You can feed prANis (animals) like dogs with annam mixed -- Kanchi acharaya

Dharma is subtle

A devotee said, "Curd rice remained in excess. Gave it to the cow. It ate with satisfaction."

Periyavaa said: "Should not give curd rice or rice mixed with milk to the cow. The curd is obtained from the milk, and the milk from the cow."

The devotee was restless: "I have committed an apacAram (offense), should pardon me!"

"Let it go; don't repeat it. You can feed prANis (animals) like dogs with annam mixed with milk, ghee or curd; but not the cows."

It is possible only for Periyavaa to teach the dharma sUkSma (subtleties of dharma) in a way that sticks to the mind and heart!

*** *** ***

Advance notice

An old man stood worrying after prostrating.

"ennannu kELudA! (ask him what he wants)"

The disciple went and asked him.

"I have darshan of the Yama and the buffalo frequently in my dreams. I am afraid..."

Periyavaa said: "This is an advance notice to you! The notice that your life is going to end shortly, at least from now do some puNya kArya and seek a good course."

"What can I do now?"

"Do some pUrta dharma (charitable acts). Donate a milch buffalo with its calf in a kSetra. Do Shiva darshan, nitya karma, monthly vrata, pArayaNa..."

The old man's worries disappeared; he was clear now. He went telling the disciples, "It is as if Parameswara gave me that advice!"

*** *** ***

For us to ponder

When he was in Chinna Kanchipuram, PeriyavaaL had an unfailing duty to do pradakSiNa of the VaradhaRajaPerumaL temple.

One early morning, with the devotees around him chanting Vishnu Sahasranamam, Periyavaa was walking on the street, after doing his temple pradakSiNa.

A girl child was drawing the kOlam in front of a house.

Periyavaa stopped. "You draw the kOlam very well, besh! But then you should draw the kOlam only with rice flour. Then only the flies, ants and birds would eat the rice flour; and look happily at you who drew the kOlam. If you draw with the mokku mAvu (powdered lime) it won't be useful to any jantu (creature), you see?"

The girl child nodded her head with grace and prostrated to him.

Is this advice of PeriyavaaL for only that child or all the children? Let the mothers think it over.

*** *** ***

Give grass, the sins will leave

A rich devotee sent a friend in his car to an outstation on an errand of his.

Unfortunately, the man permanently left for the 'outstation'! An accident en route, heavy damage to the car, and the friend left for Shivalokam.

There was no end to the grief it caused to the devotee. His remorse that a family lost its head because of him did not diminish. He donated plenty in cash to the family, but then what would the cash amount to their loss?

The devotee got the doubt if the brahmahatyA dosha (the sin of killing a brahman) had ensued on him.

There was no way to share such mana cancala (mental wavering) with anyone and seek shAstra pramANa (scripturual authority) consultations.

So he came to the Supreme Authority.

Periyavaa patiently listened to everything the devotee told him. Then he said, "The car accident was deivA dIna (divine affliction). There is no kalmiSam (dirt) in your thought. Somehow a friction has crept into your mind; and there is lokApavAdam (public censure) too.

"To start with, you do Setu snAnam (bathing in the sea waters at Rameswaram). Get up before the sunrise and give grass to a cow that goes in the street. Daily Shiva darshan, only one meal a day. Do pradakSiNa in a Sivan temple as far as possible. Do all these things, and the blame and sin would leave you."

Satisfied, the devotee received the prasAdam, but stood hesitant.

Periyavaa's look asked him "What other doubt you have?"

"All other things can be done, but it does not look possible to give grass to a cow. I am in a town where the cows don't go about the street in the mornings."

Pat came the reply. "So what? There would be a goshAla (cow pens) somewhere around? You have a car. Get up at five in the morning, go in your car and feed all the cows in the pen with grass."

The devotee had the full satisfaction of having filled his stomach with milk.

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


Thanks due to  Mahaperiyava Bhaktas for the scanned  photos of Mahaperiyava