Pujya Sri Mahaswamy Divya Charitram Part#55

 

11. Kerala Tour

Swamigal arrived at Palghat on the 2nd May, 1927 where he toured the eighteen agraharams and stayed for a month. He blessed the residents of the agraharams and then visited nearby villages. During Swamigal’s stay in Palghat, the mutt’s needs and arrangements were taken care by Dr.Sankaranaryana Iyer. Accepting the invitation of the king of Kozhangodu, Swamigal visited there and stayed in the palace for three days.

Every village visited by Swamigal had a festive appearance. The residents of Kerala heard Swamigal speak Malayalam and thought he was a Keralite. Vyasa puja in the year 1927 was held at Kanjikodu, situated close to Palghat, where Swamigal stayed for two months.

Swamigal visited a pilgrim center at Parai in Kerala and spoke the Sthala purana of the place to the devotees gathered there. The story of the pilgrim center is as follows.

Significance of Saranga water

Malayala country was created by Parasurama who had cursed anyone who entering the land. When Sri Rama was banished to the forest, he traveled near Kerala border, took a bath in the river Vazhaiaru, without knowing about the said curse crossed the river and asked Lakshmana also to join him. Lakshmana refused to come as he was
aware of the curse. Rama was astonished to see this extraordinary reaction from Lakshmana who was well known for following his brother’s footsteps. The younger one reminded Rama of the curse. Rama thought about this problem as he was affected by this curse which could be rid of only by taking a bath in the holy waters of Ganga. But it would take him at fourteen years to go to Ganga to take a bath. So he decided to bring Ganga to that place itself. He took an arrow and shot it towards the earth. The arrow split the earth to its core and Ganga gushed out and Rama along with Lakshmana took a bath in its waters. Having heard this story some years ago, Swamigal also took bath in this holy water.

Thirupugazh Mani

During Swamigal’s stay in Palghat, the lawyer from Chennai, T.M.Krishnaswamy Iyer brought his disciples to have darshan of Swamigal and performed Thirupughazh bhajans with his group in Swamigal’s presence. Our Swamigal would be pleased to hear anyone sing in praise of Subramanya. When he heard Krishnaswamy Iyer sing Thirupugazh with such great devotion, he was very pleased and bestowed a Kashmiri shawl and the title “Thirupugazh Mani” on him. Krishnaswamy Iyer was very proud of having received such an accolade from an august person , none other than his own Gurunathar.

Meeting with Gandhiji

Towards the second half of the year 1927, Mahatma Gandhi toured southern India to campaign for the Congress party ideology as well as raise funds for the party. He had heard from the editor of ‘The Hindu’ A.Rangaswamy Iyengar and S.Satyamoorthy about our Swamigal’s noble qualities such as clarity of ideas, broadmindedness and acceptance of all irrespective of their caste or creed. He was resolved to make use of this opportunity to meet and converse with Swamigal. This historical meeting took place on the 15th of
October, 1927 at a cow-shed, in the village of Nellicheri (Palghat). Just one or two others were allowed in the place and the press was not given permission to go near the cowshed.

Gandhiji prostrated before Acharya, as per tradition and his heart immersed in the glowing presence of our Swamigal who was clad in saffron colored dhoti and seated on the floor. Silence prevailed there for a little while. Then Swamigal spoke in Sanskrit, invited Gandhiji to come nearby and take a seat. Gandhiji sat down on the floor and replied that he could not speak in Sanskrit, only in Hindi, but can comprehend Sanskrit words. Swamigal conversed in Sanskrit and Gandhiji in Hindi. Swamigal conveyed his appreciation to Gandhiji on his service to the nation keeping in mind that political rule based on spirituality would nurture a nation and one based primarily on human strength would lead to destruction. He praised Gandhiji for preaching this principle to the whole world. Regarding letting Harijans enter temples, Swamigal was concerned that majority of the people in this country have beliefs in old system and rules prescribed by Shastras and they would be hurt and such actions would result in Himsa only. The conversation lasted for an hour and Swamigal frequently praised Gandhiji’s frank and open hearted expression of his opinions. Finally, when Gandhiji took leave, he said he was greatly benefited by having darshan of Swamigal and would keep his suggestions in mind and act upon them as much as possible.

It was 5:30 in the evening, and Rajaji went inside the shed and reminded Mahatma about his evening meal; as Gandhiji would not take food after 6 pm. At this, Mahatma observed, “The converstion that I am having with the Acharya is itself my evening meal for today”. Swamuga gave Gandhiji a grapefruit which Mahatma received with devotion and said it was his favorite fruit. That evening, Mahatma was asked to reveal the details of his conversation with the Swamigal when at a public meeting in Coimbatore. Gandhiji refused to reveal the conversation as it was a private meeting and matters close to his heart were discussed and that is why the press was not allowed in the shed. Swamigal also did not divulge any details about this conversation.