Name one girl as Gayatri, another as Sandhya and the third as Savitri. -- Paramacharya

Paramacharya and Children: Baby--Lily--Billy
author:..... SriMaTham Balu
compiler:... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
book:......... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 2, pages 177-187
publisher:.. Vanathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)

Baby--Lily--Billy

A veLLALa (farmer) devotee asked, "Can I chant the Gayatri Mantra?"

A question that creates dharma saN^katam (embarrassment to do what is right)! Either of the two replies yes or no is bound to bring up criticism.

SriMaTham's work is to foster and preserve the Sanatana dharmas. The confrontations that Bharat had in the last thousand years are numerous. The Bharata samudAya (public) has always had the skills to preserve its roots, withstanding the attacks, bending like reeds when a hurricane blows and then raising its head once again after storm passes.

But then should SriMaTham intervene in every change? What is its share? Today's thinking becomes obsolete tomorrow and cast away. Though no one can control the gush of floods after it broke the dam, a day has to come when the floods will recede and the flow is streamlined in the river?

Nobody has any knowledge if PeriyavaaL had such thoughts. But he had the unique ability to ease a delicate situation and leave it to its natural course.

PeiyavaaL did not give a direct reply to the devotee. "How many children you have?" he asked.

A surprising reply came from him. "By your grace I have been bestowed with three girls: one five years old, another three and the last six months..."

Periyavaa said: "Name one girl as Gayatri, another as Sandhya and the third as Savitri. Call the three girls by those names. Not as Baby--Lily--Billy!

"If you thus repeatedly say the names Gayatri--Sandhya--Savitri, you would get the puNyA (fruits) of Gayatri Mantra chanting."

The devotees face displayed his happiness. Periyavaa had given him his anugraha of clarity of thought, when he was hesitating to take up an act that was against the sampradAya (tradition).

He went happily, receiving prasAdam from PeriyavaaL.

*** *** ***

Emergency treatment

In the Kumbakonam MaTham, after completing his ChandraMauleesvara puja, Periyavaa was giving darshan to devotees.

A farmer with connection to SriMaTham came rushing to him with anxiety, fell at his legs and wailed, "Save my son, kadavuLe (God)!"

Periyavaa asked his assistant to find out what happened.

The farmer had only one son. When he was taking food, a snake had climbed up his body and moved away. The boy had fainted with fear. It was not known if the snake bit the boy. There was a custom to cure snake bites by a mantra but there was no one nearby who knew the mantra.

"Only Saamy should save him..."

Periyavaa gave him vibUti prasAdam. "Smear it on the boy's forehead."

"saringa" (a reverential yes).

"You have arappu podi (herbal hair powder) at home?"

"It is there", he nodded his head.

"Part the lips of the boy, drop a little arappu podi and rub it over gently. If the boy spits it saying it is bitter, it means the snake did not bite him. If he takes it saying it is sweet, then the snake bit him, and you should treat him accordingly. Go and give him arappu."

The farmer ran to his house and did as Periyavaa told him. When the arappu podi was dropped in his mouth, the boy spit it saying "It's bitter, bitter!" The farmer was relieved that the snake did not bite him.

When the situation turned normal, the farmer couple came with the boy for darshan. Periyavaa said to the woman, "Light a sesame oil lamp daily in your home."



                          

Courtesy : http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/archive


Thanks due to  Mahaperiyava Bhaktas for the scanned  photos of Mahaperiyava