Greatness of Kanch Mahaswami - No.8.

[Guest guest]

The Connection between the Chettiar's Grandson and the maTham

 

An evening in Kanchi SrimaTham. A large crowd in a long queue had

gathered to have darshan of Paramacharya. Time was slipping by.

Slightly tilting his head, Swamiji glanced at the waiting people and

saw a twenty year old youth in the queue. Looking intently at the

youth, Swamiji called his assistant Ramu, another youth, who came

near him and stood, his hand covering his mouth.

 

" Ramu, you see the person standing as the fifteenth in the queue? A

short boy with a slightly blackish complexion. You need to buy a

shirt and pant piece that will suit his size " , Swamiji ordered. " Get

the cash from the office, and buy good quality cloth from the

Mudaliar textile shop near the maTham. "

 

Ramu was surprised and confused at this sudden command from the sage.

He knew that he couldn't ask the reason, so started to proceed on his

task.

 

" Ramu, come here! " Swamiji called. " You know about the name of the

modern textile variety? "

 

" I know it Periyavaa. "

 

" Come on, tell me? "

 

" It is called terry cotton, Periyavaa. "

 

" Hm... the same thing. Get a costly piece from that variety. "

 

Within fifteen minutes, Ramu appeared before the sage with the cloth.

Swamiji was very happy as he looked at the cloth from a distance.

 

" Besh, besh. It is very good da! " Swamiji appreciated Ramu. " You do

one thing. Get a bamboo plate and fill it with fruits, purna phalam,

and place the cloth on them. Tell the manager that I wanted a sum of

six thousand and seven hundred rupees, placed in an envelope, get the

money and keep it on the plate. I shall tell you later about what to

do next. " With this order to his assitant, Swamiji started conversing

to his bhakta nearby.

 

An envelope with the amount ordered was brought. Swamiji gestured

that it be placed on the plate.

 

Now the twenty year old boy was standing before Paramacharya, who

looked at him head to toe. The youth prostrated to him. Swamiji

turned and looked at Ramu, who came near him, running.

 

" Ramu, take that plate in your hands. " Ramu did as he was told.

 

Swamiji said with a blossoming face, " Give that plate to the boy and

tell him of my bountiful blessings to him and his family. "

 

The youth could not understand anything about the offer of cloth and

money. He simply blinked at the sage, looked this way and that, and

stood without knowing what to do.

 

AchryaL understood his confusion and anxiety. He spoke, " Ramu, ask

him not to get confused. Tell him it is the blessing from the maTham

to him and his family. Ask him to safely deliver the money in the

cover at his home. "

 

The youth nodded his head, though he understood nothing. He again

prostrated to the sage and moved away with the surprise gift.

 

Fifteen minutes passed. Everyone had left, having a darshan. AcharyaL

came to his room and sat. He called Ramu near.

 

" Why Ramu, you did not ask me the reason for my honouring the boy in

a special way? "

 

Ramu hesitated and said, " How can I ask Periyavaa about such things?

I am here only to carry out your orders. "

 

" Alright, you don't have to ask me! I shall tell you the reason

myself. "

 

Swamiji spoke: " This incident happened many years back. Our maTham at

that time was finding it a little difficult to make ends meet. I

decided to undertake a yAtra to the north Indian regions with my

retinue. We started at an auspicious time. I came to the entrance of

the maTham. There was a small grocery shop opposite the maTham. It

belonged to a Chettiar. The maTham had an account for buying

groceries from that shop.

 

" As he saw me at the maTham entrance, Chettiar came running. He

prostrated, tying his upper vastram around his waist. I thought that

he had come to offer his respect knowing that I was about to go on a

yAtra.

 

" 'What ChettiarvaL, you are fine? How does your groceries business

go?' I inquired him.

 

" He closed his mouth and replied meekly, 'Somewhat alright, Swami,

but the going is really difficult. I heard that Swami is going on a

yAtra north and would return only after five or six months.'

 

" I told him, 'That's right, ChettiarvaL... might take five or six

months to return.' He took his time thinking something, hesitated

much and then said, 'It is not that Swami. The maTham has an account

with our shop, as Swami knows. There is a balance amount for the four

to five months goods supplied that remains to be paid. I too find it

difficult, with four months' rent for this shop in arrears. I am just

submitting my problems to you. You finish your yAtra and come back.'

As he said it, Chettiar again prostrated.

 

" I said, 'ChettiarvaL! Immediately after coming back from the yAtra,

I shall arrange to clear your dues.' and started on my yAtra.

 

" When I came back finishing the six months yAtra and looked opposite

the maTham, the Chettiar's shop was locked. Later when I inquired, I

was told that the Chettiar had attained kAla gati three months back

suddenly, when he was out of station. Nothing was known about the

whereabouts of his relatives! I later inquired about the amount of

dues to the Chettiar's shop. It was a sum of eight hundred and

seventy five and three-quarters of rupees. I settled the debt with

the principal and interest only today! You understand what I am

saying? The boy I honoured today was none other than the paternal

grandson of the Chettiar. What was due to the grandfather has been

settled with the grandson, with principal and interest. No worry

henceforth! " Swamiji finished.

 

Ramu was wonderstruck as he heard the tale. In the meantime another

assistant boy came that side. Ramu took leave of the sage and rushed

to the entrance of the maTham.

 

The twenty year boy was standing there with the blessed bamboo plate

on his hands. Ramu was very happy to see him and tactfully inquired

about the matter.

 

The boy said, " Yes, I learnt from my grandmother and father that my

grandfather had a grocery shop opposite the maTham a long time ago. I

heard that his relatives came to settle in Krishnagiri after the

sudden demise of my grandfather, closing down the shop due to

mounting debts.

 

" Now my father is running a grocer shop there. I came here touring

with my friends from my place. I don't understand why Periyavanga did

all these to me. It is very surprising! "

 

Ramu was speechless as he understood the foresight of his walking

God. He went inside the maTham, wondering about what he saw and

heard. It was around seven in the evening. AcharyaL was sitting alone

in his room.

 

He saw Ramu and smiled meaningfully. Ramu did not understand.

AcharyaL called him near and said, " You had a doubt about the

authenticity of what I told you. So you got it confirmed from the

Chettiar's grandson at the maTham entrance! " Paramacharya laughed

loudly.

Ramu sought his pardon, weeping and saying that he did it out of

curiosity only. Paramacharya blessed him with a raised hand, still

smiling.

Author: Sri Ramani Anna (in Tamil)

Source: Sakthi Vikatan issue dated Oct 21, 2006

 

Glossary

 

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

community.

da - a singular Tamil form used with males, to show affection and

liberty.

kAla gati - expiry of time, death

Periyavanga - a form of addressing Paramacharya, generally used by

people who are not Brahmins. (Brahmins use the term Periyavaa)

purna phalam - a coconut which is not shorn from its case.

vastram - cloth

yAtra – pilgrimage