ஶ்ருதி ஸ்மிருதி புராணானாம் ஆலயம் கருணாலயம்
நமாமி பகவத் பாதம் சங்கரம் லோக சங்கரம்
பெரியவா சரணம் !!
Experiences with Maha Periyava: Divine Foresight – Ramanatha, You are very lucky!!
This incident happened several years ago. A Vedic Pundit, Ramanatha Ganapadigal who hailed from Karur was living in Srirangam. His wife’s name was Dharmambal. Their only daughter was Kamakshi. Though the Pundit was a master in Vedas, he did not pursue Vaideegam (performing Vedic rituals) for his livelihood but used to do “Upanyasam” (spiritual discourses) for a living with whatever remuneration he received for his discourses. The family members were staunch devotees of Sri Maha Periyava.
Their daughter’s marriage was fixed suddenly and the groom was a teacher in a nearby village. His wife Dharmambal asked her husband, “Our daughter’s marriage has been fixed. How much savings have we got?” Ganapadigal replied, “Do you not know that I have managed to save about five thousand rupees and with that we can perform the marriage in a simple manner”.
Dharmambal was furious, “How we can conduct the marriage with this amount? We need to buy jewellery, new clothes and vessels. There are catering and other expenses and we need at least fifteen thousand rupees more”.
Ganapadigal just looked at her and Dharmambal said, “Don’t worry. I have a suggestion. Please buy some fruits, take the marriage invitation and go to Kancheepuram and do namaskarams to Sri Maha Periyava and tell him that our daughter’s marriage has been fixed. Explain our situation and ask His help for arranging fifteen thousand rupees. He will definitely help us”. However Ganapadigal did not take up her idea and replied “How is it possible to ask our Jagadguru for ‘dhanam’ (money) when we should only ask for ‘jnanam’ (knowledge). However Dharmambal argued and convinced her husband and made him travel to Kancheepuram the next day.
On that day there was a heavy crowd in the Kanchi Mutt to have darshan of Sri Maha Periyava. Ramanatha Ganapadigal was standing in the queue with a bamboo plate in which he had kept fruits and the marriage invitation. All the people standing in the queue were carrying fruits in the bamboo plate in their hands.
When the Ganapadigal reached the place where Periyava was sitting, one of the assistants grabbed his plate and kept the plate along with the other plates.
Ganapadigal didn’t expect this. “Sir I have kept the marriage invitation on that plate. I have to offer that to Periyava to seek His blessings. Please get me that” he was pleading desperately but it did not fall on anybody’s ears.
Suddenly there was a voice “Oh! Is it Karur Ramanatha Ganapadigal? Please come. Is everyone fine at Srirangam? Are your religious discourses going on well?” The voice came from none other than Sri Maha Periyava Himself. He then enquired about his family’s details and the discussion was going on. Ganapadigal did not know how to convey the issue of his financial needs. Somehow he managed to open the topic, “Dharmambal told me to visit you and get blessings for the marriage of our daughter….” Before he could finish, Periyava told him, “My blessings are there in full and …. I have one assignment for you. Can you do it for me?”
Ganapadigal enthusiastically asked what the assignment was. Immediately Periyava said, “What other assignment am I going to give you? To do discourse (upanyasam) only. There is an Agraharam in Tirunelveli near Kadaianallur in a miserable condition. Cows there die without any reason. They have sought Prasanam (an astrological practice followed in Kerala) with a Kerala Nambhoodhri and he has suggested them to do a Bhagavatha Saptaha upanyasam in the Perumal temple. Two days back the village Perumal temple priest (Bhattachariar) came here. He conveyed the matter and said “Swami only you have to arrange to send an upanyasakar for the Bhagvatha Upanyasam” and has placed the responsibility on me. You have to go there for my sake and do the needful. All other details are with Sri Matham’s Manager, you can ask him. Get the money from Sri Matham for your expenses. Tonight you board the train at Villupuram. They will take care of your remuneration (sambhavanai). Go, go, have food and take rest” said Swamigal and started talking to another devotee.
That night Ganapadigal boarded the train at Villupuram and arrived at Tirunelveli junction the next day afternoon. The Perumal temple priest (bhattar) came to the station to receive Ganapadigal. He was put up at the house of the priest and to his surprise nobody came to meet him. He consoled himself thinking that he could meet people at the time of the discourse. However, when he commenced his discourse i.e. “Bhagavatha Saptaham” in the evening, the temple priest, the temple security guard and Lord Varadaraja Perumal were the only attendees. When he enquired, he was told that the entire village got dispersed over an issue as to who should become the Trustee of the temple and until that issue was resolved, everyone in the village had decided not to enter the temple.
However Ramanatha Ganapadigal sincerely carried out his Saptaham in front of the Lord for the next seven days while it was attended by the temple priest and the security guard. On the last day the priest told him that the discourse was excellent and it was priceless however due to poor response, he gave the “Sambhavana” (fees for rendering the discourse) of sum of thirty rupees, the only amount which was available with the priest at that point in time. The watchman kept some change he had on the plate.
Bhattar also got Ganapadigal the train ticket for his return journey. Ganapadigal reached Kancheepuram via Villupuram the next day and reached Kanchi Mutt.
Next day afternoon after the routines were over he met Sri Maha Periyava. Maha Periyava then enquired about his trip to Kadayanallur and asked how the discourse went. “Come Ramanatha, Are you coming only now after the discourse? Very good. Was there a good gathering for the upanyasam? Did a lot of people from far off come?” asked Swamigal happily.
Ganapadigal’s eyes were filled with tears. In a broken voice he said, “No, Periyava, no such crowd came. In that village, there was some problem between the two groups, Periyava. So, nobody came to the temple for the last seven days”, and felt very sad.
“Ok, then how many people came for the discourse?”
“Only two of them, Periyava. That is what makes me sad”, said the Ganapadigal.
Immediately Periyava said, “Don’t be sad for this. Who were the two lucky people? Tell me, I want to hear”.
“Nobody from outside Periyava. One person was the bhattar. The other was the temple watchman”. Before he could finish, Swamigal started laughing loudly.
“Ramanatha, you are very lucky. Only Arjuna was there to hear the Geetopadesam (Bhagavad Gita) narrated by Lord Krishna from the chariot. Look at you. Two people have listened. You are luckier than Sri Krishna”, told Periyava. On hearing this, Ganapadigal started laughing.
“That means, you would not have got a good remuneration”, asked Swamigal.
“The bhattar gave thirty rupees, watchman gave two rupees and twenty-five paise, together I got, thirty-two rupees and twenty-five paise”, told the Ganapadigal.
“Ramanatha, you went there just because I told you to go. Should do a lot for your expertise in Vedas. This time, the situation is like this”, said Swamigal and called the assistant. He told the assistant to present him with a shawl and give one thousand rupees with a plate of fruits.
“Take this and leave happily. You and your family will do well”, said Swamigal.
With tears rolling, he stood up after doing namaskaram to Periyava. Only then did the Ganapadigal remember why he came to visit Swamigal. “Ä prayer to Periyava ... Daughter’s wedding has to happen well...for that... for that “while Ganapadigal was hesitating “My full blessings are there, Lord Chandramouleeswara will conduct the marriage in a grand manner!
Now take care, go to your town” the Acharya bid him good bye.
Without fifteen thousand rupees and empty handed, fearing how the reception would be from his wife, Ramanatha Ganapadigal entered his house.
“Please wait, please wait there. I am coming” the enthusiastic voice of his wife Dharmambal came from inside the house.
She came to entrance of the house and gave water to her husband to wash his legs. She took arathi for him and led him inside the house. She gave him coffee and showed extraordinary hospitality. “Come here and see our pooja room” she led Ganapadigal to the Pooja room.
Ganapadigal went into the Pooja room. There he saw in front of the deity a big bamboo plate with a variety of fruits, saree, dhoti (veshti), two mangalasutras (thirumangalyam), turmeric, kumkum, flowers along with a bundle of currency.
“Dharmu all these ...” before he could finish “somebody from Sri Matham came saying Periyava from Kanchipuram wanted to give this and kept it here. I asked why? They said it is for your daughter’s marriage. Periyava wanted us to reach these to you” finished his wife.
Now also tears rolled down from Ganapadigal’s eyes. “Dharmu what a mercy Periyava has shown. I didn’t open my mouth and ask him anything. Still, that God has sent all these things!!” He said emotionally and asked “Did you count the currency in the bundle?” “No. I did not” said his wife.
Ganapadigal sat down and finished counting.
Fifteen thousand rupees!!
Thinking of that Seer’s compassion, Ramanatha Ganapadigal started crying out loudly!
Source: Maha Periyavar by S. Ramani Anna
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb
Source: MAHA PERIYAVA Public Group/Face Book
ஹர ஹர சங்கர ஜெய ஜெய சங்கர !!
ஹர ஹர சங்கர ஜெய ஜெய சங்கர !!