My experiences with Sri Paramacharyal

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My experiences with Sri Paramacharyal

Srimathi Radha Sadasivam

This happened in 1930 when His Holiness was camping at the Madras

Sanskrit College. The discussions on scripture and poor feeding were

held in Sri A.K. Ranganatha Iyer's house opposite the road. To have

minimum exposure of the Acharya Swamigal, my father-in-law, Dr.

Seethapathi Iyer, made an opening in the garage to facilitate His

Holiness to cross the road and enter the opposite house without much

trouble. On one such occasion my husband and his brother arranged a

contrivance to have a basketful of flowers showered on His Holiness

as He passed our porch where He usually halted for a minute. But

every time the Acharya used to elude us by standing a foot ahead or

behind. He had always an enigmatic smile on His face as He tricked

us. Years later my husband had the privilege of meeting His Holiness

at Tiruchi. He surprised my husband by asking whether he was the one

who continued to shower of the flowers! his memory is something

remarkable. In continuation, similar things happened to my niece.

After nearly 20 years of married life she went for a darsan with her

doctor husband, who introduced her as Dr. Seethapathi's grand

daughter. His Holiness looked at her with a smile and asked " Were you

the little girl who tried to tilt a basked and shower the flowers on

my head? " She was astounded.

I am giving below a few anecdotes from my niece which show the divine

and loveable qualities of His Holiness.

Once she and her husband were summoned to go over to Singaperumal

Koil near Madras to meet the Paramacharya. At that time my niece was

at Nagerkoil. They found there a special wood used to make the wooden

sandals (padaraksha) for His Holiness. Their carpenter had made 2

pairs and they were waiting for any opportunity to take them to Him.

When they arrived, His Holiness was squatting outside a small hut

surrounded by a host devotees. Someone told Him they had come and

were promptly ushered in. As they prostrated, He asked `Have you

brought my sandals?' `Yes' said her husband and placed a pair in

front of Him. At once He got up and slipped His feet into them

remarking " It fits perfectly, how did you know the measurement " ?

Her husband replied " Every time I prostrate before you, I see only

Your holy feet " . His Holiness laughed and said: " You teach me high

philosophy! Keep the other pair till I send for them. It may be lost

as I travel " . It is a wonder how He knew they had made the wooden

sandals (and that too, 2 pairs) and got them that day for Him.

On another occasion they both had gone to Kilambi, a village near

Kancheepuram where Paramacharya was camping. he enquired after their

welfare and in His usual breezy style said, " These people are

Karmayogis. They must not be asked to wait long " . He game them

prasadams and permitted them to go. He called for an old gentleman

and asked them to take him in their car. He was no other than

Mahamahodapdhyaya Subramanya Sastri who was to go to Delhi the next

day to receive the honour of Mahamahopadhyaya. It was gathered that

he was made to wait by His Holiness giving no reasons and he had been

uneasy with anxiety because he had to catch the train the next

morning little knowing that His Holiness had already planned his

return safely. On their way to Madras they saw a bus involved in an

accident and all the passengers were stranded helplessly on the road.

It was 7 p.m. As the car passed after assuring themselves that there

were no casualties, Subramanya Sastri slowly said, " Now I know why

His Holiness made me wait. I should have been stranded like these men

and could not have reached Madras on time to catch the train to

Delhi " .

On many occasions His Holiness will send word to my niece and her

husband to come and see him wherever He was, whether around Madras or

near about. This time it was Kancheepuram and they were asked to come

around 6 p.m. Obedience to Him being natural to them they were at His

camp about 20 to 25 miles from Kanchi. Once again they waited for

nearly 3 to 4 hours and no explanation or reason could be found. They

waited and it was getting late. A drive back to Madras was easily 2

hours or more especially on a new moon, dark night. They both felt

uneasy though, of course, they did not show it. At last at 9.30 p.m.

His Holiness sent for them and wanted to talk to them alone and sent

all His aides away.

he said " It is new moon darkness. My puja accessories should be taken

to Kancheepuram. Take them by your car to the Math and then go to

Madras. " This was the command and subsequently He instructed His

aides to load their car with the puja articles and accessories and

two of Hid disciples accompanies them. My niece, another doctor, had

no other thought but carry out His order, no fear, no qualms.

Reaching Kancheepuram past 10 p.m. they handed over the puja articles

to the right person and go home by midnight. Only then did they

realise the risk and responsibility they carried with the precious

cargo!

There is a place called Bukkai in Andhra on the way to Tirupathi. His

Holiness was camping there and in His customary way send word to my

niece and her husband to come and meet Him. Immediately they went

taking a few friends with them. His Holiness welcomed them as if He

was waiting for them. He asked them to go around and inspect a Siva

temple, have bath in the falls nearby and then come back and report

which they did. Then He said `what is unique in that falls'? They

said it is coming from the basement of the temple whereas, the river

Swarnamukhi is 100 ft. down below. With the smile He replied `That is

nature's trick and the play of the Infinite' At that time one of her

friends wanting to capture His smile and the mood, flashed his

camera. His Holiness said, `Don't take any picture, and everyone

warned him not to do so. A few minutes later he was tempted and tried

again. His Holiness shook His head calmly. A little later their

friend tried a third time expecting Him not to take note. But He did

and said " Don't waste and trouble yourself. You won't get anything " .

When their friend developed the film back home, to everyone's

astonishment the three he clicked focussing His Holiness were totally

blank when all the other films were positive and clear.

Once His Holiness was walking from one village to another down south.

He and His entourage had to get past another little village where

communal riots had been fierce. His devotees hesitantly tried to warn

Him not to cross now but wait for a day or two. `Nothing will happen;

let us go' said the saint and kept walking. His followers were

shivering with fear and tension. Near the village a huge mob had

gathered with sticks and sickles to attack this small group of

devotees following the saffron-clad Swami. The leader of the mob

raised his hand to quieten their anger and walked towards Swamiji. A

silence of 2 minutes ensued when everyone held the breath and awaited

the worst. His Holiness and on His countenance His famous soft smile.

The mob leader stopped shouting, " O Swaminatha! We do what You say, "

and prostrated before His Holiness. The crowd at once dropped their

weapons in utter surprise and confusion. The leader turned round

commanding the mob to give way and escort His Holiness to the other

end of the village in silence and reverence. " He and I were

classmates in the school " explained His Holiness calmly to the

shocked disbelief of all around Him. Later He wished to meet their

Imam and was conducted to his presence. There His Holiness quoted

from Koran where the importance of brotherhood, love and compassion

were stressed which alone takes man to the kingdom of God. The whole

village joined to shower praises on His Holiness and took Him in a

procession to the next village.

In this connection I would like to mention an incidence which shows

Paramacharya's concern to all living creation. The occasion was when

attempts were made to dig a temporary well for the exclusive use of

Paramacharya. He himself pointed out a sport in the compound of the

Sanskrit College in Madras where He said there would be an

underground steam. After digging for hardly six to eight feet,

copious fresh water welled forth. After a few weeks of use, algae

appeared in a bloom. My husband who was then heading the Botany

Department at the University of Madras was summoned to have a look at

the algae pollution was to use an algaecide (chemical treatment). The

Paramacharya promptly asked as to what they would die, he said " Siva!

Siva! Don't do that. We have not right to kill even the smallest

microbe. "

We are drawn to His Holiness by His inimitable qualities. Bubbling

over with a boyish enthusiasm He infuses His unbounded spirits into

one and all. His smile hypnotises you and you turn to His presence to

find Him making tender enquiries of your health, work, home and

before you know it, you are adoring Him and undertaking some

important work in promoting His mission. His Holiness bathes us in

the effusion of His deep wisdom and learning, kindling the flame of

religion and hauling us out of our lethargic complacency into a

reverential desire to learn our scriptures and to reach back to the

heights of our glorious past. If he is not the answer to the present

need of the age of destruction and annihilation, then who else is?

Yes, WHO INDEED!!