You Want to Know the Greatness of mantra siddhi?"

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)

Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Oct 6, 2006

Once a brahmachary (bachelor) youth came to have darshan of Kanchi
Mahaswami (HH Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati). He prostrated before the sage and got up.

Swamiji looked at him keenly and said, "Are you not Kulitalai Sankaran? You are fine?"

"With your blessings, yes, Periyavaa", said Sankaran.
"Alright, what is your age now?"
"Thirty, Periyavaa."
Periyavaa laughed: "So you have decided to lead your life as a brahmachari, without any idea of marriage."

"Yes, Periyavaa", said Sankaran.
"Alright, anything special about your coming here now?" Periyavaa laughed.
"And you wouldn't come without a reason!"
"Yes, Periyavaa. I have come to get a doubt cleared."
"Is it so? Come on, tell me" said Periyavaa. "What is that big doubt you
have?"

"It is a doubt about mantra japam, Periyavaa", replied Sankaran.
Periyavaa asked quickly: "If it is about mantra japam... Are you doing any
mantra japam?"

"Yes, Periyavaa".
"Oho... You have had an upadesam?"
"Yes, Periyavaa".
"Whoever is that Guru?"
"Mysore Yajna Narayana Ganapadigal", said Sankaran.
"Good, very learned; whatever the mantra?"
Before Sankaran could open his mouth, Swamiji said, "Wait, wait. You should not tell me the mantra. That should remain with you as a secret. Just tell me which devata (God) it is about."
"Hanumat upAsanA paramAna mUla mantra, Periyavaa" said Sankaran.
"Alright. What is it that you want to get clarified in this mantra japam?"
"It is like this, Periyavaa. I am performing this mantra japam since my
twenty-third year which was when I got the upadesam. I am doing it for the
last seven years, still I don't know anything."
"What do you mean by saying 'I don't know anything'?", asked Swamiji with
surprise.
"What I mean, Periyavaa, is that I am not able to find out if I have got the
siddhi of that mantra" replied Sankaran, his voice echoing his sadness.
Swamiji said without hesitation: "What are you going to do by knowing it?
Anyway, are you doing the japam for AtmArtam (to know the self) or
kAmyArtam (for a specific purpose)?"
Sankaran said: "I am doing it only for AtmArtam, Periyavaa. Still, I am at a
loss to understand if I have got the mantra siddhi and the grace of the
devata. I pray to you to kindly tell me about my progress". As Sankaran said this with all humility, tears started rolling down his eyes.

"Only the person who does the japam can understand if he has got the mantra siddhi, by personal experience. There will be a time when the person will experience it, Sankara," said Swamiji with vAtsalyam (affection).

Sankaran wasn't satisfied. "No, Periyavaa. I haven't had any personal
experience so far. And I don't understand anything about it, though I
continue to do the japam, as advised by my Guru, for the last seven years.
Sometimes my mind becomes very tired, Periyavaa. You should kindly inform me about any way that I can know it." As he spoke this, Sankaran joined his palms in reverence and prostrated before Swamiji.

Acharyal (Swamiji) was quiet for sometime. He understood Sankaran's
confusion. He decided to make the disciple understand what he wanted to
know. He asked Sankaran to squat on the floor near him and began talking:
"Many years back, in Sringeri Sri Sarada Peetam, a mahaan named Nrusimha Bharati Swamiji was the peetathipathi (pontiff). One day, a sishya (student) of the matam (hermitage) belonging to that region came to have a darshan of the Swamiji. He did not come for nothing. He bore the same question that you asked me now.

"After prostrating, he presented the guava fruits to Swamiji.
"'Come, you are fine? Tell me what you want', said Swami Nrusimha Bharati with utmost kindness. The sishya told him politely, 'Swami, I am doing japam of a mantra that was given to me by an upadesam. I am doing the japam for many years now. Still I am not able to know if I have got the mantra siddhi.

How do I know it Swami?'
"Swamiji said at once, in a bid to persuade him, 'You continue to do the japam in an AtmArta way. That devata itself will bless you with the siddhi phala (fruits of the efforts) eventually.'
"The sishya was not satisfied with this reply from the Swamiji. He persisted,
'No, Swami. I need to know if I have got the siddhi of the mantra. You must
tell me a way to know it, I pray to you.'
"Swamiji understood the sishya's mental state. He called him near and said
enthusiasticaly, 'Don't worry, my child. There is a way!"
"'Is there a way, then kindly bless me with the knowledge, Swami!' The sishya was in a hurry of excitement.

"Nrusimha Bharati Swamiji said laughingly, 'Every day, before you start your japam, spread paddy grains on a wooden seat, and cover it with a vastram (cloth). Sit over the grains and do the japam. Continue in this fashion day after day. On that day when the paddy grains on the seat fry and blossom into flattened rice, you will understand that you have got the mantra siddhi you have been seeking to know. You understand this?'
"Even though the sishya understood it, he thought confusedly that if the
Swamiji was telling him this way just to satisfy him or if this would really be
possible. Suddenly he asked an unexpected question to the Swamiji.
"'Gurunathar should excuse me. I pray this to you with an intention to know. I should not be mistaken for testing a sage in the guru stAnam (the position of a guru). Spreading the paddy grains, covering them with a cloth... and they will fry...'
"Before he could finish it, Swamiji laughed and said, 'You want to know if I
have had any such experience, right?' He asked for a wooden seat to be
brought then and there and placed facing the direction of east. He asked for a lot of paddy grains to be spread over the seat. When this was done,
Swamiji placed his vastram (cloth) over the grains, seated himself in
padmaasana and closed his eyes. By this time a large crowd had gathered in the place.

"Only a few seconds later, there was a continuous noise of the paddy grains getting fried and flattened. There was a little amount of smoke also. Swamiji got up and removed his vastram (cloth) that covered the grains. On the seat were dazzling white flowers of fried and flattened rice! The crowd was amazed.

"Nrusimha Bharati Swamiji looked at the sishya who asked the question. The sishya was standing sobbing. No one could speak anything more..."
As Kanchi Swamiji finished his narration of this episode, Sankaran was
standing amazed, with tears in his eyes.
When he started to say something soon after, Swamiji interruped him and
said, "What Sankara, are you going to ask me to demonstrate to you?" and
laughed heartily.

Sankaran fell at Swamiji's feet, his eight limbs touching the floor, and said,
"Enough Periyavaa! You have made me understand the mahima (greatness) of mantra siddhi. Kindly bless me, and permit me to return to my place."

"A Double-Stringed Chain in Eight Sovereigns?"

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)

Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Dec 20, 2006

An early morning, many years ago. It was slightly drizzling. Maha Periyavaa
was seated in solitude at Kanchi Sri Sankara maTham. After the bhaktas had darshan of him, Swamiji arose to go to his room. Just then an old grandma and a young woman came running and prostrated to the sage. Swamiji sat down again, looking a bit keenly at them.

With happiness crawling on his face, Swamiji said, "adede! is it Meenakshi
Paatti? What a wonder you have come in the morning time? Who is near you?

Your granddaughter? What name?"
Meenakshi Paatti said, "Periyavaa! I am coming to the maTham to have your darshan for ever so many years. Till today I haven't informed SwamigaL about me. There was no such opportunity. But then, it has come now. This girl standing by my side is my granddaughter born through my daughter. Since she was born in this town, we named her Kamakshi. I had only one daughter, and she closed her eyes twelve years ago, leaving this girl to my care. Some disease she had. Her husband also died before her due to a heart attack.

"Since then I am plodding on alone with this girl. I put her in a school. Study didn't get into her head. So I stopped it with her fifth grade. Now she is fifteen years old. My duty will be over once I give her hand to a man!"
AcharyaL listened to her patiently. "I understood when I saw you come here and stand before me in the early morning itself, that you who used to bring pArijAta puS^pam for Chandramouleesvara puja every morning around ten o' clock, have come to me now with a purpose. What is the news?" he said.

Hesitating at first, Meenakshi Paatti began: "Nothing, Periyavaa. A suitable
alliance has come up for this girl. The boy is also from this place. School
teacher. Sixty rupees salary. Good family. No demand-and-take harassments. They say that both the horoscopes match well. Somehow only you should perform this marriage, Periyavaa!" Paatti prostrated to him.

AcharyaL's tone showed some heat as he chided her: "What? I should
perform the marriage? What are you talking?" Within moments he cooled down and said, "Alright, what do you expect me to do?"
Paatti was happy. "It's like this, Periyavaa! I have somehow managed to save five thousand rupees for her marriage. I can complete the marriage within that amount. But then the boy's mother has said compulsively, 'Paatti, whatever or however you do it, you must present a double-stringed, eightsovereign gold chain for the neck of your granddaughter!' I couldn't do anything big by way of jewels-and-bolts for her within my income. I have
arranged just a bangle of one sovereign each for each hand of this girl. Only that is possible for me. Where can I go for an eight-sovereign doublestringed chain, Periyavaa? Only you--"

Before she could finish, Swamiji asked her with some anger: "Tell me, you
want me to provide her with a double-stringed chain in eight-sovereigns?"
Meenkshi Paatti prostrated to him and rose. Patting her cheeks loudly, she
said, "apacAram, apacAram, Periyavaa. I am not coming to say that. A
number of rich and big people come for your darshan daily. Could you not
gesture to any of them to arrange for the eight-sovereign double-stringed
chain?" Paatti asked him longingly. "What? To gesture to the big people who come for a darshan? There is no such practice. If you want, you seek some other alliance where they don't demand eight or ten sovereigns! Only that is better for you." Swamiji got up.

Meenakshi Paatti said anxiously, "I pray that Periyavaa shouldn't leave me
with such advise! This is a very good alliance, Periyavaa. The boy has a
sanguine temperament. They got their own girls married with a gift of an
eight-sovereign double-stringed chain each. Therefore they desire that the
girl coming as their daughter-in-law should also come with a double-stringed chain. Nothing else, Periyavaa. Only you should provide me with guidance in the matter!" Paatti begged the sage.

AcharyaL, who had got up, sat down again. He was immersed in deep thoughts for sometime. Then he started talking with compassion: "Will you do something
I suggest now?"
"I will do it definitely. Please tell me what!" Paatti was excited.
"Go to the Kamakshi Amman temple tomorrow with your granddaughter. Both of you pray to Her, 'This marriage should take place grandly with the required eight-sovereign double-stringed chain provided. Only You should arrange it, Amma!' and do pradakSiNa of the sannidhi five times. Prostrate before ambAL five times and go home. Pray this way for five days. Kamakshi will arrange the things as you have desired in your mind." AcharyaL blessed them smilingly.

As she prostrated and got up, Meenakshi Paatti said, "What is it Periyavaa,
you suggest everything five times!" She asked with eagerness, "If I do it that way, AmbaL Kamakshi will surely arrange my granddaughter Kamakshi's marriage?"
"I am not suggesting the five-times requirement myself. AmbaL has the
adulation panca saMkhyopacAriNi. She grants favours happily when she is
worshipped in multiples of five." Swamiji said, "I told you only that, nothing
else!"

"When do we start this, Periyavaa?"
Swamiji smiled. "It has been said shubhasya shIghram. Today is Friday. Why, you start today itself." He said and bid them farewell.

With her granddaughter beside her, Paatti walked towards Kamakshi Amman temple. Since it was Friday, there was a heavy rush in the temple. Mother Kamakshi dazzled in full splendour due to special adornments of that day. Both of them closed their eyes and prayed as advised by Periyavaa. Paatti had an arcanA performed in her granddaughter's birth star and secured the prasAdam.

Then they both prayed to Amman about the eight-sovereign double-stringed chain and went around the inner courtyard clockwise five times. Then they prostrated to AmabaL five times as Swamiji had suggested. With faith in heart, they went back home.

On Saturday morning, Paatti started from her house with her granddaughter. Collecting the coral-jasmine flowers, she hurried to Sankara maTham. There was a heavy rush in the maTham. Meenakshi Paatti was standing in the queue some twenty or thirty bhaktas behind. She heard what the person before her was telling his neighbour with concern. 'Today is the day of the anushA star.

PeriyavaL's birth star. So Swamiji has taken up a vow of silence today. He
wouldn't talk to anybody. Only mukha darshan.'

Anxiety got hold of Meenakshi Paatti. She worried, 'I thought of reminding
Periyavaa about the eight-sovereign double-stringed chain, but it seems that won't be possible now.' When they got near Periyavaa, they prostrated to him. That para brahmaM was sitting with no sign of life in him. Paatti paused, yearning that he would ask something about the chain. Swamiji's assistant told her a bit sternly, "Paatti, move away please! Periyavaa adopts a vow of silence today. He won't talk. See, how many people are waiting behind you!"

She made her way towards Kamakshi Amman temple, along with her
granddaughter. As advised by Periyavaa, they performed the panca
saMkhyopacAra worship on that day and got back home. Maha Swamiji
continued the vow of silence on the following two days also. Paatti and her
granddaughter could only have a darshan of the sage at the maTham. Paatti started worrying, 'Four out of five days has gone by since Periyavaa's advice but nothing happened! Will Mother Kamakshi open her eyes and bless me or not?' She could only grieve within herself.

It dawned on Tuesday. Sri Kanchi maTham was very brisk on that day. A
bhajan troupe from Arani was immersing the maTham in bhaktic ecstasy.
AcharyaL came and sat in his usual place. There was such a maha tejas in his face! He had dissolved his vow of silence. There was a large crowd waiting for PeriyavaL's darshan. A middle-aged maami in the queue prostrated to Swamiji happily as her turn came. Happiness was writ on her face. She submitted the things she had brought--a large bunch of rastaLi bananas, un-shorn coconuts, sweet lemons, oranges, pumpkins, and chubby raw-bananas--and prostrated again.

Swamiji smiled to himself as he glanced at the items kept before him. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked keenly at the woman. "Aren't you Ambujam, wife of Needamangalam landowner Ganesa Iyer? You came two months back. Told me something, feeling sad. Looking at the way you have come now with a large banana bunch, it seems that your problems would have been solved by the grace of Kamakshi, right?"

Ambujam prostrated again and said, "True, Periyavaa. My only daughter
Mythili was made to stay away from her husband's home for the last three
years. Two months back I came running to you, reported this humiliation and wept. It was you who advised me to do five circumambulations and five
prostrations for five days and perform ablution and worship in the Kamakshi Amman temple of this town. I completed them with extreme care, and what a wonder, fifteen days back, my son-in-law Radhakrishnan who works in Jamshedpur Tata Steel Plant came over himself and took his wife Mythili back with him. It's all that Kamakshi's grace and your blessings, Periyavaa!" Tears of joy filled her eyes as she spoke.

Swamiji said, "Besh, besh, very glad. Let the dampati rest in prosperity! By
the way, where did you get such a big bunch of bananas? Looks massive!"
Swamiji's laughter rolled by like thunder. Ambujam said smilingly, "This bunch was harvested from our own banana bed, Periyavaa; which is why it is so big!" She spoke with humility.

Showing happiness, Swamiji ordered her, "Alright, only Amma Kamakshi has rejoined your daughter and son-in-law. So you offer this big banana bunch to Her and distribute the fruits to the bhaktas who visit the shrine."
Ambujam said, "No no, Periyavaa. Let it remain in this sanctum. I have an
identical bunch to offer to AmbaL. Now I seek your leave to have a darshan
of AmbaL, complete my prayers and get back here." She prostrated.
"BeshA! After completing your prayers you must take food in the maTham and then only should get back to your place. Remember it!" Swamiji gave her his consent to leave him.

There was not much crowd in Kamakshi Amman temple on that day. It was
eleven in the morning. As it was later than usual, Meenakshi Paatti hurried to the temple with her granddaughter. She halted at the shop selling arcane packs, and told her granddaughter, "Hey Kamakshi! Today is the day of
completion. So we shall do everything in five numbers as told by AcharyaL.
What you do, get five arcanA packs with five coconuts, five bananas, betel
leaves, nuts, etc. and come back running!" and gave her the required money.

The granddaughter bought the things as ordered. Paatti performed the
arcanAs to AmbaL and prayed Her with tearful eyes, 'Amma Kamakshi, I am
completely depending on You only! I have no refuge except You and SwamigaL. Only You should arrange for the eight-sovereign double-string chain and complete my granddaughter's marriage in a fitting manner.' As Paatti sobbed, her granddaughter was also moved and wept. Then they started going round the inner couryard from left to right. They were on their fourth round.

"Paatti... Paatti... Paattee!" Meekakshi Paatti looked back at the loud call from her granddaughter and chided her angrily, "Why do you cry so loud? What have you lost to raise such a noise?"

"Nothing lost Paatti, but something gained! Please come here, I shall show
you!" She took her grandma to a corner, opened her right palm and showed
her something. It was a severed, double-stringed chain with a front.
"Where did you find that?" Paatti asked with surprise. Her granddaughter
said, "As I was coming behind you with a bowed head, my eyes chanced on
this chain. I took it at once, and no one had noticed me! This chain is severed Paatti. Check if it is original or just a coated one."

Paatti took the chain in her hands to guess its weight. She said, "Looks like
sovereign, Kamakshi! May be eight or eight-and-a-half sovereigns. This has
been granted to us by Kamakshi Herself backed by the blessings of Periyavaa.

Alright, let us go out first!" She packed the chain inside the edge of her sari
and hurriedly came out, forgetting to complete her fifth circumambulation.
It was one in the afternoon. Four or five people were waiting for the darshan of AcharyaL in the maTham. Meenakshi Paatti prostrated to the sage with her granddaughter and got up. Swamiji looked at her and laughed. She was confused whether to tell Swamiji about the chain or not.
Swamiji forestalled her. "Today you should have completed your panca
saMkhyopacAra pradakSiNa in order. But then it was not completed because of a vastu that came to the hand of your granddaughter! That sudden delight did not allow you to do more than four pradakSiNas. You came hurriedly, thinking that Kamakshi has given you Her pUrna anugrahah. What, am I
right?"

Paatti was shocked. She became insensate, and swallowed her words as she spoke: "SwamigaL shouldn't mistake me. Once that (object) came to the hand of my granddaughter, I assumed that AmbaL Herself had dropped it for my granddaughter to take. In that sudden delight I totally fogot that I had to make one more pradakSiNa."

Periyavaa said relentlessly, "Only that you forgot. You did not forget to get
the vastu weighed at Rangu Patthar's shop. Or get the severed portion melted in the furnace to rejoin." He clinched his talk with the words, "Let it go.

When you weighed it, was it exactly eight sovereigns?"
Paatti and her granddaughter were stunned. "All you said now is satyam,
Periyavaa!" said Paatti.
Swamiji asked her calmly, "Tell me in fairness. To whom does that padArthaH belong?"
"To AmbaL Kamakshi."
"Tell me yourself, can you take it secretly and pack it inside the edge of your sari?"

"A mistake... nothing else but a mistake! Should excuse me. I have done it
inadvertently." Paatti was genuninely repenting. She placed the doublestringed sovereign chain on the brass plate that was found before Swamiji, her hands shaking. Swamiji laughed.
It was now two in the afternoon. Swamiji asked Meenakshi Paatti and her
daughter to sit before him. It was at that time that Ambujam AmmaL, wife
of Needamangalam Ganesa Iyer, who had taken leave in the morning, came
back full of sorrow and prostrated to the sage. Her eyes were shedding tears profusely. Swamiji saw this and said affectionately, "adAdA, why do you shed tears Amma?"
Ambujam Ammal wiped her tears and replied, "It is like this, Periyavaa. Two
months ago when I did the five days seva in the Kamakshi Amman temple I
prayed to AmbaL earnestly that I would offer Her my eight-sovereign doublestringed chain if she united my daughter and son-in-law, who were then separated. AmbaL has united them. I went to the temple to offer my chain.

It slipped from my neck and fell down somewhere. I searched everywhere
anxiously but the chain could not be found. What can I do now, Periyavaa?"

She started wailing. Swamiji turned his face to Meenakshi Paatti and looked meaningfully. Paatti prostrated to him and got up briskly. She took the double-stringed sovereign chain from the brass plate before the sage in her hand. She turned to Ambujam and said holding up the chain, "Amma Ambujam. Check if this is the double-stringed chain you lost."

Ambujam took the chain from her hand and checked. "The same, the same
chain, Paatti. How did it come here? Looks very wonderful!" Paatti narrated
everything that happened to them in the same breath.

Ambujam Ammal hugged Meenakshi Paatti. "Paatti, you don't worry at all! I
am informing you this before our AcharyaL. I shall arrange for a new doublestringed chain in eight sovereigns for your granddaughter! Her marriage will be performed grandly. This double-stringed I have prayed to offer to AmbaL.

This evening I shall take you and your granddaughter Kamakshi to the
jewellery shop in this down and get her an eight-sovereign double-stringed
chain. In addition, I shall give you five thousand rupees for the marriage
expenses."

Swamiji was sitting as the prat^yakSa kAmAkshi, witnessing this scene.
Everyone prostrated to AcharyaL. He looked at Meenakshi Paatti and said,
"Today you and your granddaughter did not do the five pradakSiNas. Go in the evening, do five pradakSiNas and five prostrations, and have a darshan of AmbaL." Saying this he bid them farewell.

It is not possible to narrate in words the happiness and ecstatic shiver that
Meenakshi Paatti and her granddaughter experienced at that time.

The Connection between the Chettiar's Grandson and the Matham

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)

Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Oct 21, 2006

An evening in Kanchi SrimaTham. A large crowd in a long queue had gathered to have darshan of Paramacharya. Time was slipping by. Slightly tilting his head, Swamiji glanced at the waiting people and saw a twenty year old youth in the queue. Looking intently at the youth, Swamiji called his assistant Ramu, another youth, who came near him and stood, his hand covering his mouth.

"Ramu, you see the person standing as the fifteenth in the queue? A short
boy with a slightly blackish complexion. You need to buy a shirt and pant piece that will suit his size", Swamiji ordered. "Get the cash from the office, and buy good quality cloth from the Mudaliar textile shop near the maTham."

Ramu was surprised and confused at this sudden command from the sage.

He knew that he couldn't ask the reason, so started to proceed on his task.
"Ramu, come here!" Swamiji called. "You know about the name of the modern textile variety?"

"I know it Periyavaa."
"Come on, tell me?"
"It is called terry cotton, Periyavaa."
"Hm... the same thing. Get a costly piece from that variety."
Within fifteen minutes, Ramu appeared before the sage with the cloth.
Swamiji was very happy as he looked at the cloth from a distance.
"Besh, besh. It is very good da!" Swamiji appreciated Ramu. "You do one
thing. Get a bamboo plate and fill it with fruits, purna phalam, and place the
cloth on them. Tell the manager that I wanted a sum of six thousand and
seven hundred rupees, placed in an envelope, get the money and keep it on the plate. I shall tell you later about what to do next." With this order to his
assitant, Swamiji started conversing to his bhakta nearby.

An envelope with the amount ordered was brought. Swamiji gestured that it be placed on the plate. Now the twenty year old boy was standing before Paramacharya, who looked at him head to toe. The youth prostrated to him. Swamiji turned and looked at Ramu, who came near him, running.

"Ramu, take that plate in your hands." Ramu did as he was told.
Swamiji said with a blossoming face, "Give that plate to the boy and tell him of my bountiful blessings to him and his family."

The youth could not understand anything about the offer of cloth and money. He simply blinked at the sage, looked this way and that, and stood without knowing what to do.
AchryaL understood his confusion and anxiety. He spoke, "Ramu, ask him not to get confused. Tell him it is the blessing from the maTham to him and his family. Ask him to safely deliver the money in the cover at his home."

The youth nodded his head, though he understood nothing. He again
prostrated to the sage and moved away with the surprise gift.

Fifteen minutes passed. Everyone had left, having a darshan. AcharyaL came to his room and sat. He called Ramu near.

"Why Ramu, you did not ask me the reason for my honouring the boy in a
special way?" Ramu hesitated and said, "How can I ask Periyavaa about such things? I am here only to carry out your orders."

"Alright, you don't have to ask me! I shall tell you the reason myself."
Swamiji spoke: "This incident happened many years back. Our maTham at that time was finding it a little difficult to make ends meet. I decided to
undertake a yAtra to the north Indian regions with my retinue. We started at
an auspicious time. I came to the entrance of the maTham. There was a small grocery shop opposite the maTham. It belonged to a Chettiar. The maTham had an account for buying groceries from that shop.

"As he saw me at the maTham entrance, Chettiar came running. He
prostrated, tieing his upper vastram around his waist. I thought that he had
come to offer his respect knowing that I was about to go on a yAtra.
"'What ChettiarvaL, you are fine? How does your groceries business go?' I
inquired him. "He closed his mouth and replied meekly, 'Somewhat alright, Swami, but the going is really difficult. I heard that Swami is going on a yAtra north and would return only after five or six months.'

"I told him, 'That's right, ChettiarvaL... might take five or six months to
return.' He took his time thinking something, hesitated much and then said,
'It is not that Swami. The maTham has an account with our shop, as Swami
knows. There is a balance amount for the four to five months goods supplied that remains to be paid. I too find it difficult, with four months rent for this shop in arrears. I am just submitting my problems to you. You finish your yAtra and come back.' As he said it, Chettiar again prostrated.
"I said, 'ChettiarvaL! Immediately after coming back from the yAtra, I shall
arrange to clear your dues.' and started on my yAtra.

"When I came back finishing the six months yAtra and looked opposite the
maTham, the Chettiar's shop was locked. Later when I inquired, I was told
that the Chettiar had attained kAla gati three months back suddenly, when he was out of station. Nothing was known about the whereabouts of his relatives!

I later inquired about the amount of dues to the Chettiar's shop. It was a
sum of eight hundred and seventy five and three-quarters of rupees. I settled the debt with the principal and interest only today! You understand what I am saying? The boy I honoured today was none other than the paternal grandson of the Chettiar. What was due to the grandfather has been settled with the grandson, with principal and interest. No worry henceforth!" Swamiji finished.

Ramu was wonderstruck as he heard the tale. In the meantime another
assistant boy came that side. Ramu took leave of the sage and rushed to the entrance of the maTham.

The twenty year boy was standing there with the blessed bamboo plate on his hands. Ramu was very happy to see him and tactfully inquired about the matter.

The boy said, "Yes, I learnt from my grandmother and father that my
grandfather had a grocery shop opposite the maTham a long time ago. I heard that his relatives came to settle in Krishnagiri after the sudden demise of my grandfather, closing down the shop due to mounting debts.
"Now my father is running a grocer shop there. I came here touring with my
friends from my place. I don't understand why Periyavanga did all these to
me. It is very surprising!"

Ramu was speechless as he understood the foresight of his walking God. He went inside the maTham, wondering about what he saw and heard. It was around seven in the evening. AcharyaL was sitting alone in his room.
He saw Ramu and smiled meaningfully. Ramu did not understand. AcharyaL called him near and said, "You had a doubt about the authenticity of what I told you. So you got it confirmed from the Chettiar's grandson at the maTham entrance!" Paramacharya laughed loudly.

Ramu sought his pardon, weeping and saying that he did it out of curiosity
only. Paramacharya blessed him with a raised hand, still smiling.

9-Paramacharya Stuns a Landowner!Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 05, 2006

A Citra full moon day, many years back. An abhiSekam was performed in agrand manner with mahAnyAsa rudra japam at Sri Mahalingaswami Temple,Tiruvidaimarudur. The person who conducted it with 11 Vedic pundits was the land owner Narayanaswami Iyer of Tiruvarur. The rudrAbhiSekam that started at eight in the morning came to a completion around one in the afternoon.The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer was extremely devoted to Kanchi MahaSwamigaL. He decided 'this rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam should be submitted to Periyavaa somehow.' He reverentially kept the prasAdam on a banana leaf and folded it inside a new silk cloth. That same evening, he boarded the Madurai Madras passenger train at Tiruvidaimarudur railway station. He got down at Chingleput station in the early morning, took a bus and arrived at Kanchipuram.There was a large crowd at the maTham on that day. Finishing his bath andother chores, the landowner waited for Periyavaa's darshan. At about 12 o'clock in the noon, Maha SwamigaL came and sat down, after finishing his Chandramouleesvara puja. The crowd of devotees rushed forward. The landowner couldn't approach SwamigaL. He showed the prasAda bag and begged everyone, "All of you please make way! I have brought Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswamy rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam for Periyavaa. I have to submit it to him."No one seemed to make way. An employee of the maTham who saw the anxiety and haste of the landowner, created a trail for him among the people and brought Narayanaswami Iyer near PeriyavaL. When he saw PeriyavaL, thelandowner became insensate, dropped down heavily for a prostration and gotup. Maha SwamigaL looked at him raising his head. He raised his brows as if he inquired what the matter was.With his hands shaking, the landowner babbled, unpacking the prasAdam bag,"prasAdam, prasAdu Periyavaa". "What prasAdam?" asked PeriyavaL and looked at him. In the meantime, the landowner managed to extract the prasAdam. He kept it on the cane plate found there and submitted it to PeriyavaL. On that plate were found in a small banana leaf, vibuti, kuN^kumam, sandal paste together with some bilva dalam, two parts of a broken coconut, and some poovan banana fruits. Maha SwamigaL asked, "All these are prasAdam of which kSetra?" and looked at the land owner once again. The landowner calmed himself and said with humility, "Periyavaa! I performed the rudrAbhiSekam for Mahalingaswami atTiruvidaimarudur yesterday. It was a large abhiSekam with mahAnyAsa rudrajapam. This is that prasAdam. Since Periyavaa would be happy, I have rushed here to bring it, boarding a train; you must receive it and bless me."Looking at that prasAda plate sharply for sometime, Periyavaa asked:"Narayanaswami! You are a big landowner yourself. Even then you performed this rudrAbhiSekam for Swami, teaming up with some other people to meet the expenses?"The landowner replied, "No, Periyavaa! I performed it myself, out of my own expenses," stressing the 'myself' part a little.PeriyavaL smiled to himself. He did not leave it at that. "So you did for for lokak Sema at Madhyaarjuna kSetra", he added.The landowner replied with some uncertainty, "No, Periyavaa! For the last twoor three years there was no yield in my fields. Some fields were even barren. I checked up with Tiruvidaimarudur Muthu Josyar. He advised me, 'On a Citrafull moon day perform rudrAbhiSekam for Mahalingaswami. That will give youan abundant yield!' Only on that belief I performed it, Periyavaa".The prasAda that was kept before the sage remained untouched. AcharyaL did not accept it. Saying, "So it seems that you did not perform this act either for AtmArtam or for loka kSemArtam", he closed his eyes and dropped intomeditation . AcharyaL opened his eyes after fifteen minutes. There was such a clarity in his face! And a knowing look of having understood many things within those fifteen minutes. Everyone around was very quiet. SwamigaL continued,"Alright... How many vedic brahmins attended the rudrAbhiSekam?""I had arranged for eleven vedic pandits, Periyavaa!"SwamigaL persisted, "Did you know who were the vaidikaLs and which place they belonged to? Was it only you who made all arrangements?" The devotees who were witnessing the scene were surprised at the detailed inquiry Periyavaa was making. They also understood that he wouldn't do anything without a reason. The landowner took a piece of paper that he had tucked in his waist."I am reading out, Periyavaa. Tiruvidaimarudur Venkatrama SastrigaL, Seenuvasa Ganapadigal, Rajagopala ShrautigaL, Marutthuvakkudi SanthanaVaadyhar, Sundaa SastrigaL, Subramanya SastrigaL, Tirumangalakkudi Venkittu Vaadhyar, and then--"AchargaL interruped him and asked easily, "All experts only, who you have arranged. Alright, check if your list has the name Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL." Seething with happiness, the landowner replied, "It is there, Periyavaa! He also attended the japam", showing surprise in his voice. Though the devotees were taken by surprise at such detailed inquiry about an abhiSekam that was over, no one said anything. Everyone was silent and attentive.SwamigaL said, "Besh, besh! So you had engaged Venkatesa GanapadigaL also for the japam! A very good thing. Maha Veda vid! GanagadigaL is now very aged. Even difficult for him to raise his voice. He would feel it hard to control his breathing and in tone the japam."As if he waited for this remark, the landowner replied, his tone raising, "Yes, Periyavaa! What you have said is very correct. He did not chant the rudram well. Sometimes he was siting silent with closed eyes. Often he yawned. All these resulted in the shrinkage of the counting of the japam numbers. He gave much trouble yesterday. I regretted having engaged him for the japam."SwamigaL swelled with indignation. "What you said... What did you say? So you have the temerity to talk anything because you have the money? What do you know about the yogyatAMsam of Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL? Would you match the dust of the feet of that veda vid? How can you talk such words about him? I have now understood what happenedyesterday at the Mahalingaswami Sannidhi! You answer my question now! When the GanapadigaL was sitting quiet with closed eyes at the time of the japam yesterday, did you not shout harshly at him, 'EngaaNum, are you not getting the money, you are sitting still with a shut mouth without doing the japam?' Tell me, did you shout these words to him or not?" The landowner was appalled. The crowd was amazed. Narayanaswami Iyer fell at SwamigaL's feet, his eight limbs touching theground. SwamigaL did not say anything. The landowner got up himself. He closed his mouth and replied shivering, "My mistake, Periyavaa! It is true that I used the very same words you spoke know to the GanapadigaL in the Swami Sannidhi yesterday. Periyavaa should kindly pardon me."Periyavaa did not stop. "Wait, wait. Did you do that mistake only? You did honour the vaidikaLs with money, right? How much did you give each vaidikaL?"The landowner gulped and said weakly, "I paid ten rupees for each head, Periyavaa."SwamigaL did not leave him with that. "Tell me correctly! I know everything! Did you pay all the vaidikaLs equally with ten-ten rupees each?"The landowner stood silently. But the AcharyaL did not relent. "Listen, I shall tell you what you did yesterday. Perhaps you feel shy to talk it out. You seated the vaidikaLs in a row at the Sannidhi and was giving the sambhAvanA of ten rupees to each of them. When the turn of Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL came, you decided, 'This man did not chant the rudram properly. Why should I give him ten rupees as I did for the others?'and gave him just seven rupees. You had the thought that somehow you had taken revenge on him. Did he care anything about it all? He just acceptedwhat you gave him and tied it to the edge of his vastram." AcharyaL asked him hotly, "Tell me, is not what I am saying correct?"The devotees were stunned. No one did say anything. They wondered how PeriyavaL came to know what took place in Tiruvidaimarudur temple yesterday.The landowner prostrated to the sage and said, "A gross mistake, Periyavaa!It was out of ignorance that I behaved like that! I won't behave in such afashion henceforth! Kindly parden me!"Before he finished, PeriyavaaL continued, "Wait, wait! It would have been less worse had it ended there." He asked, "For the japa brahmins, you arranged for the meals at the house of Ramachandra Iyer of Mahadhana street, right?""Yes, Periyavaa!""You served sumptuous meals, of course, with a feeling of immense happiness.You had arranged for cooking very tasty sweet pongal, with lots of cashewnuts and raisins added to it, and you served it with your own hands, with ghee dripping from it in the meals session, right?"Narayanaswami Iyer was more and more appalled. He closed his mouth and spoke with uncertainty, "Yes, Periyavaa! In the session I served only the sweet pongal with my own hands.""Alright, does your conscience admit that you did it with the dharma for serving a meal?" SwamigaL asked him sternly.The land owner did not open his mouth. AcharyaL said himself, "You need not tell me, I shall tell you! When you served the sweet pongal, since it was very tasty, the vaidikaLs asked for repeated helpings. And you obliged them. But when Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL, giving up his reticence asked you many times, 'Serve me more of the sweet pongal, it is very tasty...' did you not carry on without serving him more, though you heard him? How manytimes did he ask you, giving up his normal reticence! And you did not serve him more! You committed the sin of partiality in a meals session! Was it dharma?You insulted a great sadhu!" SwamigaL fell into silence, overwhelmed withdistress.The land owner stood with bowed head. The devotees were amazed and speechless. Closing his eyes and folding both his legs behind him, AcharyaL sat up right. His divine frame looked like the Lord Parameswara Himself. He sat motionless.Fifteen minutes passed by in complete silence. Then AcharyaL opened his eyes. Everyone was silent. AcharyaL continued his talk, looking at NarayanaswamiIyer: "MirasudarvaL! You should know one thing. GanapadigaL is eighty-one years of age now. He had done rudra japam in countless kSetras since his sixteenth year. Sri Rudram is always coursing his veins and nerves and breath. He is such a mahAn. The way you behaved to him is an act of great sin... anact of great sin!" PeriyavaL stopped, unable to continue further, and closed hiseyes.He resumed again after sometime: "Your act of partiality in the meals session affected him deeply. You know what he did? I shall tell you, listen. He did not go back to his native place Thepperumaanallur yesterday evening. Instead, he went to Mahalingaswami temple. He did pradakSiNa of the outer courtyard three times. Went straight to Mahalingaswami and stood before Him. You know what he prayed for, joinng his palms?" PeriyavaL couldn't continue. He steadied himself and then resumed his talk."With tears streaming down his eyes, he spoke to the God, 'Appa, Jyoti Mahalingam! I am your steadfast devotee. Since my early days I have recited mahAnyasa rudra japam countless times in your sannidhi. You have listened to it. I am now eighty-one years old. I have the mental strengh, but that strength is gone in my speech! It can't be that you wouldn't know what happened this afternoon when we were dining. I asked that landowner manytimes, leaving my shyness aside, for more of that pongal, since it was very very tasty. Though he heard me, the landowner moved away as if he did not hear my request. You know that I have an immense fondness for sweet pongal. Though I asked him out of temptation, I was grieved that he did not serve me more.'But then only after I had finished my meals, washed my hands and sat on the thinnai it occurred to me whether I could have such a jihvA sabalam at this age. Which is the reason I am now standing before you, Appa Mahalingam! With you as the mediator, I take a vow from this moment. Everyone gives upsome favourite edible when they go to Kasi. It is only You who is in Kasi, as well as here. Therefore I take a vow before you that I will not touch the sweet pongal or any other sweet dish from now on until my soul goes out of the body! This is a promise Mahalingam.' With that vairAgya pramANam he said, 'Appa Jyoti Mahalingam! I take leave of you now," and did shASTaaN^ganamaskaram twelve times. Tears were flowing down GanapadigaL's eyes, as he left for his place. Now, you tell me... What you did was dharma? Will Mahalingaswami agree to it?"Periyavaa stopped. It was then three o' clock in the afternoon. "I don't want any bhikSA today", said SwamigaL. No one moved from there. Not even for their lunch. Total silence prevailed. Tears were seen in everyone's eyes. The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer stood transfixed. He could not raise his tongue to speak. Everyone's wonder was, 'How does Periyavaa narrate everything that happened yesterday at Tiruvidaimarudur as if he witnessed them personally?'Falling down to Periyavaa's feet, the landowner started sobbing vehemently. His tongue slurred as he said, "Periyavaa! What I did was a great sin! I did it out of vanity. Kindly pardon me. Never again shall I behave this way in my life. You should say 'I have pardoned you'!" The landowner patted his cheeks loudly.AcharyaL did not open his mouth. The landowner was persistent. "I pray to you, Periyavaa! You should accept this Mahalingaswami rudrAbhiSekaprasAdam. Kindly pardon me!" He pointed his hands towards the prasAdam plate.AcharyaL said, "Let it be, let it be there. That Mahalingaswami Himself will give me the prasAda anugraham."Before he finishd his words, a voice was heard outside the crowd: "Make way, make way!" Everyone moved to make way.Only a tuft of hair knotted at the end on the head. A bright five-folded dhoti on the waist, with a silky green cloth covering it. A large rudraksha garland on the neck. A noble man who could be around sixty-five years old,arrived near PeriyavaL, carrying piously a brass plate on which was the prasAdam preserved in a silk cloth. He submitted the prasAdam platereverentially to AcharyaL and said, "My name is Mahalingam. I am the arcakA of Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswami temple. Yesterday a rudrAbhiSekam was performed for Swami. A landowner conducted it. My eleder sister is given in marriage to this place. I came to submit the prasAdam to AcharyaL and then look her up. Periyavaa should do me the anugraham." SwamigaL prevented him as he proceeded to prostrate.Saying "You people have been given shiva dIkSA, you shouldn't do namaskaram to me", AcharyaL accepted the prasAdams brought and asked the Shivacharya to be given the MaTham's honours in return. Meantime, the SivacharyaL saw the landowner who was standing at some distance. "Periyavaa, it is this man who had conducted the rudrAbhiSekam there yesterday. He has come him selfcome here!" With these words, Mahalingam Shivacharya left the place, taking leave of the sage.The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer again prostrated AcharyaL and patted his cheeks loudly. He pleaded, "Again and again I pray to you, Periyavaa. It is agreat sinful act I have committed. Only you should tell me the remedy for this act."SwamigaL got up briskly. "I cannot tell you the remedy for this. Only Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL can tell you the remedy.""Will the GanapadigaL tell me the remedy for the deed of this paavi,Periyavaa?", the landowner asked with grief.SwamigaL said in a slightly raised voice, "If you have the prAptam, he will certainly tell you!" and hurried inside. He did not come out at all. The landowner waited for a few hours. And then, having come to a decision,he left the place and arrived at Chingleput boarding a bus. He caught a train and arrived at Tiruvidaimarudur on the next morning. He finished his bath inthe Kaveri river there and with firmness of heart started walking towards Thepperumaanallur. He walked briskly with the resolution that he would somehow meet Venkatesa GanapadigaL, fall shASTaaN^gam at his feet, ask for his pardon, perform the remedy he would suggest and obtain paapavimocanam.The landowner entered the Thepperumaanallur agrahAram. He inquired the first man he came across, the address of the GanapadigaL. The man pointed to a house on the street before which was a crowd of people and said, "You have come to offer your condolences? That is the home of Venkatesa GanapadigaL. Early this morning, he suddenly passed away. A painless, peaceful death. Go and have a look."Narayanaswami Iyer was stunned. He felt as if someone had hit him on the head. The firm words of AcharyaL at the MaTham yesterday seemed to ring in his ears. If you have the prAptam, he will certainly tell you!" He now understood that PeriyavaaL known yesterday itself that the landowner would not have the prAptam.The landowner went to GanapadigaL's house, offered his condolences, and prostrated to the gross body of the GanapadigaL, seeking his pardon mentally.Then he moved away from the place. Later, the landowner met with different kinds of adversities and happened to lose all his wealth. He went North and did service at the temple kitchens, finally arrived at Kasi kSetra and attained his mukti there