🙏🙏. ..

Dear Sir,

Please permit me here to recollect and relate and share with you an almost similar incident that happened at least 50 years ago which my father Sri M Krishnaswami (MK) and my mother Smt Mani Krishnaswami experienced with Maha Periava .

My parents were once travelling from Madras to Kanchipuram in a car on a personal family errand.

On the way , someone told my father that Kanchi Periava was camping at Kaarvetnagar … a few miles outside outskirts of Kanchi.

Very eager to have Darshan of the Sage , my farther immediately decided to take a detour and the car drove straight to the Swamigal camp .

My parents alighted from the car and they rushed inside the camp premises hoping they would have the golden opportunity to offer obeisance to Periava . My father also wanted .. if Periava had time and convenience .. permission for my mother Smt Mani Krishnaswami to sing a few Krithis in the presence of the Sage .

Unfortunately , when they entered the acharya’s camp and enquired if they could see him , my father was told by a Mutt official that Periava was observing “mauna vratam” (ritual silence) on the day and would not give audience to anyone .

My parents were extremely disappointed .

My father asked permission from the Mutt official if before going away, Smt Mani Krishnaswami could at least sit at the camp gate outside the small dwelling where Periava was seated, and sing just a couple of songs . Permission was reluctantly given .

My mother then sang 2 Kritis in praise of goddess Amba of Kanchi .

After singing two kritis , my parents lingered for a while hoping that perhaps Periava might change his mind and give them at least a fleeting audience …

After a few moments another mutt official then came from inside Periava’s dwelling and quietly whispered to my father that Periava would not give audience to ladies who were not properly attired in 9-yards saree.

It was then to their shock and shame that my mother realised that she was indeed attired only in 6 yard cotton saree .. !

In her haste and hurry to see the Sage it had slipped the attention of both my parents that Smt Mani Krishnaswami was not in “madissaar”. Since the trip to the Sage’s camp was a sudden and unscheduled one they had not been attired suitably for the occasion.

Adding to the disappointment that they were unable to have Darshan of periava … was now this tacit rebuke that had been delivered to my parents from Periava inside . Both my parents were extremely pained .

The Mutt official then gently told my rather distraught father, “Sir, please go away now . Periava gestured to me to tell that both of you should go now forthwith to Kanchi and have Darshan of Amba Kaamaakshi . And maybe on your return journey to Madras , you may if you so wish come here again .. and if Periava is well disposed then , you could have audience with him .”.

With a heavy heart , my parents departed.

Later that day, after attending to their personal work at Kanchi , my parents offered worship at Sri Varadarajaswamy temple . But due to paucity of time , they were thinking of giving a skip to the visit to the Kamakshi Amman temple but then they remembered Periava’s advice that had been delivered to them earlier in the day . So , in deference to the Sage’s word , they made it to the Kamakshi Amman “Sannidhi”.

There after they’d had Darshan of the Deity , the Kovil archakas as a token “mariyaadai” to my mother Smt Mani Krishnaswami , an accomplished artiste, blessed her with a beautiful 9-yard saree that they said only that morning had been used to adorn the Deity Ambal!

Immensely pleased to receive the “Vastram” blessings of the Goddess , my mother immediately and proudly changed into it !

When from Kanchi thereafter my parents commenced their journey back to Madras , it was already dusk . When they drove again into the camp where Periava was staying it was already dark … My parents were anxious that they may once again be denied audience with the Sage.

But to their utter surprise and glee , they were told that Periava had just finished his evening “anushtaanam” and his “mouna vratam” too and would have just a few minutes to spare if they hurried inside to see him.

My parents rushed inside and there he was seated … the serene and kindly Maha Periava .

He smiled at my father and mother … knowingly and mischievously … and asked: “Ennaa? AmbaaL prasaadam kidachhidhaa?”

He was obliquely referring to the 9 yard saree of the Deity with which my mother had been blessed earlier in the evening at the Kamakshi Amman Sannidhi and in which she was attired !

My parents were stunned … ! They prostrated at the sage’s feet and beseeched his blessings . The sage then asked my mother to render a krithi in praise of Kamakshi Amman composed by Muthuswamy Dikshitar . He sat listening to the song silently with his eyes closed . Then he gave a fruit each to my parents , blessed them again. Then he arose and gracefully retired into his inner chamber .

My parents were left speechless … with an awe that was far greater than the joy they experienced in their hearts .

To his very last days in 2013 when he passed away , my dear father always used to fondly recollect the incident that he and my beloved mother together had witnessed with the Kanchi Acharya . For them both , it remained all their lives an unforgettable, almost mystical experience.
🙏🙏

Sudarshan Madabushi

26.02.2021

Mahaperiava.

https://www.facebook.com/varadaraj.desikachar.5

Experiences with Maha Periyava: Exemption to rule!

One day a lady came to SriMatham wearing a six yards saree. May be she was coming there for the first time. She was probably not aware of the practice that family ladies visit SriMatham wearing only the nine yards saree.

Another lady, who considered herself a most devoted ‘bhakthai’ (devotee) of the Mutt, saw this lady wearing a six yards saree! She got very furious!

“You can not have ‘darshan’ of Sri Maha Periyava, without wearing ‘madisaar’ (nine yards saree)” thundered she to the poor lady!

Unfortunately for the ‘most-devoted’ lady, Sri Maha Periyava came that side!

When He asked what the shouting was about, He was told what exactly happened.

He called the ‘madisaar’ lady, who was trembling!

“That lady is very poor! She doesn’t have a nine yards saree. She cannot afford to buy one! Go to the shop immediately, buy a nine yards saree and two blouse pieces and give them to her” said Maha Periyava to her!

She immediately obeyed His order, went and purchased the saree and made the poor lady wear it in ‘madisaar’ fashion and led her to Sri Maha Periyava.

“Very good! But what you did is wrong! Ask for her pardon!”, said He to the ‘madisaar’ lady.

Although He stuck to ‘sampradaayams’, Sri Maha Periyava also knew when and where to give exemption!