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