PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR (PART 11)

[Guest guest]

PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR,

MY ACHARYA, FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE (PART 11)

 

Dear Bhagavatas,

Presented below is Part 11 on the above subject being excerpts from my talk

during the 600th Anniversary Celebrations of Ahobila Matam held at New York

during the first week of September 1998.

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

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AZHAGIYASINGHAR'S KALAKSHEPA VAIKHARI

(HIS INIMITABLE TALENT IN EXPLAINING)

 

· Supposing a mother has a number of children. Do you know which child would

be dearest to her? On which child would she bestow her utmost concern and best

attention? The answer is simple. Naturally, it is on the most handicapped of

them all. You will remember my telling that I was a common Srotha in all his

Kalakshepam classes. If you wish to award a prize for not the dumb and the

dumber but the dumbest, stupidest student in all the classes put together,

sure as anything, I would win the first prize. May be, this is the reason why

he would not proceed to the next line unless he made sure that I had

understood what was being explained (sometimes to the point of annoyance of

other brilliant students and everyone else was in this category).

 

· Any explanation of the esoteric involved in the Granthas conveyed in high

flying Paribashai would put off lay folks; And, Pundits would feel out of tune

with any simple, straightforward language. Our Swami would present his talks

in a happy blend of both so that every segment would find it agreeable to

their predilections all at the same time ! This inimitable style comes to him

effortlessly like fish taking to water. A rare quality, which others could

only envy but would find hard to emulate!

 

· Even as he is talking he would grasp our doubts by merely looking at us and

within seconds he would be addressing the precise doubts. Even though he is a

' Param gathah' (one who has mastered), he would tune his presentation to suit

even dullest heads and according to the Paripakkuvam of the audience - who

would remain still like "Ezhudu Chithiram" (a painted picture) and like calves

listening to the flute of Kannan. Indeed, like Sri Rama, he is "Vaagmi

Srimaan"(Richly endowed with the gift of expression). What a blend of

incompatibles! It is indeed, "Seraatha Serkai", (the reconciliation of

incompatible requirements) as Tamil Pundits would put it.

 

· This would be like 'spoon-feeding'; like a mother feeding her baby showing

the moon and telling a story that grips the imagination of the baby. The way

he can sway your emotions, now hilarious, now sober, now saddening, now

consoling can only be imagined. And that way, he will make you appreciate the

mood of the context, the Tiru Ullam of the Alwar or Acharya in any given

situation most effectively.

 

· Appropriate quotations from nooks and corners of the scriptures would flow

like flood so effortlessly that we would be tempted to feel with the students

of the Schoolmaster in Oliver Goldsmith's Deserted Village-

" the more we listened, the more our wonder grew

how his small head could contain all that he knew"

 

· He is anxious to give away all that he has learned to those who desire.

Did not Saandilya say -?

" Paatrastham Aathmajnaanam Kritvaa Pindam Sam Utsrujet/

Naanthardhaaya swayam yaayaath jagad Bheejam Abheejakrit"

Meaning:

"An Acharya should unreservedly teach all that he has learned to his devoted

Sishyas. If he keeps close fisted, the seed of Knowledge will wither away"

 

· During the Kalakshepam, in order to make us understand better, he would give

the exact English equivalents. Not that he does not know English, but to make

us feel important, he would pose as if he is not sure of the correct usage and

consult us whether his rendering is correct. How clever in making us feel at

home!

 

· His time -keeping, shall I say instinct, is really marvelous. He would start

on the dot and finish on the 90th minute, if the lecture were to be for 90

minutes. Even Professors in College need to be reminded by the ringing of the

bell. When he starts and when he stops, you can adjust your watch. This razor

sharp precision has to be seen to be believed.

 

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