Pujya Sri Mahaswamy Divya Charitram Part#22

 

Mahodaya Day -1920
Swamigal stayed for a week at Vedaranya during the holy time of Mahodaya in the year 1920. He had holy bath at Kodikarai and visited local pilgrimage like Agathiyampalli. Then he left for Nagapatinam where the residents welcomed him and he stayed in Neelayadakshi temple. Nagai G.Sadashivam Pillai welcomed him with five songs that he had composed on Swamigal.

1920 – Vyasa Puja at Mayuram

Swamigal performed Vyasa puja of 1920 at Mayuram and stayed there for three months. Veda classes were started for around 300 boys who were brahmacharis and going to school. They all used to take a bath in Cauveri before sun rise, perform their morning sandhyavandanam and then head to a tent in the Rajan Gardens where they offered daily prayers to Agni ( Sammithadhanam) before going for more vedic training.

The place was serene and had the appearance of abodes of ancient rishis. On 2nd November, 1920, the head of Dharmapuram Adheenam Srilasri Adheena Karthar visited the mutt and paid their respect to Swamigal. During Swamigal’s stay in Mayuram, an elderly Islamic scholar who was well
versed in Quran, wanted to converse with Swamigal. He was blind in both eyes and Swamigal asked him to come to the mutt around four pm. At that time, there was a sadas of vidwans who were discussing and explaining Hindu philosophy. The place was also crowded with devotees eager to have darshan of Swamigal. After the discussion of the vidwans was over, Swamigal called the muslim scholar near by and asked him to describe the common practices and philosophies of his religion. He turned towards Swamigal and replied with tears in his eyes, ‘ What do I have to say in front of great saint as yourself? All religions show the path to God. I am able to see that Godliness in you and feel it in my heart. Wherever there is love, God can be found there too.’ All the devotees gathered there were astonished to witness the devotion of that Muslim
gentleman.

That year’s Navaratri puja took place at Anai Thandavapuram. Later he went on a pilgrimage around the temples in near by villages such as Thirukadaiyur, Thirupungur, Vaideeswaran Koil where he was received the temple official Sri Somasundara Thambiran. Margazhi puja ( December) in the year 1920 was spent at Seerkazhi. During his stay, Sri Chidambaranatha Mudaliar invited our Swamigal to visit the school that was running. Swamigal graced the school with his presence and appreciated the teachers and
their families for imparting knowledge to the children and he blessed the students also.

During his stay at Seerkazhi, Kunnam Subramania Iyer, Thenpathi Thirunarayana Pillai and other prominent members of the society offered their services to the mutt. Later Swamigal reached Tiruvenkadu, and worshipped Svetaranyesvara there. He also had the darshan of the adhishthana of Sri Parasivendra Swarasvathi Swamy, the 57th Acharya of the Kanchi Sankara Mutt and preceptor of the great yogi Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra.

The Vaishnavite saints have sung about 108 vaishnavite pilgrim centers around our holy land. Out of these, 12 of the holy Vaishnavite temples are in Seerkazhi district. Swamigal visited the twelve Divya Desam and had darshan of Narayana there.

1. Thadalan Koil
2. Thirunagari
3. Thirunangur
4. Vaikunta Vinnakaram
5. Arimeya Vinnakaram
6. SeiKoil
7. Thiruthetri Ambalam
8. Thirumanakoodam
9. Parthanapalli
10. Thirukavalambadi
11. Thiruvallagam and
12. Thirudevanar Thogai

Later he visited Cauveripoompatinam and had a holy bath at the place where river Cauveri meets the ocean.