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Remembering Maha Periyaval – Concluding Part 3

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dhumakethu

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Namaskaram,

It had been a rare privilege to share a few of the illustrious incidents connected with Kanchi Sri Mahaswamigal with you. Utmost honesty and modesty had been attempted throughout the entire exercise. You can find part 1 and 2 in the following links.

Part 1:
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/chit-chat/3088-remembering-maha-periyaval.html

Part 2:
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/chit-chat/3172-remembering-maha-periyaval-part-2-a.html

The concluding part is given below. As a concluding note may I pray that we are all blessed with a meaningful religious life by Sri Mahaswamigal.

- Dhumakethu

“Aachara Seela”

Little do we know of what is ‘Aachara’ and ‘Anachara’ in a strict bramhinical orthodox sense. The following narration was experienced by my guru Swargiya Parasuram Chandrasekhara Sastrigal. It is sure to draw out tears from the eyes of the readers at the Karuna Samudram that Kanchi Sri Mahaswamigal was.

On a shiny, windy day afternoon Sri Mahaswamigal went and sat under a tree at Tenambakkam (near Kanchipuram) where he had been camping for a long time. He had rested his ‘dandam’ at the root of the tree and was looking at the skies. A strong wind blew and the ‘dandam’ fell to the ground. A cowherd who was grazing cattle nearby came running, took the ‘dandam’ and placed it before swamigal and said, “Sami ! Sami ! your stick has fallen. I picked it up as you need it”, and ran away.

[A little note here: The ‘dandam’ is a staff which sanyasi behold always. It has a folded up cloth at the top which is very sacred and cannot be touched, taken or put down as one wishes. No one should touch it as it contains the concentrated power centre of that sanyasi. The folded cloth is called “Brahma sutra” which can be made ready only by a few pundits specially trained in it.]

Sri Swamigal went into a “Kaashta Mouna” (no speech, no movements, no signals or signs and not looking at anyone; like a statue). The mutt sent for three pundits who knew how to prepare a new ‘dandam’. It so happened that one of them had performed “Pitru Karma” that day and hence cannot join the other two, till the next morning. Sri Mahaswamigal was stationed motionless unaware of anything.

On the next day, the pundits prepared the new ‘dandam’ with reverence and brought it to the presence of Sri Mahaswamigal in the afternoon. He broke his “Kaashta Mouna” and accepted it after laborious rituals. On completion, Sri Swamigal’s first words after 30 hours or so, to the pundits were, “From early morning you all have not taken anything. Go and have some food first.”

“We have not eaten from morning but because of that stupid maatukara payyan (cowherd) you have not had anything from yesterday,” exclaimed in agony one of the pundits.

“Why scold an innocent boy? Maybe he was a Yogi or a Rishi in his previous births. He has taken away all my ‘Tapas’ with a single touch of the ‘dandam’”, replied Sri Swamigal.

How are we to interpret this statement?

“Religion begins where reasoning ends”. ‘Acharam’ and ‘Anacharam’ become redundant with Sri Mahaswamigal’s blessings. It appears that we should take the lesson not to reprimand for any ‘Unacharam’ caused without intentions. We are at least not hurting another ‘Atman’ for an act already done.
[I can see your invisible head nodding at the other side]

That trust in trust

All of us trust in many things in our daily life. We trust that our future will be good, our children having a bright future, the loyalty of our wife, friends, etc. Trust in many things keeps the momentum of our life going.

But, while we trust the bus driver’s skills – we do not ask him to produce his driving license every time we board a bus – our trust in God is many times put to severe tests. To have trust and forget about it calls for the highest level in human evolution. Sri Mahaswamigal displayed it many a times and the incident narrated goes back to not less 45-50 years!

Unable to remember the source this is dedicated to that noble soul.

While Sri Mahaswamigal was camping in a very small village near Kaveripakkam (in the national highway between Chennai and Bangalore) this incident is said to have taken place. It was the practice in those days that Guru Dakshina (tribute to Guru), mostly in coins, used to be counted and sent to Kanchi Mutt. For expenses, funds used to be received from the mutt only. Rarely a portion of the collection money used to be taken for expenditure at the direct instructions of Sri Swamigal.

The Shiva leela commenced when the flow of visitors’ number became far and few. Despite repeated requests by Sri Srikantan who was managing everything, funds from the mutt was negated by Sri Mahaswamigal with a standard reply, “Bhagawan padi alappan” (God will take care)

“How is god going to help when the daily food management itself is a problem and the voluntary Kaanikkai (contribution) from devotees is less than 1 Rupee everyday?” was the wonder for Sri Srikantan. Meanwhile a tourist bus from Andhra broke down near Kaveripakkam. Spares had to be brought from 30 miles (not kilometers) away. The repair work was sure to take not less than 3-4 hours. Not knowing what to do, the tourists got down from the bus and were straying here and there. A shepherd boy approached them and asked, “Samiyarai paakka poringla ?” (Are you going to see the Swamigal?)

They eagerly approached the place where Sri Swamigal was camping. Each devotee offered “kal ana” (1/16th of a rupee), “arai ana” (1/8th of a rupee) as “Guru kanikka”. While returning, they found a few tourist busses parked near their bus which were also from Andhra. They had stopped to find out whether any help was required. When they heard about Sri Swamigal, they also went to have darshan.

The “Guru kanikka” now became a huge pile of coins. Next day when the employees sat down to count the coins Sri Srikantan ordered, “We’ll put it in a sack and send it to the mutt. Let them count and account it there.” A sack was brought and the coin heap was taken in a ‘padi’ (a steel vessel used for measuring rice, wheat, etc) to be dropped into the empty bag. From behind Sri Mahaswamigal approached and told, “Srikanta ! I told you ‘Bhagawan padi alappan’. Ippo padi alandhuttana ?” pointing his finger at the measuring vessel (‘padi’) which Sri Srikantan was holding in his hand. The pun on the word “padi” figuratively means blessings as well as a measuring iron vessel in material terms.

Sri Mahaswamigal had quit the scene but now the sanctity or purity of the incident is rejoiced by all of us now (me and you) after nearly half a century.
 
To know more about the grace and mercy of 'Maha Periyavaal', please read this book.

1. Title of the Book : Kanchi Mahanin Karunai Nizhalil

2. Author: Raa. Venkatasamy

3. Publisher: Ananda Vikatan publications,
757, Anna Salai, CHENNAI - 600 002.

4. Edition: First - July, 2005

5. No. of Pages: 237

6. Price: Rs.50

This is a priceless treasure and must be in every one's house. It vividly describes so many miracles performed by the Kanchi Sage, without the knowledge of third parties.
No publicity was also given, as long as his physical body was on this earth.

I invite the responses of our members who have already read this and also those who read this, after seeing this post from me.
 
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Dear Shri. Pannvalan,

To know more about the grace and mercy of 'Maha Periyavaal', please read this book.

1. Title of the Book : Kanchi Mahanin Karunai Nizhalil

2. Author: Raa. Venkatasamy

3. Publisher: Ananda Vikatan publications,
757, Anna Salai, CHENNAI - 600 002.

4. Edition: First - July, 2005

5. No. of Pages: 237

6. Price: Rs.50

This is a priceless treasure and must be in every one's house. It vividly describes so many miracles performed by the Kanchi Sage, without the knowledge of third paties.
No publicity was also given, as long as his physical body was on this earth.

I invite the responses of our members who have already read this and also those who read this, after seeing this post from me.

Thank you very much. Will try and get this book. There are also any number of miracles listed under "Devotees experiences" in the site Hinduism Sanathana Dharma and Vedanta: presented by Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham : kamakoti.org
 
Till the time we get the book . we would definitely like to know more about Maha Periyaval. It is in deed a treasure which should be shared and passed on for generations to come.
 
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