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