PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR(PART 18)

[Guest guest]

PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR,

MY ACHARYA, FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE (PART 18)

 

Dear Bhagavatas,

Presented below is Part 18 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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SWAMI'S SANCHARAMS

· Once when our Swami came to know that I had the Bhagyam of completing 105

out of the 106 Divya Desams one could visit with this physical body, the

solitary one left out at that time was Dwaraka, he remarked " When am I going

to visit all the Divyadesams?" Today, he is more than fulfilling his desire.

 

Tirumangai Alwar did Mangala Aasaasanam to only 86 out of the 108 Divyadesams.

But, our Swami would seem to excel all Alwars. The restless Sancharam he has

undertaken during these 7 years is really incredible. It would not be an

exaggeration to say that (not only those consecrated by Alwars), but so many

Perumals are upgrading the status of their stations to Divyadesams thanks to

the Mangala Aasaasanam of our Swami. In fact, a mere listing of the places our

Swami visited would become a huge compendium. Therefore, I propose to refer

only to a few of these in which I had occasion to pay my obeisance to our

Swami mentioning a few incidents that happened and gems that he had uttered on

those occasions.

 

· No wonder, the 44th Pattam Azhagiya Singhar felt that more than the building

of the Rajagopuram, his greatest achievement was nominating our Swami to

succeed him. This has been chronicled on page 8 of Narasimhapriya, November

1991 issue (Prajotpatti Kartigai issue)

 

· AHOBILAM March 4th to 9th, 1993:

I had returned from U.S.A. to Madras in March 93. I joined the Vanload of

members of Kalakshepa Goshti arranged by Sri Ravindra Kannan (Retd. Judge of

Madras High Court and a classmate in the Kalakshepam classes of our Swami) to

go to Ahobilam where Our Swami was holding the Serthi Sevai of Malolan

Moolavar and Utsavar for the 2nd time. A funny thing happened. I met one of

my cousin sisters with whom I had lost contact for over 50 years. It was a

thrilling family reunion.

 

Our Swami was doing Abigamana Aradanam. He least expected my presence there.

Normally, he would not talk to anyone during this event. To the astonishment

of everyone around, he asked when I came back from USA and enquired about my

family.

 

Later, when Abigamana Prasadam was served, I was sitting near our Swami. When

he noticed the Paricharakar distributing just a little Prasadam in my hands,

to my bewilderment, our Swami openly pulled him up saying, " Do you know who

he is? He has come all the way from America." and ordered him to offer me

more. The Paricharakar gave a big ball of food (like what is given to an

elephant!)

 

· AT BANGALORE ON 5th APRIL 1993:

Our Swami was camping at the home of Sri S.M.S.Chari. Our Swami introduced me

to Sri R.K.Swami who had come there and spared me quite a time discussing very

many things.

 

· AT TIRUVALLIKKENI ON20th February 1994:

During the reception accorded to him at the Marina Beach, he said he felt as

if he had come back to his "Pirandha Agam" - 'home sweet home'. This was the

first time he had returned to Madras after a long Kshetradanam.

 

· AT BESANTNAGAR ON 8th and 9th April 1994:

It was an unscheduled visit when he was accorded a reception at the

Besantnagar Community hall, on the first day. Not all the members of

Kalakshepa Goshti could attend due to short notice. Our Swami Jocularly

remarked "Satari Vaithu Enakku Kai Valikkap Pogirathe Enruthaan Rombe per

varavillai polirukku" -' Perhaps out of concern that my hand should not get

ache by placing Satari, not many have turned up". The next day, the hall was

overflowing with his dear Sishyas who had come to know of his arrival.

 

· AT MY RESIDENCE FOR DOLAI ON 9th April 1994:

Our home was blessed with his "Ponnadi Saathuthal" when he performed Dolai. My

2nd son and his wife had married just a few days earlier. Drawing a parallel

from a domestic scene, he advised how for pleasing the husband, a wife was

respectful to his parents, the Lord would be more pleased only when respect is

accorded to those close to Him (i.e.) Bhagavatas.

 

· AT TIRUMALAI ON 15th MARCH 1997:

He was camping there for the Annamcharya Vardhanti Celebrations. Again, he

recognized me and enquired about our activities in America.

 

· AT TIRUKKALLAM ON 2nd MAY 1997:

Sri K.G.Krishnan (father of our Anand) took my sister and me for her

Bharanyasam. He gave a talk in which he said the normally people celebrate

their birthdays with great eclat, not realizing that one more year had been

snatched away from them. But, in his case, he felt as if he should celebrate

birthdays more frequently because of the Samarpanai that flows into the

coffers for the Kainkaryam of Emperumaan. He also said that though some rates

had been fixed for other services like Dolai, no fee was fixed for Bharanyasam

because it is the duty of the Acharya NOT to expect a return for this. And,

whatever was offered was accepted without question.

 

· AT TIRUVALLUR ON THE SAME EVENING:

The Swami asked us to follow him to Tiruvallur where he was going to release

the Audio Cassette of Sri Veeraraghava Suprabatham". I was pleasantly

surprised when he asked someone to fetch me to receive the first copy of the

Cassette along with Sri K.G.Krishnan.

 

· AT BOMBAY ON 8th DECEMBER 1997:

When I went to India for completing the visit to Nava Dwaraka, the first thing

I did was to fly to Bomabay to attend the Tirunakshatram of our Swami at

Chembur. Here he presented me a Souvenir titled "AzhagiyaSinghar's Vijaya

Yatra" brought out by Sri K.S. Tirumalai, Secretary, Azhagiya Singhar

Reception Committee, New Delhi. (This Tirumalai's wife is also my cousin

siter, and sister of the one whom I met during my Ahobilam trip mentioned

above and whom I was meeting after about 50 years). I also met at Bombay the

mother of our Sri Srinivasa Tanikella.

 

Besides these, I had the Bhagyam of offering my "Dandam Samarpithal" on

various other occasions and in various places. For want of space, I am

omitting these.

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