Sunday 24 August 2008

True Tales are Stranger than Fiction.

It happened some sixty of sixty five years back. Sri Mahaperiava of Kanchi Sankara mutt was touring Thanjavur District. It was a july month. Sri Mahaswamygal was camping in a free choultry in Aaduthurai. Peoples of the surrounding villages were visiting the place to have dharshan of the Swamygal. Peoples residing in the surounding villages like Nadarajapuram, Govindapuram, Thyagarajapuram and Sathanur decided to join together and perform Samashti Biksha Vandhanam for the Swamygall. Maruthuvakudi is another village situated at one kilometer south of Aaduthurai. Brahma Sri Santhana Wathiar an orhodox Brahmin was living in that village. He was a Muthradhigari of Sri Kanchi mutt wanted to perform Samashti Biksha Vandhanam on behalf of his village. He visited the Swamygall along with his son. When they were about to enter the choultry where Sri Mahaswamygall was camping, the secretary of the Kanchi mutt, who too was acompanying the Swamygall in his tour, saw them. As he was aware that Sri Sandhana wathiarr was the Muthradhigari of Kanchi mutt, welcomed him and enquired whether his village too would perform Samashti Biksha Vandanam for the Swamygall o. Sri Santhana wathiar said he had come there to conmfirm the date for the same with Maha Periava and enquired how much it would cost as he had to collect the fund from his village VIPs. For this the Secretary replied with a smile that it would cost around five hundred rupees, which included Rs. 250/-fee to the mutt and fruits and vegetables. After completing the process while collecting the prasadam and blessings from the Swamygall offerings to the swamygall as Padha samarpanai should be at the convenience and capacity of the village people. He also asked him whether he would be able to collect the funds required from his village people. To this Sri Santhana Wathiar replied with pleasure and without any hesitation that he can. Then he enquired how much other villagers offer as Padha samarpaani and heared from the Secretary that it would be around Rs. 1000/- or less. Then they entered the choultry for the Dharshan of the Swamygall. When they saw the swamygall they prostrated before the swamygal and informed about their intension and requested his permission with blessings. Swamygall gave the permission immediately and asked the Wathiar whether such wealthy people living in his village to donate such huge amount in order to do the Samashti Biksha vandhanam. while other villages join together to perform the Samashti Biksha vandhanam collectively his village would do the same separate without joining hands with others. Actually Swamygall would have thought, while other villages join together and perform the Samashti Biksha vandhanam collectively, his village do the samewihout the help opf others means his villge may be a wealthy one . Bscause in those days Rs.1000/- was treated a big amount for a small village like Maruthuvakudi. May be that was the reason Swamygall asked the wathiar whether he would be able to collect the amount require for the Samashti Bikasha Vandanam from his village alone.
As permission and blessings are received, the Wathiar returned to his village started to collect the fund and making necessary arrangements for the Biksha vandanam. Wathiar could collect Rs.400/- from the thirty houses of the village agraharam. Then he with other three or four persons contributed another Rs. 100/-. Altogether Rs. 500/- was collected from the village. Now Wathiar required another R. 500/- for the Padha Samarpanai. He was much worried for that amount. It was a Thursday. He planned to perform the Biksha Vandanam on Sunday . Only two more days were there. He did not know how to collect that amount within two days. On Friday he with his son went to Aduthurai to have Dharshan of Swamygall. There was a big crowd waiting in long queue Dharshan Sri Santhana wathiar and his son stood in a corner with their faces immersed in worry and praying God to show some way for the amount required. Suddenly there was a mercigful and affectionate voice of the Swamygall calling the wathiar to come closer. When they came closer and prostrated befoere him, Swamygall asked him why he could not be seen on Thursday. Was he busy with his regular works. And before wathiar could reply he started talking about things not connected with Samaashti biksha. Suddenly he asked the wathiar about the water flow and water level in Kaveri river in that area. But Sri Santhana wathiar was unable to give a perfect reply to the qustion. Now the Swamygall told him in ordering voice to go and bath in the kaveri tomorrow and inform him about the water level and flow in the kaveri without fail. He also told him in convincing voice that his desire will be fulfilled by the blessings of Sri Chandra mouleeswar as if he understood the worries in the mind of the Wathiar. The wathiar without understanding the reason for the order, went to the kaveri next day with his son around 6.30 or 7.00’oclock in the morning still not knowing how to arrange Rs. 500/- for the Padha Samarpanai for the Swamygal on Sunday. There was none on the bank of the river when they reached the kaveri for bathing. When he was about to start the Kaviri Snana Sangalpam, before beginning his bath. Someone from behind called him in requesting voice to perrform Snana Sngalpam for him also. When Sri Santhana Wathiar turned back he could see a brahmin aged about 50 or 55 years. The wathiar did as he wanted. After bathing they got up on the river bank. The man who joined them in kaviri bath took Rs. 5/- from his shirt pocket and offered it to the wathiar as Dhakahina for having done the Snana sangalpam. Now the wahiar asked him casually who he was because he did not see him before in his village. That man replied that his grandfather was a native of that village. That way he was also a native of that village. His grand father was having own house in that village They all left the village long back and settled in Bombay. During the days of his mother she often used to say that whenever he happened to go through their native village he should take bath in the Kaveri running through Aaduthurai.. “Only today I got a chance” and that’s how he had come there. He also said that Sri Chandra mouleeswar Swamy of Melur near Thiruneelakudi was their Kula Deivat. He casually asked that he could see people going in group dressed nice ly with Silk Sareesand Silk Waisty when he was coming from the Railway Station. “ What was special there on that day”. In reply Sri Santhana wathiar narrated the visit and camp of Sri Mahaswamygall in Aaduthurai and about Samashti Biksha Vandanam which was about to take place on that day and the same program which was about to take place on the next day on behalf of Maruhuvakudi. On hearing this that man felt very happy and said “ Oho it is very nice to hear . But I am in hurry, cannot attend the program. Telling so He took a cover from his pocket and handed over to the Sri Santhana Sasthirigall and told him that it was his contribution for the program on Sunday. The Sashtrigal opened the cover and stunned to see the contents. He could find Rs.500/- in that cover, the exact amount he needed for the Padhasmarpanai. By the time the manwas abouit to leave the place saying goodby to the Sashtrigall. But the sashtrtgall stopped him and asked for his name. He repllied ‘Chandramouli’. Now the sastrigal remember what was told by the Maha swamygall yesterday that his desire will be fulfilled by the Grace and blessings of Sri Chandra mouleeswar Swamy. He happily went to the choultry to meet the Swamygall and to report the water position in the Kaveri. He could not find the swamygall there. When he enquired he was informed that Mahaswamygall left the choultry around 4.00o’clock in the morning , had bath in the Kaveri and gone to the temple. Now the Sashtrigall understood why Swamygall ordered him to go Kaveri. But could not understand how could he forsee a man with cash to help the sastrigall would also present there at the same time. When a Maha Gnani do something there would be definitely a reason behind that. No one can understand.