Experiences with Maha Periyava: Places of Divinity in the Forest

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Places of Divinity in the Forest

That was the day of the transit of the planet Guru. A devotee came to Sri Maha Periyava. "According to my horoscope, Guru has arrived at the house of astronomical nativity. It seems that Shri Rama went to the forest because Guru came to his house of nativity in his horoscope at that time.So it is said that I will undergo heavy hardship. The astrologer says that I should do some shanti-pariharam (appeasement to get relief from planetary afflictions)", said the devotee.

Periyava replied, "There is indeed a view that Shri Rama was exiled to the forest when Guru reached his house of nativity. However, that is not right. Shri Rama was comfortable in the forest... doing tapas (penance), doing sambhashanam (conversing) with the maharshis (great sages), and giving them darshan...

"Let it be. Since Shri Rama went to the forest, you want to do the same, right? There are many kshetras (sacred places of divinity),--vana-kshetras (divine abode in forests), such as Vedaranyam, Swetaranyam, Vilvaranyam, Champakaranyam, Darbharanyam... and so on: Aranyam means forest. You go to one of these Aranyas, stay there for two or three days, have Swami darshan (darshan of God), and come back. You will find mental peace for youself and the astrologer’s words will also become meaningful".

The devotee promised to do so and left the place.

Author: A Kanchi SriMatham attendant
Source: Maha Periyaval - Darisana Anubhavangal - Vol 3
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Periyava’s Foreword For A Book!

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Periyava’s Foreword For A Book!

There was an old lady by the name Parvati. She was very poor. She made her living by selling Kolam (rangoli) books. She had drawn many different kinds of kolam, printed it all in a little book and went from door to door selling it, priced it at fifty paise. She made a rupee or two every day and managed somehow. She was among those that put up in thatched huts near Periyava’s camp. She did not compromise with her orthodoxy. She would follow the camp. A cluster of huts would come up near the camp and such devotees would stay on near the camp for Periyava’s darśan. Every day she was given a small quantity of rice grain and along with a brinjal or a handful of green vegetable which she procured, she would cook herself one frugal meal.

She came to give a copy of her book to my younger sister who was then living in Sarangapani Street in T.Nagar. In the course of the talk my sister told the lady, “My elder brother serves Periyava from close quarters and renders personal service.”

The old lady said “If Periyava gives a Śrīmukham (lit.‟auspicious face‟; refers to a benedictory message) for my book, it will sell well. My difficulties will all come to an end.”

So she came running to me, “My child, you must do this for me, my child . . . you can do this . . . you are always with Periyava” and so on repeatedly.

So, unable to refuse, I took a copy of her Kolam book and left for Rajahmundry where Periyava was camping in.

When I reached the camp and prostrated to Periyava after my ablutions and so on, Periyava asked me, “What brought you here?”

I submitted the reason of my visit.

“Bring the book here, let us see . . .”

I placed the book in front of Periyava. Periyava turned the pages one by one and looked at all the kolams one by one. They were quite beautiful and included kolams of the lamp and so on. Periyava nodded his approval and asked for the learned scholar Sri Ramakrishna Sastrigal, an exponent of the Dharma Śāstra the āsthana vidvān of the Matha. Periyava commanded Ramakrishna Sastrigal to write a Śrīmukham for the book. It was written out formally and placed before Periyava. It said that Parvathi amma was doing a good service by presenting all the traditional kolams, which all could draw in their puja altars and be blessed – it was along these lines, ending with ‘Narayanasmrithi’. I took it back to the old lady who felt immensely blessed and thrilled. But it did not stop there. She printed a thousand copies of the book, took the books to Kapāliśwar temple at Mylapore, sat there and repeatedly called out to every passer-by that her book had been blessed by Periyava with a Śrīmukham and so on. Now who would not want such an auspicious thing in their home? Her book sold out quickly and needless to say, she was relieved of her difficulties.

Seeing all this, another old lady thought of writing a book and seeking Periyava’s Srīmukham to tide over her difficulties. Sometime later she came to me, with the manuscript notebook of Ambāḷ Kummi (traditional dance on the Goddess) Songs. She made repeated requests urging me to get her a Srīmukham.

“You must do this, my child. You are Periyava’s child. I am in such difficulty” and so on. I could not refuse, but I did not even have money for train-fare. My salary was then one hundred and ten rupees. We lived in a small rented place and my aged parents needed to be taken care of. So I went to Gopalapuram Mani’s father and asked for some money. He said he would not spare more than ten or twenty rupees. So I went to Mylapore V.G.Pal.Neelakantaiyer. No sooner did he see me, he exclaimed, “Why, my boy . . . What is it?” I explained my difficulty to him and asked for hundred rupees. “But I will be able to return only ten rupees a money,” I confessed.

“Even if you did not return the money, it does not matter. You are going for Periyava’s darśan that is all that matters.” So taking the note-book I left for Rajahmundry.

When I reached the camp Periyava was getting ready to go the Godavari. “Come with me” he said. After my bath and anuṣṭāna, when Periyava had some leisure I went and prostrated to him.

“You were here last week. You are now back within a few days. You have parents to care for. You have a job. Where did you manage the money? How is it you are back here again?” I submitted the purpose of my visit. I brought the note book. When Periyava had purified himself for anuṣṭāna and japa, he would not touch paper or books.

“Open it . . . “

I opened the note-book at random.

“Read what is there.”

I did. “

Onion sāmbār! Recipe for onion sāmbār!”

“So I am to give a Śrīmukham to this!”

I was a young man then. I could not bear Periyava’s question. I burst into tears.

“Why do you weep, my boy? It is not your fault.

You have only carried the note-book.”

Then as if to console me Periyava said, “It is good that you have come. Sethuraman has left. You can stay on and serve me bhiksha.” So I stayed on for about two months. Then when Seppu Ramamurthi returned, Periyava called me and said, “You had better go back. Your parents need to be taken care of. Get back to your job.”

Periyava did not forget the old lady’s request.

“Go to the office and find how much it will cost to print this book” he said.

I went and made enquiries and learnt that it would cost about three hundred rupees to print a thousand copies. I came back and reported to Periyava.

“Take that money and another three hundred, six hundred rupees, from the Manager and hand it over to the old lady!”

I went back to the office. It was Friday evening. Once the cash, the khazāna was closed, it would not be opened again. Even as I was explaining the matter Periyava himself came there and commanded the Manager to give me the money.

“Go and get two narmadi‟ sarees (lit. jute-fibre spun cloth; traditionally worn by widows; later replaced by coarse, sand coloured handloom cloth) for the old lady. The money alone is not sufficient.”

I did not know where I could get those sarees which old women like that lady wore. “I don’t know anything about these sarees . . .” I said.

“Go to Gowri paati in the Matha and ask her to give you a pair. Take the money and the sarees and give it to the old lady. She has written well. I only mentioned the onion sambār part of it, but she has written about Ambal, kummi songs, the description Śrī Nagara in songs, Meenakshi Kalyanam, all these are so well written. It is not necessary that you mention the onion sambār . . .” Periyava asked me if I had money for my train fare‟. I said “Yes”.

I left the camp and collecting the pair of sarees from Gowri patti in the Sri Matha went to Madras. I handed over the money and the sarees to the old lady.

“Did not Periyava give a Śrīmukham? Why! Is there no Śrīmukham from Periyava?”

“Periyava has given you so much! Look! Six hundred rupees to print the book and for you, a pair of sarees. Why! You will be even better off than Parvati paati” I said. The lady left in such joy!

Narrated by Sri Balu Mama
Source: E-book In the Presence of the Divine Vol II

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Sorry, Uncle!

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Sorry, Uncle!

There is an organisation in America called the Paul Brunton mission, extolling the British journalist who came to see the Sages here. Brunton had Sri Maha Periyava’s darshan and on his advice went to Ramana Maharishi whose gracious glance he received. Every year the students who were members of this association, would visit Kanchipuram and stay on for 10 or 15 days, immersing themselves in Periyava’s blissful darshan.

The Group had come as usual one year. One day, Periyava was seated under the Night-flowering jasmine (Pavazhamalli) tree, which used to be in SriMatham in those days and was giving them the darshan. Periyava was sitting with his eyes closed. The American boys were seated around Periyava with their eyes closed in meditation. It was very silent, not a whisper anywhere. The attendants Balu Mama and Vedapuri Mama moved away and came out of SriMatham. A car came to stop there. A middle-aged couple and their three children got down. It was clear from the clothes they wore that the children were thoroughly westernised. They looked at Balu Mama and Vedapuri Mama who were standing there. Old, discoloured dhoties, hair knotted in a tuft, stripes of sacred ash, rudraksha beads around their neck. The ultra-modern kids found them amusing. “Who are these ancients? Some saints around here it seems? Wonder if he too is like this? Dirty people….uncivilised…..fools….. beggars…..who are they?”

Balu Mama and Vedapuri Mama went away listening to all this. The family of five went in and sat before Periyava. The parents too had never seen Periyava before. They had come shopping for Kanchipuram silk sarees and on their way back thought of dropping in at SriMatham for a short while. But, what were these foreign boys doing around Periyava? Sitting with legs folded, eyes closed and meditating? The Indian children from America began to hold whispered conversation with the American children from America.

Where have you come from? What's special here? How many days is it since you came here?

One of the American boys replied enthusiastically. “We came here with just one purpose. Periyava’s darshan. We come just for that. We believe that he is the incarnation of God. Seeing Him invigorates our soul. It will stay on throughout our lives. This is our good fortune.”

The Indian Children from abroad now saw the light. “Aha! Here are these American boys coming to see the Indian Saint and here are we Indians, knowing nothing about this Saint….What a shame!”

Periyava broke his silence. He made kind enquiries to the couple and their children. The children watched Periyava without batting an eyelid. Some kind of alchemy took place. The children resolved, “From now on, when we come to India, we will not go back without this Saint’s darshan”. When the family came out of SriMatham after receiving prasadam, they spotted Balu Mama and Vedapuri Mama once again. The same old, dirty beggars! But after Periyava’s darshan, they were not dirty any more. The three children said in one voice, “Sorry Uncle!” Beggars before Periyava’s darshan become Uncle after meeting his gracious glance.

Narrated by an attendant at SriMatham
Source: Maha Periyaval Darisana Anubhavangal Vol 3
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Anjalai, Is Your Second Son in Delhi?

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Anjalai, Is Your Second Son in Delhi?

Anjalai worked as a cleaning lady for her daily bread. Poverty had been oppressing her endlessly. She had two children. In the year 1984, the ‘Walking God’ had travelled the length and breadth of Bharath sanctifying the land, and on His return was passing through the village where Anjalai was living.

Her family environment was such that she had never known or realised the greatness of the Mahan. She came to the place where Sri Periyava had His camp, just with the idea of seeing the ‘Samiyar’ (sage) who had come down to her village.

She had taken her two sons also along with her. There was not much crowd at that time with Periyava, so that she could have His darshan without any difficulty.

As she could not be called a ‘devotee’ of Sri Periyava, she came there only as a visitor, saw Him and was about to leave the place with her children.

Sri Sri Sri Periyava asked His attendant, “Ask her, her name!”

She told Him giving great respect that her name was Anjalai, was working as a cleaning lady, and had two sons and started to leave the place again.

“Call her”, said the ‘walking’ God.

He asked her when she came back and stood before Him, “ Your name is Anjalai. Then, You are not afraid of anything?” (In Tamil language “Anjalai’ means ‘Fearless’).

Anjalai was overwhelmed by the Mahan’s look of compassion and was slowly becoming devoted to Him.

Sri Periyava asked her again, “Did you say that your second son was working in Delhi?”. She could only laugh in spite of her pathetic state, poverty staring at her life. Her second son was standing by her side, holding her sari, wearing a torn half trouser and a dirty shirt, and a running nose. Anjalai was just standing there, not knowing what to answer, but Sri Periyava did not bother about it and blessed her.

From that day onwards, Anjalai had the ‘Bhagyam’ of always thinking of Sri Mahan. Without bothering about His strange question about her second son, and not trying to find any inner meaning for that, devotion to Periyava was the foremost thing on her mind.

She would complete her bath and come out of her small hut daily and perform ‘Arathi’ (showing of camphor) towards the sky. Though she thought she was not qualified to possess even a photo of The Mahan in her house, she had the noble thought of His omnipresence, and so performed ‘Arathi’ towards the sky assured that He is everywhere, which no one else had thought of.

Sri Sri Sri Periyava seemed to have blessed her with a strong mind to face any problem she met with in her life, by His question, ‘You are not afraid of anything?’.

Anjalai faced all her problems without any fear whatsoever and after twenty five years, The year now was 2008 and when Sri Periyava’s Aradhanai procession came to her village, was she happy ! Anjalai was telling others who were accompanying the ‘Rath Yatra’ that “Periyavar’ has not left us. Only those who had not understood Him would say that way (that He has left us). I am very certain that He has come here now in that ‘Rath Yatra’.”

There was a young man of about twenty seven, by her side carrying a one-year old child. He had come to his village for offering the child’s hair to the village deity. The young man was Anjalai’s second son and the child, her grandson.

“I am working as an officer in the Ministry of Human Resources and Development in Delhi. We are just leaving for the temple of our family deity to offer my son’s hair to her.”. The second son of Anjalai, whom Sri Periyava had talked about (twenty five years ago) was telling others.

He was blessed on that day itself when the Mahan uttered these words, to go and work in Delhi. Everyone there was thrilled. Anjalai just stood there, with folded hands, tears running down her cheeks, having fully realised the omniscient Sri Periyava, who had Himself come there now as her family deity.

*******

The Philanthropist Who Showed The Way

Another incident narrated by a devotee during that ‘Ratha Yatra’(Aradhana Procession) says a lot about Sri Maha Periyava’s compassion.

Poverty had given him untold miseries. In the same year 1984, when Sri Sri Sri Maha Periyava was camping in the village Thirumankalakkudi, this poor man used to go to the camp. He was ignorant of who Sri Maha Periyava was, nor was he aware of the Mahan’s greatness; therefore he did not develop any real devotion towards Him. But as he was not even having one meal a day, he went to the camp just for filling his stomach. Though his stomach got filled, there was no abatement of his poverty.

If Periyava moved out of the camp, then he would be deprived of even that one meal in the noon. Being unable to maintain the family with about five members, and constantly troubled by debts, lack of income, he found no other solution to all these except committing suicide.

Having taken this decision, he decided to go and have the darshan of the sage of Kanchi, whom everyone is praising, before ending his life.

Like Anjalai, he also reached Kanchi not with any hope but purely with the idea of ‘just’ seeing Periyava, and then return to end his life.

He just stood before Sri Periyava, without saying anything.

Sri Periyava looked at him with His natural compassion. Sri Periyava, who was a ‘Sarvagnar’ (one who knows the past, present and future), put a question to him, “What is your next programme?”

What could a poor man who was just standing at the brink of life, answer ? Could he tell Him of his decision to end his life?

“I do not know what to do Sami! I have to return to my place only”. There was a hint of longing in his tone if he would not get some solace.

“I will give you the bus charge. Do not directly go to your place. Go straight to Madras (Chennai) from here, get down at Parrys corner, and take a bus from there to your village.” Periyava instructed him.

He also told His attendants to give him bus charge from there to Madras and from Madras to his village.

Not understanding why this ‘Samiyar’ was asking him to go towards east to Madras and then from there to his village, instead of directly to the village near Vellore, which was in the west, he obeyed His order.

He got down at the Parrys corner in Chennai and walked in search of the bus which would take him to his village. There came a person as if he was a messenger from God. He was his friend! He was so happy on seeing him after a very long time; he took him to a hotel for a sumptuous tiffin. He was very hungry and ate the food happily. When the friend enquired about his family, he just could not control himself and poured out all his woes and sobbed.

Was he not the friend whom Sri Parameswaran Himself had sent? He consoled him profusely. He agreed to clear all his debts and gave him money and promised to look after him and his family.

Having come out of an utterly pathetic stage of his life and having got a job also, he conducted his daughter’s marriage after twenty five years. When Sri Sri Sri MahaPeriyava came here now in ‘Shila Roopa’ (in the form of idol), he poured out this incident, shedding tears of gratitude.

The devotion we place on such a compassionate God, who voluntarily blesses us, will protect us and grant us all prosperity.

Source: Sri Periyava Mahimai Newsletter – July 31 2009
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Who Left the Vilva (Bael) Leaves Here? (An incident that made Maha Periyava melt)

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Who Left the Vilva (Bael) Leaves Here?
(An incident that made Maha Periyava melt)

Once Kanchi Sri Maha Periyava undertook his divya darshana yatra with His entourage to Sri Saila kshetra which is known as the 'Dakshina Kailash'.

When they reached Kurnool, Acharyal was given a grand reception at the borders of the city. Sri Maha Periyava was accommodated in a bhajan mandapa where He gave a discourse on Sanatana Dharma in Telugu to the large gathering of devotees. At the end of the lecture, He gave the devotees His blessings and prasadam and continued on His yatra.

As they were at a small distance away from Kurnool, it started drizzling and increased to heavy rains in no time. The devotees of SriMatham and the palanquin bearers (called bhogis) prayed to Maha Periyava to sit inside His mena and not get wet. But Acharyal did not accede. He said, "When all of you are walking drenched, only I should come in the palanquin? No, I too shall walk the same way like you!" and started walking fast. A Shiva temple became visible at a calling distance. Maha Periyava visited the temple with his entourage, where He was given a warm welcome with the honour of purna kumbham. After everyone towelled and changed into new clothes, they had darshan of the Lord of the temple. When the darshan was over, the rain had also stopped, and they resumed their journey.

After they passed a distance of seven or eight miles, a fertile Zamin village was sighted. All the people in the village with their family and children came to the boundary of the village and welcomed Maha Periyava with purna kumbham. Thereafter, the Zamindar of the village prayed to Sri Maha Periyava with humility: "Our village should become holy, sanctified by the holy feet of Maha Swamigal. You should stay here for a few days. There is a large choultry here with facilities for your stay and puja punaskarya. A clean puskarani is also nearby."

The entire village prostrated to Maha Periyava and prayed. Acharyal was moved by their Atmarta bhakti. He gave them His anugraha and announced to their immense happiness that He would stay with them for twenty one days.

The village wore a festive look on the next morning. Arrangements for the ChandraMouleeswara puja were done, Acharyal having left for His bath in the nearby pond. The aged SriMatham karyasta asked the youth who were doing the arrangements with anxiety: "Endappa! You people have arranged for a large samruti of flowers, but then there are no vilva patra (bael leaves) among them! How can Maha Periyava do the Sahasra namarchana without them?"

The youth stood, wringing their hands. The karyasta did not leave them at that. "Endappa, if you stand mute like this, will the vilva leaves arrive of their own accord? Go and tell the village people about the requirement of three-leaved vilva clusters for Sri Maha Periyava's ChandraMouleeswara puja and ask them to bring large numbers of them in bamboo baskets. Get someone who understands Telugu and talk to them. If that does not convey it properly... show them the nirmalya leaves we have--the remains of the earlier pujas done by Maha Periyava, and ask them to bring the leaf clusters!"

The youth came out with a person who spoke Telugu, bringing with them the nirmalya vilva leaves. They showed them to the people in the village and requested them to bring the leaves within the next half hour. The people told them that they had never seen a tree that has clusters of three leaves on a single stalk. The village Vedic pundits also confirmed that there were no vilva trees in their village.

Sri Maha Periyava arrived, finishing His bath. The puja articles were ready in the centre of the hall. The first question Maha Periyava asked on having a glance at them was, "Endappa! Have you arranged for the vilvam for archana?"

The Matham karyasta hesitated. Acharyal asked, "Why, what's the matter? Aren't vilva patras available in this place?" The karyasta said in a soft voice, "Yes, Periyava! The village people and the Vedic pundits here say that there are no vilva trees in this place."

Maha Periyava smiled to himself. It was 10:30 in the morning. Periyava walked hurriedly towards the backyard of the choultry. He entered the cattle shed of the cows. He climbed and sat on a rock of black stone found there, and lapsed into meditation. The SriMatham notables were worried that the bhiksha vandanam for ChandraMouleeswara and Periyava might stop for want of vilva leaves. Tears started welling up in the eyes of the karyasta. The news reached the Zamindar who sent people to search for the vilva trees in their place, but was disappointed. The time was 11:30 at noon. People had gathered around the cattle shed, waiting silently with anxiety. The sight of Maha Swamigal in meditation on the rock reminded them of saakshat Sri Parameshwara sitting in the Kailash mountain. Suddenly they saw a SriMatham devotee coming from the entrance, carrying on his head a large basket. His face was full of happiness. He chucked the basket down in the hall--and what a wonder, the basket was full of vilva leaves! Everyone was happy at the sight and Maha Periyava whose meditation was disturbed descended from the rock.

His first question to the karyasta was: "The vilvam for the ChandraMouleeswara puja has arrived now (right)? Besh, let us get inside."

Maha Periyava took a few leaves in His hand from the basket. They sparkled with the lushness of green. Acharyal asked His karyasta, "Who plucked these leaves with such care that not a single cluster of them is defective? People said that there were no vilva trees in this region. Did you ask where these leaves were plucked?"

The karyasta looked at the man who brought the vilva basket. That youth said, "Periyava, I casually went to the entrance and noticed that this basket was kept on the eastern side under the pandakkai. When I rushed and checked, it was full of vilva leaves, Periyava."

"That is alright, but did you ask who brought it and placed there?"

"I asked Periyava, but nobody among those assembled there had any idea."

"Then who could have placed it there?" asked Acharyal laughingly. No one had anything to reply. As He moved towards the puja spot, Acharyal smilingly turned and said, "Perhaps our ChandraMouleeswara Himself has brought the leaves?"

Maha Periyava started the puja. His archana to Sri ChandraMouleeswara with the lush green vilva leaves made everyone rapturous. The prasadam was distributed after the puja. In the evening, Acharyal held an upanyasa on Srimad Ramayanam in Telugu. The entire village listened to it with happiness. On the morning of the next day, a bhajan troupe of that village sang and danced with ecstasy at the entrance of the choultry. The entire village wore the look of an occasion of wedding. Acharyal went to the pond with some of the people of the Matham.

The karyasta who was busy with some work at the backyard asked the youth who brought the vilva leaves the previous day, "Endappa, lots of vilva are required for today also. You seem to be a lucky man. Check if anyone has left a basket under the pandal staff today also."

The youth ran to the entrance. What a wonder! Like the previous day, there was a basketful of vilva leaves kept in the usual spot! The youth carried the basket happily and reported to the SriKaryam (manager), "I found this basket at the same spot today also; don't know who kept it there and when was it placed."

SriKaryam was surprised and confused as to who was bringing the vilva leaves with such secrecy. Acharyal returned. When He noticed the vilva leaves kept ready for puja in the hall, He turned His face meaningfully at SriKaryam. The man prostrated to Acharyal and said, "Yes, Periyava. Another vilva basket at the same place today also. Nobody knows who kept it there."

Maha Periyava completed the ChandraMouleeswara puja. When He finished His bhiksha and was sitting in solitude, He called SriKaryam and told him, "You should get up early tomorrow morning and do one thing. Take someone with you, and check without anyone seeing you. Find out who is leaving the vilva basket. And bring that person to me. You need not ask that person anything. You understand?" Periyava smiled. SriKaryam gave an affirmative nod, prostrated to the sage and moved away.

On that evening also, Swamigal's Srimad Ramayana upanyasa was held. As before, the entire village listened to it happily. It was early morning the next day. The bhajan troupes of the village had gathered and were singing merrily at the entrance to the choultry. SriKaryam and his two assistants stood hiding behind the large banyan tree at the entrance and were keenly looking at the pandal. At 8:30, a boy emerged from the mango groves on the eastern side. He had a large, dry basket on his head. He sported a tuft of hair and wore a dirty dhoti tucked under this thighs as moola kaccha. He looked here and there, went near the pandal staff, and chucked his basket down and started turning back. SriKaryam ran and stood before him. The boy's hands and legs started shivering as he looked at the man before him. He immediately prostrated to the man who asked him, "Is it you who kept this vilva basket here for the last two days?"

The boy nodded yes to this question.

SriKaryam told the boy, "Alright. Go and have a bath, tie your tuft properly, wear what you usually wear on your forehead and come here in the afternoon. I shall take to the Periya Saami. You can get his blessing. You come looking bright, without this dirty dhoti, understand?" The boy nodded yes and ran away.

SriKaryam narrated the event to Periyava, who said, "Besh, besh! For the last two three days, he has been doing a large service. Shall bless him and give prasadam", and left for his bath.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon. As ordered, the boy came. SriKaryam pointed him who was standing hesitatingly in the corner of the courtyard wall, to Periyava and said something. Maha Periyava called the boy near him. The boy came near him, prostrated and stood with folded hands. Achayal had a laugh, looking at the boy's appearance, who looked bright with vibhuti streaks on his forehead and all over the body, wearing a white dhoti as moola kaccha, and a tuft of neatly tied hair. Periyava asked him to sit down in the courtyard, but he did not sit.

"What is your name?" Periyava asked him in Telugu.

"Purandara Kesavalu", he replied clearly in Tamil. Acharyal was surprised as he said, "Besh, you talk Tamil well! What was the name you said?"

"Purandara Kesavalu (nga)." The boy spoke his name slowly and clearly.

Periyava raised his brows as he asked him, "You talk in Tamil!"

"My story, you should listen to it, Saami..." His eyes were full of tears.

"Besha. Tell me, tell me..." Periyava urged him. Purandara Kesavalu started talking.

"My native place is Usilampatti (nga), near Madurai. Within two years of my birth, my mother passed away in an illness. From that time, only my father raised me. When I was six years old, he came to this region with me to earn a living. He got the job of tending the cattle in the Zamin of this village. I did not read or go to school. But I have learned a lot from my father. My father was very fond of music. He would sing the songs of Purandaradasaru and Tiruvaiyaru Thiyagarasa Saami very well. He has also taught me to sing and I too can sing those songs. Because of his liking for music he named me Purandara Kesavalu. He is no more now. Two years since he attained his moksham (liberation). I am tending the Zamin cattle now. They feed me in the Zamin and pay me. I am now twelve years old, Saami."

Periyava was moved at his words and asked him with surprise. "Alright. Since there is no vilva tree in the surroundings here, where did you get this much of vilva?"

Purandara Kesavalu replied humbly. "There is a large growth of grass and shrubs on the foothills at three miles from here, Saami. From the days of my father, we used to go there and let the cattle browse. There are three large vilva trees there! My father would bring me the leaves of those trees and tell me, 'Elay Purandara, this leaf is called vilvam. It is ambuttu (such a) vishesham-daa (speciality), to perform puja to Sivaperuman with this leaf! Have a look.' That was in my mind Saami. When I saw the people of this Matham show a sample of this leaf on the day before yesterday and ask for a lots of them, I understood immediately, ran to the place and brought them in a basket. Since I feared that if you came to know that the leaves were brought by a cowherd boy, you might not accept them for puja, I kept the basket here without anyone knowing it. This is the satyam Saami!"

Moved further at the words, Acharyal kept silent for some time. Then he said with affection, "Purandara Kesavalu, what do you want? Tell me what your wish is. I shall ask it to be fulfilled from the Matham."

At the Sage's words, Purandara Kesavalu exclaimed, "Siva, Siva!” patted his cheeks and said, "Saami, my father used to tell me, 'Purandara, we should not desire for anything in this world. But we should wish for only one thing.' I have two wishes now. If you permit me, I shall speak one of my wishes now. The other one I shall ask you on the day you leave this place, Saami." The boy's eyes filled as he prostrated and rose.

Periyava went melting. He urged the boy, "Come on, tell me what your wish is." The boy said hesitatingly, "It is nothing else, Saami. My father has taught me a number of songs of Purandaradasa Saami and Thiyagarasa Saami. I should sing them before you Saami, till you stay here! You should listen to them and grace me!" Acharyal was immensely happy at the boy's wish.

"Purandara Kesavalu, definitely, you sing here. I shall listen to your songs. I shall ask everyone to listen to them. You come every day in the afternoon at three o' clock. Sit down and sing before me. Let ChandraMouleeswara Swami's grace be with you." Periyava blessed him. "You will rest in properity."

Purandara Kesavalu went happy. Acharyal persisted. "This is alright Purandara Kesavalu. Say what your other wish is, let's hear it."

"When you leave this place, I shall pray to you with that wish, Saami", he replied with respect. Swamigal asked SriKaryam to give him prasadam and a lovely tulasi garland. Purandara Kesavalu was very happy to wear it. He prostrated to the Sage and took leave. From the afternoon of the next day he started to come and sit down on the courtyard floor and sing the keertanas of Sri Purandaradasa and Sri Thiyagaraja known to him. Maha Periyava listened to his singing, sitting in the hall. His voice was sweet. Periyava corrected the pronunciation mistakes the boy made in singing.

It was the twenty first day of their stay. After completing Sri ChandraMouleeswara puja and taking His bhiksha, Maha Periyava started from that village. Coming out of the choultry, He gave a lecture of blessing to the people who had gathered to bid Him farewell. Everyone was in tears listening to his parting words. Then He moved away with His entourage, but Acharyal suddenly remembered something and looked back at the choultry. Purandara Kesavalu was standing sobbing under the pandal there, his hands around a staff.

Maha Periyava asked the boy to be brought to him. He came running, prostrated on the ground and got up. The Parabrahmam looked at him with affection, smiled and said, "Purandara Kesavalu! For the bhakti, shraddha, jnana you have, you should rest in prosperity. You spoke about your other wish on that day! What is that, my boy?"

Purandara Kesavalu said: "When I was tending the cows with my father, he used to tell me, Saami: 'What should we pray to God, you know? We should pray, 'God, I don't want maru poravi (another birth); I should go to moksham (liberation); you should give me your grace (for that). For that we should live with satya and dharma. If you meet any Mahan in any of the times, you pray to them to get you moksham.' You should get me that moksham, Saami."

That Parabrahmam was surprised to listen to such words from the mouth of a twelve year old boy. Then He said with a laugh as He blessed him, "Don't worry. At the apt time, Bhagavan will you give you the blessing for the attainment of that moksha." Acharyal called the Zamindar of the village and told him, "Inform SriMatham immediately about anything that concerns this Purandara Kesavalu", and left the village. Everyone came up to the boundary of the village to bid farewell to Sri Maha Periyava.

It was a day several years later, and the time was around two in the afternoon. Acharyal, who was conversing with devotees in Sri Kanchi Matham, suddenly rose and came out of the Matham and started walking briskly. People followed Him. He halted at the Kamakshi Amman Pushkarani and took bath. Then He started chanting something with closed eyes, standing in the waters of the pond. An hour later, He did another bath and japam. In this way, He repeated the sequence for seven or eight times, until it was six in the evening. Before He climbed the steps of the bathing ghat and sat on a step, a person from the Matham came running and stood before Him. Acharyal looked at him inquisitively. He said, "A telegram from Kurnool. Says that Purandara Kesavalu is seriously ill. Don't know who this person is, Periyava."

Periyava told the people around him, "That Purandara Kesavalu is no more now! He had his kalagati just a little while before. When I stayed in their village he asked me on the last day to get him moksha. I told him that he would get it by the grace of ChandraMouleeswara Swami. Suddenly he took ill with some terminal fever and was suffering now, anxious about his moksha. In the order of things, he should take another six births to attain moksha. I did the japam and prayed for him that somehow he (would skip the remaining births and would attain moksha. Purandara Kesavalu is a good Atma!" With these words, Acharyal started walking briskly back towards SriMatham.

The people of the Matham stood transfixed with amazement on the steps of the pond!

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Feb 17, 2007
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb

Experiences with Maha Periyava: The Sethji and His Terminal Illness

Experiences with Maha Periyava: The Sethji and His Terminal Illness

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He sensed my thought and said, "Nothing can be done in his matter! Take him away. Ask him to be devoted to God, do good deeds and God will save him!"

I became a little bold and said, "He is doing such good things for years together now. Is there no parihara at all? Everything should have a parihara! Don't our Dharma Shastras provide vimochanas for curses and sins? In God's creation, should there not be a parihara for everything? You should kindly give him your anugraha." I argued strongly in favour of the Sethji.

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

"Will he do what I ordain for him?"

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

"If he doesn't do it?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I was happy that my act had a happy ending.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"It is the Shakti of Dharma Shastras of our country that has saved him, is it not?" he said. Neither I nor has anyone ever heard Him declare at any stage that it was His or was done by Him. After knowing about this miraculous incident, the experts from the Western countries started crowding to seek His darshan.

This incident was narrated by Mukkur Srinivasa Varadacharyar Swamigal, the man responsible for Ashtalakshmi Temple in Chennai.

Source: Paramacharyar
Author: 'Paranthaman' (V.Narayanan)
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb