Greatness of Kanch Mahaswami - No.7.

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7. A Double-Stringed Chain in Eight Sovereigns?

 

An early morning, many years ago. It was slightly drizzling. Maha

Periyavaa was seated in solitude at Kanchi Sri Sankara maTham. After

the bhaktas had darshan of him, Swamiji arose to go to his room. Just

then an old grandma and a young woman came running and prostrated to

the sage. Swamiji sat down again, looking a bit keenly at them.

 

With happiness crawling on his face, Swamiji said, " adede! Is it

Meenakshi Paatti? What a wonder you have come in the morning time?

Who is near you? Your granddaughter? What name? "

 

Meenakshi Paatti said, " Periyavaa! I am coming to the maTham to have

your darshan for ever so many years. Till today I haven't informed

SwamigaL about me. There was no such opportunity. But then, it has

come now. This girl standing by my side is my granddaughter born

through my daughter. Since she was born in this town, we named her

Kamakshi. I had only one daughter, and she closed her eyes twelve

years ago, leaving this girl to my care. Some disease she had. Her

husband also died before her due to a heart attack.

 

" Since then I am plodding on alone with this girl. I put her in a

school. Study didn't get into her head. So I stopped it with her

fifth grade. Now she is fifteen years old. My duty will be over once

I give her hand to a man! "

 

ACharyaL listened to her patiently. " I understood when I saw you come

here and stand before me in the early morning itself, that you who

used to bring pArijAta pushpam for Chandramouleesvara puja every

morning around ten o' clock, have come to me now with a purpose. What

is the news? " he said.

 

Hesitating at first, Meenakshi Paatti began: " Nothing, Periyavaa. A

suitable alliance has come up for this girl. The boy is also from

this place. School teacher. Sixty rupees salary. Good family. No

demand-and-take harassments. They say that both the horoscopes match

well. Somehow only you should perform this marriage, Periyavaa! "

Paatti prostrated to him.

 

AcharyaL's tone showed some heat as he chided her: " What? I should

perform the marriage? What are you talking? " Within moments he cooled

down and said, " Alright, what do you expect me to do? "

 

Paatti was happy. " It's like this, Periyavaa! I have somehow managed

to save five thousand rupees for her marriage. I can complete the

marriage within that amount. But then the boy's mother has said

compulsively, 'Paatti, whatever or however you do it, you must

present a double-stringed, eight-sovereign gold chain for the neck of

your granddaughter!' I couldn't do anything big by way of jewels-and-

bolts for her within my income. I have arranged just a bangle of one

sovereign each for each hand of this girl. Only that is possible for

me. Where can I go for an eight-sovereign double-stringed chain,

Periyavaa? Only you-- "

 

Before she could finish, Swamiji asked her with some anger: " Tell me,

you want me to provide her with a double-stringed chain in eight-

sovereigns? "

 

Meenkshi Paatti prostrated to him and rose. Patting her cheeks

loudly, she said, " apacAram, apacAram, Periyavaa. I am not coming to

say that. A number of rich and big people come for your darshan

daily. Could you not gesture to any of them to arrange for the eight-

sovereign double-stringed chain? " Paatti asked him longingly.

 

" What? To gesture to the big people who come for a darshan? There is

no such practice. If you want, you seek some other alliance where

they don't demand eight or ten sovereigns! Only that is better for

you. " Swamiji got up.

 

Meenakshi Paatti said anxiously, " I pray that Periyavaa shouldn't

leave me with such advice! This is a very good alliance, Periyavaa.

The boy has a sanguine temperament. They got their own girls married

with a gift of an eight-sovereign double-stringed chain each.

Therefore they desire that the girl coming as their daughter-in-law

should also come with a double-stringed chain. Nothing else,

Periyavaa. Only you should provide me with guidance in the matter! "

Paatti begged the sage.

 

AcharyaL, who had got up, sat down again. He was immersed in deep

thoughts for some time. Then he started talking with

compassion: " Will you do something I suggest now? "

 

" I will do it definitely. Please tell me what! " Paatti was excited.

 

" Go to the Kamakshi Amman temple tomorrow with your granddaughter.

Both of you pray to her, 'This marriage should take place grandly

with the required eight-sovereign double-stringed chain provided.

Only you should arrange it, Amma!' and do pradakSiNa of the sannidhi

five times. Prostrate before ambAL five times and go home. Pray this

way for five days. Kamakshi will arrange the things as you have

desired in your mind. " AcharyaL blessed them smilingly.

 

As she prostrated and got up, Meenakshi Paatti said, " What is it

Periyavaa, you suggest everything five times! " She asked with

eagerness, " If I do it that way, AmbaL Kamakshi will surely arrange

my granddaughter Kamakshi's marriage? "

 

" I am not suggesting the five-time requirement myself. AmbaL has the

adulation panca saMkhyopacAriNi. She grants favours happily when she

is worshipped in multiples of five. " Swamiji said, " I told you only

that, nothing else! "

 

" When do we start this, Periyavaa? "

 

Swamiji smiled. " It has been said Subhasya shIghram. Today is Friday.

Why, you start today itself. " He said and bid them farewell.

With her granddaughter beside her, Paatti walked towards Kamakshi

Amman temple. Since it was Friday, there was a heavy rush in the

temple. Mother Kamakshi dazzled in full splendour due to special

adornments of that day. Both of them closed their eyes and prayed as

advised by Periyavaa. Paatti had arcanA performed in her

granddaughter's birth star and secured the prasAdam.

Then they both prayed to Amman about the eight-sovereign double-

stringed chain and went around the inner courtyard clockwise five

times. Then they prostrated to AmabaL five times as Swamiji had

suggested. With faith in heart, they went back home.

 

On Saturday morning, Paatti started from her house with her

granddaughter. Collecting the coral-jasmine flowers, she hurried to

Sankara maTham. There was a heavy rush in the maTham. Meenakshi

Paatti was standing in the queue some twenty or thirty bhaktas

behind. She heard what the person before her was telling his

neighbour with concern. 'Today is the day of the anushA star.

PeriyavaL's birth star. So Swamiji has taken up a vow of silence

today. He wouldn't talk to anybody. Only mukha darshan.'

Anxiety got hold of Meenakshi Paatti. She worried, 'I thought of

reminding Periyavaa about the eight-sovereign double-stringed chain,

but it seems that won't be possible now.' When they got near

Periyavaa, they prostrated to him. That para brahmaM was sitting with

no sign of life in him. Paatti paused, yearning that he would ask

something about the chain. Swamiji's assistant told her a bit

sternly, " Paatti, move away please! Periyavaa adopts a vow of silence

today. He won't talk. See, how many people are waiting behind you! "

She made her way towards Kamakshi Amman temple, along with her

granddaughter. As advised by Periyavaa, they performed the panca

saMkhyopacAra worship on that day and got back home. Maha Swamiji

continued the vow of silence on the following two days also. Paatti

and her granddaughter could only have a darshan of the sage at the

maTham. Paatti started worrying, 'Four out of five days has gone by

since Periyavaa's advice but nothing happened! Will Mother Kamakshi

open her eyes and bless me or not?' She could only grieve within

herself.

 

It dawned on Tuesday. Sri Kanchi maTham was very brisk on that day. A

bhajan troupe from Arani was immersing the maTham in bhaktic ecstasy.

AcharyaL came and sat in his usual place. There was such a maha tejas

in his face! He had dissolved his vow of silence. There was a large

crowd waiting for PeriyavaL's darshan. A middle-aged maami in the

queue prostrated to Swamiji happily as her turn came. Happiness was

writ on her face. She submitted the things she had brought--a large

bunch of rastaLi bananas, un-shorn coconuts, sweet lemons, oranges,

pumpkins, and chubby raw-bananas--and prostrated again.

 

Swamiji smiled to himself as he glanced at the items kept before him.

Then he narrowed his eyes and looked keenly at the woman. " Aren't you

Ambujam, wife of Needamangalam landowner Ganesa Iyer? You came two

months back. Told me something, feeling sad. Looking at the way you

have come now with a large banana bunch, it seems that your problems

would have been solved by the grace of Kamakshi, right? "

 

Ambujam prostrated again and said, " True, Periyavaa. My only daughter

Mythili was made to stay away from her husband's home for the last

three years. Two months back I came running to you, reported this

humiliation and wept. It was you who advised me to do five

circumambulations and five prostrations for five days and perform

ablution and worship in the Kamakshi Amman temple of this town. I

completed them with extreme care, and what a wonder, fifteen days

back, my son-in-law Radhakrishnan who works in Jamshedpur Tata Steel

Plant came over himself and took his wife Mythili back with him. It's

all that Kamakshi's grace and your blessings, Periyavaa! " Tears of

joy filled her eyes as she spoke.

 

Swamiji said, " Besh, besh, very glad. Let the dampati rest in

prosperity! By the way, where did you get such a big bunch of

bananas? Looks massive! " Swamiji's laughter rolled by like thunder.

Ambujam said smilingly, " This bunch was harvested from our own banana

bed, Periyavaa; which is why it is so big! " She spoke with humility.

Showing happiness, Swamiji ordered her, " Alright, only Amma Kamakshi

has rejoined your daughter and son-in-law. So you offer this big

banana bunch to Her and distribute the fruits to the bhaktas who

visit the shrine. "

 

Ambujam said, " No no, Periyavaa. Let it remain in this sanctum. I

have an identical bunch to offer to AmbaL. Now I seek your leave to

have a darshan of AmbaL, complete my prayers and get back here. " She

prostrated.

 

" BeshA! After completing your prayers you must take food in the

maTham and then only should get back to your place. Remember it! "

Swamiji gave her his consent to leave him.

 

There was not much crowd in Kamakshi Amman temple on that day. It was

eleven in the morning. As it was later than usual, Meenakshi Paatti

hurried to the temple with her granddaughter. She halted at the shop

selling arcanA packs, and told her granddaughter, " Hey Kamakshi!

Today is the day of completion. So we shall do everything in five

numbers as told by AcharyaL. What you do, get five arcanA packs with

five coconuts, five bananas, betel leaves, nuts, etc. and come back

running! " and gave her the required money.

 

The granddaughter bought the things as ordered. Paatti performed the

arcanAs to AmbaL and prayed Her with tearful eyes, 'Amma Kamakshi, I

am completely depending on You only! I have no refuge except You and

SwamigaL. Only You should arrange for the eight-sovereign double-

string chain and complete my granddaughter's marriage in a fitting

manner.' As Paatti sobbed, her granddaughter was also moved and wept.

Then they started going round the inner courtyard from left to right.

They were on their fourth round.

 

" Paatti... Paatti... Paattee! " Meekakshi Paatti looked back at the

loud call from her granddaughter and chided her angrily, " Why do you

cry so loud? What have you lost to raise such a noise? "

 

" Nothing lost Paatti, but something gained! Please come here, I shall

show you! " She took her grandma to a corner, opened her right palm

and showed her something. It was a severed, double-stringed chain

with a front.

 

" Where did you find that? " Paatti asked with surprise. Her

granddaughter said, " As I was coming behind you with a bowed head, my

eyes chanced on this chain. I took it at once, and no one had noticed

me! This chain is severed Paatti. Check if it is original or just a

coated one. "

 

Paatti took the chain in her hands to guess its weight. She

said, " Looks like sovereign, Kamakshi! May be eight or eight-and-a-

half sovereigns. This has been granted to us by Kamakshi Herself

backed by the blessings of Periyavaa. Alright, let us go out first! "

She packed the chain inside the edge of her sari and hurriedly came

out, forgetting to complete her fifth circumambulation.

It was one in the afternoon. Four or five people were waiting for the

darshan of AcharyaL in the maTham. Meenakshi Paatti prostrated to the

sage with her granddaughter and got up. Swamiji looked at her and

laughed. She was confused whether to tell Swamiji about the chain or

not.

 

Swamiji forestalled her. " Today you should have completed your panca

saMkhyopacAra pradakSiNa in order. But then it was not completed

because of a vastu that came to the hand of your granddaughter! That

sudden delight did not allow you to do more than four pradakSiNas.

You came hurriedly, thinking that Kamakshi has given you Her pUrna

anugrahah. What, am I right? "

 

Paatti was shocked. She became insensate, and swallowed her words as

she spoke: " SwamigaL shouldn't mistake me. Once that (object) came to

the hand of my granddaughter, I assumed that AmbaL Herself had

dropped it for my granddaughter to take. In that sudden delight I

totally forgot that I had to make one more pradakSiNa. "

 

Periyavaa said relentlessly, " Only that you forgot. You did not

forget to get the vastu weighed at Rangu Patthar's shop. Or get the

severed portion melted in the furnace to rejoin. " He clinched his

talk with the words, " Let it go. When you weighed it, was it exactly

eight sovereigns? "

 

Paatti and her granddaughter were stunned. " All you said now is

satyam, Periyavaa! " said Paatti.

 

Swamiji asked her calmly, " Tell me in fairness. To whom does that

padArthaH belong? "

 

" To AmbaL Kamakshi. "

 

" Tell me yourself, can you take it secretly and pack it inside the

edge of your sari? "

 

" A mistake... nothing else but a mistake! Should excuse me. I have

done it inadvertently. " Paatti was genuinely repenting. She placed

the double-stringed sovereign chain on the brass plate that was found

before Swamiji, her hands shaking. Swamiji laughed.

It was now two in the afternoon. Swamiji asked Meenakshi Paatti and

her daughter to sit before him. It was at that time that Ambujam

AmmaL, wife of Needamangalam Ganesa Iyer, who had taken leave in the

morning, came back full of sorrow and prostrated to the sage. Her

eyes were shedding tears profusely. Swamiji saw this and said

affectionately, " adAdA, why do you shed tears Amma? "

 

Ambujam Ammal wiped her tears and replied, " It is like this,

Periyavaa. Two months ago when I did the five days seva in the

Kamakshi Amman temple I prayed to AmbaL earnestly that I would offer

Her my eight-sovereign double-stringed chain if she united my

daughter and son-in-law, who were then separated. AmbaL has united

them. I went to the temple to offer my chain. It slipped from my neck

and fell down somewhere. I searched everywhere anxiously but the

chain could not be found. What can I do now, Periyavaa? " She started

wailing.

 

Swamiji turned his face to Meenakshi Paatti and looked meaningfully.

Paatti prostrated to him and got up briskly. She took the double-

stringed sovereign chain from the brass plate before the sage in her

hand. She turned to Ambujam and said holding up the chain, " Amma

Ambujam. Check if this is the double-stringed chain you lost. "

Ambujam took the chain from her hand and checked. " The same, the same

chain, Paatti. How did it come here? Looks very wonderful! " Paatti

narrated everything that happened to them in the same breath.

Ambujam Ammal hugged Meenakshi Paatti. " Paatti, you don't worry at

all! I am informing you this before our AcharyaL. I shall arrange for

a new double-stringed chain in eight sovereigns for your

granddaughter! Her marriage will be performed grandly. This double-

stringed I have prayed to offer to AmbaL. This evening I shall take

you and your granddaughter Kamakshi to the jewellery shop in this

down and get her an eight-sovereign double-stringed chain. In

addition, I shall give you five thousand rupees for the marriage

expenses. "

 

Swamiji was sitting as the prat^yakSa kAmAkshi, witnessing this

scene. Everyone prostrated to AcharyaL. He looked at Meenakshi Paatti

and said, " Today you and your granddaughter did not do the five

pradakSiNas. Go in the evening, do five pradakSiNas and five

prostrations, and have a darshan of AmbaL. " Saying this he bid them

farewell.

 

It is not possible to narrate in words the happiness and ecstatic

shiver that Meenakshi Paatti and her granddaughter experienced at

that time.

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)

Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Dec 20, 2006

 

Glossary:

 

adAdA - (Tamil) an expression of sympathy

adede! - (Tamil) an expression of surprise indicating familiarity

ambAL - Mother Goddess

anugrahah - blessing, kindness

apacAram - offense, fault, something which contradicts Acaram or

rules of conduct

arcanA – worship

besh, besh - an expression of appreciation, popular in the Brahmin

community.

bhajan - hymns praising God

bhakta – devotee

closed her eyes - (Tamil) died

dampati - husband and wife

maami - (Tamil) a brahmin housewife

mukha - face, countenance

panca saMkhyopacArini - pleased by five kinds of service, honour,

worship

Paatti - (Tamil) grandmother

padArthaH - a thing or object

para brahmaM - (Tamil) formless God

pArijAta pushpam - flowers of the coral tree

pradakSiNa - on the right side, go clockwise

prat^yakSa - visible, perceptible

pUrna - complete, full, whole

rastaLi - a variety of bananas

sannidhi - the building where the deity is installed

satyam – truth

shubhasya shIghram - auspicious things quickly

SwamigaL - (Tamil) Swamiji

tejas - divine splendour

vastu- an article, object (among many other meanings)