Experiences with Maha Periyava: Maha Periyava as Lord Vaidyanatha

Periyava was camping in Madras Sanskrit college. He was suffering from chest pain. The ayurvedic medicines he took did not reduce the pain. The Manager was worried. Hesitatingly he told Periyava, “If you allow me, I will send word to Dr.Vaidyanathan in Alwarpet. I somehow feel that if he comes and sees, it will be better.”
Surprisingly the request was granted. Dr. Vaidyanathan came and checked the pulse after wrapping His hand with a silk cloth. It was normal. He checked the blood pressure. It was very high. “Periyava, BP is very high. You must take medicine immediately.”
“OK.OK. You come back and take the tests again after half an hour.”
The tests were taken after half an hour only to find that it had become too low. Periyava with a knowing smile said.”Half an hour ago, you tested and said that the BP was very high. Now you are saying it is very low. What happens when BP is high and what happens when BP is low?”
Dr.Vaidyanathan said “If BP is high, it will lead to hemorrhage and there is danger to life. If it is low, then people faint and fall down. That is also dangerous”.
Periyava asked like a child, “But, No such thing has happened to me. Neither hemorrhage nor fainting”.
The doctor was scratching his head. “That is very surprising to me! BP going up just like that and immediately coming down does not happen usually. I think …..Your body must be totally obeying your commands”.
This is what happens when you try to treat Lord Vaidyanatha himself……..

 

Source: Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Compassion of the Guru

A few decades ago, Maha Periyava was staying at Sri Kalahasti, a great pilgrim centre in the country. One night around 9 pm, he started walking fast in a particular direction, without informing anyone. His disciples who followed Him, were actually running. After walking a few miles, they came to a place covered with thick, thorny bushes. He asked the volunteers to remove the bushes, and that was done with great difficulty. To everyone’s surprise, they found a Panchamukha Siva Lingam there. What prompted the preceptor to go to that place on that night is still a mystery. Perhaps, Brahma prayed to have a darshan of the Guru and the Guru answered the prayers of his devotee! According to His direction, after sometime a temple was built there, which can be seen even today.
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Sri Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagavathar, the revered Guru of the famous singer Yesudas, lost his voice due to throat cancer. He took a vow to Lord Guruvayurappan, stating that he would donate all his earning from his music concerts if he was blessed enough to regain his voice. He was cured and regained his voice and he adhered to the vow he made to the Lord. When he called on Paramacharya, he made a fervent appeal to bless him so that he would die only while he was performing at his home town. As he wished, the singer departed from this world when he was singing in his birth place. There is no parallel to the overwhelming compassion of the great Guru.
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It was in the early 1960s when there was a war between India and China. The family members of an army officer in Triplicane did not get any communication for months, despite repeated requests to the Defence Department. They were unable to assure whether the concerned officer was alive. So the family presumed that the officer was dead. The wife was provided a place on the veranda and a date was fixed for performing the ceremony to tonsure her head.
Periyava visited Triplicane at that time. All the buildings wore took a festive look, decorated with mango leaves, plantain trees etc, except the army officer’s. His Holiness and His disciples, including my friend Sri A.T.Raman, walked through all the streets. When He came in front of the officer’s house, He stopped for a while and asked the inmates to send the Sumangali. It was a shock for them. However, the officer’s wife came out and prostrated at His feet. He gave her kumkum prasadam and asked her to adorn her forehead with it. He told that she need not worry and assured her that her husband would return safely within five days.
Maha Periyava’s utterances have never been made in vain.
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A couple was in great distress as they could not get a suitable job for their well qualified son, in spite of strenuous efforts. They called on Periyava and expressed their anguish. His Holiness asked them to call on the General Manager of a State Bank and tell him that they were asked by Him to do so. Accordingly, they met him and gave the details. There was a photo of Periyava on his table, well decorated with fragrant flowers. The news was a very great surprise to the General Manager, as he had not met Periyava before. Immediately, he stood up and paid obeisance to Periyava with great reverence. How His Holiness could refer his name was not understandable to him. He immediately issued an appointment order to the candidate, giving inexpressible joy and happiness to the frustrated parents. Soon the General Manager went to Kanchipuram for the first time to have darshan of Paramacharya, and received His blessings.
Author: Sri Arcot Easwaran

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Paramacharya Stuns a Landowner!

On a Chitra full moon day, many years back, an abhishekam was performed in a grand manner with Mahanyasa rudra japam at Sri Mahalingaswami temple, Tiruvidaimarudur. The person who conducted it with 11 Vedic pundits was the landowner Narayanaswami Iyer of Tiruvarur. The rudrabhishekam that started at eight in the morning came to a completion at around one in the afternoon.
The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer was extremely devoted to Kanchi Maha Periyava. He decided that this rudrabhisheka prasadam should be submitted to Periyava somehow. He reverentially kept the prasadam on a banana leaf and folded it inside a new silk cloth. That same evening, he boarded the Madurai Madras passenger train at Tiruvidaimarudur railway station. He got down at Chengalpat station in the early morning, took a bus and arrived at Kanchipuram.
There was a large crowd at the Matham on that day. After finishing his bath and other chores, the landowner waited for Periyava's darshan. At about 12 o'clock at noon, Maha Periyava came and sat down, after finishing his Chandramouleeswara puja. The crowd of devotees rushed forward. The landowner couldn't approach Swamigal. He showed the prasada bag and begged everyone, "All of you please make way! I have brought Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswamy rudrabhisheka prasadam for Periyava. I have to submit it to him."
No one seemed to give way. An employee of the Matham who saw the anxiety and haste of the landowner, created a way for him among the people and brought Narayanaswami Iyer near Periyava. When he saw Periyava, the landowner became insensate, dropped down heavily for a prostration and got up. Maha Periyava looked at him raising his head. He raised his brows as if he inquired what the matter was.
With his hands shaking, the landowner babbled, unpacking the prasadam bag, "prasadam, prasadu Periyava". "What prasadam?" asked Periyava and looked at him. In the meantime, the landowner managed to extract the prasadam. He kept it on the cane plate he found there and submitted it to Periyava. On that plate were found in a small banana leaf, vibhuti, kumkum, sandal paste together with some vilva dalam (leaves), two parts of a broken coconut, and some poovan banana fruits.
Maha Periyava asked, "All these are prasadam of which kshetra?" and looked at the landowner once again. The landowner calmed himself and said with humility, "Periyava! I performed the rudrabhishekam for Mahalingaswami at Tiruvidaimarudur yesterday. It was a large abhishekam with Mahanyasa rudra japam. This is that prasadam. Thinking Periyava would be happy, I rushed here to bring it, boarding a train; you must receive it and bless me."
Looking at that prasada plate sharply for some time, Periyava asked: "Narayanaswami! You are a big landowner yourself. Even then you performed this rudrabhishekam for Swami, teaming up with some other people to meet the expenses?"
The landowner replied, "No, Periyava! I performed it myself, out of my own expenses," stressing the 'myself' part a little.
Periyava smiled to himself. He did not leave it at that. "So you did for Loka kshema at Madhyaarjuna kshetra", he added.
The landowner replied with some uncertainty, "No, Periyava! For the last two or three years, there has been no yield in my fields. Some fields were even barren. I checked up with Tiruvidaimarudur Muthu Josyar. He advised me, 'On a Chitra full moon day perform rudrabhishekam for Mahalingaswami. That will give you an abundant yield!' Only on that belief, I performed it, Periyava".
The prasada that was kept before the Sage remained untouched. Periyava did not accept it. Saying, "So it seems that you did not perform this act either for Atmartam or for Loka kshemartam", he closed his eyes and dropped into meditation.
Acharyal opened his eyes after fifteen minutes. There was so much clarity in his face! And a knowing look of having understood many things within those fifteen minutes was on his face. Everyone around was very quiet. Swamigal continued, "Alright... How many Vedic Brahmins attended the rudrabhishekam? "
"I had arranged for eleven Vedic pundits, Periyava!"
Swamigal persisted, "Did you know who the vaidikas were and which place they belonged to? Was it only you who made all arrangements? "
The devotees who were witnessing the scene were surprised at the detailed inquiry Periyava was making. They also understood that he wouldn't do anything without a reason. The landowner took a piece of paper that he had tucked in his waist.
"I am it reading out, Periyava.
Tiruvidaimarudur Venkatrama Sastrigal, Seenuvasa Ganapadigal, Rajagopala Shrautigal, Marutthuvakkudi Santhana Vaadyhar, Sundaa Sastrigal, Subramanya Sastrigal, Tirumangalakkudi Venkittu Vaadhyar, and then--"
Periyava interrupted him and asked easily, "All experts only, whom you have arranged. Alright, check if your list has the name Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa Ganapadigal. "
Brimming with happiness, the landowner replied, "It is there, Periyava! He also attended the japam", showing surprise in his voice.
Though the devotees were taken by surprise at such detailed inquiry about an abhishekam that was over, no one said anything. Everyone was silent and attentive.
Swamigal said, "Besh, besh! So you had engaged Venkatesa Ganapadigal also for the japam! A very good thing. Maha Veda vit! Ganagadigal is now very aged. Even difficult for him to raise his voice. He would feel it hard to control his breathing and intone the japam."
As if he waited for this remark, the landowner replied, his tone raising, "Yes, Periyava! What you have said is very correct. He did not chant the rudram well. Sometimes he was sitting silent with closed eyes. Often he yawned. All these resulted in the shrinkage of the counting of the japam numbers. He gave a lot of trouble yesterday. I regretted having engaged him for the japam."
Swamigal swelled with indignation. "What did you say... What did you say? So you have the impudence to talk anything because you have the money? What do you know about the yogyatamsam of Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa Ganapadigal? Would you match the dust of the feet of that Veda vit? How can you talk such words about him? I have now understood what happened yesterday at the Mahalingaswami Sannidhi! You answer my question now! When the Ganapadigal was sitting quiet with closed eyes at the time of the japam yesterday, did you not shout harshly at him, 'Engaanum, are you not getting the money, you are sitting still with a shut mouth without doing the japam?' Tell me, did you shout these words to him or not?" The landowner was appalled. The crowd was amazed.
Narayanaswami Iyer fell at Swamigal's feet. Swamigal did not say anything. The landowner got up himself. He closed his mouth and replied shivering, "My mistake, Periyava! It is true that I used the very same words you spoke know to the Ganapadigal in the Swami Sannidhi yesterday. Periyava should kindly pardon me."
Periyava did not stop. "Wait, wait. Did you do only that mistake? You did honour the vaidikals with money, right? How much did you give each vaidikal?"
The landowner gulped and said weakly, "I paid ten rupees for each head, Periyava."
Swamigal did not leave him with that. "Tell me correctly! I know everything! Did you pay all the vaidikals equally with ten-ten rupees each?"
The landowner stood silently. But the Acharyal did not relent. "Listen, I shall tell you what you did yesterday. Perhaps you feel shy to talk it out. You seated the vaidikals in a row at the Sannidhi and was giving the sambhavana of ten rupees to each of them. When the turn of Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa Ganapadigal came, you decided, 'This man did not chant the rudram properly. Why should I give him ten rupees as I did for the others?' and gave him just seven rupees. You had the thought that somehow you had taken revenge on him. Did he care anything about it all? He just accepted what you gave him and tied it to the edge of his vastram." Acharyal asked him hotly, "Tell me, Is not what I am saying correct?"
The devotees were stunned. No one said anything. They wondered how Periyava came to know what took place in Tiruvidaimarudur temple yesterday.
The landowner prostrated to the Sage and said, "A gross mistake, Periyava! It was out of ignorance that I behaved like that! I won't behave in such a fashion henceforth! Kindly pardon me!"
Before he finished, Periyava continued, "Wait, wait! It would have been less worse had it ended there." He asked, "For the japa brahmins, you arranged for the meals at the house of Ramachandra Iyer of Mahadhana Street, right?"
"Yes, Periyava!"
"You served sumptuous meals, of course, with a feeling of immense happiness. You had arranged for cooking of very tasty sweet pongal, with lots of cashew nuts and raisins added to it, and you served it with your own hands, with ghee dripping from it in the meals session, right?"
Narayanaswami Iyer was more and more appalled. He closed his mouth and spoke with uncertainty, "Yes, Periyava! In the session I served only the sweet pongal with my own hands."
"Alright, does your conscience admit that you did it with the dharma for serving a meal?" Swamigal asked him sternly.
The landowner did not open his mouth. Acharyal said by himself, "You need not tell me, I shall tell you! When you served the sweet pongal, since it was very tasty, the vaidikals asked for repeated helpings. And you obliged them. But when Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa Ganapadigal, giving up his restraint asked you many times, 'Serve me more of the sweet pongal, it is very tasty....' did you not carry on without serving him more, though you heard him? How many times did he ask you, giving up his normal reticence! And you did not serve him more! You committed the sin of partiality in a meals session! Was it dharma? You insulted a great sadhu!" Swamigal fell into silence, overwhelmed with distress.
The landowner stood with his head bowed down. The devotees were amazed and speechless. Closing his eyes and folding both his legs behind him, Acharyal sat upright. His divine frame looked like the Lord Parameswara Himself. He sat motionless.
Fifteen minutes passed by in complete silence. Then Acharyal opened his eyes. Everyone was silent. Acharyal continued his talk, looking at Narayanaswami Iyer: "Mirasudarval! You should know one thing. Ganapadigal is eighty one years of age now. He had done rudra japam in countless kshetras since his sixteenth year. Sri Rudram is always coursing his veins and nerves and breath. He is such a Mahan. The way you behaved to him is an act of great sin.... an act of great sin!" Periyava stopped, unable to continue further, and closed his eyes.
He resumed again after sometime: "Your act of partiality in the meals session affected him deeply. You know what he did? I shall tell you, listen. He did not go back to his native place Thepperumaanallur yesterday evening. Instead, he went to Mahalingaswami temple. He did pradakshina of the outer courtyard three times… Went straight to Mahalingaswami and stood before Him. You know what he prayed for, joining his palms?" Periyava couldn't continue. He steadied himself and then resumed his talk.
"With tears streaming down his eyes, he spoke to the God, 'Appa, Jyoti Mahalingam! I am your steadfast devotee. Since my early days I have recited mahanyasa rudra japam countless times in your Sannidhi. You have listened to it. I am now eighty one years old. I have the mental strength, but that strength has gone in my speech! It can't be that you wouldn't know what happened this afternoon when we were dining. I asked that landowner many times, leaving my shyness aside, for more of that pongal, since it was very very tasty. Though he heard me, the landowner moved away as if he did not hear my request. You know that I have an immense fondness for sweet pongal. Though I asked him out of temptation, I was grieved that he did not serve me more.
'But then only after I had finished my meals, washed my hands and sat on the thinnai it occurred to me whether I could have such a jihva sabalam at this age. This is the reason I am now standing before you, Appa Mahalingam! With you as the mediator, I take a vow from this moment. Everyone gives up some favourite edible when they go to Kasi. It is only you who is in Kasi, as well as here. Therefore I take a vow before you that I will not touch the sweet pongal or any other sweet dish from now on until my soul goes out of this body! This is a promise Mahalingam.' With that vairagya pramanam he said, 'Appa Jyoti Mahalingam! I take leave of you now," and did shastaanga namaskaram twelve times. Tears were flowing down Ganapadigal's eyes, as he left for his place. Now, you tell me... Was what you did dharma? Will Mahalingaswami agree to it?"
Periyava stopped. It was then three o' clock in the afternoon. "I don't want any bhiksha today", said Swamigal. No one moved from there. Not even for their lunch. Total silence prevailed. Tears were seen in everyone's eyes. The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer stood transfixed. He could not raise his tongue to speak. Everyone's wonder was, 'How did Periyava narrate everything that happened yesterday at Tiruvidaimarudur as if he witnessed them personally?'
Falling down to Periyava's feet, the landowner started sobbing vehemently. His tongue slurred as he said, "Periyava! What I did was a great sin! I did it out of vanity. Kindly pardon me. Never again shall I behave like this in my life. You should say 'I have pardoned you'!" The landowner patted his cheeks loudly.
Acharyal did not open his mouth. The landowner was persistent. "I pray to you, Periyava! You should accept this Mahalingaswami rudrabhisheka prasadam. Kindly pardon me!" He pointed his hands towards the prasadam plate.
Acharyal said, "Let it be, let it be there. That Mahalingaswami Himself will give me the prasada anugraham."
Before he finished his words, a voice was heard outside the crowd: "Make way, make way!" Everyone moved to make way.
Only a tuft of hair knotted at the end on the head. A bright five-folded dhoti on the waist, with a silky green cloth covering it. A large rudraksha garland on the neck. A noble man, who could be around sixty-five years old, arrived near Periyava, carrying piously a brass plate on which was the prasadam preserved in a silk cloth. He submitted the prasadam plate reverentially to Acharyal and said, "My name is Mahalingam. I am the archaka of Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswami temple. Yesterday a rudrabhishekam was performed for Swami. A landowner conducted it. My elder sister is given in marriage to this place. I came to submit the prasadam to Acharyal and then look her up. Periyava should do me the anugraham." Swamigal prevented him as he proceeded to prostrate.
Saying "You people have been given Shiva deeksha, you shouldn't do namaskaram to me", Acharyal accepted the prasadams brought and asked the Sivacharya to be given the Matham's honours in return. In the meantime, the Sivacharyal saw the landowner who was standing at some distance. "Periyava, it is this man who had conducted the rudrabhishekam there yesterday. He has come himself come here!" With these words, Mahalingam Sivacharya left the place, taking leave of the Sage.
The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer again prostrated to Acharyal and patted his cheeks loudly. He pleaded, "Again and again I pray to you, Periyava. It is a great sinful act I have committed. Only you should tell me the remedy for this act."
Swamigal got up briskly. "I cannot tell you any remedy for this. Only Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa Ganapadigal can tell you the remedy."
"Will the Ganapadigal tell me the remedy for the deed of this paavi, Periyava?” the landowner asked with grief.
Swamigal said in a slightly raised voice, "If you have the praaptam, he will certainly tell you!" and hurried inside. He did not come out at all.
The landowner waited for a few hours. And then, having come to a decision, he left the place and arrived at Chengalpat boarding a bus. He caught a train and arrived at Tiruvidaimarudur on the next morning. He finished his bath in the Kaveri river there and with firmness of heart started walking towards Thepperumaanallur. He walked briskly with the resolution that he would somehow meet Venkatesa Ganapadigal, falling shastaangam at his feet, ask for his pardon, perform the remedy he would suggest and obtain paapa vimochanam.
The landowner entered the Thepperumaanallur agraharam. He inquired the first man he came across, the address of the Ganapadigal. The man pointed to a house on the street before which there was a crowd of people and said, "You have come to offer your condolences? That is the home of Venkatesa Ganapadigal. Early this morning, he suddenly passed away. A painless, peaceful death. Go and have a look."
Narayanaswami Iyer was stunned. He felt as if someone had hit him on the head. The firm words of Acharyal at the Matham yesterday seemed to ring in his ears. If you have the praaptam, he will certainly tell you!" He now understood that Periyava had known yesterday itself that the landowner would not have the praaptam.
The landowner went to Ganapadigal's house, offered his condolences, and prostrated to the gross body of the Ganapadigal, seeking his pardon mentally. Then he moved away from the place.
Later on, the landowner did a lot of service for the Mutts in the North and obtained Mukti in Kasi.
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: *Sakthi Vikatan* issue dated Nov 05, 2006

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Compassion towards all creatures

Once when Periyava was camping at a place called Puchamalaikkupam, the shed where the Mutt's elephant was kept caught fire and the elephant broke its chain and ran away. Next day morning the employees of the Mutt noticed that the shed where the elephant was kept had burned down fully and the elephant was missing.
Later it was found that the elephant was near a tank some five miles away and the mahout went there to fetch the elephant but the elephant refused to accompany him despite his best efforts.Then Periyava went there and the elephant slowly got up from the tank and came near Periyava and saluted Him. There were a few burns on the body of the elephant. Periyava patted the elephant with His own hand and ordered proper treatment for burns to be done.
Like all human devotees the Mutt, the elephant also had an abundant faith and Bhakti towards Periyava. Maha Periyava was always kind towards animals and they in turn loved Periyava as human beings did. Even animals who have only five senses, unlike men with six senses, were perhaps aware of the greatness of Maha Periyava!
That is why Periyava is called Paramacharya and Karunamurthy!
Source: Book on Paramacharya by the name Ganni by Sri Sudarsananda

Maha Periyava as Ganapathi!

My brother-in-law's daughter Jaana and I often used to go to Kanchi and have darshan of Periyava. We would submit different offerings each time we went there.
On one occasion, it occurred to us to string a beautiful arugampul garland and offer it to him. With arali flowers forming the border, we prepared a large arugampul garland and went on the next morning to offer it.
By the time we reached Kanchi, it was eight in the morning. Periyava was sitting, conversing with everyone around him. We kept the garland pack and a packet of sugar lumps in front of him. He took it and kept it aside in a corner. He did not even open the pack to see what it contained. We were having darshan of him, standing.
A woman came around ten o' clock. She had in her hand an intricately designed silver armour for Pillaiyar. As instructed by the Sage, she had arranged for the silver armour, for the Pillaiyar of the temple at their place of residence, and brought it for Periyava's anugraham. Periyava took the kavacham from her, kept it on his lap and told his disciple nearby, "Take that," pointing to the pack in a corner.
The disciple unwrapped the pack and handed over the arugampul garland to Periyava. How did he know the contents of the pack, without looking at it or asking about it?
He adorned the silver kavacham with the garland. It fitted nicely as if tailor made for the object. Then he took the kavacham with the garland, fitted it to his chest, turned to all the four sides and gave darshan! We all went into ecstasy.
The woman who brought the kavacham stood with joined palms, tears welling up in her eyes. Periyava gave the kavacham with the garland to her through his disciple.
What we took to offer him was an ordinary thing; but for the fullness of heart we had, there are no words to express! This was because, he made us somehow realise the abheda between him and Ganapathi.
Author: Radha Ramamoorthy, Pudukottai

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Did Pillaiyar open His eyes or not?

Many years ago, Kanchi Maha Periyava had undertaken a tour of
the southern parts of Tamilnadu. After visiting Thanjavur, Trichy,
Tiruvanaikkaval, Srirangam, Dindigul and Cholavandan, he was travelling towards Madurai with his entourage.
The village folk residing on his path had his darshan and blessings,
calling on him in large numbers with their children. He blessed them
all with a smiling face and walked, giving them fruits and sugar
lumps.
It was then time to approach the great city of Madurai. The people of a village on the way welcomed him with the honour of Purna Kumbham. Swamigal was singularly happy about the devotion and zeal of those villagers. He went and sat on the roots of a peepul tree on the roadside. All of them prostrated to him on the ground.
The Panchayat head of that village prostrated to the Sage with intense devotion. Then he said, "We pray for one thing to Periyava. We the poor people have come together and completed the construction of a new Pillaiyar temple nearby. We pray that Sami's feet should touch the temple precincts; should take mercy on us!"
Acharyal got up enthusiastically and asked, "Where is this temple?"
The Panchayat head replied, "Here, only at a calling distance. Please
come and give your blessings!"
Swamigal walked towards the Pillaiyar temple very briskly. He entered the temple with the honour of divine music and Purna Kumbham. Vinayaka was sitting inside the sanctum in the form of a six feet statue. The idol looked bright and mighty. Periyava looked at Vinayaka for sometime without taking his eyes off, and asked the Panchayat head if the Kumbhabhishekham of the temple was over.
"Not yet, Sami," said the headman.
Swamigal asked, "Since everything has been completed, why has not the Kumbhabhishekham been done yet?"
The Panchayat head replied politely: "Everything has been completed, Sami. Mahatma Gandhi is said to come this way within a month. Some notables of Madurai have promised us to conduct the Kumbhabhishekham on the day he comes this side, in his presence. This is the reason: we are waiting for Gandhiji."
Acharyal smiled to himself. He looked intensely at Vinayaka for two
minutes and then said: "It seems to me that there is no necessity for
that! Ganapathi is already staring with his eyes well open. You should not delay the Kumbhabhishekham any longer. Fix an auspicious day and conduct it."
The Panchayat head said, "No, Sami! The eye-opening ritual has not yet taken place for Vinayaka, Sami! We can't understand anything, if you are advising us this way..." He was confused.
Maha Periyava smiled again and said, "I am not telling this myself!
Ganapathi is staring, well and clearly, with his eyes open. Make
arrangements for an early Kumbhabhishekham! If Gandhi comes, let him have a good darshan!" The people around couldn't understand anything. They were waiting patiently.
The Panchayat head could not get over his confusion. He sent word for the sthapati who sculptured the Vinayaka statue. The words of Acharyal were apprised to him.
The sculptor was also firm in his conviction: "No, Swami... The eyes
are not yet opened for Vinayaka. Is it not customary that only I who carved the statue should also open its eyes? It is not yet done."
The sculptor fell at Acharyal's feet three times and stood with his
hands folded across his chest. Looking again at the statue firmly, Acharyal said, "The eyes of Maha Ganapathi have been well opened! He is staring happily. It is not good to delay further. Fix an auspicious day early and conduct the Kumbhabhishekham. Prosperity will follow."
With these words, Acharyal started moving hurriedly from that place.
The entourage followed. All the people went up to the village border
and then bade farewell to Periyava.
The village Panchayat assembled within minutes after the incident. The words of Acharyal were discussed in depth.
The sculptor who was slightly old told firmly:
"Because of his prevision everything would be intelligible Acharya
Swamigal. Still, I have not opened the eyes with my hand. Don't know
how Sami says that. I went to the statue and checked thoroughly. It
does not seem to have happened that way. What to do now?"
Silence prevailed there. No one opened his mouth. Suddenly a boy of
apparently twelve years of age came running to the meeting. He folded his eyes on his chest and stood.
The headman asked him politely, "Thambi! Why do you come running so hurriedly? What is the matter?"
The boy replied, "Thalaivare! I know something about the temple's
Vinayaka statue. Shall I tell it here?"
The headman was interested: "What do you know, come on say it
brother!" The crowd was looking keenly at the boy.
The boy started talking: "Ayya headman! I am telling the fact known to
me with a promise that this is true. That Samiyar Sami's words that the eyes of Pillaiyar have been opened is only true! If you ask me how--it was the time of peak sunshine some ten days before. The grandfather who is sitting here, the man who carved the Pillaiyar statue- his grandson and I are friends. You know what he did? He suddenly took up the chisel and hammer that his grandfather had kept specially for opening statues' eyes, and brought us to the temple.
"Saying 'Hey, look! My grandfather would open statues' eyes only this
way!', he worked on the eyes of Pilliayar, chanting, 'O Pillaiyar,
open your eyes!' and making us chant those words. When he finished, all of us boys jumped and danced saying 'Yea, Pilliayar's eyes have been opened!" No one in this village knew of this matter. We too did not breathe a word out anywhere! This is what happened, please pardon us!"
The crowd was sitting amazed. Tears issued from the eyes of the
Panchayat head. The village wondered about the greatness of Acharyal. The sculptor's grandson was hardly eight years old. The Panchayat brought him to the assembly and made inquiries. He admitted to have opened the eyes of Vinayaka. All of them ran to the temple and prostrated to Vinayaka. The sculptor examined Ganapathi's eyes well with the help of a lens.
Everyone wondered at the very beautiful manner in which netronmeelan (opening of eyes) had been done.
The whole village ran in the direction Acharyal had left. Swamigal was
relaxing in the shadow of a big banyan tree on the roadside of the
next village, with his entourage.
All of them ran to him and fell at his feet. The Panchayat head and the
sculptor started sobbing.
That Parabrahmam looked at these people and asked smilingly: "Now that you have verified and known that the eyes of Pillaiyar are open, go and complete the Kumbhabhishekham early. The whole region will have prosperity."
The walking God blessed them smilingly, with a raised hand.

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Puncturing the Ego

I witnessed an incident about 4 decades back in Kalavai, when I went to have a darshan of Paramacharya on His Jayanthi day.There was as usual a huge crowd. My wife and I were waiting when He appeared suddenly from another side. The crowd started moving towards Him. There was a 50 year old Man with gold chains adorning the neck and his wife prostrated before Him. Periyava was in mouna vratham. He looked a very well placed businessman.
Periyava enquired,”How are you?" in mouna.
This man and his wife gave a pamphlet showing that he conducted 'Samashti Upanayanam’ for 4 days for poor Brahmins in KK Nagar (free Upanayanams with all costs born by him.) Periyava looked at the pamphlet.There was silence. He asked him "How much did you spend?" "He said a few lacs." Silence.
Periyava asked him in mouna, about a boy called "Dakshinamurthy of Tirunelveli. This man got a shock of his life. Periyava disappeared!
This man started weeping uncontrollably. .His wife tried to pacify and a few journalists present asked him, "Sir what happened? Why are you crying?"
He went on repeating," I am a criminal. I am a criminal." Then he explained,
"I had a widowed sister few years ago and her son's name is Dakshinamurthy. I took care of them but she also passed away. I did not like to keep that boy in my house and drove him away and I do not know where he is. Periyava 'indirectly' asked me today 'You do Samashti Upanayanam' for all but you have forgotten your own sister's son! Now I have to somehow find him and make him a man."
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Jan 03, 2007

Experiences with Maha Periyava: The 64th Nayanar

There was a bank director in France who was keen on having a darshan of Maha Periyava having heard a lot about him. Dr. Raghavan used to receive frequent phone calls from the bank director. He would ask if he could come and have a darshan of Periyava. Dr. Raghavan who was a Sanskrit professor in the Madras University would inform Periyava about the request. Even though he said, "He is very keen to have darshan of Periyava; he bothers me frequently", Periyava did not give his consent to meet him. Some years passed in this way.
Suddenly one day Dr. Raghavan received intimation that said, “I have arrived at Bombay. I shall come over to Madras and meet you. Please arrange for the darshan.”
At that time our Acharyas were staying in the Mylapore Sanskrit College. One evening Dr. Raghavan was waiting to have darshan of Maha Periyava. Periyava called him and inquired. When told about the Frechman's proposed visit to Chennai, Periyava said, "Alright, bring him."
Before he sat for the upanyasam after the puja, Periyava called me and said, "If any European turns up, seat him on a chair, as he would not be able to sit on the floor. I shall see him after the upanyasam."
When the upanyasam was over and Periyava was about to get inside he asked, "Did anyone turn up?" "No one turned up", I replied. At that time a man wearing a dhoti and towel came to the front and prostrated to Periyava four times. (The sampradaya is to always prostrate to sannyasis four times.) Behind the man came Dr. Raghavan and SankaraNarayana Aiyer (professor of Philosophy at Mylapore Vivekananda College). Since that European came in dhoti and towel, I was misled. Periyava told me, "Ask him how did he knew about prostrating four times." The Eurpoean said, "I did as everyone did here."
Periyava told me, "Bring only the Frenchman." I said, "I wouldn't understand the English he speaks. It would be better if Dr. Raghavan or SanakaraNarayana Aiyer is present."
"The English you know would suffice. You bring him," quipped Periyava. Dr. Raghavan and SankaraNarayana Aiyer stood outside the thatti (a coconut leaf weaved sheet of cover).
The Frenchman who came inside and sat spoke: "I have been studying Vedanta for sometime now. Suddenly one day I felt that my entire body had gone numb, that I was residing outside the body, and my figure was extended from the earth to the sky. I also saw the Universe hanging from my body. It was very blissful at that time. There was no trace of sorrow. After this incident, nothing bothers my mind in my daily life. My wife is deceased. My son too is dead. These occasions did not create any ripple in my mind. I was always blissful.
"People in the bank think I am insane, looking at this mental state of mine. So I have an inherent fear that one day they might put me behind the bars of a hospital".
Periyava uttered cryptically with love beaming in his face and a strange kind of admiration at the Frenchman, "What is inside? And what is outside? Is not everything inside the four walls?"
This question created a big change in him. His eyes were seen brimming with tears as if he was one with the Universe represented by the Pontiff.
There was silence, not a leaf whispered...
Then he composed himself and then requested Periyava, "You should always be with me." Finally, he asked Periyava to give him some upadesham.
Periyava said, "Continue what you are doing now (meditation). I shall be with you till your attainment." He tore a piece of the vastram he was wearing then and gave it to the Frenchman with the words, "Keep this always with you as my prasadam." Such a great anugraha for him on that day. He took leave with immense happiness, having received the grace.
Coming outside, the Frenchman prostrated to Dr. Raghavan and said, "It was only because of you I got this much bhagyam."
Periyava went to bed after they were gone. After he retired, I asked him about a doubt in my mind.
Without replying anything to me, Periyava lapsed into sleep. He called me the next morning before he started his one hour japam. He asked me, "Do you know how many Nayanmars are there?"
I replied, "The Arupatthu Moover Utsavam is held (every year)! So, only sixty three."
"Go to the Kapaleeswarar temple, count and come back," he said. When I did it, I counted sixty seven. I told this to Maha Periyava.
"Who are those four people in excess?" he asked me.
I went back to the temple, inqured and came back. "One of them is the 'Appalum Adi Sarndharukku Adiyar!'" I said.
Periyava graced me with the knowledge, "Appal is those who are beyond desam and kaalam. Since the element of time is involved, it also refers to the Adiyars to be born hereafter also. This man is beyond desam. He has just four janmas left."
Though Periyava who was such a jnani is not among us now, he is always living in his figure of grace and giving us abhayam!
Author: Paanaampattu Kannan (in Tamil)
Source: Maha Periyaval - Darisana Anubhavangal vol. 4, pages 1-5

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Half an hour later!

One day Periyava’s feet were swollen as if he suffered from elephantiasis. An elderly sumangali performed arati to Periyava. She was very upset when she saw Periyava’s swollen feet. She asked, “Is there no one to attend to Periyava who cures the devotees who throng to him?” She submitted her prayer to Periyava in a tearful voice. “It would be good if Periyava paid some attention to his health” …Please take medicines prescribed by a good doctor.”
Periyava had to only laugh… He knew that the lady was referring to his feet. “Come and have a look half an hour later.” He said to the lady.
After the lady left, Periyava sat in the padmasana for fifteen minutes and did his japa. The elderly lady returned a short while later. Periyava’s feet had returned to normalcy and the swelling had vanished. The lady was not able to understand how the swelling had gone down without taking any medication.
It was always a leela (divine play) for Periyava to incur a disease on himself and then cure himself of it. He would take on a devotee’s disease and suffer it himself to exhaust the devotee’s karma without contradicting the Shastras.
In any case, there is no place for any logic when it comes to the divine play of grace.

Experiences with Maha Periyava: "Kovil nanna varum” (The Temple will come up well)

A wonderful incident happened in my life that immersed me in Kanchi Maha Periyava's Karuna Kataksham (look of compassion): About 45 years ago, we were residing with family in the Tiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar at Perambur, Chennai. In the same area, the employees of the Simpson Group of companies, B&C Mills and the Government were also residing.
We had our own Residents Association. Still, we wanted to start a Satsangam (Spiritual Association). “Satsangam dukham prasayamati” meaning, “association with sadhus and the wise would lessen the grief”. Accordingly, through the Satsangam we started, we helped the poor students and the afflicted in a small way. In addition, it was customary to keep the holy portrait of Sri Hanuman in some of our friends' homes and do Nama Sankirtanam (singing the glorious names) on Saturdays.
With such happenings, some of us wanted to build a Vinayaka temple in the vacant plot near the Tiru.Vi.Ka statue. We decided to form a group for this purpose and collect funds. Along with me, SundaraRajan, KrishnaMurthi Aiyar, Srinivasan, RangaChari, Mani, Ethiraj, Dharanipathi, Kothandapani, Padmanabha Rao and few others were in the group. The task of collecting funds began. Erecting a hut in the vacant plot, we first started worshipping Vinayaka.
Days passed by. We could not get enough funds. We met AnanthaRamaKrishnan, Chairman of the Simpson Group of Companies and explained to him about our holy temple work. He gave a donation of one thousand rupees. It was a large sum at that time. Following AnanthaRamaKrishnan's donation, funds started collecting fast. Still, it wasn't enough to build a temple.
A devotee in the group proposed, "We can go to Kanchipuram and have darshan of Maha Periyava. If he gives us his anugraham and blesses the project, we can advertise in the popular magazines and collect funds." The proposal seemed okay to us. We contacted Kanchi SriMatham. They said, "Periyava has gone on yatra to North India. It is not known when he will return to the Matham. You ring up after a week. We shall inform you if we get any news from Periyava."
It was the time when communication facilities were not as widespread as today. With such limitation, we used to book a call to Kanchi SriMatham at regular intervals, get the phone connection and enquire. There was no news about Maha Periyava's coming to Chennai.
It was a Wednesday. I had a dream that night. News came that Maha Periyava
started from Nellore, passed through Perambur and was camping in Rao Bahadur Kalavala Kannan Chettiar's school. We ran to have his darshan and get his blessings. As the dream ended, I was happy, because when it dawned it would be Thursday (Guruvaram), and I had got Guru’s darshan in my dream!
After it dawned, I narrated the dream to my friends. They laughed and said, "You must have been thinking about the project the whole night, hence the dream." At that time, RangaChary who came running in a hurry said, "Anna, RamaChandran's dream has come true. Periyava who came from Nellore is said to be camping in Kalavala Kannan Chettiar's school since midnight!" I felt a shiver of ecstasy!
After taking bath, all of us started immediately. I had a pleasant shock when I reached the school. The walking God was seated in the same place that I saw in my dream, and in the same pose with a smile! We prostrated and then explained everything about our Satsangam, Vinayaka temple construction, and AnanthaRamaKrishan giving us donation. Maha Periyava blessed us with the words, "Kovil nanna varum”.
An employee of the Matham informed us that Pudu Periyava, Sri Jayendrar would be coming to the Tiru.Vi.Ka Nagar Vinayaka Temple that evening and explained to us about the custom of receiving him. We were panicking and were worried that we needed to receive Pudu Periyava with the necessary honour but we did not have a single paisa in the Sangam, so where could we go for the money? But then, knowing that Periyava was coming to their place, the local people came up with financial assistance.
Pudu Periyava came around seven o' clock in the evening. The tunes of Nadhaswaram, the chanting of Vedas and the devotees singing 'Hara hara Sankara Jaya jaya Sankara' transformed Tiru.Vi.Ka Nagar into a Swargapuri. After worshipping the Vinayaka in the hut, Pudu Periyava blessed the people. When he was about to leave, he said, "Come to the camp tomorrow." We went there the next day, got Maha Periyava's anugraham and blessings and returned. Later on, an advertisement seeking funds for constructing the temple with Acharya's anugraham was published in the magazines. Funds came by in heaps. The Temple arose majestically. The kumbhabhishekam was performed in a grand manner in the presence of Variyaar Swamigal. Thus Maha Periyava's Vakku,"Kovil nanna varum” became a reality.
We had then done pratishta (consecration) of only Vinayaka in the temple. In later days it became a large temple that included Anjaneya, Aiyappa and the Navagrahas. It has been several years since I changed my residence from Tiru.Vi.Ka Nagar. On the rare occasions whenever I happen to have darshan in this temple, thoughts about Maha Periyava crop up and gladden my heart.
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Feb 6, 2008

Experiences with Maha Periyava- The Astrologer

An astrologer had come for Periyava’s darshan. He said, “I have a very big family but very little income… The income I get out of practicing astrology is very less….I find it very difficult to survive”.
Periyava asked, “Oh…..Are you living in the same ancestral house that your father was living in?”
“No….My elder brother is living in the same. I am living in another house that is on the western side of the ancestral house”.
Periyava said “Do not stay there. In the ancestral house, on the eastern side, there is an old cow shed no? You put-up a hut and stay there. For generations your family has done Ambal pooja. Stay in the cow shed”.
Periyava continued,”There is another thing you should bear in your mind. You are blaming (scolding) all the planets!.....In your (client’s) horoscope Guru is Neechan, Sani is Paapi, Budhan is Vakram….You should not say these words. Guru is a big planet. He is Dakshinamurthy swaroopam. You should not tell him as Neechan, Papi, Vakram etc. Sani is the son of Suryan. He has got the title of Ishwaran. You are calling him Papi…… It is enough if you say “The planets are not in the right place”. The Kaala palan is not good etc…. When people come to you for matching the horoscopes of boys and girls, instead of bluntly saying, “They do not match”. You can say “The right period for vivaha for the girl is yet to come. The Putra Bhagyam for the boy is doubtful.” There are many girls who are aged beyond 30, and not married yet. When such horoscopes come to you, you should answer them without saying anything negative to the extent possible”.
“In matters pertaining to marriage, you should not give a lot of importance to horoscope matching. Matching of sect (kulam), Gothram and the minds (manasu) is enough. In olden days, horoscope matching did not have so much importance”.
The astrologer with full satisfaction said ‘Hereafter I will do only as advised by Periyava. He took the prasadam and left.