Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Periyavaa jayanthi - Real incidents with MahaPeriyavaa. . . .

Courtesy : Sri.Ravi shankar
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Radhe Krishna To all,

Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Mahaswamiji (fondly called
Mahaperiyavaa) incarnated on this Earth on the Anusham star on the
Vaikashi month in the year 1894. He was an epitome of Vairagya
(determination), love and compassion and is a guiding light to many.
May 28th marks His Jayanthi this year.

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����������������������������������������������������������� 'Sri Mahaperiyavaa'

The Jayanti of the great Saint Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati
Swamigal, fondly called Maha Periyava falls on 7th June 2009. Below is
an excerpt from Sri Sri Swamiji's speech on Maha Periyava some years
ago.

Our Nation is known as Bharat. 'Bha roopey Brahmani ratah iti
Bharatah'. 'Bharata' refers to Brahmanishta. One who is ever 'in'
Jnana. There has been a continuous lineage of Jnanis in this Country.
Thus, our Country has been named Bharata.

Today is an auspicious day. There are innumerable lives in this world.
In the Gita, Bhagavan says that there are '84,00,000 Yoniis'. Various
forms of lives are found on this earth viz. animals, birds, trees,
bacteria.

Amidst this is human life. We know that human life is precious but due
to Maya we fail to understand its significance. It is rare indeed to be
born as a human. Further, to be born with normal physical attributes,
without being blind, deaf, dumb, lame, etc. is rare. Or to be born with
normal mental faculties is yet again rare. Even if we are born with
normal physical attributes and mental faculties it is rare to be born
in a good family. It is only through God's Grace that we attain these.

Human life stands in the center of the order of creation ('srishti krama').

There are innumerable bacteria that are at the lowest level of creation. Above them are the worms like the earthworm;

higher than these are creatures like cockroaches;

higher than these are the creatures like mice, mongoose;

higher than these are small animals like rabbit;

higher than these are the dogs;

yet higher are the animals like the donkey, then come the horse;

yet higher are buffaloes, cows; of a higher status than these are the wild buffaloes;

then come the tigers which are very powerful and powerful than these are the elephants and so on.

All these animals, birds, worms and bacteria are at a lower level in
the order of creation. But high above man are the 'Pitrus' (the dead
ancestors), higher than them are the Kinnaras, Devas, Gods and the
highest is Vishnu. So, human life is located centrally between these
two sets of lives.

So we have so many living beings ('jiva rasis') high above and down below us.

Devas shower flowers on the Mahatmas. We are unable to see Devas
because of our impure minds. But the words of the Mahatmas are true.
They have seen them. It is only out of deep compassion
('paramakarunai') that Mahatmas give us 'upadesa' (counsel).

There will be no difference between the atheists and us if on the one
hand we try to be devoted to them (Mahatmas) while on the other hand we
keep criticizing them. Doubts are cleared only through experience.
Until then doubts will continue to rise. And experience comes only
through effort.

Three things are necessary for our sadhana to bear fruit - The Grace of
the Guru, our own effort and time. If it is questioned why Bhagavan
Ramana Maharshi attained realisation only when he was in his 10th class
and not earlier, the answer is that things happen only at the
appropriate time - never earlier or later.

Entering the door of the Guru is Guru's Grace! Once you have come to
His door you have come to heaven. Just as the water flows towards the
pit (lower level) the Grace is ever flowing but it is directly
proportionate to our love, affection and faith in the Guru.

Securing a Satsang (company of a Holy man) in the world is very rare
indeed. One can find true sadhaks doing japa, dhyana, Nama kirtan or
Upasaks or people doing miracles, etc. But to see a 'Jivan mukta' is
very rare indeed! Maha Periyava used to say, "There are so many mango
trees. And there are so many flowers in each one of them. But only some
flowers turn into fruits while others go waste. If all the flowers in
all the trees were to turn into fruits then the world will be full of
only mangoes and mango trees! So it is natural that only some turn into
fruits ultimately."

We should have the 'buddhi' (intellect) to seek a Mahatma. In Sundara
Kanda Sita tells Ravana, "Hey! Ravana, are there no Sadhus in your
Kingdom?" and then adds, "No, it can't be so. There must be but only
you do not have the 'buddhi' to go and seek them."

There have been Mahatmas in every age. They have divine vision. Nothing
is unknown to them. Sri Ekamram (a householder who had been a personal
attendant to Maha Periyava for nearly three decades) said that once
when Maha Periyava had camped in Pandaripura, there lived in this holy
kshetra a young boy who used to do severe sadhana. He used to visit
Periyava every day. His hair was unkempt and he wore religious marks on
his body. He repeatedly sought sanyasa from Maha Periyava. But Maha
Periyava's only response to all his pleadings was silence. Whereas,
there was this man who was doing 'bhiksha kainkarya' (cooking and
serving food) to Maha Periyava and who was not in the least interested
in sanyasa.

But Periyava coaxed him into it! This man went on grumbling, 'I did not
want sanyasa but Periyava has given it!' And people around found fault
with Periyava's actions. They said, "How religious and spiritual this
young boy is but Periyava has refused sanyasa to him whereas He has
given it to another who does not want it and does not seem to deserve
it!"

People see and judge a person outwardly whereas a Mahatma 'sees'
through him and knows him inside out. After some years it was learnt
through newspapers that this boy who had sought sanyasa from Periyava
had married a foreign lady! With our limited mind we cannot see within.
But a Mahatma's viewpoint ('drishti') is always right. To comment on
their actions or to analyze their actions is very wrong. Maha Periyava
came to the peeta (of the Kanchi Mutt) at the young age of 12.

Maha Periyava took sanyasa at the young age of 12. He came to the Peeta
at this tender age. Just as we say a father should behave like a
father, a mother should behave as befitting her status, so was Maha
Periyava as a 'Peetadipathi' (Head of a Religious Mutt). He was an
example of how a Peetadipathi should be. He was so in all aspects - as
a Sanyasi, as a Guru, as a Vidwan and as a Tapasvi. He possessed highly
exceptional qualities that are beyond description ('anirvachaneeyam').

He was an adept in Mantra Shastras. Once, a poor boy came to Maha
Periyava in deep anguish. He had none to call his own except a sister
whom he had married off. But she had become mentally deranged and her
in-laws were pressuring him to take her back. He had no permanent
earning or place of stay, and so was perturbed about bringing his
sister back. She used to behave abnormally. Periyava asked the boy to
bring the sister while He performed Lord Chandramouleeswara puja.
Periyava said that after the puja He would do japa with the sandal
paste ('chandan') which He would splash on her; and, she will react
violently and run to a mango tree. Periyava instructed that none should
follow her or stop her. She was very restless when she was brought in
and would not stand there. Maha Periyava did as He had said. She ran
out and hit against a tree and fell. She then became all right as the
'brahma rakshas' that had caught hold of her had left her. No
allopathic medicine can cure such troubles. They will call it nervous
weakness and at the most put the person to sleep using sedatives.

We proudly declare that a person had lived for 100 years but what is
the use of living that long without a goal? But if Maha Periyava has
lived a hundred years it had been a real living. He has shown how one
should live. He remained as a beautiful ornament to the Peetta that he
had occupied.

Once a topmost official in the Government asked Maha Periyava,

"What is the way out ('gati') for me?"

Maha Periyava said, "Once a goat has been caught by the tiger it can
never escape its clutches. So, one on whom 'Guru kataksha' (glance) has
fallen he cannot escape it." The official said, 'I am not a goat but a
wild buffalo. The wild buffalo escapes tiger's jaws!' Maha Periyava
said, "But the the scar of the attack has been left by the tiger. And
that will work!" This person then asked, "Point out to me all the fake
swamijis. I will put them all behind bars," and further inquired of
Maha Periyava, "How to differentiate the good from the bad?"

Maha Periyava said, "Once while camping near Satara I had hidden three
ripe mangoes in a basket full of unripe mangoes. When a child came in I
asked it to pick a mango from the basket. It picked up a ripe one! A
child could pick up the ripe mango from amongst a basket full of unripe
ones. Just as the way a child knows what is ripe and what is unripe, so
too would those who go out in search of Truth recognize a true Mahan at
some point of their life."

A devotee of Maha Periyava, was in tears as He did not visit her home.
Maha Periyava said to her, "Why do you invite me into a home built of
bricks? I will come and sit in the home of your 'hrudaya' (heart)!"
What wonderful words? How could he coin such words out of the blue?

Once, Maha Periyava addressed a big gathering, "All of you have
assembled here eagerly to listen to me. You have extended a big welcome
to me here and all of you are also lending assistance to the Mutt.
Everybody says that I must speak something. Instead, I feel that I can
spend the time better in meditating on Ambal (Devi). What is the use of
mere words? I feel that I should meditate on Ambal. There is no use of
offering any 'upadesa' (counsel) to you all without doing any dhyana of
Ambal. And again there is no need for words once I successfully
complete the dhyana of Ambal and attain Her! This is because just by
seeing me all of you will be transformed! Therefore, words are useless
under all circumstances!"

Once, Maha Periyava performed a detailed 'upanyas' on Adi Sankara under
the heading 'Egoless Acharyal'. Once, while speaking with His close
devotees,

Maha Periyava said, 'It is said that sanyasis (ascetics) should not
possess any desire. But, I have a desire!' When the devotees asked,
'What is it?'

Maha Periyava said in all humility, 'I desire that none in the world should know that such a sanyasi lives!'

Further, in a 'Deepavali' special issue brought out by a weekly many
years back, the replies of dignitaries from various walks of life to
the question, 'what is the lesson learnt by you from the world?' had
been published. This question was placed before Maha Periyava also.
Maha Periyava said to them, "Every moment the world is teaching me some
lesson. But only I do not possess the required maturity to learn!" This
shows His humility.

Once, when Paul Brunton (a foreigner who came to India seeking a
spiritual Master and the author of the famous book 'Search in secret
India') sought 'upadesa' from Maha Periyava, Maha Periyava offered him
the wonderful 'upadesa', "Be humble! You will find what you seek!"

Just through deep continuous thought ('smaran') of Mahatmas ('punya purusha') we will attain their state."

We also give below an interesting incident that Sri Ekamram (a
householder who had been a personal attendant to Maha Periyava for
nearly three decades) narrated, to show the value placed by Maha
Periyava to all the work of the Mutt without any difference of high or
low.

The different duties in the Mutt were allotted to different staff. As
such it fell on a young man to wash the vessels used in the Sri
Chandramouleeswara Puja. One day this young man while washing the
vessels thought aloud, this is the lowliest and worst of all the
services rendered in this place! This grouse of the young man fell on
the ears of Maha Periyava who happened to pass by. The next day Maha
Periyava instructed all the staff of the Mutt to assemble in His
presence.

When all had reported, Maha Periyava said, 'There are innumerable
people who consider it the highest of blessings to wash the vessels
used in Sri Chandramouleeswara Puja. But here is this young man who
feels otherwise. Therefore, today he should be spared of this duty and
all the rest of you should each wash a vessel!' And that day even the
manager, who was only a year or two younger to Maha Periyava and a
highly learned and intelligent man, lent a hand in washing the Puja
vessels of Sri Chandramouleeswara.

The young man quickly realized his mistake and fell at the feet of Maha
Periyava. From then onwards he attended to his duty with all enthusiasm
and reverence."

If any of our satsang devotees like to read more on Maha Periyava and
would like to reminisce this great Saint through some articles already
published on our website... pl follow the links....

1. A tribute to Sri Mahaswamiji

http://www.namadwaar.org/articles/tributetomahaswamiji.html

2. Sri Mahaswamiji on Guru Bhakti

http://www.namadwaar.org/articles/gurubhakti_mahaperiyava.html

Sri Mahaswamiji on Nama Sankirtan

http://www.namadwaar.org/articles/gloryofnama_paramacharya.html

3. Sri Swamiji's kirtan on Sri Mahaswamiji's Padukas

http://www.namadwaar.org/articles/jikirtans/sadgurupadukam.html

4. Nuggets on Sri Mahaswamiji

http://www.namadwaar.org/nibbles/?cat=43

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My Guru as I see Him- Watch the You Tube in English.... 2nd Part

Dr. A. Bhagyanathan, personal secretary to HH Sri Sri Muralidhara
Swamiji, from time to time, has given lectures about Sri Sri Swamiji
and His unique qualities that makes Him a boundless ocean of love and
compassion. In this series of videos, Namadwaar presents to its
viewers, excerpts from such lectures - a unique opportunity to hear
about and remember the Sadguru - 'Madhura Smaranam'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlkAallPKjg

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Regards & Chant The Maha mantra:

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Source: http://www.namadwaar.org/home.php���
 
knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

 Every moment, thank God

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