Foresight

author:....... Ananthan, Chennai-29
compiler:..... T.S. Kothandarama Sarma
source:....... Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol.2, page 275-280
publisher:.... VAnathi Padhippaham (May 2005 Edition)
type:......... book, Tamil 

During January 1966 MahASvAmigaL was camping in ElAvUr. As an invitation came from there, I went to ElAvUr and had darshan of MahASvAmigaL.

As he informed me that as an unprecedented event a mahAnADu--conference, where all the MaThAdhipatis of TamilnADu would participate was to be held in Chennai, he ordered me, "You should come with us to that mahAnADu and jot down everything that is spoken there." I carried out his orders.

*** *** ***

That mahAnADu took place in the office building of the Commissioner of the Hindu Charitable and Endowments Board, on the dates February 6 and 7, 1966 at Chennai. All the events scheduled for the two days, both morning and evening, took place without any scope for any sort of problems arising.

On the first day of the mahAnADu, in the morning, before the conference started, MahASvAmigaL did something that removed any scope of mental tension, agony, bitterness, and ego of superiority, among the conference delegates; it eased everyone's mind and made it happy. Why, it formed the entire base for the success of the mahAnADu. Put in other words, it could also have been felt as the explanatory note of ShrIMaTham's siddhAntam--principle.

*** *** ***

This mahAnADu was convened by the Commissioner of HR&CE. A government function. In this festivity, there was no scope for allowing anyone to sit anywhere as they pleased.

Among the MaThAdhipatis who were the delegates, as to who should be seated in the centre, what kind of seat should be provided for him, who is to be seated to his left and right--for such things, there is a Government Order. Only according to the Ranking List mentioned in that Protocol, seats were arranged in the conference hall and the names of the MaThams were also written for them.

For the starting event of the mahAnADu, MaThAdhipatis of MaThams located at TiruvAvaDuturai, Dharmapuram, ToNDaimaNDala AdhInakartas, TiruppanandAL, KAnchIpuram, Madurai, KundrakkuDi, Mayilam and so on, came one by one to partake the event. The Commissioner welcomed each of them individually according to protocol and brought them to the conference hall. KAnchi MahASvAmigaL too came. He made a survey of the arrangements in the hall with an all-round glance. He is a kalA-vittaka--expert in the art, of making sweet with his pleasant look, any tight atmosphere. With a smile crawling on his face he walked towards the seat allotted for him. All the other MaThAdhipatis too walked towards their seats.

Like one who gets into a pond to take bath would part away with his two hands, the moss that covered the water surface, and like one who would genttly dust the floor with his upper cloth before he sits there, MahASvAmigaL with his hands pushed back the seat allotted for him by the government officials, and sat on the floor at that spot.

The next moment all the other MaThAdhipatis, without sitting on the seats provided for them, sat on the floor of the conference hall. The bhUmi--ground, became the samasthAnam--seat of equivality, for everyone.

What to speak of the adhishayam--wonder, that KAnchi MahASvAmigaL, 'the jnAnamUrti who stood beyond the book of Vedas', through his foresight and subtle knowledge, demonstrated the great truth, "parampoRuL--Brahman, is only one. So what superiority is there for us who live on this earth because of our wealth, or kulam--lineage? What inferiority is there? All of us are of one kulam, one inam--species."

KAnchi shrI MahASvAmigaL was one who stood as the svarUpam--embodiment, of kalAs--arts. Artistes went to him and worshipped. He too honoured them, supporting them with great love. Many of the kalAs ran towards that kalAsAgara--ocean of arts, and did-saMgamam--merged, themselves.

*** *** ***

During the year 1957-58, KAnchi shrI MahASvAmigaL did-vijayam-to--visited, Chennai. The vyAsapUja was performed in the Sanskrit College, Mylapore, Chennai.

After the puja of the night session, he would do upanyAsam--lecture. I would jot down in shorthand, his words of nectar without leaving out anything and then write them back in long hand. Later, they were published in (the magazine) 'KalaimagaL' under the title 'AchArya SvAmigaL upadeshangaL'.

*** *** ***

One day, the event of shrI MahASvAmigaL visiting RAjA ANNAmalaipuram was scheduled. En route, at the junction of the Nallappan street and Adam street, we were waiting for PeriyavAL's arrival. The mEnA--palanquin, came. Giving pUrNakumbham, we bowed to PeriyavAL. Calling me suddenly, PeriyavAL asked, "nI engE ingE--How come you are here?" I pointed out to Nallppan street and said, "I am living in this street." He asked for the mEnA to proceed through our street. The kAraNam--reason, was not known. Before we could run to our house, open the doors and light the lamp, the mEnA had come there.

Calling me near him, he said, "You said you have written a book of shorthand in Tamil? Bring it, let us see."

Going inside my house, I brought the manuscript of the book and submitted it to him. Leafing through every page, showing no hurry at all, with a speck of smile lingering in his face, he glanced through that book until the last page. His face shining like a lotus flower, when he said, "As suitable for Tamil, you have written the book, relating the P in Pitman to (the Tamil alphabet) 'pa' and M to 'ma'", his subtle power of knowledge that took everything at a glance made thrilled us in ecstasy.

"Has this book been published?" he asked me. "No", I said. Taking the bhilva garland from his shiras--head, and placing it on the book, he gave it back to me.

The TamilnADu government itself published this book in 1964. Its 4th editing coming out in 1998, adding honour to Tamil and the Tamil world. Such is the power of grace of that deivam--god!