Page 6 of 16 FirstFirst ... 2345678910 ... LastLast
Results 51 to 60 of 156

Thread: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

  1. #51
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Three Incidents
    author:...... Dr. C.K. Raman, Kanchipuram
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 99-102
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (Aug 2006 Edition)

    A new and differently constituted Government took over at the Centre in the year 1977. That Government decided to send a new ambassador for the Indian Embassy in America. That new ambassador was the famous lawyer and economist, late Tiru. Palkivala.

    He came to Kanchipuram to have darshan of Maha Periyavar before going to America on his new assignment. No one in the MaTham was previously informed of his arrival. Tiru. Murali Devra and Tiru. Nana Chudasama, who were then popular in the Jaycees organization, contacted me since I was also in that organization and asked me to make the necessary arrangements.

    We had arranged a reception and a dinner in the ITDC bungalow for Tiru. Palkivala on his arrival. I introduced my Kanchi friends to him. He wanted to have darshan of Maha SwamigaL before dinner. I sent a man to the MaTham for this arrangement. But then he came back disappointed with the tidings from the MaTham that people who were not Hindus could not have a private darshan of PeriyavaaL. Though it was a big disappointment to me, I went in person, had darshan and asked Paramacharyar about this news. He said, "Palkivala? It was he who argued and won our ArchakaaL case in the Supreme Court. Ask him to come." I told this verbatim to Tiru. Palkivala. He was ecstatic to hear it. Tiru. Palkivala and I went in person and had darshan of Periyavar. Maha Periyavar was talking to him in Hindi for about half an hour. He also bid the lawyer farewell with his blessings.

    Tiru. Palkivala said with happiness again and again, "I can never forget this darshan."

    *** *** ***

    The President's rule was in force in Tamilnadu in the year 1977. Under the auspices of Jaycees, the weddings of a group of people couples were conducted free of cost to them. We invited Tiru. P.K. Dave, I.A.S. who was then the Advisor to the Governor to preside over the marriage celebrations. He came down, presided over the occasion and left after blessing the couples.

    After the wedding ceremonies were over, some of the couples wanted to seek the blessings of Maha PeriyavaaL. Though I agreed to their wish, I hesitated as some of the marriages held were inter-caste marriages. Even then I sent a man and sought for their permission, but the people in the MaTham refused it. Persisting, I went and asked Maha PeriyavaaL himself in person. Without refusing, he said, "Ask them to come." He also asked for the number of couples. I said that they were 20 pairs of couples. We brought all of them from the Anna Arangam where the marriages were held to the MaTham and introduced them to Maha PeriyavaaL. He advised and blessed them for about twenty minutes. Then he gave clothes worth Rs.125 (today's value would be over Rs.500) to each pair. Sri Jayendrar also joining in and blessing the couples added more to the honour of the occasion. We were rapturous that though Paramacharyar was in favour of tradition, he showed that all those things were only after humane considerations.

    *** *** ***

    Once when I went to have darshan of Maha PeriyavaaL, an old man was sitting beside PeriyavaaL and talking to him.

    "Your name?"

    "Ramaswamy Aiyer."

    "Place?"

    "Kalpattu."

    "The one which is near Tiruvannamalai, that Kalpattu, right?"

    "Yes."

    "Alright. You know why your place got the name Kalpattu?" (Some silence).

    "Your pUrvikam (native place) is that place?"

    "Yes."

    "Then why is it not known to you?"

    "I went and settled in Delhi in my young age."

    "So, (you mean to say that) it should not be known to you?"

    "..."

    "In those days, the Pallava kings used to bring from that place the stone needed to make the props used to tie their elephants. That was why the place got the name Kalpattu. This is very famous."

    I was elated to witness Maha PeriyavaaL's knowledge of history in person.

    *** *** ***
    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. #52
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    SankarA, do the service...
    author:....... A devotee
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 261-263
    publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    Narrated by the 'vantoNDar' Sankara aiyar, belonging to the Sivagangai ChImai.

    When he was in his sixth grade in (a school at) PudukkOTTai, and participated in the 'VeLLaiyaNE VeLiyERu'--'Quit India', Independence movement, both his eyes were damaged when the police fired on the mob. He stayed absconding for two years in Mudumalai. Both his eyes had turned completely blind. With indescribable duHkha--suffering, he had darshan of shrI PeriyavAL for the first time in 1950, along with the patron NATTukkOTTai CheTTiAr who was acclaimed as the DEvakOTTai zamindar. That was the turning point in his life.

    When shrI PeriyavAL blessed him with the words, "SankarA, only for doing service that God has tested you in this way. You keep doing service, and no grievances will be there for you", the duHkham that he had experienced for many years disappeared and his mind became light and easy.

    Later, he learned Tamizh very well, got trained to the extent of memorizing the Shaiva, VaiShNava Tamil texts and started teaching the children. His favourite text was AruNagirinAthar's 'KandarubhUti'. A woman who was a relative of his came forward and married him voluntarily. It was the custom of Sankara aiyar to go to towns and villages and do bhajan with the boys and girls. He would also enact stage plays. He would conduct examinations for the children and give them gifts. Even Christian and Muslim pupils used to take those tests.

    In appreciation of his Tamizh SEvA, shrI KripAnanda VAriAr conferred on him the title 'VantoNDar'--an ardent devotee.

    Whenever he had darshan of shrI PeriyavAL, the talk would be about DEvAram, TiruvAchakam and TirukkuRaL. Just by listening to anyone who narrated about PeriyavAL, he would gush tears. He would wonder, "Who else is there who knows Tamizh (texts) so well as him?"

    He is presently seventy-six years old. During his seventieth year when his friends explained to him that he was likely to get his vision back due to advanced medical procedures, he declined it with the words, "By shrI PeriyavAL's anugraham I am happy now although without vision in my eyes. What is there to gain by obtaining vision henceforth?"

    In the year 1958, when shrI PeriyavAL was camping in the Sanskrit College, (Mylapore,) Chennai, he had gone for the vishvarUpa darshan with the DevakOTTai zamindar. In those days it was PeriyavAL's custom to observe kAShTa manuam--severe silence during the morning times. But then when these two people came, everyone was surprised at PeriyavAL's greeting, "Come, SankarA, come and sit down here."

    After the dIpa namaskAram was over in the evening, shrI PeriyavAL said, "Everyone was surprised when I gave up my maunam--silence, and talked this morning, but no one knows why. You people are happy looking at me in the morning at dawn time. But then how could that happiness arise for Sankaran who has no vision in his eyes? Which is why I talked so that he would at least be happy listening to my voice."

    **********
    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. #53
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Veda, VedAnta rakShaka
    author:....... K,Chandrasekara gaNapAThigaL M.A., NyAya-VedAnta ShiromaNi, Tirupati
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 264-266
    publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    shrI MahAPeriyavAL in (this) Kaliyugam, is doing his anugraha--divine favour/blessings, shining as an avatAra puruSha and a Kaliyuga Deivam. For my tagappanAr--father, there is no deivam--deity, other than shrI PeriyavAL. Which was why, going by shrI PeriyavAL's upanyAsam--speech, he did-arpaNam of--dedicated, to the Vedas, the three sahodaras--uterine brothers, in our kuTumbam--family (myself, my tamaiyan--elder brother, my tambi--younger brother). He gave my sahodarI--uterine sister, in kanyAdAnam--marriage, to one who had done veda-adhyayana--study of Vedas. In the same way, for me and my tamayan, he performed a similar kannikA-vivAham--marriage of a spinster, (from Vedic families).

    During the time I did veda-adhyayanam, if we had the occasion of two or three days holidays, our teacher would send me and my saka-vidyArtin--classmate, asking us to have pArAyaNam--chanting, done in the presence of shrI PeriyavAL. On that saMdarbham--occasion, the manner shrI PeriyavAL inquiring us--"how are the AhAra anukUla--food facilities?"--would be alAti--(Tamizh) special. During the times shrI MahAPeriyavAL did saMchAra--wander about, of the villages near KAnchIpuram, and KArvet Nagar, Bukkai, RAmagiri (all in Andhra Pradesh), I have experienced it staying with him.

    He did me anugraham--favour, by sending me to study Tarka ShAstra (NyAya) under brahmashrI GODA SubrahmaNya ShAstrigaL, a parama-shAnta-svarUpin--very embodiment of peace, when he was teaching the shAstra at MantrAlayam.

    Only later, after having applied for the vedapArAyaNa sthAnam--position of Vedic chanting, at Tirupati and passed the related test with shrI PeriyavAL's anugraham, I went for his darshan to seek permission (to take up the job). In way that I did not expect, he gave immediate permission and sent me, handing over a tAmarai puShpam--lotus flower, in my hand, and saying, "Do your udyogam--job work, without any shAstra-virodham--scriptural contradiction. If any such shAstra-virodham arises, resign your udyogam and come back to me. I shall do-rakShaNam of--take care of, you."

    Where I did my Veda adhyayana--training in the Vedas, was only at the VedapAThashAla--Vedic school, of shrI PeriyavAL's at Chinna KAnchIpuram. At the time I was doing my adhyayanam, there were no proper food facilities for the vidyArtins--pupils. Therefore, he ordered that every bhakta--devotee, should on the day of their own janma-nakShatra on each month, should prepare bhakShaNas--snacks, show them to him and then distribute them among the pupils of the VedapAThashAla. Accordingly, when the vidyArtins--pupils, came for his darshan, he would inquire with care, "Who are the people who gave you bakShaNams prepared by them today?" It sweetens the memory to think even today, the manner of his inquiry: "Did this man bring you snacks?", mentioning the name of the devotee.

    We need not go to shrI PeriyavAL with any special efforts of having darshan of him. The moment we do Veda ghoShaNam--loud chanting of the Vedas, he would on his own come to give us darshan. In orther words, you would only be reminded of the vachanam--saying, "mantrAdInAM tu daivatam--the deity is bound by the mantra".

    Once he comes to know that people are doing VedapArAyaNam, he would come to that place to give darshan!

    Some related links:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Raj...hmi_Foundation
    http://www.raja-lakshmi.org/
    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. #54
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Coming Straight from the Kaveri!
    Author: 'Anuthama'* (in Tamil)
    Source: Gnana Alayam issue dated Feb 2002 (pages 49-52)

    Some years back, I had gone to Orirukkai with Tiru Atmanathan, my brother-in-law. I was very eager to have a look at the works done for the Paramacharyar Manimandapam there. For me who went with the expectation of listening to the music of the chisels as if it were the sculptural world of the Pallava times, there was nothing there. Only a few workers were there since it was the noon time of a Sunday. Even those people had gone for their lunch recess. Some thatched sheds were seen here and there in the vast expanse of land.

    When I thought that it was this expanse of land that was having within itself highly skilled sculptural works, the best skills of trained sculptors and the ordinary people who supported them, Maha SwamigaL took vishva rUpa within my mind. I recollected and experienced again the first time I had darshan of PeriyavargaL.

    It was the year 1940. My elder brother was in Tiruvazhundur. Having come to know that SwamigaL was taking bath in the Rishaba Kattam there, I went there accompanied by our friend Bhavani Maami. When we reached the Mayavaram Kaveri banks in a trot, it was seen that SwamigaL was on the opposite bank of the river. A crowd had thronged the area. In the rush, that Maami held my hand and helped me cross the river. We would have reached the edge of a large circle of the crowd--that was all! As if a lightning flashed, PeriyavargaL surveyed the crowd momentarily, ascended his 'mena' (palanquin) and disappeared.

    We got back home, feeling depressed and sad. My father sent me with that Maami to the village where SwamigaL was camping.

    We reached the village and stood in the central courtyard of the house (where the sage was staying). The pujas were over. SwamigaL was conversing with people at a side of the courtyard. When we both prostrated to him and got up, a disciple asked, "From where do you come?" Before we could open our mouth, PeriyavargaL said, "From Mayavaram, straight from the Kaveri"!

    My surprise won't be contained in words. How did he recognize two women who had just come to an edge of a large circle of crowd of over a hundred people? He had already ascended the 'mena'? How is this possible? I was overwhelmed by tremors of ecstasy. I couldn't raise my tongue to talk. With me standing amazed, that Maami told the details about us. He inquired about my father-in-law and my husband, blessed and gave me the prasAda. That tremors are not gone yet even today.

    In a simliar vein, an incident (happened) 18 years after this darshan. We were then residing in Velur. I expressed my desire to my husband that I longed for an eye-filling, peaceful darshan of PeriyavargaL. He said, "You go today itself. Stay there for four days and have his darshan to your heart's content. I may have to come to Chennai on office work (after four days). I shall accompany you back home from Chennai." I started with happiness.

    At that time, Maha SwamigaL was camping in the premises of Chennai Sanskrit College. I stayed in a relative's home. Every morning I would take bath and be present in the Sanskrit College. I would wander the area with the expectation of sighting him somewhere. As if to meet my expectation, he would suddenly come out from somewhere and bless someone. I would watch and enjoy it from a distance. After watching the puja, I would receive the tIrtham, get back home and have my meal. Then I would go again in the evening. I would watch the puja, listen to the graceful discourse of PeriyavargaL and then only would return.

    Since there was a tremendous crowd I could not go near PeriyavargaL, prostrate and get his blessings. The day of my returning had also come. Considering that it would be difficult for my husband to locate me when he comes at the puja time in the evening, I was standing on the last row of the gigantic thatched shed. With disappointment and longing, I was surveying the stage.

    My husband came. He asked me, "What, had an eye-filling darshan?" I replied with a tsk-tsk. "Yes, I had eye-filling darshan and ear-filling speech. But then I could not go near him even once and prostrate to him?"

    "For a week you have been in PeriyavaaL's dRSTi dIkSaNIya? Bathed in that look of grace. Still you have a grievance? Do you want him to see you, introduce himself and say 'How do you do' to you? Are you such a celebrated woman? This is not just greediness, but also too much an expectation," said my husband.

    We bowed to him then and there, outside the pandal. I bid farewell mentally, looking at the stage that was far away. At that time, a disciple who was standing nearby SwamigaL on the stage waved his hands in our direction with a gesture of calling someone to the stage. "Look, Periyavaa is calling someone near," I said with jealousy.

    My husgand hurried me, "Come come, we need to reach Velur this same night." Somebody touched his shoulder and said, "Aren't you Padmanabhan? Periyavaa wants you and Anuthama to come to the front."

    We proceeded to the front in surprise, everyone giving way for us. When we prostrated to the sage and got up, he smiled at me and began, "Your father in Mayavaram..." Like an asadu I interrupted him and said, "My father is no more now." He continued, "No no (I am referring to an earlier time). At that time you all came with the news that it was your aNNA's seemantham." I was stunned. A wave of bliss spread thoughout my body.

    He asked my husband, "Ennada, I did (took) bhikSA in your house, you remember?" My husband replied, "If Periyavaa asks me this way, what can I reply?" SwamigaL gave a short, uproarious laugh and then asked a disciple to bring the prasAda plate. vibhuti, kunkumam, matrAkSata were found on the cane plate that was brought. He gestured to bring a fruit. A sweet lime fruit was brought. He took it, surveyed the fruit turning it this way and that, pressed it against his chest once, and then placed the fruit on the plate.

    "Both of you take these things together," he directed us.

    When I got up prostrating he asked, "Anuthama*, (you) have satisfaction now?"! My eyes were flooded. My tongue got stuck to my upper jaw. I took leave with a bow. A mahAn to whom thousands of people the world over surrendered, who was a walking God on the earth, remembering and recollecting by going several years back in time and blessing a woman who did not know if she was fit to stand in his sannidhi and lived somewhere in a corner--how can that mother's heart be described in words? That bliss is still green in memory.

    Note:
    * For those who are not familiar, 'Anuthama' (pen name of Smt. Rajeswari Padmanabhan) was one of the famous Tamil fiction writers during the period 1960-1990, a contemporary of such great women writers as R.Chudamani, Lakshmi and Rajam Krishnan.

    Glossary:
    akSata - unbroken rice, barley, whole, uninjured
    aNNA - (Tamil) elder brother
    asadu - (Tamil) a dunce, dullard, dimwit
    dIkSaNIya - to be consecrated or initiated, relating to consecration
    dRSTi - seeing, viewing, beholding, the mind's eye, wisdom, intelligence
    Ennada - (Tamil) a second person singular form of address meaning 'you know what', often used to indicate a close association.
    maami - (Tamil) a brahmin housewife
    seemantham - a pre-birth ritual for a male child, done between the fifth and eighth months of pregnancy.

    **********
    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

  5. #55
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    The God I Saw
    Author: Muthulakshmi Natarajan, Kumbakonam (in Tamil)
    Source: Gnana Alayam issue dated Oct 1999

    It is over forty years since this incident happened. We are Paramacharya's bhaktas. Whenever it was possible for us we used to go and have his darshan. Beyond that we were not in a position to do anything big (by way of contibution or service). At that time, my eldest son had just been born; he was two years old. We were living in Sholingar (Shola singapuram), where my husband was transferred on his job.

    I was suffering at that time, with fever and phlegm that obstructed my normal breathing. The doctors in Velur examined me and prescribed treatment with medicines and several injections and recommended a month's bed rest for me to come alive of the health ailment.

    Trichy was the place of my maternal home. My mother came over to take me there, since I had no one here to take care of me.

    My mother had an unshakable faith in Periyavaa. She fully believed that if he had a look and gave vibhuti prasAdam, I would survive and become alright.

    Since it was a Sunday the next day, my husband took me, my mother and the child to Kanchipuram. We came to know only after reaching the MaTham that Periyavaa was not there and had gone to a small village named Tirumalpur and was staying there.

    We went to that village as desired by my mother. It was a small village, with a small railway station and many railway tracks. Just one passenger train crossed the station from the Chennai side. That was the only train that stopped at Tirumalpur, and that for just two minutes. That same train crossed the station in the evening around five-thirty, arriving from from the South. There were no other trains.

    There was just a single station master for this railway station. He was the pointsman, the one who handed over the key, and the one who waved the flags. Express and good trains passed through, but none did stop at the small station.

    It was an expanse of deserted land around the station. The eye could meet only sandy area, except for a lone palm tree in the distance.

    The station master was a young man who had taken charge only recently. He looked very human. He wore a small streak of vibhuti on his forehead. We told him that we came over to have a darshan of Periyavaa and inquired him the route to get inside the village.

    He told us, "adAdA, Periyavaa left Tirumalpur only yesterday and has gone to Kulathur, an even smaller village five or six miles from here!" He said that he came to know the news from some Shastrys who came to the station and also gave him some vibhuti. We heard from him further that there was no way to reach the smaller village except by walking the distance.

    The five-thirty train also had left by the time we finished hearing this news. There was no other place to stay except the station. I was suffering from bouts of breathlessness.

    Fortunately, we had taken our food and brought fruits, besides plenty of hot water to prepare baby food for the child. But then according to the custom of those days, my mother and I were wearing a lot of jewels. In addition, my husband had to get back to his office the next day, since he had the premises key. He was very jumpy about it.

    As it darkened and the night came, the station master was kind enough to accommodate us in his small room that had just a large table with ten telephones on it, which were always ringing. Moving the table to a corner, he gave us room to lie down on the floor, squeezing himself at his desk to continue with his nightly duties.

    My husband asked us to get back home by the seven o' clock train on the next morning. My mother said adamantly, "Periyavaa would save us somehow. I won't return without seeing him, having come thus far. Only then my daughter would survive." I was dismayed by the opposite stands taken by my husband and mother.

    A wonder happened just then! A small point became visible near the lone palm tree in the distance. It grew up to a covered bullock cart as it approached. A youth was driving the cart with a woman and her maid sitting inside. When they arrived they told us these things: she was the daughter-in-law of the house were Periyavaa was staying at that time. Since she received some urgent tidings to come to Chennai, she came to board the train, accompanied by her maid and brought to the station by her husband's youger brother.

    Periyavaa was to leave the village at midnight to continue his journey. The man who accompanied the doli had even taken the silver stick in his hand. But suddenly Periyavaa said to himself louldly, "paavam, they are coming believing only me (and nothing else); shall go after seeing them."

    Periyavaa sat back and told his people that their next trip was postponed by two days. Everyone was surprised as to who that VIP was Periyavaa decided to wait for.

    Early morning the next day, the daughter-in-law also received the tidings that required her presence in Chennai. She termed the happening as a surprise and said that the cart was going back to their home. Wondering at the immense compassion of Periyavaa we boarded the cart, my husband having decided to take the seven o' clock train as he had the office key, entrusting his young wife, mother-in-law and child to the care of a total stranger, with no other go for him. We could see him looking over us standing at the door of the train, for a long distance in that deserted area, as the train moved moved away.

    We reached the house Periyavaa was staying. It was twelve-thirty in the afternoon. The Emperumaan who was waiting only for us, granted us an immediate darshan and was talking to us for a long time.

    He gave the prasAdam as desired by my mother and said, "Your daughter will survive, why do you worry?" He gave us raisins and vibhuti. Then we had an eye-filling sight of the puja performed by Pudu Periyavaa, had our meal there, returned to the station in the same bullock cart and boarded the evening train.

    "Go, Narasimhar will be in your company." -- His words still ring in my ears. He also said, "Don't forget AmbaL."

    When we reached our place, people were surprised to hear our tale. It still gives me spiritual excitement to think about the way Bhagavan understood my pitiful predicament and made arrangements to remedy it. My health also became completely alright within six months due to his grace.

    **********
    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. #56
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    PeiyavAL and PuranAnURu
    author:....... VenkaTesa NaTarAjan, KumbakONam
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 281-296
    publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    pages 281-284

    I venture to write about some svAnubhavas--personal experiences, aDiyEnggaL--we people were immersed in, understanding the divya vIkShaNIya sukham--pious comfort of divinely charming glances, graced by shrI MahASvAmigaL.

    Some details about our vaMshAvalI--lineage, as pUrvapIThikA--introduction; shrI MahASvAmigaL's kAruNya prakAsham--compassionate glances, are related to these details.

    01. Our father is one who was named G.VenkaTesan. Lifetime: 1897-1978. He was one who studied Tamizh in the shadow of the sacred feet of mahAmahopAdhyAya shrI U.VE.SA. aiyar during 1913-1918. He was elder to and was a great friend of Ki.VA.Ja. Then he was a teacher till 1930 in the TirukkATTuppaLLi shrI SivasvAmi aiyar High School. Following which, he thought about introducing and spreading 'chAraNIyam'--scout practice, there, was 'drawn' by DivAn GaNapati shAstrigaL, accepted since 1930 an udoyogam--occupation, in PudukkoTTai samasthAnam, then worked as the grAma-abhivRddhi--village advancement, officer, and retired in 1957. shrI SAmbamUrti shAstrigaL, PeriyavAL's pUrvAshrama--of earlier stage of life, younger brother, was our family friend since 1931. His mAppiLLai--son-in-law, shrI Chandramauli too has been such, till today.

    My father's knowledge of Tamizh texts and his capability of giving a lecture resembling the flow of sluice-opened waters, on the basis of the RAmAyaNa and the Shiva-ViShNu purANas, won MahASvAmigaL's appreciation.

    02. Our mAtAmaha--maternal grandfather, was TiruvAngkADu RAmaseSha shAstrigaL, who obtained the title 'shAstra ratnAkara' ('Jewel-mine of the Scriptures). He was one who was in great anusaraNa--service/use, in ShrIMaTham to PeriyavAL, since MahASvAmigaL's bAlya-prAyam--boyhood.

    03. shrI MeTTUr SvAmigaL was one who in his pUrvAshramam in PudukkOTTai, lived in the (street) house right adjacent to ours. So, he very well knew about 'scout' VenkaTesa aiyar and his family. Taking up an udyogam--job, even when I was nineteen, I had gone north, to the states Bihar and Orissa.

    What follows is daivikam--divine:

    01. The next year our father passed away, my anuja--younger brother, C.BAlasubrahmaNiyan met PeriyavAL in a camp in the KarnATaka desham, waited for an opportunity, paid respects, and prayed him that they wanted to do something in memory of their father. On that day, MahASvAmigaL was observing mauna-vratam--vow of silence, so he did not say anything. He told us that the sage talked to him on his own the next morning.

    "ENDA--hey! OnggappA--your father, used to speak a lot in Tamizh? He would recite the verses in 'Tirumandiram'. You know anything of the sort, can you recite something?"

    It seems that MaNi, that is, BAlasubrahmaNiyan, after thinking for a while, recited a song.

    PeriyavA said: "SundaranAthan becoming MUlan--*1, was in that SAtthanUr, where your PeriyammA--mother's elder sister, was given in marriage. Every year, aippasi month (Tamizh month from mid-Oct. to mid-Nov.), on the day when the ashvati nakShatram accompanies the paurNami--full moon day, on that day is TirumUlar's nakShatram--birth star. Hm... how much do you intend to spend?"

    Since MaNi, shy and twisting a little, just showed his bhavya-bhAvam--expression of submissive consent, PeriyavA continued to talk:

    "Call that Dunlop KRShNan, where is KadarkkaDai--handloom shop, VenkaTarAman? You should create a Trust. Should admit five-six or ten-twelve, whatever available, school boys in SAtthanUr. No discrimination of jAti-matam--caste or religion. Keeping a notebook, each boy should write down all the three thousand 'Tirumandiram' songs. They must finish it well before the aippasi month. You people go to SAtthanUr (a day before), and have a pravachanam--lecture, on that evening in the temple, let someone talk in your father's bhANi--style. Next day, ashvati, at the time of dawn, (you people and the boys) go to the AiyyanAr temple at the border of the town--there, are the sannidhis of TirumUlar and MUlan--have the pUjAri--village priest, and after doing karupUra-Ararti and all that, all of you sit down, read the fifty verses starting from 'aindu karatthAnai' and do namaskAram--prostration. Then you all walk down, reading the (remaining) verses aloud, to the TiruvAvaDuturai MasilAMaNishvara temple. There is a widespread ashvatta tree in the temple's outer prakAram--courtyard. It is said that only by sitting under that tree did TirumUlar sing all the three thousand verses, one per year. You people, who go there in ghoSTi--group, sitting under that tree, should do pArAyaNam--reading aloud, of Tirumandiram muchchUDum--the entire TirumanDiram. One condition, you people should read only from the manuscripts of the boys."

    He paused for a short while. Everyone, with their mano-vAkku-kAyam--mind-word-body, which did not wander elsewhere, were enjoying what their eyes and ears received. The voice of the deivam--God, continued, with a mohana--captivating, smile, that was unique to him.

    "I am not asking you people to be-in-paTTini--(Tamizh) go without food. Stopping (the reading) as saukarya--convenient, you can take AhAram--food, now and then, can drink coffee. Whatever interest comes from the Trust (money), with that, should do some kind of sanmAnam--honorarium, to the pasganggaL--boys."

    What to say, is it a daiva-vAkku--divine voice!

    The festivities went on like a kalyANam--marriage, every year, the family of shrImAn SAmbasiva aiyar, mirAsudAr--(Tamizh) landowner, residing in the vaDakkutteru--North street, of KuLatthangkarai SAtthanUr and the family of my younger brother MaNi, joining hands. Chandramauli, mentioned above, and shrI SAmbamUrti who was known as sAr--sir, would participate. shrI SubrahmaNya aiyar, grandson of shrI mahAmahopAdhyAya aiyar (Uv.Ve.SA). came every year (for the event).

    On the evening of the first day, selecting aDiyEn--me, in the outer prakAram of the sannidhi of Ananda-gaurI sameta--together with, Siddeshvarar, they asked me to give a lecture. By the sustained efforts of learning and listening from my father and then polishing it thereafter, I had the AshIrvAda-balam--strength of blessings, so I could talk Tamizh in-saraLam--fluently. The first year, (the lecture was about) 'Ammai-Appan', then 'Nala-charitram', 'KaNNappa nAyanAr', 'Sundara-kANDam (of Kamban)', 'KRShNa-dUtu' (KRShNa going on a mission), ityAdi--and so forth. As an elderson, AppA's--father's, words of blessings stood in good stead for me. The next day, it would be sAyaraKShai--evening time, when we finished the mutRodal--complete reading out.

    Every year, C.MaNi and his family would go and pay respects to PeriyavAL wherever the sage camped, and inform him about the TirumUlar event. Asking probing questions, MahASvAmigaL too would share his keen interest and give his blessings.

    The event was held for thirteen years. A hundred people in the first year, which dwindled to only six-seven in the end, comprising only us! At length, PeriyavAL himself asked us to stop it.

    Note:
    01. SundaranAthan is the original name of TirumUlar, author of 'Tirumandiram'. How he entered into the body of a dead cowherd named MUlan and soon after lost his own body, is narrated here:
    http://in.88db.com/chennai/html/imag...-Medicine.html

    ..to continue
    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

  7. #57
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    pages 286-291

    This is laukika--worldly, perception! What is daivikam--divine, about it is:

    1. What he said as our PeriyammA--mother's elder sister, was the eldest daughter of RAmaseSha shAstrigaL. That she was given in marriage at SAtthanUr would have been known to PeriyavAL because ShAstrigaL was closely connected with ShrIMaTham. (How) Did he know about her vaidhavyam--widowhood, too? "Was given in marriage" (he said in), past tense.

    2. in BhAskara kShetram, two-three SAtthanUrs (are there)! Only "KoLatthangkarai SAtthanUr" was TirumUlar-athishayam--pre-eminence. How did PeriyavAL know that PeriyammA entered only in this particular SAtthanUr? After many, many years?

    3. Before the adbhutam--miracle, took place, the name for TirumUlar was SundaranAthan--PeriyavA's memory power, AhA!

    The widespread ashvattha--arasu--peepul tree, TiruvAvaDuturai MasilAMaNishvara, AiyanAr temple, Siddeshvarar, Ananda-gaurI--however many temples, that many SvAmi-AmbAL tirunAmas--sacred names, how does he remember them?

    02. 1982 AvaNi is my remembrance about this one: Some months had passed by since I had retired (from office). One day, thinking suddenly of it, and C.MaNi calling me with the same thinking, we both went to SatAra. MahASvAmigaL was then camping there. shrI Jayendra SvAmigaL was in Kanchi. It was the time, when in SatAra, that is in the MahArAShtra state, arrangements were being made to build a NaTarAjA temple, similar to the one in Chidambaram. Night had set in when we both reached there. On the next day at dawn time, we were waiting for PeriyavAL's suprabhAta--early morning, darshan. There were just twenty of us standing in the place. Hoping that he would open a small window and give darshan, an adjacent samasthAna RAjA--king, was standing, with plenty of camphor pieces in a large silver tAmbAlam--large plate with a sloping rim. The time came, the door opened, and the dIpArAdhanA was performed. At that time, when a man came and said, "Who has come who reads TirumUlar? PeriyavA calls", we were thrilled. We had only read about jnAna-dRShTi--prevision...

    We bowed to him. He asked something about me. I told him about me. I had written a book for samarpaNam--dedication, to our father; and had planned to print and publish it. Keeping the manuscript in front of him, with the expression, 'Is it appropritate what I thought of doing?' I sought his blessings. He caressed it with his sacred hands. I had titled the book which was written in detail in two languages--Tamizh and English, 'Pearls from Periya PurANam vol.1'. Just the three stories, of TirunIlakaNThar, Sundarar, and SiRutthoNDar.

    'Have you read Tamizh well like onggappA--your father?", he asked me. Speechless, I just muttered, "To some extent". Parameshvara debating with Arjuna came up in mind, and I shivered a little. "PuRa-nAnURu, you have read?", he asked. "konjam-konjam--a little, a little", I said. "What is that little, little? Should you not read it well, doesn't the KuRaL say, 'kaRka kasaDaRa'--'learn to remove your blemishes'? sari--right, tell me a 'PuRa-nAnURu' verse", he said, laughing! Like that, like him, doing svastha--make healthy, to the body and mind, nothing else has the power.

    ekAntam--solitude, only the two of us and PeriyavA. I recited a verse:

    ஈன்று புறந்தருதல் என்தலைக் கடனே;
    சான்றோன் ஆக்குதல் தந்தைக்குக் கடனே;
    வேல் வடித்துக் கொடுத்தல் கொல்லற்குக் கடனே;
    நன்னடை நல்கல் வேந்தர்க்குக் கடனே.

    InRu puRa~ntarudal entalaik kaDanE;
    sAnROn Akkudal ta~ndaikkuk kaDanE;
    vEl vaDitthuk koDutthal kollaRkuk kaDanE;
    ~nannaDai ~nalkal vE~ndarkkuk kaDanE.

    [A mother teaches her son]
    "My duty is to bear and get you out;
    the father's duty is to make you learned;
    the blacksmith's duty is to shape you a vEl--spear;
    and the king's duty is to give you good conduct."

    The next two stanzas, somehow did not come readily to mind. Only PeriyavA should have made it stop. Because, this is what he asked me:

    "ENDA--hey! Saying everything good and peaceful, learned, good conduct--why the vEl--spear, and the kollan--blacksmith in the middle?"

    I did not know what to say about it. I had some shivering too. Later on, I read about how he asked M.M.Ismail (who was a scholar of KambaRAmAyaNam), "Do you know about the verse where the words pU--flower, pAmbu--snake, and mAlai--garland, occur?", and the scholar struggled to answer it.

    Getting up, MahASvAmigaL went inside. When this happened was in forenoon. In the evening, he was pleased to tell me this: "If a RAjA is to remain in samAdAnam--composed/settled, keeping the peace (in his country), he would need a sainyam--army. He need not seek battle on his own. But if the enemy arrives, he should vanquish them and let the prajA--subjects, live without bhayam--fear. That is why the vEl and the kollar are mentioned." shAnti--peace, came to our mind too.

    But then, to return home that night, we did not receive his orders. A sippanti--staff member of the MaTham came and told me, "You need not be disheartened. Four days back Ki.VA.Ja. came, PeriyavA asked him explanation for this same song and laughed. At least for you PeriyavA told the explanation." How did I recite the very same verse that the great scholar Ki.VA.Ja. recited? Just this verse among the four hundred! Or was I made to recite it?

    When we were about to retire, a man came and said, "PeriyavA calls you." It would have been eleven o'clock in the night. We both went to see him. 'ENDA, in English, you tell me, what is renunciation, and what is abdication? Or do both have the same meaning?"

    We did not know what to reply. And there was the fear of getting stuck with him, saying something! Showing us his pAda-darshanam, he went inside.

    Before we started from SatAra, MahASvAmigaL burdened us with two responsibilities. One of the tasks was, "A book called 'Dharma-shAstram'. Gone out of circulation, with no prints to be seen anywhere. It should be printed anew. But then, there are many complications. First you should remove the legal hurdle of the copyright." My tambi--younger brother, MaNi accepted this with eagerness. Within a year, by incessant efforts, he met and swimmed across the tides of the law and threats, sought the help of KumbakONam-resident shAstra-nipuNas--scriptural experts, as revealed in his mind by PeriyavA himself, printed the copies, and what came up with another lease of life as 'Dharma-shAstram', he brought to ShrIMaTham, kept them in MahASvAmigaL's sannidhi, and was greatly appreciated.

    But then the task given to me, although looked easy in word, later as MahASvAmigaL said in MahAgaon laughing, "I know it will not happen-DA!", fizzled out like a flower-pot cracker!

    He had told me (earlier), "Near the (MylApUr) KapAli temple pond, in the evening daily, a number of vaidikAL--Vedic priests, would assemble. Keeping stocks of pUnUL--sacred thread, darbha grass bundles and kUrchchas--knots of darbha grass, they would await their sale. Tell those people that I told them. Once a week, either in someone's house or in a public place, the Astikas--believers, should assemble. The vaidikas should come there and give them a talk about the mantras used in the vaidika karmas, upanayam--sacred thread investiture, vivAham--marrige, sImantam--rite connected with child-bearing ityAdi--and so on, giving the meaning of the mantras. Let the session be just for a half hour, not long, every week. After it is over, you keep eTTaNA--eight annas, on a vetthalai-pAkku--betel leaves and nuts, and give them each as sanmAnam--honorarium. What, will you do this?"

    If the efforts of (publishing the) 'Dharma-shAstram' is a ton, the task I received was just ten grams! Still I could not do it!

    Not that I did not make efforts. The replies that came up from the MylApUr pond (people) were varied, but kAiveTTu--immature like a raw fruit.

    I don't want to go further on this. It was my koDuppinai--luck, that MahASvamigaL on his own understood it.

    ..to continue
    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

  8. #58
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    pages 291-296 (concluding part)

    03. At the time the publishing of the 'Pearls from Periyapuranam' was completed, I got a golden opportunity. When I bowed to shrI Jayendra PeriyavAL who was camping in GuDiyAttham, with a printed copy of my work, that he gave his words of blessing and then a benedictory write up in the form of NArAyaNa smRti after he returned to ShrIMaTham, with his grace to keep it in photocopy as the first page of the book, was our bhAgyam.

    Not only that. Releasing the book with his own sacred hands, he honoured me. One who received the first copies was shrI RAmadAs, high official of Chennai Telephones; venue, TAmbaram Baby School. The foundation stone laying function of the Hindu Mission Hospital arranged by anbar--devotee, shrI D.K.SrinivAsan, sannivesam, was the occasion that concluded in 1982.

    Who else would obtain the pERu--divine fortune, that I got?

    *** *** ***

    Hearing that MahASvAmigaL was camping in MahAgaon, located in the border of KarnATaka and MahArAShtra states, my wife and I went there. The time, when the evening was about to faint, a small place; keeping in a tAmbALam--large plate with sloping rims, some puShpam--flowers, pazham--fruits, and suger lumps, and two copies of the published book which was earlier blessed by his touching, we bowed, and stood before him, closing our mouth with a hand.

    kAShTha maunam--silence like a piece of wood. An apUrva sAnnidhyam--rare presence of divinity. A petromax lantern that gave just half the light. Perhaps a break in the power supply? On the front wrapper-cover of the book, in blue/purple color on a yellow background, with his spread-out locks of hair dancing, stood in silhouette, the ADalarasan--NaTarAja, of Chidambaram.

    Taking the book with a sudden thrust of hand, and gesturing the lantern to be brought near, he started reading the book. Then he turned the pages, stopped at a place and read it keenly. An apparent sign of a smile. Making a muShTi--fist/clenched hand, of his right hand, and raising it to the middle of his head, a jADai--gesture, no-no, an abhinayam--dramatic gesture, as if he said "kUppiDu--call him!" The staff of the MaTham, although they were used to obey in anusaraNam--conformity, take it upon their head, and carry out the eye-prompted samigjnai--(Tamizh) signal, just blinked in this instance. 'Only the Chidambaram-resident dIkShitars would tie their shikha--tuft, in this way and park it over their head in the middle; but then there is no dIkShitar here? What does PeriyavA ask us to do?', when they were thus thinking, opening the bamboo-thatched door of the fence, a dIkShitar entered.

    Running to him a chippanti--staff member, said, "PeriyavA calls you." He was shaken, amazed and anxious: 'We came here thinking it suddenly, without any plan about the date, but how come...?' When he came near and bowed, MahASvAmigaL, pointing to the page that he had kept open, told him with an eye-gesture to the effect, "nI paDi--you read this". Seeing his problem as he had not brought his reading glasses, I gave him mine. He started reading it a little loudly.

    It was the 3rd page of the book. TirunIlakaNThar purANam. The explanation of the following verse that occurred in page 2:

    வேதியர் தில்லைமூதூர் வேட்கோவர் குலத்து வந்தார்
    மாது ஒரு பாக நோக்கி மன்னு சிற்றம்பலத்தே
    ஆதியும் முடிவும் இல்லா அற்புதத் தனிக் கூத்து ஆடும்
    நாதனார் கழல்கள் வாழ்த்தி வழிபடு நலத்தின் மிக்கார்

    vEdiyar tillaimUdUr vETkOvar kulatthu va~ndAr
    mAdu oru bhAga ~nOkki mannu chiRRambalatthE
    Adiyum muDivum illA aRbhutat tanik kUtthu ADum
    ~nAdanAr kazhalgaL vAzhtthi vazhipaDu ~nalatthin mikkAr

    The beginning of the 3rd page was thus:

    vEdiyar tillaimUdUr:- The Tillai--Chidambaram, sthalam--sacred place, renowned for its vEdiyar--vaidikas--Vedic people, initiated and ordained by ISha--Shiva, himself, to be known as the 'Tillai mUvAyiravar'--'the three thousand brahmins of Tillai--Chidambaram'. Many testimonies would speak about their having done paripAlana--administration, of not just the temple but also the country and the people, in conformity with dharma, administering the justice. The anDhaNar sabhA--court of brahmins, would assemble every day, do vichAraNa--inquiry, of the displutes, and mete out nyAyam--justice. There are vRttAntas--historical accounts/reports, that Shiva himself, who is the paramporuL--ultimate reality, had on occasions argued the cases. What follows is one such incident.

    Apart from its importance otherwise, this Chidambaram was known for its Assembly of Brahmans--a part of the 3000 strong Brahman's clan ordained and initiated by Lord Siva Himself to maintain the temple and the administration thereof--which also met daily and heard disputes. In a few of these, Lord Siva Himself chose to be a prosecutor in disguise (as in this story, too!). A respected and feared clan of upright and God-fearing men, who upheld Dharma.
    The DIkShitar raised his head and stood looking at PeriyavAL. A kuRunagai--tiny smile, appeared in the sacred mukha-maNDala--region of the face, of MahASvAmigaL. Whatever views did they exchange among themselves, only that Sarveshvara has its light. Because, for whatever reason the power supply that had broken until then, was suddenly resumed!

    The reading glasses were returned to me. I came to know about the notable, that he was Dr.V.V.SvarNa VenkaTesa DIkShitar, a scholar who had obtained the virudu--title, 'sarvajanopakAri'--'one who serves the entire population'. One who made that VenkaTesa DIkShitar have a glance at my book that I had dedicated to my father VenkaTesan, was MahASvAmigaL! Thrilled and rapturous I became. Ten-twelve years later, when I met DIkShitar in his house in the East Car Street in Chidambaram, and reminded him of this incident, we both were much moved. Since he was unwell, his feelings were more acute.

    04. One shrI T.R.SrinivAsan came to SAtthanUr for some years (for the TirumUlar festivity). He was my high school teacher during 1937-38, an engineer and a PudukkOTTai-resident. In the old age past eighty he wrote a book. What I write below is what he told us once in SAtthanUr.

    No remembrance about its title. An old saMskRta--Sanskrit, book. He had written a commentary, explaining the shlokas--verses, that occurred in the book, removing the sandhi-vikAra--grammatical inflections, and separating the padas--words. Going to MahASvAmigaL, and keeping his work before him, he bowed to the sage many times. There was no vow of silence for the sage on that day.

    "yArkiTTE idellAm paDichchE? YAru ivvaLavu azhagA unakku saMskRtam katthuk koDutthA?--From whom did you learn all these? Who taught you Sanskrit in such beautiful manner?"

    "I studied formally in PudukkOTTai. For us four-five students, TiruvAngkADu RAmaseSha shAstrigaL took the classes." Was the honour visible in his voice and eyes?

    PeriyavA showed an abhinayam--dramatic gesture: Bringing the thumb and little finger of his right hand together and touching his forehead with the other three fingers, his eye-flowers asking 'avarA?--Was he?" No one could understand it. Wasn't PeriyavA one who had become learned in all the sixty-four arts including the bharatam--bhara-nATyam dance, without formally learning them, unlike (the king) RAjasekhara PANDiyan? Who else can be like him in the body language, with only angga-cheShTa--moving of limbs and not talking through the mouth?

    No one could understand it: that is, the connection between a vaiShNava nAmam--forehead sign, and RAmaseShar.

    bhavyam-embodied, closing his mouth and bending his frame, an upachAraka--servant, of the MaTham asked:

    "RAmachandran?"

    Nodding of head in dissent, with a smile.

    "GovindaiyangAr?" No!

    "GopAlasvAmi, SrInivAsan? RanganAthan? RAjagopAlan?"
    No, no, no!

    "No idea of who PeriyavAL is referring to? God VenkaTAchalapati?"

    PeriyavA stirred a little. "VenkaTesan?"

    MahASvAmigaL sat upright. An approval gesture to the effect, 'the same, the same!'. Looking at T.R.SrInivAsan, with a samigjna--signal, and with no words, he asked, 'You speak about VenkaTesan's mAmanAr--(Tamizh) father-in-law?'

    In this manner, respect for our tagappanAr--(Tamizh) father, and gauravam--honour, for our mAtAmaha--maternal grandfather shAstra ratnAkara, in between with a small, this one, what to say--snub! A sacred prompt for modesty.

    shrI T.R.SrInivAsan himself spoke about this incident in the next TirumUlar festivity.

    **********
    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. #59
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    ************************************************************
    'kOyil nannA varum!' (The Temple Would Come Up Well)
    Author: P.S. RamaChandran, Chennai-19 (in Tamil)
    Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Feb 6, 2008
    ************************************************************
    A wonderful incident that happened in my life and immersed me in Kanchi Maha Periyavar's karuNai kaTAkSam (glance of compassion): About 45 years ago, we were residing with family in the Tiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar at Perambur, Chennai. In that area, the employees of the Simpson Group of companies, B & C Mills and the Government were also residing.

    We had our own Residents Association. Still, we wanted to start a satsangam (Spiritual Association). 'satsangam duHkham prasayamati'--that is, the association with sAdhus and the wise would lessen the grief, it is said. Accordingly, through the Satsangam we started, we helped in a small way the poor students and the afflicted. In addition, it was a custom to keep the holy portrait of Sri Hanuman in some of our friends' homes and do nAma-sankIrtanam (singing the glorious names) on Saturdays.

    With such happenings, some of us wanted to build a Vinayaka temple in the vacant plot near the Tiru.Vi.Ka. statue. We decided to form a group for the purpose and collect funds. Along with me, SundaraRajan, KrishnaMurthi Aiyar, Srinivasan, RangaChari, Mani, Ethiraj, Dharanipathi, Kothandapani, Padmanabha Rao--thus many of us were in the group. The task of collecting funds began. Erecting a hut in the vacant plot, we first started worshipping Vinayaka.

    Days passed by. We couldn't get enough funds. We met AnanthaRamaKrishnan, Chairman of the Simpson Group of Companies and explained him about our holy temple work. He gave a donation of one thousand rupees. It was a large sum at that time. Following AnanthaRamaKrishnan's donation, funds started collecting fast. Still, it wasn't enough to build a temple.

    An anbar (devotee) in the group proposed, "We can go to Kanchipuram and have darshan of Maha SwamigaL. If he gives us his anugraham and blesses the project, we can advertise in the popular magazines and collect funds." The proposal seemed okay to us. We contacted Kanchi SriMaTham. They said, "Periyavaa has gone on yAtrA to vada desham (northern part of the country). It is not known when he will return to the MaTham. You ring up after a week. We shall inform you about any news from Periyavaa."

    It was the time when communication facilities were not as widespread as today. With such limitation, we used to book a call to Kanchi SriMaTham at regular intervals, get the connection and inquired. There was no news about Maha PeriyavaaL's coming to Chennai.

    It was a Wednesday. A dream in my sleep in that night. News came that Maha SwamigaL started from Nellore, passed through Perambur and was camping in Rao Bahadur Kalavala Kannan Chettiar's school. We run to have his darshan and get his blessings. As the dream dissolved, I was happy, because as it dawned it would be Thursday, Guruvaram, and I had Guru darshan in dream!

    After it dawned, I narrated the dream to my friends. They laughed, "You would have been thinking about it (the project) the whole night, hence the dream." At that time, RangaChary who came running in a hurry said, "Anna, RamaChandran's dream has come true. Periyavaa who came from Nellore is said to be camping in Kalavala Kannan Chettiar's school since midnight!" I felt a shiver of ecstasy!

    Taking bath, all of us stared immediately. A delightful shock as I reached the school. That walking God was seated in the same place I saw in my dream, and in the same pose with a smile! We prostrated, our eight limbs touching the ground. We bowed to him and explained everything about our Satsangam, Vinayaka temple construction, and AnanthaRamaKrishan giving us donation. Maha periyavaaL blessed with the words, "kOyil nannA varum. We shall come to the place in the evening."

    An employee of the MaTham informed us that Pudu PeriyavaaL Sri Jayendrar would be coming to the Tiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar Vinayaka Temple on that evening and explained us about the tradition of receiving him. Our legs and hands did not work! Worry caught hold of us that we needed to receive Pudu PeriyavaaL with the required honour but we had not a single paise in the Sangam, so where to go for the money? But then, knowing that SwamigaL was coming to their place, the local people came up with financial assistance.

    Pudu PeriyavaaL came around seven o' clock in the evening. The tunes of Nadhasvaram, the chanting of Vedas and the devotees singing 'hara hara sankara jaya jaya sankara' transformed Tiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar into a Svargapuri. After worshipping the Vinayaka in the hut, Pudu PeriyavaaL blessed the people. When he took leave, he said, "Come to the camp tomorrow." We went there the next day, got Maha PeriyavaaL's anugram and blessings and returned. Later, an advertisement seeking funds for constructing the temple with Acharya's anugraham was published in the magazines. Funds came by in heaps. The Temple arose in gAMbhIryam (majesty). The kumbhAbhiSekam was performed in a grand manner in the presence of Variyaar SwamigaL. Thus Maha PeriyavaaL's vAkku, kOyil nannA varum became a reality.

    We had then done pratiSTA (consecration) of only Vinayaka in the temple. In the later days it became a large temple that included Anjaneya, Aiyappa and the Navagrahas. It has been several years since I changed my residence from Tiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar. On the rare occasions I happen to have darshan in this temple, thoughts about Maha PeriyavaaL would crop up and gladden my heart.

    **********
    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. #60
    Join Date
    August 2006
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,162
    Rep Power
    1915

    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    **************************************************
    In Kanchi Mahaan's Shade of Mercy...1
    Compiler: Raa. Venkatasamy (in Tamil)
    Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 26, 2004
    **************************************************
    A bhakta from Trichy. Photographer. Owned a small studio. In the puja room of his house Kanchi Mahaan's picture would be prominent!

    Getting up in the morning, after taking bath, he would keep some offering in front of the picture and pray, and only then would commence his daily work! His lips would be always chanting PeriyavaaL's naamam.

    Once Periyavaa visited Kurnool in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It was a hot region, and the sun was radiating intense heat.

    This photographer from Trichy got the desire to have PeriyavaaL's darshan. Before he boarded the train that morning, he poured hot milk in a tumbler and kept it as offering before Periyavaa's picture.

    The crowd of devotees at Kurnool exceeded the capacity of the place where the sage was staying. Floods of people wherever one turned. Our photographer couldn't make it in from any of the sides. He got up on a heap of sand at some distance and tried to have darshan of PeriyavaaL. The intense heat of the sand scorched his legs. He started to move away thinking that he would have darshan in the evening after the crowd becomes less in number. He had the yearning that he could not have darshan of the sage after travelling this far.

    He would have walked a small distance, when it seemed to him that somebody was calling him from behind; he turned to have a look.

    A disciple came to him running. "You have come from Tiruchy?"

    "Yes."

    "Periyavaa asked me to bring you to him."

    "Bring me?" The photographer was surprised.

    "You are a photographer?"

    "Yes."

    "In that case, you come with me."

    The disciple took the man with him and produced him before Periyavaa. His palms joining, his eyes watering, the photographer stood before the sage, forgetting his outer self.

    Looking him over, the Mahaan said, "You come this far to see me. What is the meaning if you go back without seeing me?"

    The photographer stammered: "The crowd was heavy. Thought I could come after it lessened..."

    "Alright, did you have a meal?"

    "Yes, I had."

    After pausing for a few seconds, the Mahaan said, "Had a look at my mouth?"

    He thrusts his tongue out. It looks red, as if affected by heat! Then he asked: "Even my lips have got blister, you know why?"

    The photographer could not understand.

    "You kept the milk very hot and came away in a hurry, that is why."

    The man from Trichy remembered only then about his hot offer to the sage. He fell at the sage's feet, his eight limbs in touch with the ground and wailed, "Maha Prabhu, kindly pardon me!"

    The wealth of devotion that the photographer had and the immense grace of the sage who took the devotee's offer forthwith! It was a bhakti that was sAtvikam (good and gentle), a bhakti that considered God as everything to the devotee!

    *** *** ***

    The crowd that usually throngs to have darshan of PeriyavaaL is rather permanent. Periyavaa would know about almost everyone in the crowd.

    On that day, an old woman was standing in the queue for Bhagavan's look of grace. After her seva was over, the sage placed some fruits in a plate and asked her to take them.

    The woman took the fruits with immense satisfaction, noticed a small stalk of marukkozuntu (fragrant grass mixed with flowers in a garland), drops it on the floor and takes only the fruits into her bag.

    "Why have you dropped that? Even that could be useful. Take it." said the sage laughingly.

    Since the words came from Periyavaa's mouth, she took the marukkozuntu stalk and kept it safe with her. She neither thought nor asked at that time as to why the sage asked her to preserve the stalk.

    She boarded a bus to her village. After she seated herself, she was overwhelmed by sleep. The woman who sat near her, stole her purse from her bag.

    The conductor came her side. She must take a ticket! She searched for her purse in her bag, but it was not there! She saw it in the hands of the woman who sat adjacent to her.

    The old woman cried with anxiety, "That is my purse." The woman who took it denied it and said it was her purse. In the hullabaloo that ensued, the old woman also saw the thief give the correct amount of money found in the purse, and knew that the thief had also counted the money in her purse.

    The conductor was in dilemma as to who is the true owner of the purse.

    Suddenly it flashed to the old woman that she had preserved the marukkozuntu stalk that Periyavaa asked her to take.

    "Conductor sir, there is one more vastu (item) in that purse. Ask this woman to name it."

    How can the thief answer this question?

    "I shall tell you what it is. It is a small stalk of the marukkozuntu that I have kept inside my purse. It is fragrant. If you open the purse and look, you will know!"

    The conductor took the purse from the second woman, opened it to have a look, and there the marukkozuntu stalk was, safe and clear!

    The second woman admitted to her thievery. At the old woman's request, she was pardoned and left alone.

    Who can measure the compassionate heart of the Mahaan who foresees and sends his devotees prepared to meet an eventuality?

    Glossary:
    marukkozuntu - (Tamil) southern wood, s. sh., artemisia abrotannum pallens

    **********
    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

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 2 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •