LOVE IN DISGUISE

Source------KAMAKOTI PERIAVA ( in Tamil)

Author------Sri Charukesi.

Publishers------ Vikatan Pirasuram.

Persons who strictly follow Dharma Sastras, say, that Sastras do not permit travel crossing the sea.

For a certain devotee of Kanchi Periava, Sastras were very close to his heart. When he got a job in a foreign country,, he accepted it, after considering his family welfare and the future. Although he was satisfied with the environment there and the nature of job, he felt guilty that he had ignored the Sastras. To get over this feeling, he used to meditate on Periava daily. How he was blessed by MahaPeriava is narrated here by Akila Karthikeyan.

During a vacation, he decided to visit India. More than the pleasure of meeting with his family, he was very excited to have MahaPeriava’s Dharsan after a long gap.

After landing in Chennai, he hired a taxi and proceeded to Kancheepuram.

At that time, Periava was speaking elaborately with the assistants, on that day’s menu! The devotees, who had come there at that time for His Dharsan were surprised and wondered how much trouble and care Periava was taking even for the menu for the day’s meals , as He had not done so till then! 

Our devotee arrived at that time! He prostrated before Periava ( ‘Saastaanga Namaskaaram’). While blessing him, Periava called some of His attendants and told them to take him and feed him first.

They couldn’t understand why Periava was asking them to feed him first as soon as he arrived. But doesn’t Periava know that His ‘Bhaktha’ had come from abroad to have Dharsan?

When the devotee returned after having his meal, Periava looked at him intently , “Has your ‘Vratham’ been fulfilled?” 

The devotee stood surprised and he couldn’t speak a word! He was repeatedly muttering ‘Periava’, ‘Periava’….. and tears were rolling down his eyes!

With smiling face, Periava said, “ I myself will explain” and continued, “ He is coming from abroad. From the time he left that place, he hasn’t eaten any thing!. He took a ‘Sankalpa’ that he wouldn’t eat anything till he sees me and has arrived here so..”

He turned to the devotee and asked him, “ Am I right?”

Hearing this, all those who were present there, were stunned! And the devotee himself? He just stood there with his heart melting!

Some thing else also happened after the devotee was taken for his meals, and before he returned. Periava asked the other devotees present there, “ What should I ask for, from this man who has just returned from abroad?”

This also surprised them, because, normally He never asks anybody for anything! So they couldn’t answer.

After the devotee returned, Periava asked others, “ Nobody has told me yet as to what I should ask for from him?”, then continued, “ ok! Take him and ask him to buy for me, ‘எள்ளுப் புண்ணாக்கு’ ( the solid remainder after squeezing Til oil which is usually fed to cows as regular food for better milk yield) and stitched leaves.”

The devotee was overwhelmed with joy at the thought that Periava Himself had asked and taken some thing from him.

But the attendants were perplexed and anxious, but were hesitant to ask Him.

But Periava understood their dilemma and explained to them with a smile, “ This man is devoted to me so much that he wants to offer something to me. But Dharma prevents me from accepting anything from him. At the same time , bhaktha is also important to me, isn’t it? I can’t hurt him!,” He stopped for a moment and continued,

“You feed the எள்ளுப் புண்ணாக்கு to the cow in the SriMatam. Then give me the milk from that cow. I shall accept it gladly. Because, once the item passes through the cow’s stomach, its ‘dhosham’ gets neutralized. Anything that passes through cow’s stomach will get sanctified.. Therefore, his desire is fulfilled as I have accepted what he gives.”

While not going against Dharma, He found a way to accept the offering from a devotee, who was so much devoted to Him, and make him happy. 

Who else but MahaPeriava has such love for His devotees?