Paramacharya Stuns a Landowner!

A Citra 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 rudrAbhiSekam that started at eight in the morning came to a completion around one in the afternoon.
The landowner Narayanaswami Iyer was extremely devoted to Kanchi Maha SwamigaL. He decided 'this rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam should be submitted to Periyavaa 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 Chengleput station in the early morning, took a bus and arrived at Kanchipuram.
There was a large crowd at the maTham on that day. Finishing his bath and other chores, the landowner waited for Periyavaa's darshan. At about 12 o'clock in the noon, Maha SwamigaL came and sat down, after finishing his Chandramouleesvara 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 rudrAbhiSeka prasAdam for Periyavaa. I have to submit it to him."
No one seemed to make way. An employee of the maTham who saw the anxiety and haste of the landowner, created a trail for him among the people and brought Narayanaswami Iyer near PeriyavaL. When he saw PeriyavaL, the landowner became insensate, dropped down heavily for a prostration and got up. Maha SwamigaL 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 Periyavaa". "What prasAdam?" asked PeriyavaL and looked at him. In the meantime, the landowner managed to extract the prasAdam.. He kept it on the cane plate found there and submitted it to PeriyavaL. On that plate were found in a small banana leaf, vibuti, kunkumam, sandal paste together with some bilva dalam, two parts of a broken coconut, and some poovan banana fruits.

Maha SwamigaL asked, "All these are prasAdam of which kshetra?" and looked at the landowner once again. The landowner calmed himself and said with humility, "Periyavaa! I performed the rudrAbhiSekam for Mahalingaswami at Tiruvidaimarudur yesterday. It was a large abhishekam with mahAnyAsa rudra japam. This is that prasAdam. Since Periyavaa would be happy, I have rushed here to bring it, boarding a train; you must receive it and bless me."

Looking at that prasAda plate sharply for some time, Periyavaa asked: "Narayanaswami! You are a big landowner yourself. Even then you performed this rudrAbhiSekam for Swami, teaming up with some other people to meet the expenses?"

The landowner replied, "No, Periyavaa! I performed it myself, out of my own expenses," stressing the 'myself' part a little.

PeriyavaL 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, Periyavaa! For the last two or three years there was no yield in my fields. Some fields were even barren. I checked up with Tiruvidaimarudur Muthu Josyar. He advised me, 'On a Citra full moon day perform rudrAbhiSekam for Mahalingaswami. That will give you an abundant yield!' Only on that belief I performed it, Periyavaa".

The prasAda that was kept before the sage remained untouched. AcharyaL 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 such clarity in his face! And a knowing look of having understood many things within those fifteen minutes. Everyone around was very quiet. SwamigaL continued, "Alright... How many Vedic Brahmins attended the rudrAbhiSekam? "
"I had arranged for eleven Vedic pundits, Periyavaa!"
SwamigaL persisted, "Did you know who the vaidikaLs 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 Periyavaa 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 reading out, Periyavaa. Tiruvidaimarudur Venkatrama SastrigaL, Seenuvasa Ganapadigal, Rajagopala ShrautigaL, Marutthuvakkudi Santhana Vaadyhar, Sundaa SastrigaL, Subramanya SastrigaL, Tirumangalakkudi Venkittu Vaadhyar, and then--"

AchargaL interrupted him and asked easily, "All experts only, who you have arranged. Alright, check if your list has the name Thepperumaanallur Venkatesa GanapadigaL. "
Seething with happiness, the landowner replied, "It is there, Periyavaa! 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 vid! 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, Periyavaa! 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 much trouble yesterday. I regretted having engaged him for the japam."
SwamigaL swelled with indignation. "What you said... What did you say? So you have the temerity 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 vid? 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, his eight limbs touching the ground. SwamigaL did not say anything. The landowner got up himself. He closed his mouth and replied shivering, "My mistake, Periyavaa! It is true that I used the very same words you spoke know to the GanapadigaL in the Swami Sannidhi yesterday. Periyavaa should kindly pardon me."
Periyavaa did not stop. "Wait, wait. Did you do that mistake only? 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, Periyavaa."
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 did say anything. They wondered how PeriyavaL came to know what took place in Tiruvidaimarudur temple yesterday.
The landowner prostrated to the sage and said, "A gross mistake, Periyavaa! 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, PeriyavaaL 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, Periyavaa!"
"You served sumptuous meals, of course, with a feeling of immense happiness. You had arranged for cooking 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, Periyavaa! 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 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 reticence 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 bowed head. 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!" PeriyavaL 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, joinng his palms?" PeriyavaL 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 is 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 the 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... What you did was dharma? Will Mahalingaswami agree to it?"
Periyavaa 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 does Periyavaa narrate everything that happened yesterday at Tiruvidaimarudur as if he witnessed them personally?'
Falling down to Periyavaa's feet, the landowner started sobbing vehemently.. His tongue slurred as he said, "Periyavaa! What I did was a great sin! I did it out of vanity. Kindly pardon me. Never again shall I behave this way 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, Periyavaa! You should accept this Mahalingaswami rudrAbhiSeka 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 PeriyavaL, 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 arcakA of Tiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswami temple. Yesterday a rudrAbhiSekam 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. Periyavaa should do me the anugraham." SwamigaL prevented him as he proceeded to prostrate.
Saying "You people have been given Shiva dIkSA, 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. Meantime, the SivacharyaL saw the landowner who was standing at some distance. "Periyavaa, it is this man who had conducted the rudrAbhiSekam 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 AcharyaL and patted his cheeks loudly. He pleaded, "Again and again I pray to you, Periyavaa. 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 the 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, Periyavaa?” the landowner asked with grief.
SwamigaL said in a slightly raised voice, "If you have the prAptam, 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 Chengleput 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, fall shASTaangam at his feet, ask for his pardon, perform the remedy he would suggest and obtain paapa vimocanam.
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 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 prAptam, he will certainly tell you!" He now understood that PeriyavaaL known yesterday itself that the landowner would not have the prAptam.
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, the landowner met with different kinds of adversities and happened to lose all his wealth. He went North and did service at the temple kitchens, finally arrived at Kasi kshetra and attained his mukti there.

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 05, 2006

Glossary:
abhishekah - ablution
agrahAram - royal donation of land to Bra1hmans, land or donation given us. In practical usage, agrahAram refers to the street inhabited by brahmins, which surrounds a temple like a garland up front, hence the name agra + hAram.
aMsa – share
anugrahaH - blessings, favour, kindness, acceptance
arcakA - one who performs a worship ritual
bhikSA - alms, offered food
bilva - the wood-apple tree, commonly called Bel
Citra - the month of April
dalam - leaf, petal of a flower, part, division
dIkshA - initiation in general, consecration for a religious ceremony
EngaaNum - (Tamil) a brahmin usage meaning 'why, you!' or 'hey, you!'
jihvA - tongue, tongue of fire (flame)
josyar - (Tamil) astrologer
kshema - prosperity, ease, welfare
kshetram - holy place
kunkumam - vermillion, saffron
loka - earth, world, subjects, people
maTham - ashram, hermitage
MirasudarvaL - (Tamil) a respectful address of a landowner
mukti - release, liberation, deliverance
nyAsaH - gathering, placing, depositing, establishing
paavi - (Tamil) pApin - sinner, criminal, wicked
pongal - a popular South Indian rice dish
poovan - (Tamil) a variety of banana
pradakshiNa - on the right side, go clockwise
pramANam - size, shape, limit, determined testimony or proof
prAptam - (Tamil) prAptiH - fate, luck, interference
prasAdam - a sample of a holy offering
sabalam - (Tamil) temptation
sambhAvanA - paying regard to, respect, thought
sannidhiH - nearness, union, presence of
sAshTaanga namaskaram - prostration with the eight body limbs touching the ground
thinnai - (Tamil) a raised sit out at the entrance of a house
Vaidika - derived from or conformable to the Vedas; Vedic
vaidikaL - (Tamil) one who performs a Vedic ceremony
vairAgya - freedom from worldly desires
vastram – cloth
vibhUtiH - holy ashes, power, valor, omniscience, omnipotence
vid - a learned man, conversant
vimocanam - liberation, deliverance, unyoking, alighting
yogyatA - skill, ability, fitness

For this Sanyasi, perform Thirukalyanam for the Ninth time!

This is an incident that happened some years ago. An evening time. A large crowd in Kanchi SriMatam waiting for a darshan of Maha Swamiji. Periyavar came out of his solitary room. He came to the stage where he usually sits and seated himself, leaning on the wall.

One by one the people came before him. Prostrated to him and appealed to him with an earnest prayer to solve their problems. Swamiji gave them suitable replies blessed them and gave them prasAdam.

Eight-thirty in the night. All the people had gone after darshan. Swamiji was about to raise and get back to his room. A dampati came hurrying up. Behind them rushed a young girl. All the three of them prostrated to Paramacharya. Then they extracted the articles they had brought from four 'big shopper' bags, spread them out on the large cane plates that were seen near them, and submitted them to the sage. AcharyaL pointedly looked at the cane plates for some time. They were filled with sugar lumps, cashews, pistachio nuts, almonds, dry grapes, and dates. Surprised, Swamiji looked at the people who brought them, and happiness coursed his face lines.

Adede! It's our Viswanathan! When did you come from America? Your wife has also come... Besh, besh! Very glad. Everyone is fine? EndAppa, why have you brought such a lot of cashews and dry fruits? Any good news of a marriage? Here, standing by your side, isn't she your daughter? Oho... you have fixed her marriage! Why, Viswanathaa, there is no marriage invitation on any of these plates?" Swamiji asked.

That was it. The three of them fell at AcharyaL's feet, sobbing loudly, as if a sluice was released and a flood of water gushed forth.

Maha Swamiji could not understand. He checked himself and asked with affection, "Why Viswanatha.. . did I say something irrelevant? You people are sobbing like children?"

Immediately Viswanathan patted his cheeks loudly and said hastily, "Shiva, Shiva! apacAram, apacAram. Nothing of that kind, Periyavaa. The moment you asked, 'Arranged your daughter's wedding, where is the invitation?' the three of us couldn't contain our sorrow, Periyavaa! She is now twenty-five years old. We are trying, since her seventeenth year, coming over from America and staying here for two months. Not a single varan did crop up, Periyavaa! Somehow the chance slips by. She is educated. Has beauty. We have money. With all these things, there is no luck!" He started crying again.

It was nine-thirty at night. AcharyaL understood the situation. He thought of easing the tightness that prevailed. "It is alright, don't feel sad. Come and sit here, all the three of you!" He pointed to the floor opposite him..

The three people sat meekly. AcharyaL started speaking: "Viswanatha! I know that you are doing plenty of daana dharma for temples/ponds and the poor and destitute. Such a mental agony for you! Alright, how many years now since you went and settled in America?"

"Twenty years, Periyavaa" replied Viswanathan.

Swamiji pointed to the girl. "She is your eka putri?" he asked smilingly, "what is her name?"
Closing his mouth, Viswanathan replied, "Her name is Aparna. Yes, my only daughter, Periyavaa."

"Did you show her horoscope to the jyotishikahs? "

"Checked with a number of astrologers, Periyavaa. Every one of them talks about some dosha or other. They also suggest remedies. I have done everything they recommended! "

"What are the things you did?" asked AcharyaL inquisitively.

"I did Pitru dosha pariharah with tila homam at Rameswaram. Then shukra prIti at Kanjanur. Rahu prIti at Tirunageswaram. Guru prIti at Alangudi. Special puja at Tirumananjeri near Kuttalam. Shani prIti at Tirunallar with a bath in the NaLa Tirtham... I did so many of such things, Periyava!" said Viswanathan.

Before he could finish, Swamiji clinched it with the words, "So you say it is a lack of phala prApti." Abruptly Swamiji said to Viswanathan' s wife, "You have got the jewels-and-bolts ready for the daughter's marriage?"

"Everything is ready, Periyavaa", she replied.

"Besh, besh! How many sovereigns (of gold) you give to her?"

Viswanathan replied, "Thirty sovereigns for our daughter, Periyavaa. In addition, we have made two separate sets of jewels worth twenty sovereigns each."

"What for is those two separate sets of twenty sovereigns?"

"It is like this Periyavaa. If Aparana's marriage is fixed, with that marriage, we have decided to perform the marriages of two poor girls, meeting all the expenses. This is why the two separate sets of jewels. But then Aparna's marriage itself is not getting fixed, Periyavaa!" Viswanathan expressed his longing, tears popping up in his eyes.

Swamiji slipped into some serious thinking. It was ten thirty at night. Then he asked Viswanathan, "Within how many days you people should return to America?"

"Twenty days more, Periyavaa."

"Besh, besh," Swamiji was happy. "You people have finished your dinner?"

"Not yet", said Viswanathan.

Swamiji sent word for the cook and asked him when he showed up, "What is available?"

"Rice uppuma and pumpkin sambar", said the cook.

Swamiji asked Viswanathan' s family to go the kitchen and have their food. He waited until they came back. It was eleven in the night then. He looked at Viswanathan affectiontely.

"Viswanathaa, you have a noble heart! With your daughter's marriage, you are ready and waiting with jewels for performing dharmic marriages for two other girls. What a broad mind you have! Kamakshi will guard you". Swamiji assuaged him with gentle words and said, "Do one thing. You go to Tiruvaikkaval tomorrow morning with your family. There you perform abhisheka ArAdhanam to Mother Akhilandeswari and Jambukeswarar and pray to Them. What you ask of your daughter Aparana is that... there they would have adorned Mother Akhilandeswari with a shining tATangakah on Her ears. Ask your daughter to have a keen darshan of the ornaments without blinking her eyes and praying 'let me be married soon!’ After doing this--"

Viswanathan interrupted Swamiji as he said excitedly, "Periyavaa, our family deity herself is Tiruvaikkaval Akhilandeswari! "

Swamiji said, "Besh! It is a good thing then. So you go with family tomorrow morning and do this. Then you go straight to Tirupathi. There you perform a Tirukkalyana utsavam to Srinivasa Perumal and pray to Him. Everything will turn out well. All these cashew, dry grapes and suger lumps that you have kept here generously like the endowment rows in a marriage... take all those things and offer them to Akhilandeswari. " As he said this, Swamiji got up. Viswanathan' s family prostrated to him.

Viswanathan looked at Swamiji and said hesitantly, "Periyavaa, since the seventeenth year of my daughter Aparna, every year when I came here, I performed Tirukkalyana utsavam to Tirumalai Srinivasa Perumal. So far we have done it eight times, Periyavaa!"

"Alright Viswanathaa! What is there to lose? As this Sanyasi says, perform it for the ninth time!" Swamiji said laughingly and hurried to his room.

In the next two days, Viswanathan' s family completed the ablution and worship and tATangakah darshan at Tiruvanaikkaval as ordered by Paramacharya and reached Tirupathi..

On that day, a number of bhaktas had remitted money to perform Srinivasa Tirukkalyanam. There was a large crowd in the marriage hall. Viswanathan' s family was sitting in a corner in the centre portion of the hall. The vaikanasa bhaTTAcAaryas were conducting the celestial wedding of Lord Srinivasa chanting vaivAhiha mantras in a grand manner. Their intonations reached a peak and vibrated throughout the hall.

Viswanathan grieved within his heart thus: 'Appa Srinivasa! Is this your dharma and nyAya? You get your wedding performed every day in such grand manner! What sin did my daughter Aparna commit? Why do you not get her married to a suitable varan?' He started uttering a sob. His wife and daughter began to sob and weep, suffocating in their grief.

A family was sitting near Viswanathan. The family head appeared to be fifty or fifty-five years old. He rubbed Viswanathan' s back comfortingly. "Sir, my name is Vaidyanathan. Madras. I am watching you for a long time. On this occasion of witnessing the Tirukkalyanam with joy and happiness, it is not proper for you three people to sob and weep," he said tactfully.

Viswanathan was moved. Briefly he poured forth his worries to the gentleman who comforted him. Vaidyanathan turned and looked at Aparna. His mind told him that the girl was stately and beautiful.

Vaidyanathan asked him: "Your gotra?"

"vAthUla gotra", said Viswanathan.

"We are Srivatsa. Alright, your daughter's age?"

"She is now twenty-five; why do you ask?"

Vaidyanathan said, "Let this Tirukkalyanam be over. Then I shall take you and talk to you in detail."

Srinivasa Kalyanam came to a completion and everyone was given prasAdam. Vaidyanathan took Viswanathan' s family to the quarters where he was staying for the occasion.

There he told Viswanathan, "I have only one son. He is twenty-six now. Name Srinivasan. We belong to Melattur on the Thanjavur side. I am now working in the Defence Accounts in Madras. My son is employed in America in the Ford Motors company with a good salary. He is coming tomorrow to Madras on leave. I have been searching for a suitable alliance for him for the last three years, but nothing settled. We are all devotees of Kanchi Kamakoti Matam. Three months back we had darshan of PeriyavaaL and prayed to him with the grievance of our son's marriage being delayed. He said 'Pray to Tirumalai Srinivasa and perform a Tirukkalyana Utsavam, your son will get married immediately. ' Only today came the prApta. If that Periyavaa's anugrahah is there, even you daughter can become our daughter-in- law!"

They exchanged the horoscopes and showed them to a famous josyar in Tirumalai.
What a surprise! The astrologer who examined the horoscopes said that they matched on all the ten aspects perfectly! Both the families were very happy. They returned to Chennai the same night. Srinivasan arrived from America the next day. He found Aparna suitable for him. Aparna also found him suitable for her.
Within fifteen days, Viswanathan fixed an auspicious day and booked the Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai. After the arrangements, both the families went to have darshan of the Kanchi Mahaan. Since there was a heavy rush, only around nine in the night could Viswanathan' s and Vaiyanathan' s family approach the sage.
Periyavaa looked at them keenly, his two palms shading his eyebrows. Both the families prostrated to him. Vaidyanathan was standing behind Viswanathan. As before, Viswanathan submitted the generous offerings of suger lump, dry grapes, and cashews and so on and stood before the sage, his hands folded across his chest.
A divine happiness was seen on Periyavaa's face. After looking at Viswanathan for some time, he said in a loud voice, "EndAppa Viswanathaa! Immediately after performing the Tirukkalyanam to Srinivasa for the ninth time for this Sanyasi, has not the phala prApti been gained? Besh, besh, your daughter Aparna is indeed lucky!" and uttered a rolling laughter.
Both the families were stunned. No one could raise a tongue.
Swamiji continued: "Viswanathaa! You grieved and wept very much the other day. It occurred to my mind that your daughter was having the janmAntriya vivAha prati bandhaka dosha. Only for the nivritti of the dosha I asked for Akhilandeswari' s tATangakah darshan and the performance of Srinivasa Tirukkalyanam for the ninth time! You understand now?" Following Swamiji's laughter complete silence prevailed there.
Swamiji continued: "Who is going to be your sambandhi? What is his native place?"
Vaidyanathan, who was standing behind Viswanathan, came to the front and prostrated to AcharyaL. He said, "It is me, Periyavaa, who is going to be his sambhandi! It's all your anugrahah."
Periyavaa placed his finger on his nose. "Who is this? Oh Melattur Vaidyanathan! EndA Vaidyanathaa, three months back you came and told me that no girl's horoscope was found to be matching for your son working in America. I remember having asked you to perform Tirukkalyana Utsavam for Tirumalai Srinivasan and pray to Him. Alright, when did you perform the Tirukkalyana Utsavan?"
Vaidnathan said, "Both of us performed the Tirukkalyanam on the same day Periyavaa! We finalised the alliance in Tirumalai itself. All your blessings!" His voice turned husky as he spoke.
"Rest in prosperity!" AcharyaL blessed them with a filled heart. It was ten in the night. Swamiji said laughingly, "It is beyond time, Viswanatha! They said that it is the same rice uppuma and pumpkin sambAr in the Matam today. Do have your tiffin here without fail!" He bid them farewell with the compassion of a mother.
Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Nov 20, 2006

Glossary

apacAram - offense, fault, something which contradicts Acaram or rules of conduct
abhishekah – ablution
anugrahah - blessing, kindness
ArAdhanam - worship, homage
Adede! - (Tamil) an expression of surprise indicating familiarity
Besh, besh - an expression of appreciation, popular in the Brahmin community.
bhakta – devotee
dampati - husband and wife
dosha - defect, deficiency, impurity
eka putri - only daughter
EndAppa - (Tamil) for 'why, my boy!' or a similar expression
gotra - literally, a cow-pen; also one of the 49 sub-divisions among brahmins supposed to be sprung from and named after celebrated teachers.
Guru prIti - propitiating god Guru (Jupiter)
janmAntriya vivAha prati bandhaka dosha - deficiency from previous births that goes against the chances of getting married
josyar - (Tamil) astrologer
jyotishikah - an astrologist
nivritti - satisfaction, disappearance
nyAya – justice
Periyavar - Holy man, a grammar-friendly Tamil title for a wise man
phala prApti - attaining fruits, also success in an endeavour
Pitru dosha pariharah - corrective action for deficiency in rituals to ancestors.
prApta - attainment, fulfillment
prasAdam - a sample of a holy offering
Rahu prIti - propitiating god Rahu
sambandhi - joined in a relationship
Shani prIti - propitiating god Saturn
shukra prIti - propitiating god Shukra (Venus)
tATangakah - ear ornament
tila homam - fire ceremony using sesame
Tirukkalyana utsavam - celestial wedding ceremony
uppumA - a rice dish, also known as kichadi
vaikanasa bhaTTAcAarya - ancient and traditional chief priests in Vaishnava temples of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka
vaivAhiha - relating to a wedding ceremony
varan - (Tamil) a prospective husband

Mahaperiyava - Magical Timepiece!

Kanchi Paramacharya was once camping with his entourage in a choultry at Pudukottai, Tamilnadu, on his way to Tirunelveli. After completing the Chandramouleesvara puja on the night he reached there, Swamiji was seated before retiring for the night.

He called Nagarajan, a youth who was assisting and told him, "Appa, Nagu! I need to get up at three-thirty early morning tomorrow for my snAna. You remember it!"
The youth Nagu with great reverence replied, "As you order, Periyavaa! As you told me now, at exactly three-thirty in the morning, I shall sing the namAvali hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara."

Swamiji smiled as he understood Nagu's words. He asked him, "Since it won't be proper to say 'I shall wake you up at three-thirty Periyavaa', you said you will sing hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara!"

Nagu grinned sheepishly. He did not know what to answer.

"Alright, do as you please!" Swamiji went to his room.

It was eleven in the night. The choultry was steeped in sleep. Swamiji had also retired. Nagu couldn't sleep. Worry caught hold of him. There was not a single wall clock or alarm timepiece in that choultry. What he had was a very old watch presented by his uncle on the occasion of his upanayanam. He was not used to wear it on the wrist as he was with the sage most of the time. The watch was taking refuge in his old trunk. He did not touch it after winding it up every day and setting the time.

The apprehension 'How could I wake up Periyavaa, if I wasn't awake at three-thirty?' took hold of him. Coming to a final decision, he went to the store room and retrieved his watch from his trunk. He came silently to the entrance of Swamiji's room and seated himself on the floor. He started chanting Vishnu Sahasranama silently, taking care that no sound escaped from him. Looking at his watch now and then, he was reciting the verses in repeated cycles.

When it was 3:30 exactly, Nagu got up, wiped his eyes, folded his hands, looked at Swamiji's room sang the hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara in a low voice. Within moments, the door opened. AcharyaL came out smiling, with the tejas of Lord Shiva himself and gave Nagu his suprapAda darshan. Only Nagu had the blessing to get this darshan on that day.

AcharyaL slowly walked up to the entrance of the choultry. Nagu rushed to make arrangements for the sage's bath. The choultry woke up gradually.

The next night, and the next, Nagu's pattern of staying awake, singing Vishnu Sahasra Namam and the hara hara sankara namavali continued.

On the fourth night when Nagu was doing his routine, tucking his watch at his waist, he fell asleep inadvertently. Suddenly he was awakened by a divine voice singing hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara. Jolted out of sleep, Nagu saw the smiling AcharyaL, his face replete with compassion.

Swamiji said with vAtsalya, "My child! It is exactly three-thirty now. Seems you slept because of tiresomeness. With a full day's service, it is natural you would have the strain." Smiling, Swamiji started walking slowly towards the entrance of the choultry. Nagu confirmed that the time was 3:30 from his watch at his waist.
He was wonderstruck and confused at the sage waking up at the right time. The divine voice singing the namavali echoed in his ears repeatedly. He hadn't heard such a song from the sage earlier.

It was eleven on the next night. Swamiji had retired. Nagu vowed to himself that he would stay awake at any cost the whole night. He had also brought water in a small brass pot, to wipe his eyes if he was overwhelmed by sleep..

The time was 2:30 in the night. Though he had managed until then, Nagu couldn't stay awake any further despite his best efforts, so he folded up sleeping on the floor.

The door opened. AcharyaL came out slowly. He saw the sleeping Nagu and the brass water pot on his side. He understood and laughed.

"hara hara sankara... jaya jaya sankara. Appa, Nagu wake up!" Swamiji called softly. Nagu got up, jolted to wakefulness and saw the smiling sage before him.

"Nagu, it is exactly three-thirty. Poor boy, you couldn't get up in time today also. Alright, arrange for my bath." Swamiji proceeded to the entrance as he did usually. Nagu wondered as he checked the time.

After the afternoon puja, Swamiji was seated alone. Nagu went and prostrated to him and stood nearby meekly without uttering a word.

Swamji began the conversation: "Appa Nagu, from your namaskaram it seems that you want to know something from me. What is it, ask me, and don’t feel shy."

Nagu hesitated and tried, "It is nothing, Periyavaa." Swamiji laughed. "I understand what your mind wants to ask me. When you couldn't stay awake with a watch on you, you are confused as to how Periyavaa could get up at the exact time, when he does not have any sort of timepiece! Right?"

Slightly emboldened, Nagu said, "Yes, Periyavaa. In spite of my best efforts, I somehow went sleeping at the time when I should have been awake. And you got up and awakened me at the exact time of three-thirty. I am ashamed Periyavaa. How does Periyavaa know the exact time..."

Swamiji interrupted him and said, "You have the doubt that some karna yakshini tells me the time!" and laughed loudly.

"It was not that Periyavaa. Just a curiosity to know..." Nagu hesitated.

Swamiji continued: "No yakshini told the time in my ear. It was a bus that told me the time! The T.V.S. bus of Madurai T.V. Sundaram Iyengar's company.. When I came out on the first morning after you awakened me with your namAvali, I noticed a bus pass by the choultry gate. On the next two mornings also a bus got past the choultry gate at three-thirty! On inquiry, I was told that it was the first bus of the T.V.S. Company in the morning that arrives at Pudukottai from Madurai. There was not a second of difference in the exact time of three-thirty when the bus passed by the gate, day after day. People used to say that you can adjust your watch using the time of arrival of a T.V.S. bus at a particular place. I understood they were right! From the fourth morning, I got up as I heard the noise of the bus. There is no other secret in this, Nagu!" Swamiji laughed, absorbed in himself.

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Dec 04, 2006

Glossary

karna yakshini - god of the ears
snAna – bath
namaskaram - the action of prostrating
namAvali - a series of God names
suprapada darshan - having darshan of a sage when he gets up in the morning
tejas - divine splendor
upanayanam - the Hindu thread ceremony
vAtsalya - affection

Kanchi Mahaswami's story about the Value of Annadaanam

Maha PeriyavaaL's Story about the Value of annadAnam

It was the time when Kanchi Maha SwamigaL was staying in Kalavai, many years before. It was a Sunday. A large crowd had gathered for darshan. One by one the devotees prostrated to the sage, received his blessings and moved away. A middle-aged couple prostrated to AcharyaL and stood up with folded palms. Keenly looking at them, SwamigaL said, "adede... who (is this)... Palur Gopalan! You came a year back. That time you spoke about some problems. Aren't you fine now?" and laughed.

That Palur Gopalan replied, "We are very fine Periyavaa. As directed by you, from the time we started feeding an atithi in the noon time every day, only good things are happening, Periyavaa! Good harvest in (my) fields. The cows don't die as before! The money that dripped out of hands without control for expenses stays in hands now. All that is (due to) the greatness of the atithi bhojana you have asked us to do, by your anugraha. I am doing it daily. Nothing else (is the reason for the prosperity). " Tears filled his eyes as he spoke. His wife who was standing by his side was also in tears of joy.

AcharyaL said, "besh, besh. It is fine if you have understood that good things happen due to the act of atithi bhojana. Alright. Today both of you have come over here. There in Palur--who will do the atithi bhojana?" AcharyaL inquired worriedly..

Gopalan's wife replied promptly, "We have made alternative arrangements for that Periyavaa. atithi bhojana will not be missed even for a day."

Maha SwamigaL was very happy to hear it. "That's the way you should do it. You must have a resolution to feed the hungry. Doing atithi upacAra will give such an anugraha and safeguard the family! One day sAkSAt Parameshvara himself will come in the form of an atithi, will sit and eat, you know that?"

SwamigaL was talking with kutUhala. To listen to these anugraha words, the people standing in the queue surrounded him. He asked everyone to sit down on the floor. The crowd of devotees sat down.

A devotee asked SwamigaL: "Is there such greatness in doing atithi bhojana, Swamy?"

SwamigaL replied immediately. "Yes yes! It is a maha puNya dharma that could lead to mokSa! It has benefited a number of people! Only when you ask people like this Gopalan who have experienced it, they will tell you. Such a lofty dharma is this one!"

A devotee got up and prostrated to the sage. He said with humility, "My name is RamaSethu. Tiruvannamalai is my native place. We all pray together to AcharyaL. We desire to listen more elaborately about the greatness of this atithi bhojana in a way we can understand it. Periyavaa should take mercy on us!"

SwamigaL asked him to be seated. The devotee complied. Everyone was watching the walking God in silence. That parabrahmam started talking after sometime.

"My memory is that it was (the year) thousand nine hundred and thirty-eight or thirty-nine. SriSankara MaTham was doing its administration from KummoNam (Kumbakonam) . I am going to tell (you about) an incident that happened at that time. If you listen to it devotedly, the greatness that lies in this (incident) can be understood! I shall tell you (now), listen (carefully). "

Swamigal stopped for a brief while and then continued: "There was a large house on the western bank of the Kummonam Maamaanga (Mahamaha) kulam. A grocer by name Kumaresan Chettiar was living in that house. I remember very well... The name of his dharma patni was Sivakami Achi. They belonged to Pallathur near Karaikudi.. That couple had no children. They had brought a dependable boy from their native place and kept him with them for taking care of the grocery shop.

"At that time, the age of Kumaresan Chettiar was perhaps fifty or fifty-five. That Achi's (age was) perhaps within fifty. At all times only the nama smaraNa 'Shiva Shiva.... Shiva Shiva' would be issuing out of the mouth of those two people. There was no other talk! Chettiar had in his house a single-bullock cart. Seating Achi in the cart, Chettiar himself would drive! Every day both of them would arrive in their cart at the banks of Kaveri to take bath. Finishing (their) bath, they would come to our MaTham, prostrate, receive the blessings and go back. They were such an intimate couple. About them, I am going to tell (you now) something that will overshadow all these, look (listen)!"

He took to silence to keep them in suspense for some time. The devotees were waiting with eager expectations. AcharyaL started speaking again: "You know what work that couple had been doing for many years? To serve and feed the atithis! Don't be surprised! They would entertain the Shiva disciples with food, every day at noon in the hall of their house, without shrinking a face, whatever the number of disciples they received as guest. They would seat the disciple in the thinnai at the entrance (of their house), wash his feet with water, wipe with a cloth, apply sandal paste and vermillion to them and lead them to the hall and seat them there.

"They did not have any cook in their house! That amma would cook alone, whatever number be the guests of Shiva disciples! Another important thing--if you ask what it is--is that they would inquire from the Shiva disciples the details of the vegetables and dishes they like, go and get them, cook and serve them! Such an elevated mind! Do you think how SwamigaL knew about all these things...? There is no sort of secrecy about it. (One Sri) Sundaram Iyer, who was close to the MaTham, was looking after the accounts of Kumaresan Chettiar. Only he would tell me these things when he was free. Understand now?"

AcharyaL stopped for some time and relaxed. None of the seated moved an inch. They were all looking with fixed eyes at Maha SwamigaL. That walking God continued: "One day it was raining very well. (It was) noon time. Kumaresan Chettiar came to the entrance (of his house) and looked (here and there). No atithi was in sight! Holding an umbrella, he descended the steps of the Mahamaham pond and surveyed the scene. A Shiva disciple was seated after bath in a small building there, wearing vibhUti (all over his body). Chettiar prayed to him and brought him for dining (at his home). He seemed somewhat like a well-read Shiva disciple. He came singing Thevaaram. Washing his feet, Chettiar led him to his hall and seated him. The couple prostrated to the Shiva disciple. Chettiar's dharma patni went to the disciple and asked, 'What vegetables are the favourite of Swamy? Please tell me, so I can go to the shop, get and serve them after cooking.'

"It seemed that the Shiva disciple was in good hunger. He got up and went to the backyard and looked around. He saw sprouts of tender spinach there. He came inside, called the mother and said that he needed nothing except the tender spinach in koottu and their stems in sambar and that it would be sufficient for him. Chettiar went to pluck the spinach with a bamboo plate in his hand. The rain had stopped by then. Since it was becoming late, the Shiva disciple who was very hungry decided to give a helping hand for plucking the spinach, so he asked for a bamboo plate and went to the backyard.

"Sivakami Achi was standing at the backyard entrance, watching the two men pluck the spinach. Both of them placed their plates inside the house after enough spinach was plucked. You know what that amma did immediately? She washed the two spinach plates separately. She lit two furnaces, kept the spinach in two separate pans on the furnaces and started cooking. The Shiva disciple who was looking at her act was surprised! He was confused: 'What is this? Both the plates have the same spinach sprouts. Without using a single vessel to cook them, why this mother lights two furnaces and cooks them separately?'

"After sometime, that amma took the pans out of the furnaces, took the disciple's spinach only to the puja room and offered it as nivedana to Swami. The disciple who was watching it was pleased with immense pride! Know what he had thought? He decided, 'I am a big Shiva bhakta. Sannyasi. So this mother has understood that Lord Shiva would accept only the spinach I plucked and offers it as nivedana. Still I would ask the mother herself after my meal about the offering.'"

Stopping here briefly, SwamigaL watched the devotees sitting opposite him. Nobody lowered a jaw. He continued: "The Shiva disciple, who had finished his dining, asked that Achi about his doubt. You know what reply did the Achi give? (She said  'Ayya, when the spinach was plucked in the backyard, I was watching. My husband chanted the name 'Shiva Shiva...' and plucked the spinach. So it became ShivArpaNa then and there. There was no need to offer it again. You plucked (the spinach) without chanting any name. That is why, I lit a furnace, cooked your spinach separately and offered it to the Lord.' The disciple was embarrassed to hear this. The couple then prostrated to the disciple. He appreciated the Achi's bhakti and wisdom and started on his way. They were a couple who served annam in such a way..."

AcharyaL stopped. The crowd of devotees was sitting with amazement. Nobody lowered a jaw. SwamigaL continued: "You know what was the phala prApti that was given to them for such incessant atithi bhojana? Some years later, they celebrated their shashti apta pUrti (completion of 60 years of age). On a Maha Shivaratri day they sat for darshan of the four sessions of puja in the Kumbeswarar temple. When they returned home, that amma, who sat in the puja room complaining of exhaustion, stretched out and breathed her last. Shocked, the Chettiar called her by name and went inside, but he too fell down and breathed his last. That was all. On that very day of Maha Shivaratri both of them attained the Shiva sAyujya together. Did you see the position that couple attained because of their act of incessant atithi bhojana? Even now, on every Maha Shivaratri day, I would remember the couple. They are the couple who served food in such a lofty manner."

AcharyaL finished. Tears seeped from the eyes of those who heard the story. The walking God stood up and said, "Seems it is almost two o' clock. Everyone will be hungry. Go inside and dine well", and bade them farewell with compassion.
Author: Sri S. Ramani Anna (in Tamil)
Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Jan 18, 2007

Glossary:

arpaNa - offering , delivering , consigning , entrusting
atithi - guest, a person entitled to hospitality (from a-tithi: one who has no fixed day for coming)
bhojana - feeding, enjoying, eating
kulam - pond, usually near or in the precincts of a temple
kutUhala - curiosity , interest in any extra-ordinary matter
mokSa - emancipation, liberation, deliverance, release from
sAkSAt - before one's eyes, in person, in bodily form, visibly
sAyujy - intimate union, communion with
smaraNa - the act of remembering or calling to mind, calling upon the name of a god, a rosary of beads held in hand, not worn as a necklace.
upacAra - service, act of civility, polite behavior

Thathwamasi

What is Thathwamasi that is inscribed in front of Sabarimala Sannidhanam ?

How many of the pilgrims, who reaches the Sanctum of Ayyappa, reads this message there?

Thathwamasi - has nothing to do with the word "Thathuwam"..

It is one among the four Mahavakyas of the Vedhas...  Mahavakyas are the grand utterances of the Upanishads. The Final truth expressed in the Vedhas.

They contain the essence of the Vedanta and the ultimate truth. There are mahavakyas for all the four vedhas and everything convey the same meaning of Advaithic Truth.

The term Thathwamasi appears in the Samavedha - in the Chandogyopanishat.

Its a combination of three words

Tat Twam Asi = Thou art you. ie That is you

Tat - That

Twam - You

Asi - becoming / is

Here "That" refers to the Supreme being... ie Iam same as the supreme being

Understanding that we are not ordinary mortals - but we are the ultimate; this is Thathwamasi.

Tatvamasi is the fulfilment of spiritual knowledge. There is no second - "Iam that Supreme Entity"

This complex adwaithic wisdom is made simple in Ayyappa Thathwam... The State of Oneness... Thats the reason, once we wear the maala, we are taught to see everything as Ayyappan and everyone as Ayyappan.

Though we just call it outwardly and most of us never try to put the theory "everything is Ayyappan" into practice..

Just imagine the situation if it is in reality... "Every being is Ayyappan" "Every Devotee is Ayyappan" "Every piece of rock and mud is Ayyappan"...  Now there is no question of "I" here... because even "Iam Ayyappan..." ie  "Iam that Supreme Entity" ie "Thathwamasi"

Actually this (Thathwamasi and other) Mahavakyam is given as upadesham only while taking Sanyasam... Kanchi maha Swamigal said:

"It is to attain this highest of states in which the individual self dissolves inseparably in Brahman that a man becomes a sannyasi after forsaking the very karma that gives him inward maturity. When he is initiated into sannyasa he is taught four mantras, the four [principal] mahavakyas."

But Ayyappan is in Yoga Peetam at Sabarimala; He is a gurunathan there. Thats the reason he explicitly teaches this Maha Vaakya Saaram ie Thathwamasi with his Chinmudra...

Mahayogapeeto jwalantham mahantham 

Mahavaakya Saaropadesham Sushaantham

Maharshi Praharsha pradham gnana kaantham 

param jyoti roopam bhaje bhoothanatham

Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa