A re-post from the past on the occasion of Vinayaka Chathurthi!

It was the year 1965 in Mayiladuthurai during Thula snanam in Vadakarai. Periyava was standing on a 6 feet thinnai. About 150 were standing below.

Periyava called Kanchi Sri Kachchabeswara Sastrigal. Asked him to go to Thiruvarur and meet Sri Mudaliyar Swamy for taking up the ‘kaingaryam’ of putting a big bell in the tower being erected at Rameshwaram. Thiruvarur being the Sthalam of Sri Manu Needhi Cholan, Periyava asked Thiruvarur devotees to take it up. Sri Sastrigal took the order and left…

In Thiruvarur, Sri Mudaliyar Swamigal stood up on hearing the arrival of the Sastrigal. He took the prasadam from Periyava and asked what was the order. Sastrigal explained it. Sri Mudaliyar Swamigal told that he had become very old. He said, “I do not know the know-hows to take up the initiative nor do I have a person with reasonable intelligence to assist me”. He, therefore, prayed for permission to offer the cost involved. Sri Sastrigal came back to Periyava and informed that he couldn’t proceed with the initiative as Sri Mudaliyar offered only to pay for it and didn’t offer any assistance. Periyava asked a key question to the Sastrigal, which we need to follow before beginning every initiative/project…

Periyava, “சாஸ்திரிகளே! நீங்க போறத்தே பிள்ளையாருக்கு சிதறு தேங்காய் போட்டீரோ?” (“Sastrigale! Did you offer/break Sedharu Thengai (coconut) to Pillayar before you left?”)

Sri Sastrigal, “ஆஹா! பெரியவா கிட்ட இவ்வளவு நாள் இருந்துட்டு, சிதறு தேங்காய் விடாம போவேனா? அதுவும் பெரியவாளோட காரியம்னா…” (“Ahaa! Being with Periyava for so long, will I forget to offer Sedharu Thengai to Pillaiyar? That too, when I’m going on a task ordered by Periyava?”)

Sri Sastrigal continued, “அதோ அந்த முனையில இருக்கிற பிள்ளையாருக்கு மூணு சிதறு தேங்காய் ஒடச்சிட்டு தானே போனேன்… ஆனாலும் காரியம் இப்படி ஆயிடுத்து…” (“I offered three Sedharu Thengai to that Pillaiyar around the corner before I left… Still, the task didn’t succeed”)

Periyava, “அதுக்குளே ஏன் அவசரப் படரே? பிள்ளையார் உங்களை ஏமாத்திட்டாருன்னு சொல்ல வறியா?” (“Why are you hurrying so much and jumping into conclusion? Do you mean to say Pillaiyar cheated on you?”)

Sri Sastrigal, “அப்படி தோணலை… பெரியவா சொன்ன காரியம் முடிக்க முடியாத அசடா இருக்கேனேன்னு வருத்தப் படறேன்!” (“I didn’t think that way… I’m sad thinking, what kind of a dumbo I’m for not being able to carry out the task Periyava ordered me to do!”)

Periyava, “அப்படி இல்லை. பிள்ளையார் உன்னை ஒரு நாளும் கை விடவில்லை. நீர் உடைச்சிட்டு போனீரா… நீர் போனதும், தியாகராஜா முதலியார் (VST)வந்தார்… உன் சித்தப்பாவ பாக்கத்தான் சாஸ்திரிகள அனுப்பியிருக்கேன்னு சொன்னேன். அவரே அதை சிரசா முடிச்சி தரேன்னு சொல்லிட்டார்!” (“It is not like that. Pillaiyar won’t give up on you any day! You offered the coconut and started right?? After that, Thyagaraja Mudhaliyar (VST) came. I told him, I have sent you to see his Chittappa. On hearing that, VST offered that he himself will take up the task and finish it!”

Periyava continued, “பிள்ளையார் நீ ஒடச்ச உடனே அந்த காரியத்தை முடிச்சிட்டார். அதனால, பிள்ளையாருக்கு தேங்காய் ஒடச்சி ஒரு காரியம் நடக்கலேன்னு சொல்லாதே… அது அபச்சாரம்.” (“Pillaiyar got the task done instantly as soon as you offered the coconut to Him. So do not ever say that a task didn’t succeed even after offering Him coconut. It is a sin”)

Today’s Nectar :

Whenever Periyava says something or whenever someone prays at Periyava’s sannidhi, be it people , be it anything, it will appear INSTANTLY! “Timing is phenomenal” says Dr Padma Subramanyiam. “அவாளுக்கென்ன? நினைச்ச மாத்திரத்தில ஸ்ருஷ்டி!” (“Avaalukkenna? Ninaichcha maathiraththila srishti!”) says Sri Gopala Ganapatigal.

Periyava once told Pollachi Smt. Jaya Paati, “எதேச்சையா நடக்கிறதெல்லாம்… தெய்வச் செயல்னு தெரிஞ்சிக்கோ!” (“Nothing is coincidence, Everything is God’s Sankalpam”)

Hey Prabhu! Parama Dhayalu! Kripanidhi! Make us understand that even a tip of the grass doesn’t move without Your anugraham.

Siva Siva.

Article Courtesy: Sri Rathinam