mahaswamy in dhyAnam. In a single night, I was able to write 63 paNs (tunes) and complete the villuppATTu! On the day of the event I kept the manuscript before Mahaswamy's holy presence, and as I conducted the concert in the satas, PeriyavargaL himself attended and blessed, while I, who sat on the stage at a little distance, raised my hands and joined my palms as one worships a temple gopuram (tower). The villisai that started on that day is being heard loudly till today in our and foreign countries.

    In the concert on that day I sang a song praying to Goddess Kamakshi thus: "O Mother! Kamakshi Mother! I have brought an article for you, one that you don't have, only I have! And that is 'kavalai' (worry). Whereas you are the svarUpam of nimmadi (embodiment of peace). I write 'kavalai' on paper and keep it before your holy presence. With the big toe of your left foot, you rub the middle letter 'va' from among the three letters of that word! After that I shall read it again--and it would be 'kalai (art)! Give me your blessings to foster that art!"

    Sri Maha SwamigaL who keenly observed this song, called me, asked his people to honour me with a silk cloth, raised both his hands and gave his words of blessings: "Kamakshi has rubbed that 'va'! Only 'kalai' from now on! You foster it well!" I was thrilled that Mother Kamakshi herself opened her holy mouth and talked to me!

    A new turning in my life from that day onwards! And that a holy turn! Many chances of performing the villuppATTu concert in Kanchi under the sponsorship of SriMaTham! I wouldn't say that this art was fostered because I sang; as the villisai is being heard by the holy ears of Sri Maha SwamigaL, the art sprouted leaves, branches and prop roots (vizhudu) and is growing now in mahonnatam (in a grand manner)!

    *** *** ***

    The flute and the music of the bow

    On these occasions of my villisai concerts going on in Sri Sankara Mandapam of Sri Mahaswamy and doing its work (of spreading dharma), at the end of a concert, in the scene of my receiving prasAdam from SwamigaL, he would give me a sethi (advice); in that advice, panmukha medhA vilAsam (his many-faceted display of knowledge) would shine brilliantly!

    Once he asked me: "Is playing a flute there in your villuppATTu concerts?"

    The reply I submitted for this question with great humility: "Isn't this an art from Tirunelveli? Since the people of our area have an opinion that the flute is an North Indian instrument, we don't have it played in our troupe, so I don't add the flute."

    For this, Maha SwamigaL gave a pithy response: "Yes, yes! That is only the vAdyam of Sri Krishna Paramatma!"

    The spark struck me as I heard these words! We labour under the illusion of directions North and South; whereas Maha SwamigaL is immersed in it as the vAdyam of Sri Krishna!

    This is the difference between us and him. Pure thoughts of the Dvapara Yuga he has; only Kali Kala thoughts for us!

    That same day, I gave a debut to this thought in in the Kanchi Stage in my concert!

    *** *** ***

    Note:
    *villuppATTu is a popular Tamil folk art of story telling where narration is interpersed with song, music and striking the villu (a bow to whose string little bells (salangai) are strung).
    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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