Once, a Ganapatigal from Nerur came along with his ‘Sishya kotigal’ for Periayava darshan. He was a Chaturvedi. Periyava was sitting silently and listening to what this group of people had to say… Ganapatigal’s Sishya Kotigal started bragging about their Guru saying that he is so well versed in “Vedha” that he could recite it upside down!. He does Nitya Aupasana and Brahma Yegna… They were going on and on saying that there is no one so great as Ganapatigal.

‘Sevakas’ brought the usual ‘mataththu mariyaadhai’- shawls for all them (a Shawl offered as a mark of respect) . Periyava touched the shawls and said, “க்ஷேமமா இருங்கோ…” (blessed them). Sevakas passed on the shawls to the Ganapatigal. After some time, ‘Sishya kotigal’ couldn’t withstand Periyava’s silence and asked Periyava,

“What would Periyava say about Ganapatigal?”

Periyava continued to sit silently without uttering a word…

‘Sishya Kotigal’ repeated again,

“What does Periyava think about Ganapatigal?”
“What would Periyava say about Ganapatigal (and his Vidwat)?”

Ganapatigal was so prepared assuming that Periyava is going to bless him immensely. An earth-shaking reply came…

Periyava replied, “He is doing his duty, so what is there to say about it, really?”. It didn’t stop there. Periyava recited a first part from Vedham “பத்மயே நீகவதே…” (“Padmayeneekavathe…”) and asked him to recite the second part. Ganapatigal couldn’t recite. The one whose Vidwat was bragged about, got stuck.

Periyava humbly probed, “Is that the one that begins with ‘rohithaanjee…”. Ganapatigal got a spark and recited the rest.

Periyava raised his ‘Abhaya Hastham’ and blessed.

If someone approaches Periyava with ‘Vinayam’, ‘Sowkyam’ is blessed. If not, both are blessed.

A learned Othuvaar had come for Periyava darshan. He demonstrated his knowledge in ‘Thevaram’. Seemed to have known ‘Thevaram’ in and out. After getting the ‘matathu-mariyaadhai’ (shawl++) and also the blessings (‘kshemamaa irungo!’) He too was pestering…

“What does Periyava think about me?”
“What does Periyava think about me?”

Again, Periyava decided to bless. So Periyava asked the Othuvaar, “Which song in Thevaram is about Lord Muruga?”

Othuvaar started to think, think and think! Slowly begun to sweat. ‘Yoga-Vastram’ had come to the hip. After sometime, he confessed his ignorance, and said, “I do not know”…

Periyava looked at him and answered, “There is no song for Lord Muruga in Thevaram… That is the answer!!!”… Thevaram doesn’t sing about any God other than Lord Parameswara…

It didn’t stop there. Periyava said, “I know you have learned everything!”.

Few seconds of silence prevailed. “க்ஷேமமா இரு!”, Periyava blessed.

If someone approaches Periyava with ‘Vinayam’, ‘Sowkyam’ is blessed. If not, both are blessed.

Today’s Nectar :

Sri Kannan Mama says, “Many times, Periyava would act as if HE doesn’t know even a small slogam… HE would probe people asking if they know it…”. However, be it Manthira Sastra or Yoga Sastra, there is absolutely nothing that Periyava wouldn’t know… Periyava is beyond everything !!!

“எது சின்னதோ அதைவிட சின்னது பெரியவா! எது பெரிசோ அதைவிட பெரிசு பெரியவா!”, (Periyava is smaller than the smallest and HE is the bigger than biggest) beautifully says Thirupathi Sri Gopalakrishna Ganapatigal.

அம்மையும் அப்பனுமாய்…
அணுவிற்கு அணுவாய்…
அப்பாலுக்கு அப்பாலாய்…
அனைத்துமாய் ஆனா பெரியவா…
திருவடி சரணம்! திருவடி சரணம்!

Hara Hara Sankara Jaya Jaya Sankara

Article Courtesy: Sri Rathinam