இவரது நாயன சங்கீதம் காதில் விழுந்தவுடன் -- மஹா பெரியவா

             
(இன்றைய தினமணி) - January 11 -2015

சுமார் 60 வருஷங்களுக்கு முன்பு என்று எனது நினைவு. பரமாச்சாரியார் தஞ்சாவூர் ஜில்லாவில் திக்விஜயம் செய்து கொண்டிருந்த நேரம். மாயவரத்தில் பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேசத்திற்கு ஏற்பாடு செய்திருந்தார்கள். பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேசம் என்று சொன்னால் யானை, குதிரை எல்லாம் முன்னால் ஊர்வலமாக வரும். பரமாச்சாரியார் பல்லக்கில் வருவார்.

தருமபுரம் மடம் வழியாக பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பல்லக்கு வந்தது. அங்கே பூர்ணகும்ப மரியாதையுடன் தருமபுரம் ஆதீனத்துக்கு விஜயம் செய்தார் அவர். பண்டார சந்நிதி அவரை கெளரவம் செய்து மடத்திற்கு அழைத்துச் சென்றார். பிறகு மயிலாடுதுறைக்குள் நுழைந்தது பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேச ஊர்வலம்.

நாகஸ்வர சக்ரவர்த்தி டி.என்.ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளை பெயரில் மட்டுமல்ல, நிஜமாகவே ஒரு ராஜாவைப் போல வாழ்ந்தவர். அவருடைய லெட்டர்பேடில் "அகில உலக நாகஸ்வர சக்கரவர்த்தி திருவாவடுதுறை ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளை அவர்கள்' என்றுதான் அச்சிடப்பட்டிருக்கும். கப்பல் போன்ற ஸ்டுடிபேக்கர் காரில்தான் பயணிப்பார். இந்த சந்தர்ப்பத்தில் வெளியூரில் கச்சேரி செய்துவிட்டு திருவாவடுதுறை திரும்பிக் கொண்டிருந்தார் டி.என்.ஆர்.

அந்த நாளில் மாயவரத்தில் பிரபலமான காளியாக்குடி ஹோட்டல் அருகில் உள்ள மணிக்கூண்டு வழியாக சென்று கொண்டிருந்த டி.என்.ஆர். கூட்டத்தைப் பார்த்துவிட்டு "என்ன விசேஷம்?' என்று வினவினார். பரமாச்சாரியாரின் பட்டணப் பிரவேசம் வந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறது என்றும் அடுத்த தெருவில் இருக்கிறது என்றும் கேள்விப்பட்டவுடன் வண்டியை ஒரு ஓரமாக நிறுத்தச் சொன்னார். சட்டையைக் கழற்றினார். அங்கவஸ்திரத்தை இடுப்பில் சுற்றிக் கட்டிக் கொண்டார். மணிக்கூண்டு அருகில் நின்று கொண்டு நாயனம் வாசிக்கத் தொடங்கிவிட்டார்.

இவரது நாயன சங்கீதம் காதில் விழுந்தவுடன், "ராஜரத்தினம் வாசிப்பு போலிருக்கிறதே, அங்கே போங்கோ' என்று பரமாச்சாரியார் உத்தரவிட்டு, பட்டணப் பிரவேச ஊர்வலத்துடன் பல்லக்கு மணிக்கூண்டை நோக்கி நகர்ந்தது. இதைத்தானே ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளை எதிர்பார்த்தார்! அவருக்கு பரம சந்தோஷம். உற்சாகம் தாங்கவில்லை. அடுத்த ஒன்றரை மணி நேரம் மணிக்கூண்டு அருகில் நின்றபடியே வாசித்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார் டி.என்.ஆர். மாயவரம் நகரமே அங்கே கூடிவிட்டது.

பரமாச்சாரியார் ராஜரத்தினம் பிள்ளையின் வாசிப்பை மெய்மறந்து கேட்டு ரசித்தார். அவருக்கு ஒரு சாத்துக்குடி பழத்தை ஆசிர்வாதமாக வழங்கினார். சாஷ்டாங்கமாக விழுந்து நமஸ்கரித்து விட்டு நாகஸ்வர சக்ரவர்த்தி சொன்னார்- "இந்த ஜென்மா சாபல்யம் அடைந்துவிட்டது!'

- ஆஸ்திக சமாஜம் நரசிம்மன்

Courtesy :   Facebook post  :  Varagooran Narayanan

Thanks to Mahaperiyava bhaktas for the scanned photos.

"இதை அணிந்து கொண்டால், பிறகு பொய் பேசப்படாது.செய்வியா?"

"இதை அணிந்து கொண்டால், பிறகு பொய்
பேசப்படாது.செய்வியா?" 

தொகுத்தவர்-அழகர் நம்பி.
தட்டச்சு-வரகூரான் நாராயணன்.

ஸ்வாமிகளின் பக்தர் ஒருவர் நேபாள் சென்று
திரும்பினார். அப்போது அணிந்து கொள்வதற்காக
ருத்திராட்ச மாலை ஒன்றை வாங்கி வந்திருந்தார்.

மாலையை பெரியவாளின் ஆசி பெற்ற பின்பு
அணிய வேண்டும் என்ற விருப்பம் அந்த பக்தருக்கு.

பெரியவாளை தரிசிக்க வந்த சமயம் ருத்ராட்ச 
மாலையை ஸ்வாமிகளின் முன்பாக வைத்துவிட்டு
வணங்கினார்.

"இது யாருக்கு?" என்றார்கள் ஸ்வாமிகள்.

"நேக்கு தான், பெரியவா ஆசி செய்து கொடுத்தால்
அணிந்து கொள்ளலாம் என்று தான்-என்று
இழுத்தார் பக்தர்.

"இதை அணிந்து கொண்டால், பிறகு பொய்
பேசப்படாது.செய்வியா?" என்றார்கள் ஸ்வாமிகள்.

"அது சிரமம். நானோ வங்கி ஊழியன். என்
மேலதிகாரிகளின் உத்தரவு படிதான் கோப்புகளை
தயார் செய்ய முடியும்.அதில் பொய் கலப்பு
இல்லாமல் இருக்காதே" என்றார் பக்தர்.

"அப்படின்னா, இதை பொய் பேசாதவாளுக்குக்
கொடுத்து விடு" என்றார்கள்.

"என் பார்யாள் சொன்னபடியே ஆய்டுத்து"
என்றார் பக்தர், சிஷ்யர்களிடம்.

"நம்மாத்தில் இருக்கும் ஸ்வாமிகளின் (பெரியவா)
திருவுருவப் படத்துக்குப் போட்டு விடலாம்"
என்றிருக்கிறார் பார்யாள்.

"ஸ்வாமிகளின் ஆக்ஞைப்படியே செய்துடறேன்"
என்றார் பக்தர்.

மனிதனுக்கு ஏதாவது ஒரு சமயம் பொய் பேச
வேண்டிய நிர்பந்தம் ஏற்படும்.

பொய்யே பேசாதவர் என்றால் ஸ்வாமிகளுக்கு
தான் போட வேண்டும் என்று நம்பினார்.

பக்தரின், பார்யாளின் விருப்பத்தையும் ஸ்வாமிகள்
பூர்த்தி செய்து விட்டார்கள்.

எவர் வாய் மூலமாகவும் கேட்காமலே, அந்த
அம்மாளின் விருப்பத்தை எப்படி அறிந்தார்கள்
பெரியவா. அனைத்தும் பெரியவாளின் 
ஞான திருஷ்டிதான்.

"அசலும் போலியும் பொருளில் மட்டுமா
..ஆன்மிகத்திலும் இருக்கிறது
..மனிதனுக்கு அநேக முகங்கள்,அவன்
..நல்ல விஷயங்களைப் படிப்பான்
.நல்ல முறையாகப் பேசுவான்-ஆனால்
..படித்தபடியோ,பேசுகிறபடியோ
..நடப்பதேயில்லை,அவனது
..சொல்லும் செயலும் வேறாகவே இருக்கும்."

Courtesy :   Facebook post  :  Varagooran Narayanan

Thanks to Mahaperiyava bhaktas for the scanned photos.

Mahaperiyava changes a bad man to good.

The bad becomes good

A devotee who had long connections with SriMaTham. When he was talking to PeriyavaaL, he had the occasion to talk in dUSaNam (blaming) of another man. He had said, "That man is an utter kArkoTaka (the king of snakes)!"

After a minute, Periyavaa said, "You say he is good?"

The devotee could not understand. "I said he is a kArkoTaka who has destructive venom..."

Periyavaa asked him: "You know pratasmaraNa shloka?

Kaarkotakasya naagasya damayanthyaa nalasya cha
Rithuparnasya raajarsheha keerthanam kalinaashanam

"KArkotaka, Damanti, Nala, RithuparNa--just to think of them would remove the sins. They all remain such puNyavaan (sacred)."

The bhakta who did dUSaNam got into saN^katam. It means that he did not after all talk ill of the other person (though he wanted to)!

"You have yourself told me he is a good man. Isn't that so?"

In Periyavaa's outlook everyone is good.

Kaarkotakasya keerthanam kalinaashanam is the vAk (word) of periyor (great men). Yes Periya(vaa) vAk!

Glossary:
cancala - moveable, unsteady, fickle, unconstant
dUSaNam - spoiling, corrupting, destroying purity, disregarding, detraction, refutation, objection, sin, fault, censuring, blaming
kalmiSam - (Tamil) for kalmaSaH, kalmaSam - dirt, stain, sin
prakAshaH - lustre, light, shining, explaining, commentary, part of a book.

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


Thanks due to  Mahaperiyava Bhaktas for the scanned  photos of Mahaperiyava 

What did Kanchi SwamigaL Say to VinAyaka?

What did Kanchi SwamigaL Say to VinAyaka?
Author: mahAraNyam SriSri MuraLidhara Swamiji
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Aug 01, 2008
Type: magazine, fortnightly, Tamil 
Publisher: Viketan Publications

Generally in many temples, there would be five prAkAras. These denote our five koshas (sheaths or bodies). The annamaya kosha made of food, the prANamaya kosha made of prANa (life force), the vijnAnamaya kosha made of knowledge, the manomaya kosha made of the mind, and the Anandamaya kosha are those five koshas.

PerumAL (Vishnu) would be either leaning or sitting on a snake which is of three-and-a-half coils. In this, the three-and-a-half coils of the snake indicates the kuNdalini shakti sleeping under the human spinal column.

There are five snakes on the body of Sri NatarAja. These indicate the five kinds of prANans that course through our body: prANa, apAna, vyAna, udAna, samAna. At the time of death, the Jiva leaves the body, only by holding on to the prANA.

CHIDAMBARAM SRI ANANDHA NATARAJA SWAMY  IN DIVINE CHARIOT 

That prANa (which carries the Jiva) would leave (at the time of death) through one of the nine holes in our body. Depending on which hole it leaves through, the next birth would be decided! For yogis, a tenth hole would be formed in the head (at the apex), the Jiva will leave through it and reach lofty worlds. This path is known as the archirAdi mArga (the path of light). For the jIvan muktas who are jnAnis, the prANa would shrink in the Atma, without leaving through any of the ten holes.

The divine set up where Parvati-Parameshvara are sitting with Skanda on their lap is known as the form of SomAskanda. In the SivAsthAna Alayam (Tenambakkam) near Kanchipuram, however, we can see SomagaNapati. That is, on the lap of Parvati-Parameshvara, instead of Skanda, Ganapati would be sitting.

Kanchi PeriyavaaL was staying here for sometime. One night, PeriyavaaL was lying on a bed of darbha grass, spreading it out like a mat. Some devotees were also with him. At that time the sound of firecrackers being exploded was heard.

"What for is that noise of firecracker explosion?" asked PeriyavaaL, as if he knew nothing about it.

"Kamakshi Amman is coming in a procession in her car", they said. "That's why the noise of crackers."

Saying, "AmbaaL is coming in bhavani in her car. Should we not have darshan of her?" PeriyavaaL got up and prepared to leave the place.

Those with him said, "It is over ten o' clock now. PeriyavaaL's health is also giving problem. Further, it would take time to reach Periya Kanchipuram from here. By this time, AmbaaL would have come near the Kacchabesvara temple. It is the custom that only there the vANa vEDikkai (festivities of firecracker explosions) is held on a large scale. Within the next half hour, AmbaaL would have gone inside the temple."

PeriyavaaL did not receive any of that into his ears. Before moving away from there, he went to the small PiLLaiyAr at the Tenambakkam temple known as the SivAsthanam. Keeping one hand folded over his eyes, he bowed to PiLLaiyAr and said something in rahasya (private). Then he moved away.

PeriyavaaL was walking silently. But those accompanied him were talking. One man said, "It is a good walking exercise for us." Another said, laughing, "We are going to return only having darshan of a closed temple!"

As they reached the bigger Kanchipuram, it was a surprise for those who came with PeriyavaaL. They learnt that Kamakshi Amman's car was standing near the Kacchabesvara temple for hours together!

As they sighted PeriyavaaL, some of the people assembled there came running and prostrated to him. They informed him, "For whatever reason not known to us, the elephant which came smoothly until this far, is adamant now against further movement. If the car is pulled, it blares as if it has gone mad. If the car is kept still, it is also calm and silent."

After having darshan of AmbaaL, PeriyavaaL came near the elephant. Then, keeping a hand on its body, he said, "We can go." That was all! The elephant started moving, with its own majesty, faning its ears. Everyone who saw this was surprised.

Only now the people who came with him understood why PeriyavaaL talked in rahasyam to that SivAsthAnam Small PiLLaiyAr.

Knowing the mahima (greatness) of mahAns (sages), let us get their blessings and make a festive day of every day in our life!
Glossary:
prAkAra - a wall, enclosure, fence, rampart



  



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


Pranams to Kanchi acharyas 

Thanks due to  Mahaperiyava Bhaktas for the scanned  photos of Mahaperiyava 

By the kRupA (compassion) of ChandraMauleesvara, things will happen as you have thought about them", SwamigaL fondled him with words.

anubhavam Ayiram' (Experiences, a Thousand)
Author: Ramani Anna
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Aug 30, 2008
Type: magazine, fortnightly, Tamil 
Publisher: Viketan Publications

Several years ago... Sri Kanchi Maha SwamigaL along with his parivAram (entourage) did vijayam (visit) of the Thanjai (Thanjavur) district areas. It was the month of Ani (jyaishTha). People from the villages of the surrounding taluks kept coming to have darshan of Maha PeriyavaaL who was camping in a large dharma chatram (free choultry) at ADutuRai.

The pramukhas (notables) of the villages Natarajapuram, Govindapuram, Thyagarajapuram, Sattanur, and Tirumangalakkudi surrounding Aduturai, had arranged on behalf of their places, for a samaSTi bhikShA vandanam (collective feeding of a sage and his retinue).

At a distance of only one k.m. from Aduturai is ADiyEn's (my) native place Marutthuvakkudi village located. My father BrahmaSri Santhana Vadhyar was then the MudrAdhikAri of Sri Kanchi MaTham of that area. On behalf of our village too he wanted a samaSTi bhikShA vandanam to be held. The local pramukhas had agreed for this.

On the morning next day, my father started for the choultry where SwamigaL was camping. He took me with him. 

On seeing him, the MaTha kAryasta (secretary) said, "ShAstrigAL... Aren't you the MudrAdhikAri of Marutthuvakkudi? Shouldn't you have the bhikShA in your place one day? You have it on the coming Sunday possibly?"

My father said forthwith, "I too came over here to have it fixed. We shall have it on the Sunday." He asked the KAryasta, "Approximately what will it our expenses?"

The KAryasta said with a smile, "Shall tell you. Should remit two hundred and fifty rupees as the kANikkai (offering) to the MaTham. Then your expenses of buying coconuts, fruits, vegetables and so on. After everything is over, when receiving prasAdam from AcharyAL, pAda samarpaNai (offering at feet) as convenient to your village. All told it might take rupees five or six hundred for your expenses." And he asked, "Won't there be enough collection at your place?"

With no hesitation my father said, "bEshA AyiDum (will be accomplished well)". He continued with eagerness, "That's alright, but how much do the people of other places offer as pAda samarpaNai?"

"From five hundred to a thousand they do it", said the KAryasta. My father lapsed into deep consideration.

When we had darshan of AchAryAL within a short while, we prostrated to him and got up. My father informed SwamigaL about the BhikShA Vandanam.

"bEShA naDakkaTTumE (may it take place well)", SwamigaL gave anugraha. "Are there tanikAL (rich men) in our place who can do it Ekadesham (alone)?" he asked.

Lowering his tone, my father said, "Three or four persons are there. Among them two or three had now gone to Madras. The uddeshaH (thinking) is that we all get together in the village and do BhikShA Vandanam for PeriyavaaL." He prayed, "AchAryAL should give anugraha." Smiling, SwamigaL raised both his hands and blessed him.

There were only four days for the coming Sunday. My father started the collection. In the three AgrahArams together, there will be about 30 houses. The collection was over by Thursday evening. 400 rupees had been collected. My father and the other VaidIkAs in the village submitted another hundred rupees. Thus the total collection amounted to rupees 500! It was just enough for the BhikShA Vandanam.

Only for PeriyavaaL's pAda samarpaNai, money was required. It was my father's wish that at least five hundred rupees must be offered. He did not sleep well that night.

Friday! We went to have darshan of AchAryAL. Sitting in a thatched shed in the choultry, SwamigaL was giving darshan. The crowd surged like a wave. At a distance, in a corner, joining our palms, we prostrated towards the direction SwamigaL was seated. I looked at my father. His face was soaked in worry. His worry was whatever can be done for the pAda samarpaNai.

Suddenly a voice full of compassion: "Santhanam! Come near. Why are you standing there?"

Laughing and gesturing, AchAryAL beckoned him near. We both went near him, prostrated in shASTaaN^gam and got up. 

"What Santhanam, yesterday you were not seen here at all! Any jOli (work) in your place?" SwamigaL inquired.

"Nothing of that sort Periyavaa. Aren't we doing BikshA Vandanam on behalf of our place this Sunday... On that account I was making some arrangements, that's all." Before my father could finish, SwamigaL interrupted and asked, "That's alright Santhanam, the laukIkams (collection) were completed as expected?" with a laugh. My father hesistated to reply to this.

Before he could open his mouth to say something, as if SwamigaL had understood something, "Worry about nothing! By the kRupA (compassion) of ChandraMauleesvara, things will happen as you have thought about them", SwamigaL fondled him with words.

Suddenly, "Why Santhanam... In the Kaveri river in this place, are there plenty of waters flowing now, you know about it?" he asked. Everyone was confused as to why Periyavaa should inquire about the Kaveri waters.

"It is flowing in plenty Periyavaa", said my father.

Periyavaa did not leave him at that. "Alright, when did you last go for your Kaveri snAnam (bath)?"

"A week ago Periyavaa!", my father replied.

"Let it be. Is there much water flowing now, you know about it?" This is Periyavaa.

A local Anbar (devotee) present there said with humility, "I had gone for the Kaveri snAnam this morning. A fair amount of water is flowing Periyavaa."

SwamigaL was not at samAdhAna (reconciled) at that. "Flowing fairly means... not understandable! Does it flow so one can immerse and do snAnam, I should know about it", he said. Looking at my father, he continued, "Santhanam, you do one kAryam. Go for Kaveri snAnam at dawn tomorrow morning. Have a look and tell me if enough tIrtham (water) flows for bathing with good immersion." Saying this, he suddenly got up and went inside!

We returned to our place thinking that PeriyavaaL was asking all these details for his own immersed bath in Kaveri.

Saturday! It dawned. There was a slight drizzle. In accordance with PeriyavaaL's orders, we went for the Kaveri snAnam. It was then seven o' clock in the morning. Apart from me and my father on the banks, there was not a single fly or crow. Taking bath my father said, "Waters are flowing enough for taking a good, immersed bath! Should go and tell Periyavaa."

Then he started saying the Kaveri snAna saMkalpam in a loud tone. Suddenly, from the banks was heard a clear and loud voice: "SAstrigAL! Please stay awhile. I too shall join you. For me too kindly do the snAna saMkalpam. There will be puNyam for you!" We both turned and looked. A man who could be estimated to be of 55 years of age was descending into the waters. A face that was not familiar at all!

Finishing the saMkalpa snAnam we climbed up to the banks. Changing his clothes, that man gave my father five rupees towards snAna saMkalpa dakshiNA (ritual gift). My father inquired about him.

He started saying: "For me too our pUrvIkam (ancestry) is only Marutthuvakkudi. My maternal grandfather too is from the same place. For my paternal grandfather Venkatachalam Aiyar, there was an own house in Marutthuvakkudi. After my grandfather, none of us remained here. We went to Bombay. Melur ChandraMauleesvara Swami near Tiruneelakkudi is our kula deivam. 'Whenever you went by the side of our place, have a snAnam in Aduturai Kaveri', my mother often used to say. I got that bhAgyam only today. I am going to Thanjavur in connection with a family legal case. Now having got Kaveri snAnam with saMkalpam, much tRupti (satisfaction)!"

Then he asked, "AmA (What) SAstrigAL! I witnessed as I climbed down from the train. Many people in maDisAr and pancha kaccham are moving in throngs. What is the visheSham here?"

My father elaborated to him about AchAryAL's vijayam and the grAma bhikShA vandanam. He was very happy to hear about it.

"Even to listen to it is happiness. There is this nirbandham (constraint) for me not to participate in the BhikShA Vandanam for the loka guru done on behalf of our place. Still, as an offer from our family, please include this amount too in the BhikShA Vandanam." Saying this, he prostrated to my father, and handed over an envelope to him. My father could understand nothing. He opened the envelope and looked. 500 rupees inside it!

"I shall take leave SAstrigAL", my father stopped the man who was just leaving. "Your nAmadeyam (name)?", he asked the man.

The answer he gave: "Chandramauli".

We both stood amazed.

Then we went straight to the choultry. Periyavaa was not there. They said he had gone to Govindapuram Sri BodhendraaL MaTham.

As my father went to the MaTham KAryasta and said, "Periyavaa asked me to check if enough water is flowing in Kaveri for an immersed bath." Before he could finish, the secretary said, "Periyavaa returned at four dawn time this morning finishing his Kaveri snAnam", giving it a grand finale. Our amazement grew!

Sunday. The BhikShA Vandanam was over. All of us in the village prostrated to PeriyavaaL. My father submitted that 500 rupees as pAda samarpaNai in a plate full of fruits.

Looking keenly at that fruit place for a while, SwamigaL said laughing, "What Santhanam! Isn't your wish fulfilled by the kRpA of Chandramauleeswara?" All of us stood amazed and fell shASTaaN^gam before PeriyavaaL.

Glossary:
nirbandh - to fix or fasten upon, attach one's self to, insist upon, persist in, urge 
samaSTi - reaching, attaining; aggregate, totality.





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Thanks due to  Mahaperiyava Bhaktas for the scanned  photos of Mahaperiyava 

"Which place are you from appA?" SwamigaL asked him.

                                           

The 'Satara' that Resolved the saN^katas
Compiler: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Jun 14, 2007

VaikAsi anusham - May 31. The holy day when 114 years ago, when the lamp appeared to lead the way with its light to AnmIkam (spirituality). On this golden day when Kanchi Periyavaa took avatar, the very thinking of that para brahmam will give pari pUrNa shanti. 

An incident that happened many years ago.

It was the time when in the Satara town of Maharashtra, the construction works of Uttara Sri Nataraja temple were going on in accordance with AcharyaaL's orders. People thronged daily to have darshan of PeriyavaaL who was camping in the town.

A Sunday. Three o' clock in the afternoon. A 30-year-old youth prostrated to AcharyaaL, his eight limbs touching the ground, and got up. Tears were seen in his eyes. Noticing it, Periyavaa asked him with affection, "EmpA, who are you? Which place, why do your eyes go red?" Without replying, he started crying. People nearby assuaged him and made him sit before SwamigaL.

"Which place are you from appA?" SwamigaL asked him.

"Palakkad, Periyavaa."

"You are coming all the way from Palakkad?" asked AcharyaaL immediately.

"Yes Periyavaa. I am coming all the way from that place."

"Alright. What is your name?"

"Harihara Subramanian."

"besh* (well) a good name. Right, what's your thagappanAr (father) doing?"

"My father is not in jIva dashA (living condition) now, Periyavaa. He was practicing Ayurveda in Palakkad. His name was Dr. Harihara Narayanan--"

Before he finished, SwamigaL with kutUhala (interest) said, "ada (I see), you are the son of Palakkad Ayurvedic doctor Narayanan? Very glad. In that case, tell me, you are the grandson of doctor Harihara Raghavan! All of them earned very good name in Ayurveda!". SwamigaL looked at him keenly, raising his eyebrows.

The youth said, "Yes, Periyavaa."

Smiling, AcharyaaL said, "besh! A lofty vaidhya paramparA (medical lineage). It is alright. You have not added any doctor title before your name?"

"I did not study for that Periyavaa. My father did not prepare me in that way," said the youth, without interest.

"You should not say that way! Did your father not prepare you, or you did not have the shraddhA (strong wish) in getting prepared in that way?"

There was no reply. "Taking birth in that vaidhya paramparA, you missed the chance to know things? Right, up to which class you have studied?"

"Up to the ninth, Periyavaa."

"Why? You had no wish to study further?"

"Somehow I did not have the wish Periyavaa. I now feel for it!"

"Your vivAham (marriage) is done?"

"Done Periyavaa. I have a daughter who is seven years old."

"Right, what do you do now?"

Tears gushed from his eyes. "Since I had no education, I could not get any high jobs, Periyavaa. I am doing the work of a supervisor in a local rice mill. The salary is seven hundred rupees. My family is running only on that amount."

"Oho... Is that so? Right. You have your own gRuham left for you by the periyavaaLs (ancestors)?" SwamigaL asked him.

Wiping his tears, Harihara Subramanian said, "There is a house Periyavaa, built by my grandfather. The very purpose of my coming here is to supplicate to Periyavaa about it. Many years ago, since her husband passed away, my father's sister came over to Palakkad bringing her two daughters. During a Navaratri festival time, my father mortgaged the house to a local person, took twenty-fve thousand rupees from him, conducted the marriage of the two daughters of my aunt, and then suddenly passed away. My aunt too passed away.

"My grievance, Periyavaa, is that during the festival time of Navaratri my father mortgaged the house that was lakshmikaram (prosperous, Lakshmi-given) and passed away. The amount has now come to forty-five thousand rupees including the interest. It seems the house is going to sink!"

SwamigaL lapsed into contemplation for a while. His silence dissolved presently and he said as he smiled, "Alright, now you celebrate the Navaratri festival at home, raising a kolu (an assembly of divine dolls) every year?"

"No, Periyavaa. I stopped the custom of raising a kolu after my father passed away, doing what he did."

AcharyaaL promptly interrupted him and said, "You should never talk so disrespectfully of Atthup periyavaaL (family ancestors). They are all very lofty people. I know it well! They have all gone after doing only excellent things! Keeping something in mind, your stopping the custom of celebrating Navaratri every year with a prosperous kolu is wrong! The Navaratri starts in a week from now. You revive the custom of raising a kolu in Palakkad from this year. All your afflictions will be solved and your will get prosperity!" Blessing the youth and giving him prasAdam, SwamigaL bid him farewell.

Twenty days passed. It was a Sunday. A large crowd in Satara to have darshan of AcharyaaL.

An assistant of the MaTham made way parting people in the queue and brought before SwamigaL a respectable man of 60 to 65 years of age, wearing a saffron jippa (tunic) over a pancakaccham (tucked in dhoti), and a number of tulasi, rudrAkSa garlands on his neck. He prostrated to AcharyaaL and started conversing in Hindi. SwamigaL also did his saMbhASaNaM (conversation) in Hindi and then asked the gentleman to go and sit on the stage opposite him.

At length, a small trunk box in hand, Palakkad Harihara Subramanian came and stood before Maha SwamigaL. He prostrated resting his eight limbs to the ground.

With artha puSTi (wealth of meaning) SwamigaL looked alternately at the youth and his trunk box. The youth opened the box slowly. Very ancient palm leaf scripts numbering 10 to 15 were kept inside the box, wrapped in a silk cloth. That Parabrahmam looked at him knowingly, yet as if it did not know.

The youth said innocently, "You gave me the orders to revive the custom of kolu from this year. When I climbed up the loft to retrieve the kolu dolls, I found this box there. I had not seen it until then Periyavaa! I checked its contents and found these scripts whose letters were unintelligible to me. So I brought it straight here."

AcharyaaL laughed and beckoned to the gentleman in saffron tunic who was sitting on the stage opposite him. To the gentleman he said in Hindi, "The apUrva vastu (rare article) you asked me about only a little while go has come here, look!"

The gentleman immediately sat down on the floor, took the palm leaves and started having a glance at their grantha letters using a lens he had with him. His face blossomed. Lifting those scripts and keeping them over his head, he grinned happily and said, "O Parama Acharya Purusha! I am searching for this apUrva ayurveda grantha for many years. You are the pratyakSa deivam (God present before the eyes)! Within half an hour you have brought before my eyes what I prayed to you for!" He prostrated to SwamigaL with wonder.

Harihara Subramanian stood amazed looking at all this. AcharyaaL called him near and said, "This gentleman is a great Ayurveda Siddha research scholar of Pandaripuram. Only half an hour back he told me about his searching for such an apUrva suvadi (rare palm leaves). Something struck my mind, I told him to sit and wait for sometime. And now you come and stand before me with this trunk box!" AcharyaaL ordered the youth, "All these will be very useful to him. Thinking of your father and grandfather, you submit with your own hands all these things to that gentleman." 

The youth did as he was told. Tears of joy in the face of the gentleman who received the contents.

The gentleman looked at him and said, "I have come to possess an apUrva grantha by your grace! It would not be dharma to receive them without paying a kANikkai (an amount as a token of gratitude)." Then he placed five hundred-rupee-sections** (each having 100 bills in it) along with some fruits in a plate and held them politely to Harihara Subramanian. The youth looked at SwamigaL, who smiled and asked him to receive the money. Hands shaking, the youth received those fifty thousand rupees!

Calling him near, that walking God said, "What did I tell you when you spoke out your grievance about your family ancestors? I said they were all lofty people, they would have gone only after doing excellent things. It somehow struck in my mind. You saw the excellent thing your people had done, on the loft where the kolu dolls were kept? You said your house mortgage loan had swelled to forty-five thousand rupees in principal and interest! Now Sri ChandraMauleesvara has done his anugraham for it. Get back to Palakkad with happiness. Let the money be safe with you!" and bid him farewell after blessing him.

Note:
*besh - I think this term originates form bheSajam meaning healing, healthy. The equivalent terms based on health and healing in some other languages used as appreciative expressions include: nallathu in Tamil, accha in Hindi and 'well' in English.

**The term 'section' in Indian banking parlance, refers to a pack of 100 bills of currency. A 'bundle' is a pack of ten such sections.

Glossary:
puSTi - thriving, prosperity, comfort, wealth, opulence, breeding, rearing, nourishment











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

Thanks due to  Mahaperiyava Bhaktas for the scanned  photos of Mahaperiyava 

The Chandrasekhara of Kanchi and The Chandrasekhara of Sringeri Ra. Ganapati -- Part-- 3 -- http://www.kamakoti.org/souv/5-59.html

   

      The Chandrasekhara of Kanchi and The Chandrasekhara of Sringeri 

                                                        Part-- 3

Ra. Ganapati

In 1935, Maha Periyaval went to Calcutta and performed the Navaratri Puja there. Sri Mantreswara Sarma, a deep devotee of the Sringeri Math, was one of the members of the Puja Committee. He helped in the organisaton of the Puja up to the fourth day. Then he thought, "Could this Puja compare with the once at Sringeri?", and could no longer contain himself at Calcutta. Travelling all the way he reached Sringeri.

Bharati Svamigal eyed him in an unusually harsh manner. "You have notions of difference between us and left that Puja in the middle to come here. Very wrong. Don't stand here even for one second. Go back" he said unrelentingly.

As Sharma was a mature person he learnt a lesson and his mind was cleansed.

In those days when there were no proper means of travel like today, he somehow managed to reach Calcutta right on the concluding Vijayadashmi day and fell at the felt of Periyaval. He conveyed the message of Bharati Svamigal and submitted that his idea of difference had been erased. Periyaval laughed in joy and gave him Navaratri prasadam in `extra dose'.

Maha Periyaval was camping at Mylapore, Mysore, in February 1966. Sri K. Chandrasekharan, the well-known connoisseur of arts, was expressing his anguish regarding some derogatory article or letter written by Math! I wondered at the equanimity of the Jnani, the Samadarsana, equi-vision.

Periyaval looked at me, gesturing with his hands fist-fighting, and asked "Do you follow all this?"

I replied, "I do not follow with intention or relish. But I get to know the details to some extent by reading the article of Polagram Sastrigal in Pradeepam4. I feel sad".

He pursued, "Are you sad only? Don't you get angry with Krishnaswami Iyer?" Periyaval uttered "Kom" instead of Kopam, the Tamil word for anger, in the way a child would pronounce that word! That very manner of expression indicated that the entire arguments and counter-arguments were childish!

As a matter of fact, I was angry with that person - angry because he was diverting the attention of the devout to matters not concerning spirituality and furthering the existing differences. I feel the same way about the `ultra'-devotees of the Kanchi Math also.

I kept quiet, abashed to tell him, the embodiment of Sattva (the goodness of composure), that I really got angry with K. Iyer.

Periyaval himself, an amalgam of the child and divinity, added, "This quarrel is not going to end in my life time5. I don't seem to have the capacity to achieve that. So there is no point in your getting worked up. But no I am keen that your angry towards Krishnaswami Iyer should end. I also feel that I can achieve that. will you do what I say? He has written a book, The saint of Sringeri. Get a copy at once and read it. Say, will you?

Can one disobey such a command?

Like this, thanks to K. Chadrasekharan, Kanchi Chandrasekhara made me get into touch with the other Chandrasekhara, `The Saint of Sringeri'.

After reading that wonderful book, my "Kom" towards the author vanished completely! I understood him to be a person of total devotion to the Guru and a great scholar well informed in the Sastras. If such a one should indulge in controversies - it was clear that it was nothing but the handiwork of the Great Dama Illusion, Maha Maya.

That part, I developed devotion towards that Saint of Sringeri, the central figure of the book. While reading it there were many places where I actually felt as if I were reading about the Saint of Kanchi.

4. The monthly Kamakoti Pradeepam dedicated to the Kanchi Math. It carried a series of articles by the Sanskrit scholar Polagam Rama Sastrigal attesting to the antiquity of the Math and countering the arguments to the contrary.

5. For once the Prophet's words were belied to our and his own joy in May 1993, when the present head of both the Matas met in a conclave of all the five Sankaracharyas at Sringeri in mutual friendship. Coming out of his total withdrawal from the world of action for the none, the Sage directed his successor to offer silks and jewel to the Divine Mother Sarada at Sringeri. The Great Unifier of the Century, he must have felt fulfilled to hear from the successor the soothing report of the happenings at Sringeri on his return. It is the conviction of the devotees that this happy turn of events was brought about by the soul-force of the Sage himself in his centenary year.

The next time I met Priyaval I told him that my "Kom" had disappeared. I also added "At many places, I felt I was reading about Your Holiness".

Even now my heart melts when I recollect what that Child-divinity said in utter simplicity. "Is that so? I really become so afraid after asking you to read the book. Because, I thought that after reading the book you may think, `well, this person ever focused on the Pratyagatman (the soul inward) is sure a Svamigal, How to stay the same of that person, ever-paraak (turned outward) and dabbling on all subjects under the sun? (Periyaval himself used the English expression `under the sun'. That was my fear! Bud did you feel as if reading about me?"

Tears filled my eyes as my mind amused, "Oh Mother Kamakshi! What is this play-acting of yours!"

My thoughts revolved around the pratyak and paraak aspects of the Acharyas. In fine, I came to the following revelatory conclusion. That one is Bharati, this one, Sarasvati. `Bharati' means `one delighting in light' - the light of the Self, the light of knowledge, like a flame steady and one-pointed. Bharati Svamigal personifies that `Sarasvati' means `residing in the waters', the waters of grace flowing in all directions, imparting new life and inspiring all kinds of produce. Sarasvati Svamigal personifies this.

As I felt shy to tell this by word of mouth to Periyaval I wrote it out and sent the letter to him.

The next time I went for darsan - it was a morning - my mind was all agog to know how he felt about the letter. He was not present in the camp and had gone to nearby places. I waited eagerly, impatiently. The waiting dragged on and on. I was a tenterhooks because I had to return to my office.

Periyaval came back at the nick of time, at noon. But, straight he went for a bath to the well. Maybe for some pollution he had inadvertently contracted in his visits.

The attendant was letting the pitcher down the well.

Periyaval asked him, Can you see the sun in the well?"

He said "Yes".

"Does anything strike in your mind?" he asked me.

There are two concepts in Advaita. One is Patimba-vaada, which holds that just like the one sun reflected in many drops of water, the one Chaitanya (Consciousness) is reflected in many antahkaranas (inner faculties) of the jivas (individual souls). The other concept holds that it is not the reflection but the selfsame Chaitanya which indwells in all the jivas. It gives the example of the wide open sky which is omni-spread and is, therefore, indwelling inside all empty vessels. The very consciousness itself fills up the antahkarana just as the very waters of the well outside fills the inside of the pitcher immersed in it. This concept is called Avaccheda-vaada. Now I saw before me the sun reflected in the water and also the attendant letting down the pot into the well.

Putting things together I said, "I see simultaneously examples for both the Pratibimba and Avachheda - vaadas."

Periyaval shook his head negatively indicating that was not what he wanted `to strike in mind."

He looked at the well; and at the sun. He looked at me meaningfully and said "Bha is saras (Light in the water.)"

With this cryptic observation he began his bath.

My hairs stood on end. I at once saw Bharai Svamigal, the sun of knowledge, immersed in Periyaval, the waters of Karuna, Grace.

It also struck upon me that the vice versa was also true. yes, the Light of knowledge too exudes the waters of Grace within. Was not the reflected sun within the well full of water?

Yes, the two Chandrasekharas are a conjoined single entity like a Sankara-Narayana and concretely illustrate the words of Paygai Azhvaar:

Tho' the twine in different roles do move about, part and parcel each is of the other of aye.

COURTESY : http://www.kamakoti.org/souv/5-59.html

KODI KODI NAMASKARAMS
TO KANCHI MAHAPERIYAVA , PERIYAVA AND ALSO BALA PERIYAVAR  

AND ALSO SRINGERI ACHARYAS

Thanks for the photos posted in the internet by both Kanchi acharya bhaktas and also to Sringeri  acharyas bhaktas