Post by saidevo on Dec 15, 2012 10:56:03 GMT 5.5
Pages 58-65
During early morning one day, when we had the Visva Rupa Darshan of Sri PeriyavAL, we revered him with karpUra hArati (waving camphor light). At that time I recited a shloka and stood after submitting daNDan (prostration) to him. That shloka enunciated the Guru Tatvam.
Brahmanandam parama sukhadam kevalam jnanamurtim
dvandvaateetam gagana sadrusam tatvamasyadi lakshyam
ekam nityam vimala machalam sarvadheesaakshibuutam
bhaavaateetam triguna rahitam sadgurum tam namaami.
(I salute to that Sadguru who is the source of eternal bliss, supreme happiness, who has true wisdom, who is beyond the dualities, who is infinite, whose attention is always on the divine, who is unique, eternal, pure, steady, and who sees with the eyes of wisdom who is beyond thoughts and beyond three gunas.)
A vidyArthin (student) named Sri Narayana Aiyer was with Sri PeriyavAL at that time.
When we were both taking bath in the SvarnaMukhi river that morning, that Narayana Aiyer was also bathing.
He looked at me and said, "Tell me the Sanskrit shloka you recited when you revered Sri PeriyavAL at the time of the Visva Rupa Darshan." I repeated the shloka for him.
He said, "If you don't know the Sanskrit langauge, learn it. Your pronunciation was not correct in the shloka you recited." I felt embarrassd.
Sri PeriyavAL was sitting during that night in his mEnA (palanquin) in the verandah on one side of the MaTham's courtyard.
It was perhaps ten in the night. Both of us and 'Amma' prostrated to Sri PeriyavAL and stood nearby. vidyArthin Narayana Aiyer was also with us.
Looking at Sri Narayana Aiyer, PeriyavAL asked, "Do you know these people?"
"When I was bathing in the river this morning I inquired him and came to know that these people are Vaishnava dampati from Nellikuppam. I advised him to learn Sanskrit."
After keeping silent for sometime, PeriyavAL recited a shloka and asked him its meaning. He told the meaning of the verse. (That shloka Sri MahA PeriyavAL recited that night did not stick to my mind.)
Sri PeriyavAL said, "Brahma also becomes the meaning of that word! Should you say Vishnu only? Keeping the meaning as Brahma you can explain the full meaning of the verse?
"With the kind of learning you have, even you do not know to tell the correct meaning of the shloka. And you went on to advise him? Whatever he knew he recited fondly."
From that day vidyArthin Narayana Aiyer moved with us showing greater affection.
*** *** ***
One day after the daytime puja Sri PeriyavAL came to the courtyard and stood near me around twelve o' clock to give tIrtham. Looking at me he said, "You stand here! Everyone will rush knocking against each other to get the tIrtham; you send them one by one in a line", and gave me the task of regulating the crowd. But then in reality all the people came in order, received tIrtham and moved away. She (my wife) was also with me at that time.
After giving tIrtham to everyone, he gave us tIrtham and said, "Go for your meals.
Once when he started giving tIrtham, he called us first and gave tIrtham, and said with hitam (kindness) "Go for your meals."
*** *** ***
One day after the daytime tIrtham everyone went to have meal. Sri PeriyavAL went for his bhikSA. Only the two of us waited until he came back from his bhikSA. After Sri PeriyavAL took his bhikSA he came out and sat inside his mEnA which was in the verandah near the courtyard. He was leafing through some palm leaves with keen attention. At that time, as advised by 'Amma', my wife stood holding a cane plate with sugar crystals, raisins and cashews in her hand and covering its contents with the edge of her sari. Sri MahA PeriyavAL raised his head and looked at her now and then but continued with his study of the palm leaves without giving any gesture to her.
At that time, vidyArthin Narayana Aiyer brought some darshanArtis (darshan seekers) to Sri PeriyavAL's sannidhAnam (nearness) and placed the tIrtha vattil (porringer with the holy water) and uttaraNi (a small ladle) in his front. Sri PeriyavAL also gave them tIrtham. Some time later he brought some more people. After giving tIrtham also to them, Sri PeriyavAL said, "ENdA! If you bring one by one, should I study or not? The satas (assembly) is round the corner and I am refreshing my memory for that event looking at these palm leaves. You only disturb me without letting me to read", and gave us with a meaningful look. Forthwith, we both bowed to him and moved away.
*** *** ***
One day as per Amma's advice, my wife kept a mixture of sugar crystals, raisins and cashews on a small cane plate, covered it with a piece of banana leaf and placed it before Sri PeriyavAL. We both prostrated to him and stood by his side. At that time, Sri Annadurai Ayyangar was discussing with Sri PeriyavAL about the arrangements he had made for the forthcoming satas.
Talking with him, Sri PeriyavAL dragged the plate and kept it under his hand. Inserting his right hand beneath the banana leaf, he took a pinch of the mixture from the plate, brought it to his mouth and with a gesture of wiping it, he dropped the mixture inside his mouth and said, "It's divyam (divine)" as he looked at us and then turned his look to Sri Annadurai Ayyengar and said "So you have made all the arrangements." Then he took two pieces of the suger crystals without anyone knowing it, kept them in his hand and at an opportune moment flicked one piece with his fingers. It fell near the legs of my wife who stood at some distance from him. The other piece fell near me.
Incidents such as this one were made prApta (attainment) for us many times.
*** *** ***
A day before my leave of absence at the office came to an end, I met Sri PeriyavAL in ekAntam (solitude) and spoke to him about it; on the next day too I supplicated to him. He gave me a keen ear but kept quiet about it. I told 'Amma' about this: "I need to report at my office at eight in the morning tomorrow. But Sri PeriyavAL simply kept quiet on both the occasions I tried to take his permission."
'Amma' said, "Sri PeriyavAL has no mind to send you away. So you write a letter to your office seeking leave for one more week; we shall see later." As per Amma's advice I wrote a letter seeking a week more of leave for me and hurriedly reached it to the mailbox.
After that night's puja we prostrated to Sri PeriyavAL. Giving us his kaTAkSa (look) with visible happiness, Sri PeriyavAL asked, "So you have applied to your office for a week's extension of your leave?", giving his opinion in that very question. I said "Yes."
Sri PeriyavAL said, "The Vidvat Satas is going to be held from tomorrow. I thought you might be present here to witness it."
*** *** ***
Am I a vidvAn (pandit) to explain vAkyArtham (phrasewise meanings)? Or at least have the jnAnam to understand the vAkyArtham explained by the vidvAns? Why such compassion to this Jivan in that Jagatguru?
When Sri PeriyavAL started for the Vidvat Satas on the next day with his ghoSTi (group), we walked near him as dampati. After Sri PeriyavAL sat on the Asanam (seat) topped with a tiger skin on the maNDapam (open hall) stage, as he gave us his kaTAkSam, I sat somewhat near him while my wife sat at some distance away.
The scene of hundreds of maha vidvAns who were tejasvis (bright ones) seated in gaMbhIram (majestically) in the sannidhAnam of Sri PeriyavAL on the maNDapam stage gave us Anandam (bliss).
The MahaVidvans spoke about the meaning and content of Vedas, Shastras, and Dharma, Agama, Silpa Shastras. Some of them gave speeches about Sahityam, Chandas, Niruktam, JyotiSam, Vaana Shastram and Leelavati Ganitam. Some others performed either singly or in groups Harikatha Kalaksepam, Burra Katha, Krishna Attam, KatakaLi, Bharatam, PandariBhajan and such other performing arts and also sang the Bhakti songs in such languages as Tamil, Telugu, Kannda, Malayalam, Marati, Gujarati and Hindi, with dances like Kolattam and Kummi, in ways that showcased the culture and unity of Bharata Desam, and made the audience happy.
Divine fragrance, sincerity of devotion and complete peace pervaded the entire atmosphere. Thousands of people sat on the ground quietly and witnessed the performances of art on the centre stage and enjoyed them all.
*** *** ***
During early morning one day, when we had the Visva Rupa Darshan of Sri PeriyavAL, we revered him with karpUra hArati (waving camphor light). At that time I recited a shloka and stood after submitting daNDan (prostration) to him. That shloka enunciated the Guru Tatvam.
Brahmanandam parama sukhadam kevalam jnanamurtim
dvandvaateetam gagana sadrusam tatvamasyadi lakshyam
ekam nityam vimala machalam sarvadheesaakshibuutam
bhaavaateetam triguna rahitam sadgurum tam namaami.
(I salute to that Sadguru who is the source of eternal bliss, supreme happiness, who has true wisdom, who is beyond the dualities, who is infinite, whose attention is always on the divine, who is unique, eternal, pure, steady, and who sees with the eyes of wisdom who is beyond thoughts and beyond three gunas.)
A vidyArthin (student) named Sri Narayana Aiyer was with Sri PeriyavAL at that time.
When we were both taking bath in the SvarnaMukhi river that morning, that Narayana Aiyer was also bathing.
He looked at me and said, "Tell me the Sanskrit shloka you recited when you revered Sri PeriyavAL at the time of the Visva Rupa Darshan." I repeated the shloka for him.
He said, "If you don't know the Sanskrit langauge, learn it. Your pronunciation was not correct in the shloka you recited." I felt embarrassd.
Sri PeriyavAL was sitting during that night in his mEnA (palanquin) in the verandah on one side of the MaTham's courtyard.
It was perhaps ten in the night. Both of us and 'Amma' prostrated to Sri PeriyavAL and stood nearby. vidyArthin Narayana Aiyer was also with us.
Looking at Sri Narayana Aiyer, PeriyavAL asked, "Do you know these people?"
"When I was bathing in the river this morning I inquired him and came to know that these people are Vaishnava dampati from Nellikuppam. I advised him to learn Sanskrit."
After keeping silent for sometime, PeriyavAL recited a shloka and asked him its meaning. He told the meaning of the verse. (That shloka Sri MahA PeriyavAL recited that night did not stick to my mind.)
Sri PeriyavAL said, "Brahma also becomes the meaning of that word! Should you say Vishnu only? Keeping the meaning as Brahma you can explain the full meaning of the verse?
"With the kind of learning you have, even you do not know to tell the correct meaning of the shloka. And you went on to advise him? Whatever he knew he recited fondly."
From that day vidyArthin Narayana Aiyer moved with us showing greater affection.
*** *** ***
One day after the daytime puja Sri PeriyavAL came to the courtyard and stood near me around twelve o' clock to give tIrtham. Looking at me he said, "You stand here! Everyone will rush knocking against each other to get the tIrtham; you send them one by one in a line", and gave me the task of regulating the crowd. But then in reality all the people came in order, received tIrtham and moved away. She (my wife) was also with me at that time.
After giving tIrtham to everyone, he gave us tIrtham and said, "Go for your meals.
Once when he started giving tIrtham, he called us first and gave tIrtham, and said with hitam (kindness) "Go for your meals."
*** *** ***
One day after the daytime tIrtham everyone went to have meal. Sri PeriyavAL went for his bhikSA. Only the two of us waited until he came back from his bhikSA. After Sri PeriyavAL took his bhikSA he came out and sat inside his mEnA which was in the verandah near the courtyard. He was leafing through some palm leaves with keen attention. At that time, as advised by 'Amma', my wife stood holding a cane plate with sugar crystals, raisins and cashews in her hand and covering its contents with the edge of her sari. Sri MahA PeriyavAL raised his head and looked at her now and then but continued with his study of the palm leaves without giving any gesture to her.
At that time, vidyArthin Narayana Aiyer brought some darshanArtis (darshan seekers) to Sri PeriyavAL's sannidhAnam (nearness) and placed the tIrtha vattil (porringer with the holy water) and uttaraNi (a small ladle) in his front. Sri PeriyavAL also gave them tIrtham. Some time later he brought some more people. After giving tIrtham also to them, Sri PeriyavAL said, "ENdA! If you bring one by one, should I study or not? The satas (assembly) is round the corner and I am refreshing my memory for that event looking at these palm leaves. You only disturb me without letting me to read", and gave us with a meaningful look. Forthwith, we both bowed to him and moved away.
*** *** ***
One day as per Amma's advice, my wife kept a mixture of sugar crystals, raisins and cashews on a small cane plate, covered it with a piece of banana leaf and placed it before Sri PeriyavAL. We both prostrated to him and stood by his side. At that time, Sri Annadurai Ayyangar was discussing with Sri PeriyavAL about the arrangements he had made for the forthcoming satas.
Talking with him, Sri PeriyavAL dragged the plate and kept it under his hand. Inserting his right hand beneath the banana leaf, he took a pinch of the mixture from the plate, brought it to his mouth and with a gesture of wiping it, he dropped the mixture inside his mouth and said, "It's divyam (divine)" as he looked at us and then turned his look to Sri Annadurai Ayyengar and said "So you have made all the arrangements." Then he took two pieces of the suger crystals without anyone knowing it, kept them in his hand and at an opportune moment flicked one piece with his fingers. It fell near the legs of my wife who stood at some distance from him. The other piece fell near me.
Incidents such as this one were made prApta (attainment) for us many times.
*** *** ***
A day before my leave of absence at the office came to an end, I met Sri PeriyavAL in ekAntam (solitude) and spoke to him about it; on the next day too I supplicated to him. He gave me a keen ear but kept quiet about it. I told 'Amma' about this: "I need to report at my office at eight in the morning tomorrow. But Sri PeriyavAL simply kept quiet on both the occasions I tried to take his permission."
'Amma' said, "Sri PeriyavAL has no mind to send you away. So you write a letter to your office seeking leave for one more week; we shall see later." As per Amma's advice I wrote a letter seeking a week more of leave for me and hurriedly reached it to the mailbox.
After that night's puja we prostrated to Sri PeriyavAL. Giving us his kaTAkSa (look) with visible happiness, Sri PeriyavAL asked, "So you have applied to your office for a week's extension of your leave?", giving his opinion in that very question. I said "Yes."
Sri PeriyavAL said, "The Vidvat Satas is going to be held from tomorrow. I thought you might be present here to witness it."
*** *** ***
Am I a vidvAn (pandit) to explain vAkyArtham (phrasewise meanings)? Or at least have the jnAnam to understand the vAkyArtham explained by the vidvAns? Why such compassion to this Jivan in that Jagatguru?
When Sri PeriyavAL started for the Vidvat Satas on the next day with his ghoSTi (group), we walked near him as dampati. After Sri PeriyavAL sat on the Asanam (seat) topped with a tiger skin on the maNDapam (open hall) stage, as he gave us his kaTAkSam, I sat somewhat near him while my wife sat at some distance away.
The scene of hundreds of maha vidvAns who were tejasvis (bright ones) seated in gaMbhIram (majestically) in the sannidhAnam of Sri PeriyavAL on the maNDapam stage gave us Anandam (bliss).
The MahaVidvans spoke about the meaning and content of Vedas, Shastras, and Dharma, Agama, Silpa Shastras. Some of them gave speeches about Sahityam, Chandas, Niruktam, JyotiSam, Vaana Shastram and Leelavati Ganitam. Some others performed either singly or in groups Harikatha Kalaksepam, Burra Katha, Krishna Attam, KatakaLi, Bharatam, PandariBhajan and such other performing arts and also sang the Bhakti songs in such languages as Tamil, Telugu, Kannda, Malayalam, Marati, Gujarati and Hindi, with dances like Kolattam and Kummi, in ways that showcased the culture and unity of Bharata Desam, and made the audience happy.
Divine fragrance, sincerity of devotion and complete peace pervaded the entire atmosphere. Thousands of people sat on the ground quietly and witnessed the performances of art on the centre stage and enjoyed them all.
*** *** ***
