FROM MAHASWAMIGAL'S DIVYA CHARITHRAM

On the night of Swamigal’s visit to Chidambaram, he asked the young man who does Vastra Kaingaryam ( washes and maintains Swamigal’s clothes) to come to the Sivaganga Thatagai / tank in the Nataraja temple early next morning before 5 am with his new clothes and without anyone’s knowledge. Swamigal went to the holy tank early in the morning with that young man, took a bath, completed his morning prayers and was there in front of the sanctum sanctorum before the doors were opened. The priest who had the morning duty there turned around and was shocked to see our Swamigal standing there reciting slokas. He did not expect to see our Swamigal there unannounced and immediately sent word through the security guard to all the Dikshithars about Swamigal’s presence in the temple. Within minutes the word spread and hundreds of people hurried towards the temple. The Dikshithars prostrated before Swamigal and said they had made lots of arrangements to welcome Swamigal in an appropriate way and they were upset because he was there all by himself, unannounced. Swamigal replied that he was eager to have ‘Viswaroopa darshan (the first puja done in the morning) of Nataraja and also that he would be visiting the temple many times every day during his stay here. The Dikshithars took Swamigal back to his camp with all the Devasthanam honors. They requested Swamigal to stay in the temple for few days and conduct Sri Chandramouleswarer puja in the thousand pillared mandap. Welcome speech was given in Sanksrit by Upanyasa Ratnakaram C.S.Sivakamasundara Dikshithar and in Tamil by his son C.S.Sachidananda Dikshithar, on behalf of their entire community. Swamigal stayed in the temple for about fifteen days and conducted the puja there.

It is said that Adi Sankara brought back five lingams from Kailasa and of those, the Moksha lingam is said to be in Chidambaram. The Yoga Lingam is being worshipped by Adi Sankara and all the Kamakoti Acharyas. Thousands of people witnessed the puja and heard Swamigal’s upanyasams in the evenings. Members of all communities offered Bikshavandanam and pada puja. Swamigal had darshan of Nataraja and Govindaraja every day of his stay. He arranged for special abhishekams of Chitra annam as well as Bakshana pavadai for Nataraja. Every year, special decorations are made to Nataraja and he is brought in a procession around the four Ratha streets, twice in the month of Ani for Ani Thirumanjana celebrations as well as in the month of Margazhi for Arudra darshanam. It would take the priests three days to complete the decorations.
The Dikshithars brought our Swamigal down the Panchakshara steps to the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Nataraja to have the darshan of the Lord decorated thus for the procession. Sri Swamigal had darshan of Ratnasabapathi, Moksha Chandramouleswarer lingam, Chitsabesan, Sivakamasundari and the famous Secret of Chidamabaram. His Holiness stayed in Chidambaram for a month. Before leaving the city, Sri Swamigal donated a crescent moon made in gold and with diamonds embedded on the top, for Nataraja.

The good fortune of his Darshan

The daughter of a staunch atheist, I had never till the age of 23,visited a temple. I lost all that was dear to me in life. Separated from my husband and parents I took refuge in a town other than my own with my child, and began to live in an orphange, which also I left unable to tolerate the atrocities there. Though trained as primary school teacher, I worked as a cook. Lost in a sea of troubles and knowing no way out, my days were filled with tears.
Whenever I had some leisure, I would cut the pictures of Kanchi Periyaval that appeared in periodicals and magazines, and paste them in a long note book. I once had a dream that Swamigal was resting in my house..... From that day onwards, I was filled with devotion for him. When my suffereings reached their darkest moment, I took my Teacher's Training certificate and the long note -book with Sri Swamigal's pictures and sent them to the waste paper shop. But the man at the shop sent me back my certificate and the note book with pictures with the message that I had probably made a mistake. I thought there ought to be some meaning in this and put the two away safely. Within a few months things began to change unexpectedly. The wicked man who harassed me was punished and I was rid of all trouble. My brother in Chennai gave me shelter in his house. Affter a gap of twelve years, I took up a teaching job once more. After I crossed fifty, I took the B.Litt, and B.Ed degrees. Now, I also serve in several groups committed to social service. Although I have had the darsan of Periyavar only once or twice, I believe whole heartedly that what I am today is because of his grace.

MAHASWAMI OF KANCHI..HIS HUMOUR

These examples are testimony to the fact that Maha Periava had an amazing sense of humoUr, keen sense of observation with a profound knowledge on all subjects.
1. COOKING:
One afternoon Periava was talking to a set of married men and was enquiring about their cooking skills.They were asked to spell out the recipe for Sambar.Every one tried to emulate each other and narrated the process in display of their swayambhagam skills. Every one was mentioning about the ingredients like salt, milagai podi, paruppu etc etc. Finally Periava said that they are all very great and without EGO!!! where as he is still practicing.Everyone forgot the ingredient Thaan(vegetable) and he was meaning this nicely in this incident.
2. SUMANGALI:
There was a huge crowd one day at the Mutt and many were having dharsan of Periava. Among the crowd was one aged, old time widow (with tonsured head) sitting in one corner and doing Japam.Periava called one of the boys and pointing to that lady asked the boy to go and find out if she is sumangali.The boy hesitated and so were others nearby.Periava insisted and said ” go and tell her that I want to know that”.The boy mustered courage, went near the lady and asked her. She was beaming and replied in affirmative .The boy was stunned and later Periava clarified that the lady belonged to a village called "sumangali and belong to a family who are disciples of the mutt for generations.
3 .LIC BUILDING:
This incident happened around the time the then tallest building of Chennai was inaugurated. Periava was camping at Madras and was walking on Mount Road with his entourage to The Hindu office. As usual he was followed by leading citizens and devotees. Among them were Bharaneedharan and Gopulu(cartoonist).He stopped at the LIC Building and asked them the number of storeys the bulding had.People were telling 13,14 and so on with and with/without terrace etc. Then he asked them to stay back, count and follow him.They did the counting and followed him. They said 14 and Periava looked at Gopulu and said but you have put 17 lines in your cartoon depicting LIC in Ananda Vikatan. He was stunned.
4. HINDU OFFICE:
Periava was on a visit to the Press at Mount Road at the invitation of the Management. The Veda Patasala boys reached their earlier and surrounded the latest printing machinery and anxiously waiting for the explanation and demonstration. The staff were finding it difficult to control and asked the boys to go back and leave space for His Holiness. Periava came a little later and said ” There is no need for me to understand the technology and nuances of printing. It would be useful for these boys, Explain to them.Periava was not there when the staff were telling the boys to move back..
5. SILENCE
During Navarathri pooja time there was unmanageable and unusual crowd and it was noisy at times. Unable to control this, a display board was put prominently "Keep Silence”.It had no effect and Periava had a unique way to solve this. In the evening during his address he was telling that he is indeed Grateful to Goddess Kamakshi for blessing him with a quality by which he could concentrate on the Puja unmindful of the surrounding noise.The effect was evident from the very next moment! There was no need for the board too..
6. POMEGRANATE:
A disciple fromCalcutta had sent a basket of pomegranates(25 in number) and sent it through his contacts inMadras. While carrying the person took 5 of them and left them at home.He went to the Mutt and kept the basket before Periava and said so and so has sent them. Periava smilingly acknowledged that and called his assistants to count the number of fruits inside. He asked the manager to reply to the sender and thank for the basket of 20 fruits. you can imagine the embarrassment and internal plight of that person.

Values of Punyam & Paapam

Once a foreigner interested in the philosophy of Hinduism was waiting for Darshan of Mahaperiva ( Most revered Mahaswami) at Kanchi Mutt to clarify his doubt. Shortly, he got his appointment and without wasting time, he put forth his question.

Swamiji, I understand all your concepts, value them but for one particular faith (i.e.) same soul taking various births, papa, punya being carried forward to the next births etc. Can you please make me comfortable on this aspect? Because, in all our religions, we get the reward for what we do in this birth only. (i.e.) if we are honest, God is pleased and blesses us with benefits and we are dishonest, we get punished by Him.
At this point, Periva asked him, whether he owns a car and if he could do a favour of collecting some statistical information within Kancheepuram using his vehicle. The guest readily agreed, at the same time wondering why his question was not answered spontaneously.
Please, Swamiji, go ahead, What is the service you expect me to do now?
Periva said, Please go around 10 maternity centres within Kancheepuram and collect the data of children born within the last 2 days - Child's gender, health condition, parents name, status, educational qualification, time of birth.
The man said - Fine, this is nothing, - immediately rushed in his car like Lord Muruga goes in Thiruvilayadal and within a day he was back in the matam with exact statistics in front of Mahaperiva. He went through the statistics, about 15 children were born in 10 hospitals, 8 female and 7 male infants, out of which 3 children had malnutrition defects, 2 children were the first child of highly rich parents born in luxury hospitals, while 4 were children of coolie labourers who already had few children.
Maha Periva now looked at the gentleman and started asking few questions:
Do you think any of these children have been honest / dishonest within 2 days of their birth? Probably they could not even recognize their own mother. So, they have neither earned papa or punya in this birth.
According to your concepts, all these children should be living exactly identical to each other, but not so practically, some are ill, some are healthy, some are born to rich parents, some are born to poor parents. Remember all children born in the same day, same longitude, latitude, you can't blame their horoscope which is going to be almost identical.
The gentleman was dumbfounded!
It is here the concept of previous birth erupts! All these children have taken their present birth according to their deeds (karma) and the resultant papa, punya which they have assimilated in their previous births.
Sanatana Dharma was smiling at the gentleman through Maha Periva.

KANCHI PARAMACHARYA AND YOGIRAMSURATKUMAR

Once, during the mid-eighties, Kanchipuram Mahaswamiji Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamiji (Maha Periyava) desired to see Bhagavan Yogiramsuratkumar and invited him through a personal attendant. He asked the personal attendant to bring Yogiji.

Yogiji, accepting the invitation of Kanchi Maha Periyava, went to Kanchipuram. Maha Periyava sat down and so did Yogi. Maha Periyava and Yogi looked at each other. They did not speak a word to each other verbally. After looking at each other for sometime, Kanchi Periyava, laughing lightly, said to his personal attendant who had brought Yogi to Kanchi, “The matter for which he came is over. You may take him back to Tiruvannamalai.”
Did they meet just to see each other or did they exchange some news? Nothing could be comprehended. Yogi went back to Tiruvannamalai.
Later, when Yogiji was asked what really happened, as there was no conversation and yet Maha Periyava remarked that the work was over, Yogi Ramsuratkumar explained thus:
“We both spoke to each other – through the mind.
Kanchi Periyava said, ‘Bodendra chanted Rama Nama throughout his life. He was a ‘Peettadipathi’ of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Later, installing his successor for the Peetam he went around giving ‘upadesa’ of Rama Nama for all, irrespective of caste and creed; he offered the ‘upadesa’ that the Name of the Lord was the only ‘gati’ (succour) for all in this Kali Yuga. Living in this manner his body was transformed into a ’siddha sarira’. He attained ‘jiva samadhi’ in Govindapuram on the banks of the Cauvery. Living in ‘jiva samadhi’ for the past 300 years, to date, he is incessantly chanting Rama Nama. You may go and remain in that Govindapuram where Bodendra is.’
This beggar replied, ‘No! No! For this beggar Tiruvannamalai is enough.’
Acharya also said, ‘OK’.
This is what we spoke!”

What does Dirgha AyushmAn bhavah mean?

When Periyavaa was giving darshan, four or five Vidwans who had come for darshan, were sitting on the floor.
In the course of his conversation (with the devotees), Periyavaa asked them, "When Bhaktas do namaskaram to me, I bless them with the name ‘Narayana, Narayana’. What do you people who are samsAris say for blessing?”
"We say, ‘[b]dIrgha AyushmAn bhavaH[b]‘; only that is the custom.”
"What does it mean?”
"Remain in saukyam for a long time’ is its meaning.”
Periyavaa asked all the Vidwans present there, one by one. Everyone said the same meaning.
Periyavaa remained in silence for sometime. Then he said, "The meaning you all said is a wrong one.”
The Pandits were taken aback. Everyone of them was a bade bade Vidwan, and had earned the Siromani title.
For the Samskrta Vaakyam ‘Dirgha AyushmAn bhavah’ even those with a little knowledge of Samskrtam can tell the meaning. Such simple words! Yet Periyavaa says the meaning is wrong?
"Shall I tell it myself…..?” The Pandits sharpened their ears.
"Of the twenty-seven Yogas, one is named AyushmAn. Of the eleven KaraNas, one is the called the Bhava. Among the week days, the Saumya Vaasaram falls on a Wednesday. When all these three–on a Wednesday, the AyushmAn Yoga and the Bhava KaraNa–occur together, that day is said to be shlAgya. Therefore, if these three occur together, whatever good phalas would be got, I bless that you may get all those fruits…”
All the Vidwans got up in together and did namaskaram to PeriyavaaL.

HOW TO APPLY KUMKUM?.

The blessings of the Almighty is basically of two types. One form is invisible to the naked eye - in the form of Punyam, Dharmam etc, which is present with us and protects us. The other is in the form of visible prasadams - which have been offered earlier to the Supreme - and presented back to us as prasadam/naivedyam - like flowers, vibhuti/kumkumam etc.
The invisible form of blessings protects us in the realm of mind and intellect - controlling our emotions, guiding our mind appropriately in sat-vishayam etc.
The visible form - the prasadams like chandanam, vibhuti, kumkumam, flowers etc - by being worn on the face or body, protects our body from any type of accident or untoward incidents. In addition, it also brings up the thoughts about God in others, whoever gets to see such marks in our body. This is the basic reason why our Saastras enforced us to wear appropriate prasadams always - according to the religion/sect - may be thiruman, vibhuti, gobi, kumkumam etc.
Further, the Sastras proclaim that the right portion of our body (like hands/legs) is much more stronger and pure as compared to the left, and hence every one (except the naturally left handed people) must use only the right side of the body to perform any type of divine or auspicious acts.
In line with the above rules, we must obtain or receive any prasadams only with our right hand, with utmost devotion, and must wear it on our body only with the right hand (except where impracticable). The Sastras also clarify that each finger in the hand has a unique character or power and must be used appropriately.
The ring finger is supposedly possessing more power than the other fingers, and hence must be used for applying chandanam on the deity vigraham or pictures etc. The same finger must also be used for applying such prasadams in our forehead/body.
It may however be noted that, applying prasadams using any other fingers (of the right hand) cannot be categorized as incorrect or a crime. What is more important is to ensure that everyone wears some such prasadam in their forehead and assist all around to constantly dwell in the thought of the Supreme.

What does trust mean?

Periyaval was talking to the devotees in general."Our ancestors left behind a capital in the form of land, money, orchards and houses so that their descendants continue to do many good deeds. They did so wishing us well and with the concern that their children lead a blessed life. They desired that these good deeds be performed generation after generation from the profits acquired from the capital. But in many places, the charitable deeds that they wished to have performed or stated in their will, do not take place. That money that ought to be spent in charity is spent for the family. This is adharma. Because this is wrong many families that enjoy the property of trusts suffer great deal. It is as if the Ganga that has been brought from Prayaga is poured on the bramble bush by the road."
No sooner did Periyava say this than one of the devotees there began to sob."I shall execute all the charitable deeds mentioned by my ancestors. Periyava must forgive the wrong done so far,"he said .
"I did not say this particularly for your sake. I simply said that in many families,wealth meant for charitable deeds is being put to wrong."
The man who wept, prostrated to Periyaval and stood there,a picture of guilt.
Periyaval called him forward and gave him prasadha in abundance.

Historic Meeting Between Gandhiji and Mahaperiyava.

MAHATMA GANDHI was touring the South in the latter half of 1927. He had heard about the Sage of Kamakoti Peetha, and wanted very much to meet him. The Sage was camping at Palghat at the time in the course of his vijaya-yatra. The Mahatma went there on the 15th of October, 1927; the meeting took place on that day at Nellisseri village, Palghat, Kerala.
His, Holiness received the Mahatma in the cattle-shed situated in the backyard of the camp. It was a unique experience for the Mahatma. Here was an authentic successor of Sankara, dressed in a piece of’ ochre cloth made of khadi, and seated on the floor. The Acharya too appreciated the occasion provided for getting to know, at first hand, the leader of the nation who had adopted voluntarily the mode of a simple peasant’s life. At the very first sight, the Mahatma was drawn to the Perfection Incarnate that was seated before him. The atmosphere was surcharged with spiritual silence. After a few moments the Acharya spoke in Samskrit and invited the Mahatma to take his seat. Gandhiji offered his obeisance and sat near the Acharya. He said that, as he was not used to speaking in Samskrit, he would use Hindi if that was permitted, and that he could understand what is spoken in Samskrit. So, the conversation took place without the need for an interpreter-the Acharya spoke in Samskrit, and Gandhiji in Hindi.
This was purely a private interview; there were no reporters; and except for one or two attendants of the math, no one was present. The conversation, which took place in a most cordial atmosphere, lasted for over an hour.
On taking leave of the Acharya, the Mahatma gave expression to the immense benefit he had derived from this unique meeting. How profoundly he was drawn to the Acharya will be evident from an incident that occurred during the interview. It was 5.30 in the evcning. Sri C. Rajagopalachari who had accompanied the Mahatma had been waiting outside, went inside the cattle-shed and reminded the Mahatma about his evening meal; for the Mahatma would not take any food after 6 P.M. The Mahatma made this significant observation to Sri. C. Rajagopalachari: “The conversation I am having now with the Acharya is itsclf my evening meal for to day” As thc Mahatma was leaving ,after a very fruitful interview, the Acharya gave him a pomelo fruit with his blessings. The Mahatma received it with great reverence, remarking that pomelo is a fruit which he liked best
Later in the evening, Gandhiji addressed a public meeting in Coimbatore. Some people in tbe audience were eager to know about the interview Gandhiji had had earlier with His holiness. Gandhiji replied saying that they discussed points of mutual interest, that the interview was a private one, that because of this, news paper reporters were not present there and that there was no point in his disclosing the details of the interview. Nothing more was known about this historic meeting.
Below, you can see the house at Nelliseri Village, Palghat, Kerala, in which Mahatma Gandhi and H.H. Jagadguru Sankaracharya met on October 15, 1927.
A request was made to His Holiness in November 1968 for a message of the Seminar on The relevance of Mahatma Gandhi to the world of thought held at the University of Madras. Out of his abundant grace, jagadguru, the preceptor of the World, sent a message in which he recalled the meeting in 1927 with Gandhiji the Father of the Nation and paid the following tribute:
“We wish to place before this Seminar one of the’ many things which Gandhi and I we discussed when we met at Palghat, Kerala in the last Prashava year.
“Before Gandhiji arrived at Palghat there came the news of the assassination of Sraddhananda of the Arya Samaj. Referring to this incident Gandhiji remarked as follows:
“I have an apprehension in my mind that assassination of this kind would occur more often than now [in the coming years] Let not there arise in me hatred even in a small measure against the present assassin. There arises a desire in me that I should able to embrace with love even so cruel a man who commits a heinous crime, as this one, an atatayin. But it is extremely difficult to cultivate such heartfelt affection. Yet I shall make an honest attempt in this direction.”
All that we wish to point out that in this, world it is very rare even to hear about such a feeling expressed.”

MYSTERIOUS FEVER VANISHED

Shri Shankaranarayanan, a devotee used to have dharshan of Periyava, as he is a staunch follower. He got affected by a strange but, high fever, which affected him once in 10,15 days. Since this had become a routine, he tried all sort of medicines and advices from various doctors. Nevertheless, his hopes and untiring efforts to overcome the fever remained. The man came to a conclusion that treatment given by doctors would no more be a remedy and there is only one last resort, none other than the guru.

One fine morning, he visited the Sri Mutt and had dharshan. Periyava asked, "ippa than varaya"
'Yes Periyava'
"Have you heard about Jwarahareswara temple in Kanchi? Have you been there before?
'No Periyava'
"Today is a Sunday in Karthikai masam. Come, we shall see Jwarahareswara and Surya Baghavan" said Periyava and walked down.
Shankaranarayanan followed Periyava like a calf to a cow.
By the time they reached there, the priest had left already and in spite of it, HE made him have dharshan.
"Do you have some money?"
'No Periyava... I just left my purse at mutt itself...'
"Ok... Do one thing... Go to that mandapam and get some yachakam from people who are there..."
Shankaranarayanan managed to get 10,15 rupees in a few minutes.
"There is a plate in front of Swami Sannadhi... Go and offer some and drop some money in hundi too..."
"Good... Let us go to Kachchapeswarar temple from here... As today is a Sunday in Karthikai, celebrations are happening there."
You know, arogyam baskaradhichcheth (let body be healthy with the grace of Surya)...
Periyava, after having dharshan at Sannandhi and seeing Surya Baghavan, came to the mandapam and called some vedhic scholars and asked them to sing Surya sadhagam and explained.
He said to Shankaranarayanan, "Ok time is up.... You can go and eat and start to your place".
Though Shankaranarayanan was happy about the visit to temples along with Periyava, he was feeling sad for not telling his health condition to HIM. He left the place sadly and realised later on, that the fever had left too and never dared to strike again!

Significance of Sundara Kanda

MAHA PERIYAVA on SUNDARA KANDAM of RAMAYANAM !!!

In Sundara Kanda Hanuman paves the way for reunion of the divine couple Rama and Sita. Similarly if we worship Hanuman by reciting the Sundara Kanda he helps a devotee by taking him near the Lord. Kanchi Mahaperiyava used to tell that Lord Hanuman or Anjaneya is an embodiment of all auspicious qualities which are very rare to find. He excelled in Intellect, Valor, Courage, Wisdom, Fearlessness and Bhakti. It is very rare to find such great strength in one person. Hanuman is also a very learned one and is referred as Nava Vyakarna Panditha. He is very very humble to Lord Rama and at the same time showed his prowess to demon Ravana by setting ablaze the entire Lanka. When Rama returned to Ayodhya along with Sita there was the coronation ceremony and while parting, Rama gave gifts to all attendees. When it was Hanuman’s turn Rama told him that He cannot give him anything better than Himself and thus gave himself to Hanuman and hugged him. Hanuman also said he is interested in receiving nothing but kainkaryam, i.e. doing service to Him. Even when Rama had departed from this mortal world to his heavenly abode Hanuman refused to accompany Him since he cannot hear Ramayana in Vaikunta and decided to stay back in this world to hear Ramayana. He told Rama that wherever and whenever Ramayana is recited (Yatra Yatra raghu natha keerthanam, tatra tatra krida masta kanchalim, pashpavari pari poorna lochanam) he will be there to listen and dance in ecstacy with tears flowing. Hence a devotee can feel the presence of Hanuman if he recites Ramayana even in his house

Appaalum Adi Sarndhar (The Beyond Who Reached the Foot)

Author: Paanaampattu Kannan (in Tamil)

Source: Maha PeriyavaL - Darisana AnubhavangaL vol. 4, pages 1-5
Publisher: Vanathi Padhippaham
As narrated by the author:
A bank director in the country of France. He was keen on having a darshan of PeriyavargaL, having heard 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 PeriyavargaL. Dr. Raghavan (who was a Sanskrit professor in the Madras University) would inform PeriyavargaL about the request. Even though he had told, "He is very keen to have darshan of PeriyavargaL; he bothers me frequently", PeriyavargaL did not give his consent. Some years passed in this way.
Suddenly one day Dr. Raghavan received tidings that said, 'I have arrived at Bombay. I shall come over to Madras and meet you. Should please arrange for the darshan.'
At that time our Acharyas were staying in Mylapore Sanskrit College. One evening Dr. Raghavan was waiting to have darshan of PeriyavargaL. PeriyavargaL called him and inquired. When told about the Frechman's proposed visit to Chennai, PeriyavargaL said, "Alright, bring him."
Before he sat for the upanyAsam after the puja, PeriyavargaL 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 PeriyavargaL 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 PeriyavargaL 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 Mylai Vivekananda College). Since that European came in dhoti and towel I was misled. PeriyavargaL told me, "Ask him how did he knew about prostrating four times." The Eurpoean said, "I did as everyone did here."
PeriyavargaL 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 PeriyavargaL. 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 am 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 universes 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 deceased. My son too was 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)."
PeriyavargaL asked him, "What is inside? And what is outside? Aren't everything is inside four walls?"
This question created a big change in him. He requested PeriyavargaL, "You should be always with me." Finally, he asked PeriyavargaL about some upadesham.
PeriyavargaL said, "What you are doing now (meditation), you continue. 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 heap of 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."
PeriyavargaL went to bed after they were gone. After he retired, I asked him about a doubt in my mind.
Without replying anything to me, PeriyavargaL lapsed into sleep. He called me the next morning before he started his one hour japam. He asked me, "Do you know how many are the Nayanmars?"
I replied, "The Arupatthu Moover Utsavam is held (every year)! So, only sixty-three."
"Go to the Kapali temple, count and come back," he said. When I did it, I counted sixty-seven. I told this to PeriyavargaL.
"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.
PeriyavargaL graced me with the knowledge, "appAl is those who are beyond desam and kAlam. Since the element of time is involved, it also refers to the adiyArs to be born in the hereafter. This man is beyond desam. He has just four janmas left."
Though PeriyavargaL who was such a jnani is not among us now, he is always living in his figure of grace and giving us abhayam.

God in human form – by Dr Subramanian Swamy ................................................................................... Parmacharya Sri Chandrashekhar Saraswati – God in human form

 

I have bowed before only one sanyasi in my life, and that is Sri Chandrasekhar Saraswathi, known to the world as the Parmacharya. It is not that I am arrogant or that I have no respect for sanyasis and sadhus. In fact I respect many sadhus in this country for their learning and social services. But my upbringing, first in an English convent school, and then ten years in USA had created a distance between me and traditional Hindu culture of bowing and prostrating before any elder, or anyone in saffron clothes. Therefore, I was the “modern” Indian, believer in science, and with little concern for spiritual diversions.
In fact till the age of 30, I had not even heard of a god like human being called Sri Chandrasekhar Saraswathi. It was a chance meeting with an Indian student at Harvard in his room in the university hostel, that I saw a picture of Parmacharya on top of this student’s TV set. I asked him: “Who is he? And why are you keeping his picture?” The student just avoided the question. I also forgot about it, except that Parmacharya shining smiling face in that photograph got etched in my memory. Six years later, as my Pan American Airways plane was about to land at Delhi airport during the Emergency, I saw that smiling Parmacharya’s face reappear before me for a brief second for no reason at that time. I was coming to Delhi surreptitiously to make my now famous appearance in Parliament and subsequent disappearance, while a MISA warrant was pending for my arrest in the Emergency. At that moment, as the plane landed, I resolved that whenever the Emergency gets over, I shall search for Parmacharya and meet him.
In 1977, after the Emergency was over, and the Janata Party in Power I went to Kanchipuram to see the Parmacharya. It was in sheer curiosity that I went. Some friends arranged for me to come before him. It was a hot June evening, and Parmacharya was sitting in a cottage, a few kilometers outside Kanchipuram. As soon as he saw me, he abruptly got up, and turned his back on me, and went inside the cottage. My friends who took me there were greatly embarrassed, and I was puzzled. Since no body including the other sadhus at that ashram had any idea what went wrong, I told my friends that we should leave, since Parmacharya was not interested in giving me “darshan”.
From the cottage, we walked a few hundred yards to where my car, by which I had come to the ashram, had been parked. Just as I was getting into the car, a priest came running to me. He said “Parmacharya wants to see you, so please come back”. Again puzzled, I walked back to the cottage.
Back at the cottage, a smiling Parmacharya was waiting for me. He first asked me in Tamil: “Do you understand Tamil?” I nodded. In those days, I hardly knew much Tamil, but I hoped the Parmacharya would speak in the simplest Tamil to make it easy to understand.
He then asked me another question: “Who gave you permission to leave my cottage?” The Tamil word he used for “permission” was of Sanskrit origin, which I immediately understood. So in my broken Tamil with a mixture of English words, I replied: “Since you turned your back on me and went inside the cottage, I thought you did not want to see me.” This reply greatly irritated the priest standing in attendance on the Parmacharya. He said “You cannot talk like this to the Parmacharya”. But Parmacharya asked him to be silent, and then said that when he saw me, he was reminded of a press cutting he had been keeping in store inside the cottage and he had gone inside to fetch it.
“Here it is” he said. “Open it and read it. I opened the folded press cutting, and with some difficulty, I read the Tamil question answer piece printed in Dinamani Kadir, a magazine of Indian Express group. The press cutting had a photograph of me and below it the question asked by a reader: “Is the hero of the Emergency struggle, Dr.Subramanian Swamy a Tamilian?” And the answer given was, “Yes he is a native of Cholavandhan of Madurai District.”
Parmacharya asked me, “Is this your photograph, and is the answer given to the question correct?” I nodded. Then Parmacharya said: “Now you may go. But in the future when you come, you cannot leave till I give you permission to leave.” Everyone around me was naturally very impressed, that Parmacharya had given so much special attention especially since in those days, he often went on manuvvat (silence vow). As I left a sense of elation at the meeting with Parmacharya. I wanted to come back again. I could not understand why a “modern” person like me should want to see a sanyasi, but I felt the urge strongly.