“Won’t you invite Periyava?”

 [“Won’t you invite Periyava?”], was her question to her beloved husband, Kalakadu Sri Ramanarayana Iyer. His reply was a bit of ridicule.

It was around 1959-1961. Periyava was camping in Chennai and was visiting some homes around Smt Ramanarayanan’s neighborhood. Hence she posed this question, as her husband visited Sri Matam at Kanchi regularly. Sri Ramanarayanan is a musician (vocalist) by tradition in the lineage of prime-shishya of Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar. Sri Ramanarayanan has composed ‘Sri Lalitha Sahasra Nama’ as ‘Sri Lalitha-Geetha-Narayanam’, a musical version of the same. He has composed the same as 38 different songs. Each one of them has a unique set of NamAs of the AmbAL.

Sri Ramanarayanan was the ‘AsthAna-VidwAn’ of Sri Sringeri Peetam’ and he regularly sings the same during the ‘NavarAthri’ festival at Sringeri Matam. He had the privilege of singing the same at the Sannidhi of Periyava and even got ‘AstaLakshmi-ThodA’ from the hands of PuduPeriyava.

Going back to பெரியவாளை கூப்பிட மாட்டேளா? , the question rasied by his wife, he replied ridiculing her as “ஞானசூன்யமே!” [“GnAna Soonyam!”]. Why so???

Periyava was in Chennai. Though initially Periyava wasn’t visiting any houses, later Periyava visited few houses in Chennai.

“இவ்வளோ தூரம் ஆச்சார்யாள் பூஜைக்கெல்லாம் போறேளே, அவாளை கூப்பிட மாட்டேளா? …எல்லார் ஆத்துக்கும் பெரியவா வராளே!” [“You’re going for pooja at Matam so much, won’t you invite Periyava to our house? …He is visiting many houses!”], asked Smt Ramanarayanan.

“அட ஞான சூன்யமே! உனக்கு அவ்வளவா தெரியல… நான் கூப்பிடனும்னு இல்லை… அவர் கும்பிடற காமாட்சிதான் இங்கே இருக்கா! அவராவே இங்கே வருவார்… அவருக்கு தெரியும்!” [“Hey GnAna-Soonyam! You don’t know much… There is no necessity… Sri Kamatchi, worshiped by HIM is here! He will come by Himself…He knows!”]

He made special decoration to Sri Kamakshi in his pooja room not with any expectation but with the determination that Periyava WILL visit their house!!!

One day, Periyava came to Sri Kesava Iyer’s house, a neighbour to Sri Ramanarayanan Iyer. Periyava came out of the neighboring house and was taking the ‘தேங்காய்’ [coconut] from Poorna kumbaam from few who stood there, but didn’t visit anybody else.

Everyone thought Periyava is about to enter Mena (Palanquin). Suddenly, Periyava turned to the side of Sri Ramanarayanan, “இங்கேதான் இருக்கியா?” [“Are you living here?”]

He nodded his head. He know his ‘நடமாடும் தெய்வம்’ (Nadachi Devudu – Walking God)!
Instantly, Periyava entered their house. Blessed them and left.

Once, Periyava sent Sri Ramamurthy Mama, one of His Sevaka to see if Sri Ramanarayanan Mama can visit the Matam for the next 48 days to teach ‘Sri Lalitha-Geetha-Narayanam’ to Sri Ramakrishnan (PurvAsrama brother of PuduPeriyava) and Sri Kumar.

Sri Ramanarayanan Iyer requested Sri Ramamurthy Mama be at his residence for sometime to observe his position and communicate the same to Periyava. Added that he’d hear what Periyava says once the situation is communicated.

Sri Ramamurthy Mama came in the morning and stayed till 2pm. He found that continuously students were coming to learn music from Sri Ramanarayanan Iyer. Seeing this, Sri Ramamurthy mama informed the same to Periyava.

Instead of asking Sri Ramanarayanan Iyer to visit Sri Matam, Periyava decided to send Sri Ramakrishnan and Sri Kumar to Sri Ramanarayanan Iyer’s house for learning ‘Sri Lalitha-Geetha-Narayanam’.

Sri Ramakrishna Mama and Sri Kumar Mama had almost completed their learning. So they tried to take the advice of Periyava about where to conclude their learning. Before that, everyone including Kalakadu Sri Thyagarajan, son of Sri Ramanarayana Iyer had come to Periyava’s sannidhi and sang once. Periyava blessed him with a long garland like that of ‘Sri Andal’ to Sri Kalakadu Ramanarayana Iyer. He was overwhelmed with emotions and couldn’t continue.

“சுதாரிச்சின்ன்டு பாடு!”, Periyava blessed him. He continued and completed singing ‘Sri Lalitha-Geetha-Narayanam’ with them.

Periyava then blessed them all and they all left. Later, Sri Ramakrishnan Mama and Sri Kumar Mama checked with Periyava where to conclude their practice (Poorthi) of Sri Lalitha-Geetha-Narayanam.

Periyava gave a reply that tells scores about the Bhakthi of Sri Ramanarayanan Iyer!

“அவா ஆத்துல காமாக்ஷி இருக்கா… அதனால அங்கேயே பண்ணிடு!” [“Kamakshi is there at his home… So do the completion there itself!”]