Paramacharya as I knew Him

[Guest guest]

Namami Sankaraachaaryam, sarvalokaika Poojitham

 

With permission blessings and grace from HH Swamy Vijeyendra

Saraswathi garu of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Paramacharya and

miracles

 

Paramacharya as I knew Him

K. V. Srikanthan

 

A brief report is submitted here about my thrilling experience when

I was working as Income-tax Officer in Kanchipuram during the year 1970. For

about a year I had frequent contacts with Paramacharya,

almost thrice a day on routine visits, as my office and residence

were both near Paramacharya's place of stay.

 

My father was a scholar in Samskrit. He was a teacher in Veda during

the earlier decades. First at Chittoor (Palghat) Samskrit Pathasala

for a few years. He made an All-India tour and wrote in Samskrit, a

narrative which remained an unpublished manuscript for many years

until Paramacharya took it in His mind to print it and name it as

" Dharma-Seela-Theerthaatanam " , as my father had already been given

the title, " Dharma Seela " for his charitable nature. He ordered me to

publish book and gave minute and detailed instructions on matters

such as family tree, people who knew the author and now living, a

preface, an introduction, an all-India map with the holy places, and

scholars whom the author met and son on. Scrupulously I followed the

instructions. As later my father was serving at Mysore Maharaja

Samskrit College till 1927, the photos of Sringeri Swamiji's for two

or three generations were alone ordered to be published but not of

Paramacharya and His line. The book was published by one Mr.

Narasimha of Ramayana Printing Press, Madras-4, who was ordered by

Paramacharya to complete the task. He ordered me to distribute the

books free of charge among Samskrit scholars and I followed his

order. Paramacharya recollected that my father used to read the

manuscript himself before Him and that I also read it after one

generation (after half a century) at the time of printing. At the

temple at Sivaasthana, Paramacharya shed tears of joy when I informed

Him, I had become `Krtakrtya' and submitted the book completed in due

time as he ordered. I feel this was a very great moment in my life

and I thank the Almighty for His Grace of having given such an

opportunity!

 

The first time I had met Him was at Namakkal on one night about 11.00

p.m. when I spoke a few words in Samskrit which He appreciated. He

was pleased. Later, once at Devakottai, when I came in contact with

Him, he permitted me to take a photograph and later recollected this

when I met Him, rendered a couple of songs and got His blessings.

Later again at Ilayathangudi and Karvetinagar I was blessed by Him.

My second elder brother, Shri Krishnamurthy Sarma of Bhandarkar

Oriental Institute, Pune, wrote a biography of my father in Samskrit

verses. Swamiji had it read to Him by me, with deep interest during

His stay at Santhaliswarar temple and enjoyed the grammatical

peculiarities contained therein.

 

AT Kanchipuram, Saint Thyagaraja Utsavam was celebrated. Vidwans

recited Pancharathna Kritis in a group. His Holiness enquired through

His disciple about the participants and my name was mentioned.

The above occasion with my name was in His mind and he remembered it

later and used it to purpose. Once Sangeeta Vidwan Erode B. Srikanthan visited

the Sri Matham during office hours and desired to

sing before Him. Paramacharya ordered him to go to Income Tax Office

to bring me for his namesake to sing along with him. " We had not

learnt or sung together so far " , the Vidwan said. But we obeyed it

came all right. Then we sang some songs at the temple before Goddess

Kamakshi as ordered by Him and we left after being blessed by Him. I

asked Him how this was possible. Paramacharya said " You are a

Sangeeta Vidwan and his also one. So it is all right. " `Let me become

one such Vidwan by these blessings, now', said I. Such name-tally was

a miraculous brain-wave of that Paramacharya, ever to be employed to

purpose of such an occasion.

 

I am regular reader of the daily " The Hindu " When I first landed at

Kanchipuram, I used to approach the nearby Ramakrishna Reading Room,

for reading that paper. Once the daily was not available at this

Reading Room and could not guess where to search for another Reading

Room. As a routine I went to have Dharshan of Paramacharya where on

Research Student was talking with Him. Paramacharya casually asked

him to give a visit to a Reading Room and got the " The Hindu " How had

my mind and requirement passed through to Him is still and mystery

and telepathy.

 

Paramacharya had treated me as a family member and used to enquire of

me all details such as what food I took every time and who had

prepared it whether by myself, or my wife or my daughter. during her

vacation at college on visit to Kanchipuram from Madras, where my

family was staying for about a year.

 

Whenever I visited His place, I served Him by removing the grass and

weeds on his way to the tank for his baths.

 

Paramacharya used to advice me not to introduce myself as Income Tax

Officer, but as the " son of Karupattur Venkatarama Sastrigal " .

Blessed are we to living during His time.