“He don’t even know ‘Saa…’ ‘Paa…’ “

Every 1st of Jan, all musicians including vocal artists used to come and sing at Periyava’s sannidhi. This seems to have an unwritten custom among themselves. In one of the gregorian new year, everyone sung at Periyav’s sannidhi.

Periyava blessed them all , gave prasad and sent them away. After some time Periyava called Sri Kannan Mama  Sri (Paattu) Ramamurthy Mama told, “They say seven swarams…but origin is said to be only five places. In the song ‘Naatha Dhanumanisam Sankaram…’ he says seven swarams came from five faces: Sadyojaat, Vaamdeva, Tatpurusha, Aghora and Ishana. Ask them how?”

First, they went to Sri Vaasudevaachar at Kalakshetra. He is a senior even by age, at that time  also has a good command over sanskrit. His dialogues with Periyava have made people to wonder how pleasant sanskrit could sound  mean, if used for verbal communications. Periyava has called him ‘Aasu-Kavi’. He has written songs on Periyava. He however pleaded guilty  said that He heard from his Guru that only 5 swarams but he didn’t know the reason. And sought Periyava to clarify.

Next, they went to Karaikudi (Veena) Sri Sambasiva Iyer. He also said similar thing. Also requested that only Periyava should enlighten them else they’d be shamed, if someone ask that question.

Next, Sri Madurai Mani Iyer – “Nobody would be able to spell out the meaning..Everyone is singing  so do I…”

“Periyava is Eswaran!”

“He is ‘Nadha Dhaumanisam…  What ‘Sankaram’ mean is only Him!”

“Only Periyava has to explain…”

Same way checked with Maharajapuram Sri Viswanatha Iyer.

Next day each one called other over phone arrived at Periyava’s sannidhi. Sri Kannan Mama informed Periyava.

“Have they come for answering?” asked Periyava.

Then Periyava came out and gave darshan, “What answer have you brought?”

First, Sri Vasudevaachar, “Not knowing this basic is a big mistake for all of us…Only Periyava has to clarify..”

Maharajapuram Sri Viswanatha Iyer, “Everyone of us is taking some money and singing… Somehow music is feeding us…”

Periyava, “Venkatapathy has written Chatur-thandi-prakasigai… Wondering, if anyone has seen such works…”

Periyava said, “Though people say seven colors, red is not (actually) part of it… They use red light for film development, it doesn’t affect it…”

“Similarly, white is also not included in the color…Finally, there is only one color for Ambal, which is red and in the same way there is only one color for Paramaeswara, which is white”…Even for me this is only hearsay..”

‘Saa’, ‘Paa’ are called ‘Prathi-swaram’   aren’t part of Swaram!”

On hearing it, everyone shed tears & did ‘namaskaram’. Every singer once on stage do check with ‘Saa… Paa…”

If someone is not fit we used to say, “He don’t even know ‘Saa…’ ‘Paa…’ “

Vidwans said after coming out of the darshan, “with this explanation from Periyava, now we can go and say all about this to outside..