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Thread: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

  1. #101
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Pages 73-76
    deivIka villisai! desIya villisai!

    After finishing my villisai concert on one occasion, I stood humbly before Mahaswamy who appeared as compassion embodied.

    "உன்னை ஏன் பாத்துண்டே இருக்கேன்? சொல்லு பார்க்கலாம்? நீதாண்டா நிஜமாச் சிரிக்கிறே! நிஜமாப் பேசறே!"

    "unnai En pAtthuNDE irukkEn? chollu pArkkalAm? ~nIthANDA ~nijamAch chirikkiRE! ~nijamAp pEsaRE!--Let me see, tell me why I do keep looking at you? Only you laugh genuinely! Only you talk genuinely!" SwamigaL continued after saying these words:

    "When I look at your vil (bow), Rameswaram is visible to me! When I look at your uDukkai (small drum), Kashi comes up in mind! With a look at your bow, Sri Ramachandra Murthi gives me darshan! With a look at your drum, Kashi Viswanathar comes before my eyes! Shivaparam, Vishnuparam are both in this! In addition, Kashi--North and Rameswarm--South! Therefore you connect (the very concept of) National Integration even as you keep playing on your bow!" Saying this he showered me with the rain of his divine laugh!

    On that day's concert, I made 'literature' out of his sayings, and in his temple, I submitted it to the forum of the people as Sri Maha SwamigaL's aruL vAchagam (Words of Grace).

    *** *** ***

    It was only that God, Kanchi Munivar, who showered me with his grace by which this humble man could conduct the Ramayana, Mahabharata villisai as a serial for ten days each! Once when he listened to the 'Sita Kalyanam' concert of mine, he blessed me saying "You can give a concert on sampUrNa rAmAyaNam!"; those words of grace were the capital for my concert on the complete Ramayana. In a similar manner, once in Kanchi at a Bhajanai Kovil Sannidhi where they do puja to the portrait of Sri Krishna, when I took his blessings to sing the story of 'Sri Krishnavataram', he blessed me with the words, "You also sing the story of Bharatam in the same way!" Only the aruL prasAdam given me by Maha SwamigaL, by his taking bilva daLams from his shiras and showering them on me with affection, is what has made these villisai concerts go on today!

    This is a song that I received by his grace, becoming an Asukavi (poet who sings impromptu); I submitted to him as my offering:

    அம்மையிடம் வரம்கேட்கும் குழந்தை முகம் ஒன்று!
    அன்பருக்கு அருள்கூட்டும் குருவின் முகம் ஒன்று!
    செம்மையுறு இந்துமதத் தலைவர் முகம் ஒன்று!
    சித்தாந்த ஒளிநல்கும் ஞானமுகம் ஒன்று!
    தம்மையே தாம் இழந்த தியாக முகம் ஒன்று!
    தாய் போல கருணை தரும் அன்பு முகம் ஒன்று!
    நம்மிடையே காட்சி தரும் "ஆறுமுகம்" என்ற
    நமஸ்காரம் புரிகின்றோம் பெரியவரை இன்று!

    ammaiyiDam varamkETkum kuzha~ntai mukham onRu!
    anbarukku aruLkUTTum guruvin mukham onRu!
    semmaiyuRu i~ndumatat talaivar mukham onRu!
    siddhA~nta oLi~nalkum ~jAnamukham onRu!
    tammaiyE tAm izha~nda tiyAga mukham onRu!
    tAy pOla karuNai tarum anbu mukham onRu!
    ~nammiDaiyE kATchi tarum "ARumukham" enRu
    ~namaSkAram purikinROm periyavarai inRu!


    "A face of the child that seeks a boon from the Mother!
    A face of the guru that secures grace for the devotees!
    A face of the dharmic leader of the Hindu Religion!
    A face of knowledge that enlightens with the Siddhanta!
    A face of sacrifice that effaced its own self!
    A face that shows compassion like a mother!
    As thus this 'Arumukham' (six-faced) gives darshan to us,
    We bow in prostration to the great sage today!"

    Maha SwamigaL himself listened to this song on many occasions, enjoyed it, and his face blossoming, raised his hands and blessed; it is due my receiving that bhAgyam that my Family of Arts is growing today!

    From Kaladi to Kanchi

    Starting with the life story of Adi Sankara BhagavadpadAL who took avatar in Kaladi, and including the holy details of biography of saints in that divine succession--Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati SwamigaL as the 68th pontiff, and Sri Acharya SwamigaL Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Sarasvati SwamigaL and Sri Sankara Vijayendra Sarasvati SwamigaL--I wove them into a story sung with villisai giving it title 'From Kaladi to Kanchi', and before I could stage it in Kanchipuram, I received the pERu (fortune) of staging it in SriMaTham before Sri Maha SwamigaL!

    In that concert, I got the bhAgyam of singing ParamacharyaL as Pallavi, Sri Jayendra Sarasvati SwamigaL as Anupallavi and Sri Vijendra Sarasvati SwamigaL as Charanam!

    Enabling me to get my piRavippayan (the fruits of this birth of mine), the boon of grace and compassion of that tuRavarasar (king of ascetics) made me the AsthAna vidvAn of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti PiTham!

    For a dharmically disciplined kavi~jan (poet) what other honour is required?

    **********
    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. #102
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    The Seitji and His Terminal Illness
    Author: 'Paranthaman' (V.Narayanan) (in Tamil)
    Source: From the book Paramacharyar pages 142-151, 1992 edition
    Publisher: Narmadaa Padhippaham

    This incident happened about 35 years ago. Paramacharya was staying in the Chennai city for a few months, blessing people and giving discourses. From Chennai, he continued his yAtrA out of the city and stayed for a few days in a brick tiles manufacturing factory at Noombal in the Poonamallee high road past the city border.

    I went have a darshan of Paramacharya one evening, accompanied by a Seitji from Calcutta who was a wealthy philanthropist. In the usual way I prostrated to the sage, my eight limbs touching the ground. Seitji also prostrated in a similar manner. I joined my palms and stood meekly.

    Looking at us once by raising his head, Paramacharya asked, "You told me earlier once--it was about this man?" He was matchless in his powers of estimation and retention. I agreed to his words and said with humility, "This man was pestering me for a long time to take him for darshan, which is the reason I brought him here."

    I need to tell you a few things about this man. This Seitji is very pious. He used to come daily to my upanyAsas on Mahabharata and Ramanaya, which I held in Calcutta. Since I was giving explanations in Hindi also, a number of North Indians used to come to my discourses.

    Before I started my discourse, I would always talk about the greatness of Sri Kanchi Paramacharya for sometime, after the initial prayers. My speech would be about Acharya's immense knowledge, power, tapa shakti, and his greatness with examples that highlighted them. Only then, the actual discourse would commence. This is a principle I have been following for a long time.

    Though God has given the Seitji all sorts of fortunes, He had also left him with a large deficiency. It was the misfortune of not being able to take food through the mouth: his gullet was not functioning. His regular food was supplied to his digestive system artificially through a hole in the stomach. With this intensive suffering he was living his days.

    There was no treatment that he did not take to get this deficiency rectified. He had met all the world experts in the field of medicine. There was no count to his temple darshans, prayers and the efforts using mantra and tantra. Still there was no cure in sight. Since he had heard about the greatness of Paramacharya from my daily discourses, he desired to have a darshan of the sage and check if at last that would cure his malady.

    During a recess in the discourse, he held on to it tightly that he and I should go to Chennai and have a darshan of Paramacharya.

    I was apprehensive about taking him without the prior consent of Paramacharya. I told him that I would go to Chennai and get Acharya's consent and then take him. He immediately got me a plane ticket to Chennai.

    Reaching Chennai, I informed Paramacharya about this Seitji at an opportune time and asked for his consent to bring the man for darshan. Though he discussed with me about the saykArya (good deeds) in Calcutta, he did not say anything about my request. When I reminded him again after sometime, he curtly said, "Not now". Since Seitji might be shocked at Paramacharya's reply and lose hope in the ultimate cure, I simply told him that I would take him when I left Calcutta after my discourses.

    In a way it was a mistake to have brought him, though I did it as a service. All the good and bad that happen in our life are due to our puNya and pApa spread over many births. Man is bound to face them. The sins can be reduced only by suffering their effects. If there is continuous suffering, it only shows the quantum of accumulated sins. If the sufferings are faced with faith in God, their effects will be felt less, and good things would reach us when the sins are exhausted. With his foresight, Paramacharya is clear giving such explanations for the good and bad that we face in our life.

    One of the reasons that he would not encourage meeting such sinful people who suffer now is that they would simply look for parihAras without realizing that they have to suffer for their sins.

    I stayed a little distance away from him and kept on reminding him about giving darshan to Seitji. He did not give a positive reply. It was getting late at night. I approached him with an intention of taking leave and coming in the next morning.

    He sensed my thought and said, "Nothing can be done in his matter! Take him away. Ask him to be devoted to God, do good deeds and God will save him!" I became a little bold and said, "He is doing such good things for years together now. Is there no parihAra at all? Everything should have a parihAra! Aren't our Dharma Shastras provide vimocanas for curses and sins? In God's creation, should there not be a parihAra for everything? You should kindly give him your anugraha." I argued strongly in favour of the Seitji.

    Paramacharya listened to me carefully, kept silent for sometime and then asked me to draw near him with the words, "If that is so, come nearer."

    "Will he do what I ordain for him?"

    "He will do it; I shall ask him to do it."

    "If he doesn't do it?"

    "If he does it, let him get prosperity; or else suffer."

    "It would require a large amount of money for what I ordain for him. Can he make it?"

    "He is a millionaire. He would even spend all his wealth to get well."

    "He should publish in Sanskrit the eighteen Puranas in our Veda Shastras in separate volumes on good paper in good print and distribute the volume sets free to eligible Vedic pundits. Will he do this? Can he do this?"

    "He can. I shall ask him to do it."

    "You know the eighteen Puranas? Give me their names."

    I told him the names in this order: "1.Sri Matsya Purana, 2.Markandeya Purana, 3.Bhavishya Purana, 4.Bhagavata Purana, 5.Brahmanda Purana, 6.Brahma Vaivarta Purana, 7.Brahma Purana,, 8.Vamana Purana, 9.Varaha Purana, 10.Vishnu Purana, 11.Vayu Purana, 12.Agni Purana, 13.Naradiya Purana, 14.Padma Purana, 15.Linga Purana, 16.Garuda Purana, 17.Kurma Purana, 18.Skanda Purana." I was happy that my act had a happy ending.

    I called Seitji and told him the matter. He was immensely happy and said, "Yes, I would do this", as he prostrated to the lotus feet of Paramacharya, shedding tears. Paramacharya blessed him profusely and asked his assistants to give him prasAda.

    As soon he reached his place of domicile, Seitji started this task as the first thing. He allotted an entire floor of his large building as office for this venture. He called Vedic pundits and scriptural experts from many states, consulted them, and printed the Puranas in good print on high quality paper in large-sized books, spending a fortune for the task, and distributed them free to eligible Vedic Pundits as ordained by Paramacharya. The word prem (love) was mentioned in the part of the book that mentioned its price.

    Without checking if his disease was lessening and without even worrying about if it would reduce, or feeling skeptical about it, he was totally and fiercely engaged in the publication of the Puranas as ordained by Paramacharya. Seventeen Puranas came out as books, but there was no ease in his condition! Even during the days of this dharmic activity, he took food only through a hole in his stomach.

    As the work on the eighteenth Purana, the 'Skanda Purana' started, Seitji had suddenly started eating with his mouth as everyone did! His tongue got back its tasting capabilities! He got the bhAgyaM of his birth that was not in sight all these days. The cruel disease that gave him untold suffering every day and minute was at last cured and gone with Paramacharya's anugraha.

    When I got the news, I met Paramacharya and told him, "Acharya's shakti is the Shakti! Seitji has come alive due to the boon, the anugraha you gave him! Only Paramacharya's anugraha saved him, after he resorted to all kinds of measures. Only you are the God!" I stood before him, drowned in gratitude, shedding tears.

    The words that Maha Shakti spoke at that time gave me a darshan of him as the God seen with my own eyes (kaNkaNda Deivam).

    "It is the shakti of dharma shAstras of our country that has saved him, is it not?" he said. Neither I nor has anyone ever heard him declare at any stage that it was his or was done by him. Only after knowing about this miraculous incident, did the experts from the western countries start seeking his darshan.

    That Seitji has a five storied house in Lord Clive Street, Calcutta. He is still alive, about 85 years of age now. His name is Mansukh Mohan. This rare incident was narrated (to the author of the book) with bhaya bhakti and in a way that melts the mind, by Mukkur Srinivasa Varadacharyar SwamigaL, the man responsible for the wonder that is the Ashtalakshmi Temple in Chennai.

    Glossary:
    parihAra - leading round, avoiding, excluding
    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. #103
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    A.K. Velan
    Author: 'Paranthaman' (V.Narayanan) (in Tamil)
    Source: From the book Paramacharyar pages 188-194, 1992 edition
    Publisher: Narmadaa Padhippaham

    As narrated by the author:

    When the reception with honours was being given in a house, a man in the opposite house who was not yet ready with bath and formal clothes, came to the grill gate entrance of his house, with just a dhoti around his waist, on hearing the beat of the meLam, to see what was going on outside; he came inside the glance of Paramacharya who accidentally turned his face towards the other side. When he was standing with no idea of what was going on, the sage beckoned to the man to come near him.

    The man who knew practically nothing of the sage, came near the menA (palanquin) and stood with joined palms. SwamigaL lifted his hand to bless him and asked his assistant to give the man akSata prasAdam. Everyone was surprised.

    I did not know about this incident. One day the man requested me as a friend, "I need to have personal darshan of Kanchi Periyavar and get his blessings. What is the way to do it? I don't know about the formalities there. People say that there are many kinds of strict formalities there! You should make arrangements for it." I knew about the formalities there only in a general way; I had no personal experience in the matter. Without approaching any of the office bearers there, I wrote a letter to the present address where the sage was camping. I gave information in my letter about my friend's personal details and requested for a time to have darshan.

    Two days later, a man came to see me with my letter in hand. He gave me an address and said if we went there tomorrow or the day after, at six in the evening, the devotee of the house would take us for the darshan; he went away saying nothing more. I gave this good news to 'A.K. Velan'. He came on the right time the next evening. As if going to a temple, we went to the address given. The devotee there was also ready. He was a parama bhakta of Paramacharya. He was in a good position in life, holding the chief manager's post in an engineering company. He was happy narrating Paramacharya's greatness in every word he spoke.

    "One of the rare traits with PeriyavaaL is that he would never ask a person to observe something that he himself does not observe. He would not also compel a person to observe something that is not done by the others. This special trait cannot be seen in many other ascetics.

    "The fruits in this basket are of a rare variety; came only this morning by plane from the Kashmir side. Such tasty apples can be seen nowhere. The grapes here do not have seeds; they would melt in the mouth. They are here for PeriyavaaL's exclusive consumption. It would be a bhAgya if PeriyavaaL takes it. I shall be happy even if he eats just one or two of them. I should get that bhAgyam, let us see!" The devotee was hot with anxiety.

    Our car reached Noombal around eight in the early part of the night. It was pitch dark. The air was filled with condensing moisure. We did not wear a shirt or a shawl to cover the upper trunk, just a towel wrapped around the dhoti in the waist. There was no street lamps on the side of the main road. We needed to go through an interior passage on the side to reach that place. Just one lamp was visible at some distance from the area where the sage was staying. With darkness all around, our car was going along raising dust, through the passage that had potholes made by the constant traffic of factory lorries and other vehicles.

    A medium-sized thatched shed. A 'petromax' light (gaslight) outside it. The lantern was going off and on with swells of darkness and light. Hurricane lanterns were hanging here and there, giving out the light they could. An old tiled building with verandah, on one side of the thatched shed, maybe it was the office of that brick manufacturing factory.

    On the portico and inside the shed some people with glaring marks of vibhUti were moving about, wearing kaccha dhoties on their waist. I thought that they were the MaTham officials.

    The man who brought us, made us wait outside the shed, went in to meet some notable, and within a minute or two came back saying, "You can have darshan, come" and led the way. A complete, peaceful and holy silence was prevailing there.

    We followed our man, carrying the fruit plates and garlands we had brought with us. We expected that Periyavar would be staying somewhere inside the building or on the far side of it. What wonder! A menA (palanquin) was kept in a corner of the shed, immersed in dim light. We would have gone hardly ten feet, when our man asked us to put down what we carried and said, "Prostrate, prostrate now!" Only by looking keenly inside the menA we had the sight of Periyavar. He was sitting inside on his feet, covering himself with a saffron cloth. Our having darshan of his mukhAravindam (face that is a lotus flower) and his two eyes that were shining like chandra-sUrya (moon and sun) in that dim light, made us go dizzy with ecstasy.

    Prostrating, we stood up with joined palms. He beckoned to us to sit down. We sat on the ground beside the menA. The disciple nearby took the fruit plates and flowers and showed it to SwamigaL. He gave his anugraha by touching them and asked them to be kept away. SwamigaL waved his hand. The disciple took akSata, kumkumam and vibhUti in two wooden bowls and stretched them out to SwamigaL. SwamigaL touched them giving his anugraha and let the disciple give them to us. We placed a gold sovereign each in the same bowl. SwamigaL did not seem to heed them at all. In those days, a sovereign of gold did not cost thousands, only hundreds. (When we started to get back, we were given receipts for them from the office).

    I told about A.K. Velan in a few words. I spoke about his Tamil pulamai (expertise), his having worked as a teacher in the Karanthai Tamil College, his participation in the movements connected with the Kazhagam (the DMK political party), his success with the production of his own movie, and his constructing a building at at cost of Rs.50,000 out of the income from the movie for the college where he taught.

    SwamigaL listened to each information keenly and asked, "Tamil colleges are there in Madurai and Karanthai. In what other places are such colleges?" My friend gave him the names Mayilam (Mayiladuturai), Nellai (Tirunelveli), Tiruvaiyaru and some other places. PeriyavargaL was always keen to know about connected topics, getting his doubts cleared and clearing other doubts. Because of this trait he had connection with countless experts in many areas of knowledge.

    He was very fond of interacting with experts. He had many of them coming to him, cutting across the borders of caste, religion and age. He liked seeking information from them and thereby giving them out to the world through them. He remembered many things and inquired Velan about UmaMaheswaran of Karunthattankudi, a lawyer and a man of great knowledge, who was instrumental in setting up the educational association of the Karanthai college. He also sought details about Karanthai Kaviyarasu Venkatachalam Pillai.

    In that peaceful environment, that divya darshanam extended for over three quarters of an hour. There was no one nearby. That time was a holy moment in our life. Those golden memories still persist fresh in mind, even after the passage of 25 years.

    When we took leave, Velan sought blessings from the sage, for the holy works of the Kodambakkam Vadapalani Murugan Koil frontal structure that he had taken up. After keeping silent for sometime, SwamigaL said, "Continue to do your Tamil services" and blessed, raising a hand. It so happened that Velan did not take note the real meaning of that day's upadesham amidst the happiness having got the darshan and blessings of the sage.

    The frontal maNDapa holy works were not only unsuccessful, but had also created some discord. Only later I came to know from Velan since he believed that only on the strength of the voluntary blessings he received at (Raja) Annamalaipuram, he came to establish his Arunachalam Studio and got some affluences in life that followed, he wanted to have a personal darshan.

    All that is fine, but it might be asked as to why the sage should beckon to come near him a person who was just watching his procession at a distance and voluntarily give the person his anugraha and blessings. This is what I pointed out earlier that for the jnAnis some connection rises inside them with someone from somewhere. We may not be able to understand it from the cause and effect logic.

    I could know only later when I went to Thanjai (Thanjavur) with A.K.V. that Velan's paternal grandfather was an ascetic. He has attained samAdhi in a village adjoining Thanjai. These things came to mind when I visited there once with him.

    Glossary:
    meLam - (Tamil) tavil - a drum that accompanies the wind instrument nadhasvaram.
    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

    'Go', He Said; It Went Away!
    devotee:...... S. Balarama Rao, Kanchipuram
    author:....... S. Balarama Rao, Kanchipuram
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 1, pages 103-107
    publisher:.... Divya Vidya Padhippaham (Aug 2008 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    About thirty years back, Bairava Subramanya Aiyer was running a prasAda shop on the Tiruttani hills. Myself (adiyen) was among the people who worked in that shop. I fell ill once because of incessant work. As time passed, the fever shot up. Deciding that I could reach home by ten in the night, I started walking slowly down the steps in the mountain path, staggering, and repeatedly taking rest here and there, and finally reaching the last step.

    There was a palanquin parked on the banks of the TeppakkuLam (temple pond with a small construct at its centre, used to ferry the deity on a float at festival time). A man came towards me from that direction. He asked me, "You've come down from the hill top?" I said, "Yes." "Then you come here." He took me to the palanquin. I peeped slightly inside the palanquin. From there Sri Maha Periyavar gave darshan to my darkened eyes as a shAnta svarUpi (form of peace). I stood joining my palms, forgetting about myself.

    "You come from the hill top? Is the temple open?" Sri Periyavar asked me. "The temple is locked Swami!" I said with utter humility. "There will be a prasAda shop there?"--Sri Periyavar. As I said, "That is also locked", he kept silent for sometime. Then Sri Periyavar told me, "These people who carried me here are very hungry. They could get AhAram (food) neither at Puthur nor at Nagari. I told them that they would certainly get something after we reached Tiruttani. After arriving here, even with their getting in and out of the hotels on the Teppakkulam banks, they couldn't get any AhAram." As Sri Periyavar said this, I did not know what to do.

    Though I was staggering with fever, I thought that I would take care of my health later and said, "If Maha Periyavaa gives the order, myself can prepare food for them." Sri Periyavar asked me with surprise, "What can you do in this night?"

    I said, "I am an employee of the prasAda shop atop the hill. I can prepare veNpongal (salted rice pongal) for these people."

    Sri Periyavar said, "If that is the case, well and good. I shall walk up the path of the mountain stairs, asking them to climb through the regular path. You go quickly and prepare (the food), go."

    As Sri Periyavar said the last word "go", my fever went away without leaving any trace. Like a runner in a sports race event, I ran up the hills via the singular footpath and reached the top.

    The prasAda shop owner was not present on that day. I broke the news to his wife. That noble woman said, "You climbed down the hill only to see the doctor? And why do you ask for my permission when the Vaidyanathan Himself has cured you and given you orders? This incident has happened only for the welfare of us all! You freely go and prepare the AhAram!" Immediately I lit the wood furnace and prepared the veNpongal. Then I woke up a man who was sleeping there for assistance, and carrying the food, a wooden ladle, mandAra leaves to serve food, and puLikkaaicchal (boiled tamarind mix) as side dish for the pongal, and arrived at Murugan's dhvaja stambha (holy flag post).

    Within a few minutes Sri Periyavar arrived at the hill temple. With the electric lamps in all the prakAras (courtyards) switched on throwing brightness around, the organs trumpeting music and with the pUrNa kumbham, as the temple official Krishna Reddiyar, the temple administrator Kulasekhara Naidu, many other employees, and the priests were waiting to receive Sri Maha Periyavar and take him inside, the sage looked around. I stood before him with joined palms.

    As Sri Periyavar asked, "The AhAram is ready?", I replied, "Have prepared and brought it here." "Alright, you serve these people and then come", Sri Periyavar ordered me. Asking the palanquin bearers to sit down on the floor, giving them the leaf plates and serving them the veNpongal, I said, "These have been prepared exclusively for you. The puLikkaaicchal is there for side dish. Eat well to your satisfaction. I need to go to the temple and have darshan of PeriyavaaL." When they said, "You proceed, we shall take care of ourselves", I went inside the temple.

    Sri SwamigaL was standing near the mUla sthAnam (sanctum sanctorum). As I had that darshan, I rubbed my eyes and looked keenly to distinguish as to who was TanigaiMalai Murugan and who was Paramacharyar.

    Tears gathered and gushed down my eyes with the darshan of Sri Periyavar as DeivaGuru and JagatGuru. The darshan was (at last) over. Sri Maha SwamigaL came out (as himself).

    The temple employees who were bowing to him giving way, I went and stood before him with joined palms.

    As Sri Periyavar said, "They are all very happy. You prepared it tastily and fillingly! Much, much happiness for them. Their stomachs are also full", and stood blessing me, I knelt down for a shASTaaN^ga namaskaram and then stood up.

    "When you go to sleep every night, chant the Rama Nama." When Sri Periyavar blessed me with these words, it was one o' clock in the night.

    Glossary:
    dhvaja - banner, standard, flag, sign of any trade, mark, emblem, symbol, characteristic; the ornament of
    stambha - post, column, prop, support (lit. & fig.); fixedness, stiffness, immobility; obstruction, hindrance, suppression; arrogance, haughtiness.
    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. #105
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    The Gurunathar Who Adores Pandits
    author:..... M.R. Balasubramanian, Tricny
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 77-81
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    My maternal grandfather Sreemaan Krishna SastrigaL was a great Sanskrit Pandit. He was working as a teacher in the Municipal High School, Mayuram during the years 1940-1950. With great pAndityam (expertise) in Sanskrit, he was teaching Bhasyam, Yoga Vashistam, and Jnana Vashistam.

    Hearing about this man's pAndityam and rare jnAnam, I heard that Maha PeriyavaaL invited him to Kanchi MaTham. But then SastrigaL hesitated, since he found MaThAdhipati[/i]s to be raja sanyAsis with kirITam, siMhAsanam and titles meant for the kings, instead of being pUrNa sanyAsis. Even then Kanchi PeriyavaaL was keen to honour Sri Krishna SastrigaL.

    During the Tamil Kara year, PeriyavaaL was camping in Mayuram. One early morning during that time, Krishna SastrigaL was teaching his students in his gRuham (house) in the ParimaLa Ranganathar Koil Tirumanjana Street. With no one expecting it to happen, Maha PeriyavaaL personally visited SastrigaL's gRuham and sat on the thiNNai (raised portico), listening patiently until the teaching was over.

    When he came to know about the arrival of Maha PeriyavaaL, SastrigaL hurried to the entrance of his house and honoured PeriyavargaL.

    PeriyavaaL then honoured SastrigaL with a silver plate, woolen shawl, sari, dhoti, money and prasAdam and asked him to accept them as sanmAna for his saMskRuta pAndityam.

    My mother, MaathuSri Parvathi Ammal, who is the daughter of Krishna SastrigaL informs that this was a rare, wonderful and unforgettable incident (in their life).

    Some days before Maha PeriyavaaL attained Siddhi, when I had darshan of him in Kanchipuram and told him that I was 'Mayuram Sri Krishna SastrigaL's grandson', he understood my words well and blessed me. It gave me spiritual quivers.

    We all should ponder today what a broad mind Periyavaa had, to seek out Sanskrit Pandits and appreciate them with honours.

    *** *** ***

    Around the year 1945, once when Maha PeriyavaaL was camping in Mayuram, he was performing the puja in the place Anaithandavapuram nearby. After the puja was over, he asked for the elephant to be brought to the puja spot, in order to give prasAdam to the elephant.

    Since the puja spot was a small room with an arikaal padi (entrance made of corn husks), not knowing how to bring the large-sized elephant through the entrance, the people stood perplexed.

    When he heard the reason for not bringing the elephant, PeriyavaaL called the mahout and asked him again to send the elephant for the puja. The mahout went to the elephant and spoke to it in its own language saying that PeriyavaaL was calling it for the puja, and released it from its shackles. The elephant at once walked to the entrance, narrowed its large frame, twisting and bending it to pass through the entrance, entered the puja room, stood calmly till the puja was over and then came out in the same way.

    Everyone was stunned with ecstasy, watching the elephant obey PeriyavaaL's words and conduct itself accordingly.

    *** *** ***

    Once when Maha PeriyavaaL was camping in Mayuram, the elephant that was in the SriMaTham family went berserk and started wandering in the nearby Aruvaapadi and Kaduvankudi villages, trumpeting loudly. The news of the elephant running amuck, getting out of its mahout's control was informed to Maha PeriyavaaL.

    He immediately ordered that the palanquin he traveled be carried empty some distance along the path the elephant went, uttering the words "Rama Ramaiyah" loudly, and sounding the musical instruments ekkaaLam, tirucchinnam and such others, and then return to the camp.

    The elephant sighted the palanquin leaving with its accompaniments, forgot its amok and anger, realized that it had done a mistake to its boss, and came back quietly with the entourage. The palanquin guided the elephant through another path and returned to the camp. PeriyavaaL then patted the elephant, fed it and returned it to the charge of its mahout.

    *** *** ***

    A Boat Club was conducting ferries in the Kaveri river in Mayuram in those days. Maha PeriyavaaL when he ascended the throne (as pointiff) was staying in Mayuram for a long time. I remember my father telling me that PeriyavaaL used to ride on those boats, accompanied by boys of his age, in those days.

    Glossary:
    sanmAnaH - respect, honour
    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. #106
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Info-bits from RAju, official, DOE, KAnchi
    devotee:...... KAnchi Panneerselvam
    author:....... RAju, official, Department of Education, KAnchi
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 82-86
    publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    KAnchi Panneerselvam (former MP) used to have frequent darshan of shrI PeriyavargaL. Fortunately, he was alive after a car accident. After that accident, he met shrI PeriyavargaL and received his blessings.

    Once KAnchi Panneerselvam (KP hereafter) had arranged for a special abhiSheka ArAdhanA to KAnchi shrI KumarakkoTTam Murugap PerumAn. Even as the abhiShekam was being performed in the temple, his friends inside the temple told him that shrI PeriyavargaL was coming that side, walking in the RAjavIdhi. KP came to the street to receive shrI PeriyavargaL and invite him inside the temple. Looking at KP, shrI Periyavar said, "It is exactly a year today since you met with that car accident, so are you performing abhiShekam to shrI Murugap PerumAn? I come only to witness it." Although KP did not remember that a year had gone by since that accident, realizing that shrI PeriyavargaL had remembered it precisely and to do him anugraham the sage had himself chosen to come to shrI Murugan's Alayam, he went into spiritual shivers.

    Once KP brought some Kazhaga (ADMK) notables when he came to have darshan of shrI PeriyavargaL. At that time the sage blessed him, "You will have the opportunity to move with the VIPs of the world." After a few days, KP stood as a candidate in the KAnchi constituency for the parliamentary election. He had prayed to shrI PeriyavargaL for his winning in the election. On the day of couting of votes too he came and prayed to shrI PeriyavargaL. When the counting was over and the results declared late after midnight, KP had won in the election.

    When KP came to have darshan of shrI PeriyavargaL on the next morning, shrI PeriyavargaL told him, "Expecting you last night itself after the counting was over, I kept myself awake." Realizing his mistake, KP sought pardon from the sage. After that he had the opportunity of being selected for the group of MPs that visited many countries, and thus had the opportunity to move with many VIPs of the world.

    *** *** ***

    The time when former Tamilnadu Chief Minister MGR was taking treatment in America to get his health restored. KP came to shrI PeriyavargaL and sought the sage's grace for MGR to get back his health.

    shrI PeriyavargaL told him, "There are some images of deities buried inside the ground in a village in Karnataka. Those images should be extracted and set in pratiShta--divine installation, in a temple. This you inform them." Accordingly, KP sent this information to Smt.VN Janaki, MGR's wife, who was then in America with her husband. Later, with the help of the CM, the images were extracted, a temple was built, and they were installed in the temple.

    Getting his health restored completely, MGR came back from America, had darshan of shrI PeriyavargaL and received his blessings.

    *** *** ***

    A smArtha named SAminAtha ayyar, was working as a maNiyakkAra--government revenue official, in KAnchipuram shrI VaradarAja PerumAL temple. Once when he had darshan of shrI PeriyavargaL, the sage told him, "Henceforth you wear gobI chandanam--paste of sandal powder mixed with lime on your forehead. Isn't that your kuTumba sampradAyam--family tradition?" The next day on, SAminAtha ayyar wore gobI chandanam and attended to his work in shrI Varadar temple.

    Although his colleagues did not have any avertion to look at a vibhUti-smeared forehead, now when they saw him as a long gobI-chandana-dhAri, their amity towards him increased more. Perhaps they considered him as a man of shrI VaiShNava sampradAya! From that time, respect and influence among the VaiShaNavas in that temple started swelling for Ayyar!

    The MaNiyakkAra once had darshan of shrI PeriyavargaL in TenambAkkam ShivAsthAnam. Periyavar gold him to make a 'thombai piLLaiyAr'* in black stone in a single day and install it the same day at ShivASsthAnam. SAminAtha ayyar accepted that orders. In a day or two, he met a suitable sthapati--sculptor, selected an auspicious day for the pratiShta, and supplicated to PeriyAL. That the Thombai PiLLaiyAr was made in a single day and the kumbAbhiShekam held on the same day by PeriyavA's grace is matter of great surprise.

    Note:
    *thombai piLLaiyAr--the Tamil dictionary meaning of the word 'thombai' is "a high wicker-basket used for storing grain". But the Thombai PillAiyAr in this episode is made of black stone. What form of PiLLaiyAr is this?--sd

    **********
    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. #107
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    An Exclusive Grace!
    author:...... M.K.P. ShanmugaSundaram, sthapati (sculptor), KeezhveLoor
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 87-88
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    About 27 years ago, TiruvaaLar D. Jagannatha Naidu, who was the DharmaKarta of Kanchi PeriyavaaL's favourite kSetra SuruttupPaLLi Sri PaLLiKondeeswarar temple, asked me, when I was employed in the temple construction works of Takkolam Jalanatha temple, to prepare an estimate for his temple.

    I went and looked over the SuruttupPaLLi temple, prepared an estimate and gave it to him. Some months later, he told me that he had obtained quotations from two more sthapatis, and that he would show them to Maha Munivar Kanchi PeriyavaaL and consult him about which estimate to accept. Though I was having experience in TiruppaNi (temple construction) works for 45 years, I was trained according to the Tamil Agamas. I also had many years of experience of working under several gurus. Many people who followed the Sanskrit Agamas were working in the MaTham. Many sthapatis had the support of the MaTham. So I was not hopeful of getting this job ahead of these people. Tiru. D. Jagannatha Naidu asked me to come to the MaTham. I went with him to the place on the banks of the river in Tenambakkam where Periya SwamigaL was staying.

    We were told that Maha SwamigaL observed a vow of silence on that day. When SwamigaL came out after sometime, Tiru. Naidu gave him the three estimates that included mine. Keeping aside the estimates given by sthapatis who were more popular than me, Maha SwamigaL chose my estimate and blessed me.

    With financial assistance from Kanchi MaTham, the entire TiruppaNi was done by me.

    On a full moon day, when the TiruppaNi was going on, my workers and I went again to Kanchi for another blessings from Maha SwamigaL; I whispered to Tiru. Naidu that I was eager to see Maha SwamigaL give me darshan with a smile. Tiru. Naidu asked me to keep quiet. As if knowing what was in my mind, SwamigaL gave darshan for a long time, with a smile blossoming in his face. Naidu said forthwith, "This is the grace of Maha SwamigaL!" Many such incidents have happened in my life.

    **********
    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. #108
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Read the VinAyagar Agaval
    devotee:...... Kadarshop AV VengkaTarAman, SrIranggam
    author:....... Kadarshop AV VengkaTarAman, SrIranggam
    compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 117-119
    publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
    type:......... book, Tamil

    About forty-eight years ago, PUjyashrI MahASvAmigaL was camping in a small village called VETTamangalam near MayilADuturai. At that time PeriyAr EVR started the movement of breaking the PiLLaiyAr images. When the date of breaking the images was announced, the sacred group of SivanaDiyArs--Shiva devotees, in KumbakoNam were upset; they met ShrIShrI PeriyavAL at VETTamangalam and asked him, "What retaliative measure are we to take for this?" PeriyavAL gave them these words of blessings: "Let all the bhaktas from tomorrow go to PiLLaiyAr temples and break coconuts and do abhiSheka-Aradhanas."

    To aDiyEn--myself, ShrI PeriyavAL gave a sign in silence and with orders to publish his message in the magazine asking everyone to do pArAyaNam of the "VinAyagar Agaval". An additional order was given to print and distribute freely, the "VinAyagar Agaval" book blessed by AvvaiyAr. A surprising thing about this was that I did not know about the existence of a book called "VinAyagar Agaval". I could not also understand his silent sign indicating AvvaiyAr. Nor could I understand his gestures about the "VinAyagar Agaval" book. Then he wrote the name on the sand and showed it to me. It was night time and there was not enough light from the electric lamp where PeriyavAL was sitting. Then he asked for a slate and chalk to be brought and showed me the name by writing it on the slate. I understood it. Accordingly, the "VinAyagar Agaval" book was printed and distributed freely. All the magazines and newspapers carried PeriyavAL's message to the people to do pArAyaNam--recitation, of the "VinAyagar Agaval". I had the bhAgyam of seeing PeriyavAL's handwriting which was like printed letters.

    *** *** ***

    Some people who saw the words "He who believes in God is a fool" written at the bottom of Tiru. PeriyAr's statue in the city of Thanjai, went to ShrI MahAPeriyavAL and expressed their anxiety as to what to do for that kind of propaganda. ShrI PeriyavAL gave them the advice, "You people install a Gandhi statue, write the RAmaNAma at its bottom and also mention, 'Chanting RAmaNAma is the best spiritual activity.'"

    *** *** ***

    In 1952, ShrI MahAPeriyavAL was camping in NagangkuDi. He convened a small conference of the VaLLuvar community among the Harijans at that time. The VaLLuvars were good astrologers and were responsible for the religious rites of the Harijana SamUham.

    Orders were given to serve meal to the people who attended the mahAnADu--conference. It was at that time a sikkal--hitch, cropped up.

    There were sub communities among the VaLLuvars and they refused to sit in samapangkti--same meal session, and partake their meals.

    This was a matter of surprise to PeriyavAL himself! He said with surprise, "Till today it was not known to me that such a sampradAyam was in anuShTAnam in that samUham!"

    *** *** ***
    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

    Kanakal Treatment
    author:...... SriMaTham Balu
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 123-132
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    An incident that happened twenty years back.

    A man named Echankudi Ganesa Aiyer was a staunch devotee of PeriyavaaL. His wife had cancer in the stomach and was suffering much. Doctors advised that she must be operated upon or else it would be rare for her to survive the disease.

    Ganesa Aiyer came to PeriyavaaL and supplicated his case.

    Periyavaa said, "No operation. There is a railway station named TirunellikKaaval near TiruturaiPoondi. Getting down at the station and going west by a kilometer, one could see an irrigation channel. On the bank of the channel, there is a tree by name Kanakal.* Ask her to take the stalks of its leaves, her cancer will be cured."

    That AmmaaL masticated the tree's leaf-stalks as advised. Within a few days the disease of cancer disappeared! (Unfortunately, that Kanakal tree dried up in the recent times).

    As she had prayed to the sage, Ganesa Aiyer's wife lived for over eighty years, and happily witnessed the kanakAbhiSekam of Maha PeriyavaaL before reaching Shiva Padam.

    *** *** ***

    SriMaTham camp in a village called Sethinipuram in the Thanjai district.

    Periyavaa started the puja at three o' clock itself, early morning, completed it at nine and then took bhikSA. He also asked the shiSyAs (disciples and assistants) to have their meals.

    The disciples and assistants were not accustomed to such an early lunch at nine in the morning. They were also not hungry. So they sat for their meal for the sake of it and got up.

    Sometime later, SwamigaL started for a village, eight miles from that place.

    Because of an insufficient early lunch, the disciples and the assistants were hungry (by the time they reached the village). But then, what could they do? Whatever they did, Periyavaa would come to know it! No one was sure about when they could have their night bhikSA.

    When they were sitting outside, Periyavaa opened his kattuppetti (journey box). He took pieces of the delicacy Mysore Pak from it, held each piece in his hand and wrung it between his figures to break it into finer pieces and scattered them into a silver pela (a large cup). There were ripe mango fruits nearby. He took some of them, cut and squeezed their juice out and poured it over the Mysore Pak powder in the bowl. Thus he prepared a mix of Mysore Pak and mango juice with his own hands!

    A snap with his fingers. A shiSyA came. "Now, everyone take this!"

    They tasted like devAmrutam (nectar of the gods)--PeriyavaaL's words as well as the new sweet dish!

    So much love and affection, towards his shiSyAs!

    *** *** ***

    A judge from the Chennai High Court came for darshan. He was wearing a dhoti around his waist formally, but did not wear an angavastram to cover the upper part of his body.

    When asked why, he said, "We have a custom to welcome poor people who come to our home and feed them. One such atithi (guest) took away my sun glasses and angavastram. From that time I have stopped wearing an upper cloth or sun glasses."

    Listening to his words with patience, Periyavaa asked that the judge be provided with an angavastram from the MaTham.

    "Henceforth, daily wear an angavastram. ekavastram (one piece cloth) is not proper. Wearing black glasses or not may be according to your liking. You should not do satkarma (auspicious rites) with ekavastram."

    The judge promised him to do as advised.

    *** *** ***

    Periyavaa was traveling to SriSailam through a path that went through a jungle. He asked the people in his entourage to do pArAyaNa (recite) of the Vishnu Sahasranamam and walk their way.

    However slowly recited, the Vishnu Sahasranamam would be over in a half hour. But then, for whatever reason, on that day, the shiSyas were not able to recite the song in unison and had to repeat the stanzas whenever a mistake was committed. The next camping site was also not in sight.

    Periyavaa said, "Neither the Sahasranamam seems to end, nor the village of our destination seems to arrive."

    At length they reached the village of their camping. Periyavaa said humorously, "You people did not recite Vishnu Sahasranamam. You have done a lakSArcana for Vishnu!"

    The night stay was in the PerumaaL temple in that village.

    A crowd of rustics from that region were waiting for the sage. They supplicated that Periyavaa should make a vijayam (visit) the temple of their village deity Katthavarayan.

    Though Periyavaa was very tired, he went to the temple so the people would be happy. As he entered the temple, it started drizzling and rained heavily for an hour.

    The people were flooded with happiness. Their usual experience was that if the rain clouds gathered, a powerful wind from somewhere would blow and disperse the clouds. Since Periyavaa came, the wind did not blow with the usual force, they said.

    Periyavaa did not accept it. He said that as he came to the Katthavarayan temple, the deity Katthavarayan (named after the wind) stopped the wind, so it rained! -- thus giving the credit to the village deity.

    An old man said, "Yes, our Katthavarayan poured out his happiness of seeing you as the rains."

    *** *** ***

    Periyavaa was staying in a spot in the woods. At about three in the afternoon, three Andhra vaidikAs came for darshan. They hadn't yet finished their bath, sandhya and devatArcana. They were also svayampAkis (people who cook their food on their own).

    But then there were no such facilities for them in that camp. Periyavaa told them, "Alright, finish your nityakarmas and come back."

    The shiSyas were in a fix as to what to do. They inwardly feared and worried if Periyavaa would give them a hardly possible task.

    Half an hour later, the vaidikas came back and prostrated to the sage. Periyavaa said, "There are no facilities here to let you have your bhojanam in the proper way. I have asked my assistants to give you my bhikSa pakva (food items) which are not salted."

    The shiSyas were shocked. If the items prepared for Periyavaa's bhikSa are to be given to these people, what could be given to Periyavaa for his bhikSa?

    "Today is sambhaSaSTi. I should not take food, milk will suffice." Periyavaa pacified his disciples. His sacrifice brought tears to their eyes.

    *** *** ***

    Periyavaa was doing saMcAram (walking about) in the Akanda Kaveri region. One day he went to the coconut groves near the camping site. A number of crows were seen on the tops of the coconut trees.

    Periayvaa asked a boy who accompanied him, "Shall I ask these crows to caw?"

    The boy did not know what to reply.

    "Look here", Periyavaa said and started cawing like the crows. All the crows echoed his cry in a chorus.

    Periyavaa said, "Now the crows are cawing. It indicates that there will be a large number of guests today. Ask them to prepare lots of food."

    The shiSyas were embarrassed that things might go waste if they cooked a lot.

    But when, what wonder! It came to be known shortly that a meeting of the Congress Party was held in the nearby place. People who attended it came to know of Periyavaa's camp nearby and came over for darshan.

    Periyavaa directed everyone to have food and go. Finally, not a handful of cooked rice remained!

    *** *** ***

    Periyavaa had acute stomach ache. An Ayurveda doctor from the Venkataramana Ayurveda Vaidyashala, Chennai sent him a month's stock of Ayurveda medicines to cure his stomach ache.

    The next day, the kArAmpasu in the SriMaTham was unwell. It did not take any fodder or water. The cowherd came and reported it.

    Periyavaa forthwith gave him the entire lot of medicines given to him the previous day and asked him to feed it to the cow, mixing it with jaggery.

    By evening, the cow became alright. PeriyavaaL's stomach ache had also gone!

    *** *** ***

    There was a devotee by name Akatti-keerai Parameswara Aiyer. Since he used to feed cows with Akatti-keerai daily, he got this name.

    Old age came to him. The selfishness of seeking his own puNya gave way to the thoughts of serving Periyavaa suitably.

    Flowers of the tumpai plant are among Paramesvara's favourites. Periyavaa liked to do arcana using the tumpai flowers.

    Parameswara Aiyer would collect the tumpai flowers daily. Plucking them is a difficult task. They are tiny flowers on short plants, so one has to kneel before the plants and carefully separate the flowers off the leaves. Aiyer did not bring the flowers apiece, he would tie them neatly into a garland!

    PeriayvaaL's face would blossom when he adorns ChandraMauleesvara with that garland.

    *** *** ***

    A state government official was residing in Kanchipuram. He was employed in the toll houses that collected tax from the road users.

    He did not require to earn money in unethical ways; but then his higher-ups fixed him a target they should be given by him.

    He did not use the bribe money for his household expenses. Instead, he would spend them on feeding the cows with Akatti-keerai or fixing lamps in temples.

    Coming as he did daily for Periyavaa darshan, one day he brought a svarNa bilva mAlA (garland of golden bilva leaves) and submitted it.

    Periyavaa told his disciple in a low voice, "Let this not be used for ChandraMauleesvara."

    The disciple was rather unhappy that Periyavaa refused to accept a special, voluntary offering from a good devotee.

    "This was not bought from his own earnings. It was made from he money he received from other ways! Should we accept stained offerings for ChandraMauleesvara?"

    The devotee agreed that what Periyavaa said was entirely true. But then what to do with the garland made specially for Swami?

    "Ask him to give it to some temple."

    Whichever Shivalingam had the bhAgya to wear that svarNa bilva hAram? Only Ishvara has that light of information!


    Notes:
    * The Sanskrit term kanakalodbhava refers to the resin of the plant Shorea Robusta which is the Indian Sarai or Sal trees. Is this the tree that PeriyavaaL referrred to here?

    Glossary:
    Akatti/ Agati-keerai - a leafy vegetable of the tree Sesbania grandiflora, also used for nitrogen fixing in the soil.
    kArAmpasu - (Tamil) a cow with black tongue and nipples
    kattuppetti - (Tamil) 1. a journey box containing cooking utensils and materials; 2. a person of old-fashioned ways
    Tumpai - A small herb of the plains of India, extending from Sikkim and Bihar, westwards to the Punjab, and Southward to Cape comorin, belonging to the family 'Lamiaceae'. It is mentioned in Kurinchippattu as "Tumpai", "Tulai", "Sudarpoo Tonri". Medically it is reputed to be an antidote for snake-bite; the juice of the leaves are applied in cases of 'Psoriasis' and other chronic skin diseases. The leaves and tender shoots are used as pot-herb. (Ref: http://www.chennaimuseum.org/draft/g...1/botany10.htm)

    *** *** ***
    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. #110
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    Re: Kanchi Paramacharya: A Virtual Darshan

    Mahaperiyavaa in 'Sudhama'
    author:..... V. Srinivasan, Chennai
    compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
    book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 136-142
    publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

    Sir P.S. Sivaswamy Aiyer and Smt. Kalyani (Lady Sivaswamy)

    Sir P.S. Sivaswamy Aiyer lived as a rich and famous advocate and legal luminary in Chennai. His wife's name was Kalyani. The name of his house was 'Sudhama'. It was a large bungalow even in those days.

    When Maha SwamigaL was camping in the city, he suddenly visited 'Sudhama' without any prior announcement and made the Sivaswamy couple drown in ecstasy.

    The couple did not have the bhAgya (fortune) of a child.

    Maha SwamigaL told him, "What if you people don't have your own children? Be the father-mother for several poor children. You act righteously in your profession as an advocate and do jnAna dAnam (the charity of knowledge) by establishing an educational institution with the income earned. Your name will stand firm (be remembered). In a similar way, construct a hospital that caters to childbirth and make your wife's name also stand firm (be remembered)."

    Sri Sivaswamy Aiyer carried out that orders in toto. He sold the palatial bungalow 'Sudhama' and started living in a smaller house that he purchased for them in the Sullivan Garden Road.

    He established a hospital named Kalyani Hospital that offered free childbirth consultations and treatment in the Edward Elliots Road (near the President Hotel). If that divine service continues even today, the main reason has been the grace of Maha PeriyavaaL. He also bought out of his own funds, the girls' school that was under the administration of Jaipur Maharaja (the school opposite Rasika Ranjana Sabha in the Sundareswarar Street that branches from the Kapaliswarar Temple East Mada Street), named it 'Lady Sivaswamy Aiyer Girls' High School' and developed it.

    PeriyavaaL's word is the Veda's word!

    *** *** ***

    Ex-Chief Minister M. Bhaktavatsalam

    The camp was at SriMaTham, Karaikudi in the year 1964. The then Chief Minister Tiru. M. Bhaktavatsalam came for Periyavaa darshan.

    "You have heard of a kSetra (holy place) called Danushkoti near Rameswaram? You issue the orders immediately and arrange for the eviction of the entire population of the village with their belongings. You also arrange for the distant safe-keeping of your rAjAnga sAmans (state possessions)..."

    Should not Bhaktavatsalam ask (Periyavaa) as to why this sudden direction? He did not ask!

    It was because he knew that the order issued from the holy mouth of a great saint who knew the three states of time. He would gain nothing by asking the sage about the reason, which, however should be a strong one.

    There indeed was a strong reason!

    A demonic hurricane with horrendous speeds, followed by a torrent of rain and high tides of the ocean--all these happened within seven or eight days of Periyavaa asking for the eviction in Danushkoti!

    Who is the Bhaktavatsala here--the one in the safron handloom clothes or the one in the white handloom clothes?

    *** *** ***

    Dr. Alladi Ramakrishnan

    Sir Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyer's son Dr. Alladi Ramakrishnan and his wife Smt. Lalitha Ramakrishnan had made arrangements to leave for America. They came for the darshan and blessings of PeriyavaaL, before they started on their trip.

    "When should you start?"

    "On the date of the twenfth..."

    There was only silence for some seconds with a glance at somewhere above the ceiling, on the part of the sage.

    The assistant kept extending the prasAda plate, keeping [i]vibhUti[i] and kumkumam on it.

    "Why don't you start after fifteen days?"

    A sudden order indeed! (Why can't he start on the twelfth itself without informing SwamigaL? If he postpones the confirmed tickets, there is going to be the series of tasks of ticket cancellation and subsequent reservation. Is SwamigaL going to inquire, remembering about his trip?)

    But then, he could not go?!

    Are the words of PeriyavaaL iron fetters?

    The aircraft that started for America from Meenambakkam (Chennai) on the date of the twelfth, ended up its journey in Mumbai itself. It transpired that all the hundred passengers on it would be having the same tithi (a lunar day, here the day of their demise).

    The Ramakrishan couple had both types of tears: tears of sorrow for those who were dead and tears of gratitude for their having been saved.

    *** *** ***

    In the year 1965, Maha SwamigaL was camping in Chennai. I wanted very much to bring him to our house and make it mangaLakaram (auspicious) with his holy feet.

    Staying at Sri KarpakambaL Kalyana Mandapam, Mylapore, Periyavaa was dispensing his grace and blessings to the devotees.

    Chief Minister M. Bhaktavatsalam and his daughter Smt. Sarojini Varadappan came for darshan and left after conversing with the sage from seven-thirty to eleven-thirty in the night. Thereafter, my parents and I went for darshan and prostrated.

    "My son is doing japam and fasting for the last two days with the thoughts of Periyavaa. He also follows wherever Periyavaa goes. He is straining his body too much. He is adamant that he would remain in this manner until 'Periyavaa agrees to visit our gRuham (house)'. Only Periyavaa should advise him on this issue."

    Periyavaa looked at me.

    "You go home with them (my parents), have food and sleep. I shall come later, after informing (you people)."

    The telephone rang around five-thirty on the next morning. Sri V. VaidhyaSubramanya Aiyer from the SriMaTham camp spoke.

    "Mister Venkataraman, Sir... Periyavaa is starting for your house. You come right away."

    Periyavaa started trip on his palanquin, visited Sri Bhaktavatsalam's home en route and gave his blessings and then visited our home around seven-thirty.

    Stopping all the devotees and assistants on the outside of our home, he asked only the three of us to sit near the palanquin.

    "The three of you do the japam. I shall do my dhyAnam (meditation) inside." Periyavaa immersed himself in meditation, sliding and closing the palanquin door.

    Precisely an hour passed.

    Periyavaa gave darshan as sAkSAt Parameswara, opening the door of the palanquin.

    "Periyavaa should pardon us. Our boy Cheenu troubled much and brought Periyavaa to our home. Should excuse us..."

    Then Periyavaa visited the Pillaiyar temple at our home that was built on his orders. He went round Pillaiyar fifteen times.

    I asked to photograph Periyavaa then and prayed for this consent. Periyavaa did not grant permission. I tried many times to have a photograph taken with him when he began to move away from our house. Later too, I had prayed to him several times.

    But then I did not succeed till the end!

    Glossary:
    sAman - acquisition, possession, property, wealth, abundance
    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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