Sadasivam was a man who belonged to Salem. He was a bachelor. He spent his days, hiring a room in a hotel. He had immense bhakti on the Mahan.

A very large homam (fire sacrifice ritual) was conducted in the year 1990 at Kanchi Matham, Salem. Vedic experts and pundits from outstations had been invited for the occasion. Their count exceeded sixty. The homam was held continuously for eleven days. It was only Sadasivam who ensured that the flowers needed for the homam were supplied without any hitch.

The homam was completed auspiciously. The next thing that the organisers had to do was to start for Kanchi, along with the teertha pots and the maha raksha (the homam ashes that served as protection), submit them to the Mahan and get his blessings. Three notables accompanied the Vedic pundits in three vans to Kanchipuram. Sadasivam, who was responsible for the flower works, also went with them.

There were good rains en route to Kanchipuram. At length they all reached Kanchipuram with the articles of the homam. Everything including the kalasha neer (water in the pots) were kept before Periyava. His face showed immense happiness when he looked at them, being the one who was well familiar with the phala (fruits) and bala (strength) of this homam.

Asking for a kalasha neer to be brought to him, the Mahan went inside, chanted some mantras and sprinkled the water from the pot over his head.

As he came out and sat, he took the large garland brought for him and wore it over his neck. He took the flowery crown in his hands and had a look at it. It was made with a lot of decorations. The Mahan raised a question, "Who made this?" The people who came in the vans pointed Sadasivam to the Sage, who came out of the crowd wearing a lungi over his waist with a red shirt covering his upper part.

Maha Periyava covered his head with the crown. "Does it look good?" he asked, with a smile blossoming in his lips.

Unable to speak in words, the people around nodded their head in affirmation, expressing their happiness and bowing to the Mahan.

Meanwhile, Sadasivam removed his shirt and went and stood before the Mahan. He did not know what to say to the Mahan. His palms remained folded. Tears gushed from his eyes in streams. The Mahan took the flowery crown from his head. He smiled at Sadasivam. Then he asked the man to bow slightly and placed the crown on Sadasivam's head. What a great fortune!

The people around shivered with ecstasy. Until then the Mahan had only given this honour of placing a flowery crown with his own hands only to a well learned pundit.

Perhaps he thought that it was right to bless a devotee who worshipped him with flowers!
Shankara!

Source: periva.proboards