Though we have been with HIM all the time, though we could decipher HIS sign language, though we could understand what HE says from His very sight, interestingly, there are times, we wouldn’t be able to understand a thing…

Once, an iyengar from Indian Express editorial board came for Periyava Darshan… Though he was retired, he was one of the members in the network board. Sri Gurumurthy brought the iyengar along with him from Delhi. He, Goenka ‘s grandson and others had come for Periyava darshan… At that time, begins Sri Kannan mama…

Periyava asked the Iyengar, Do you know it was your father who taught “Aacharam” for Sri Matam? Iyengar didn’t know how to respond. What could Periyava possibly know about his family? What possibly his appa could have said to the revered ones in Sri Matam? Several questions bounced in his mind within seconds…

Do you know it was your father who taught “Aacharam” for Sri Matam?, once again the same Voice of God!

Ahaa, Ahaa, how come, no words could come out of his mouth even after trying to respond !

Later, Sri Kannan Mama explained, it was the first time that the Iyengar had come to have Periyava darshan… So nobody understood why Periyava was asking a question like this…

Periyava’s next question doubled Iyengar’ surprise!!!

Periyava said, You are son of Kalyanam Iyengar, right?

Yes, replied Iyenger with renewed surprise… How come Periyava knew his father? Infact no one there would have known his father… Iyengar was more surprised!

But Periyava explained, Your face has so much resemblance of your father. This explanation only multiplied Iyengar’s surprise further.

Do you know it was your father who taught “Aacharam” for Sri Matam? Again Periyava was back to the first question. However, Iyengar still couldn’t answer this question. Periyava himself started to explain (Well, who else could?)

Once I was staying in Thiruvaiyaru… Your father told me, “In our Vaishnava Sampradhaya, we are the ones who wash all the vessels that we use for Bhagavat Aaradhana… Here in Sri Matam, outsiders are washing the vessels… As far as we could, it is always better for the brahmins in Sri Matam to take up that work and wash the vessels”…

Since then, I asked the brahmans here to take up that chore and wash the vessels , said Periyava…

Periyava HIMSELF is a pinnacle of ‘Aacharam’… If Periyava says someone taught HIM Aacharam, we need to find out the new meaning of the word ‘humbleness’?

Look at how humbly Periyava quoted about Iyengar’s father, says Sri Kannan Mama. (Do you know it was your father who taught “Aacharam” for Sri Matam?)

Likewise, there are so many incidents… Though we have been with HIM all the time, though we could decipher HIS sign language, though we could understand what HE says from His very sight, interestingly, there are times, we wouldn’t be able to understand a thing…

Sri Kannan Mama says, even if we have 1000 mouths, we can still keep talking endlessly about Periyava… There is a poem, “Vallaan Unnai Paada Paada Vaai Inikudhe”… Likewise, it is ecstatic for the mouth to keep talking about Periyava…

Today’s Nectar :

When we talk about Periyava, our words get purified…
When we think of Periyava , our mind gets purified…
When we serve Periyava, our body gets purified…

Parameswaran HE is, what else can we say? We can keep talking of HIM, keep thinking of HIM , concludes Sri Kannan Mama.

Once, Periyava was about to enter Kasi, at the fag end of the yatra. Kasi was vibrating with the ‘Visit of JagadGuru’ that was about to happen. At that time, a team of people chosen to meet (intercept?) Periyava before the entry into Kasi posed a serious question: “How come you’re called ‘JagadGuru’?”
Though there are number of explanations possible, Periyava chose to answer, “This ‘Jagath’ is Guru for me, so the term ‘JagadGuru’…”. There was no dispute on seeing the ‘humbleness’!!!

Whether it’s a group in Kasi or a lonely Iyengar in a private meeting… Sri Ra Ganapathy Mama used to say, “Both in terms of ‘Balam’ & ‘Panivu’ of Periyava, we could only quote Lord Hanuman!”

Prayers to Periyava to bless us ‘Balam’ and more importantly ‘Panivu’.

Article Courtesy: Sri Rathinam