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Monday, January 6, 2014

Maha PeriyavaaL who ruled over me-01

Maha PeriyavaaL who ruled over me
devotee:...... T.A.Bhashyam, North Mada Street, Chinna Kanchipuram
author:....... T.A.Bhashyam
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 6, pages 1-12
publisher:.... Vanathi Padhippaham (Jun 2008 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil 

Pages 1-5

The fortunes I obtained worshipping Maha PeriyavaaL are many and varied. Every time I went for darshan, I had filled my eyes with and felt happy at the sight of his graceful compassion that he showed towards all his devotees.

When Periyavar stood in blessing at Kollarchatram, two old smArta brahmins came in darshan of him.

After the usual inquiries, he asked, "A sAma veda pAThashAlA was run in your village, wasn't it?"

"Yes, we both studied our Veda only there..."

"And then, I went to seek another job..." Both of them stood with their heads down.

"At least something of what you studied is in memory?"

"No..."

"Will come to mind. Both of you recite now..."

There was no other go, they got stuck with PeriyavaaL. They couldn't say "No we can't recite" decisively, for that would be construed as a big apachAram (disrespect).

"HariH Aum", they started, and that was followed by a pravAham (gush) of susvara sAma gAnam (melodious Sama Veda songs) for a quarter of an hour.

They were themselves surprised that they could sing sAmagAnam without a single discordant note.

Later when giving them prasAdam, he said, "If you recite the brahma yajna prashnam daily, what you have studied won't be forgotton." They took leave promising to do as advised.

*** *** ***

Sitting inside in the Kollachatram, Periyavar was talking to his bhaktas.

He stopped suddenly and said to a disciple, "A yAchakan (beggar) who has lost both his legs is going in the street with a kakSha daNDam (crutch supported by the armpits). Call him."

The beggar came and stood near the entrance. Periayar looked at him and ordered that a dhoti-towel be given to him.

A beggar going in the street--how did he come in the sight of Periyavar sitting inside?

*** *** ***

A turbulent situation in SriLanka. The Tamilians could not live without fear. Various kinds of constraints. Some of them who saught refuge in Tamilnadu came for darshan of PeriyavaaL.

It was then only a week after a leader of the SriLankan Tamils, Padmanabha, was murdered. A frightful tumult ensued in SriLanka.

A long queue for PeriyavaaL darshan on that day. When the turn of the Lankan Tamils came, they started talking about their sufferings just falling short of shedding tears. Periyavar looked the very personification of compassion.

"Leaving all your properties, you people have come just to escape from the situation? How is your jIvanam (life) here? If you return, would you get back your properties?"

Perhaps nobody talked to them with such kindness! Those people narrated the situation in Lanka in a heart-rending manner. PeriyaaL's words of sympathy were precious remedy to the bruises of their hearts.

"Peace should return to your nation... You people should get back your properties!", he blessed them with these words.

People awaiting their turn in the queue started feeling irritated (by this long interview). When an attendant of the MaTham explained to them, "We all can come back again another day and have darshan of PeriyavaaL if it is not possible today. But just look at the fate of these people...", the people in the queue were pacified.

*** *** ***

A few days before PeriyavaaL went for paramapadam (samAdhi), he was talking about our divya prabandha ghoSTi (Divya Prabandha Group).

"You have a shikhA (tuft of hair), lakShaNam (appropriate) to look at. If everyone in your ghoSTi keep a shikhA and do the prabandha sevA it would be blissful to look at", he said.

Some of the members who heard these words keep a tuft and do anvayam (associate) in the Group. "The day will come soon when everyone sports a tuft in accordance with PeriyavaaL's abhilAShA (desire)", I told him.

*** *** ***

The time when PeriyavaaL's shatApt (hundredth year) celebrations were held. He asked our ghoSTi to come over to the MaTham and do the Divya Prabandha service.

We recited arranging the divya prabandha pAsuras as koyil, tirumalai, and perumAL koyil.

When we stopped at a place, PeriyavaaL said, "Do the sevA of 'kaNNinuT chiRuttAmbu'." We were all surprised, because when the entire nAlAyira divya prabandham is about PerumAL, only the eleven pAsuras sung by Madurakavai Azhvar and started with 'kaNNinuT chiRuttAmbu' were in adoration of Nammazhvar. The people of our Group were very happy to realize that since the Azhvars are even more adorable than the Bhagavan, PeriyavaaL ordered recital of that pAsuram of Madurakavi.

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