I have an immense pleasure in posting this very special video/devotee experience – Maharaja of Ramandapuram Samasthanam. Although all samasthanams have done lots and lots of service to Hinduism and continuing to do, this samasthanam has a distinction that none has. To put it differently, without this samasthanam, Hinduism would not have flourished outside of India. The one speech of Swami Vivekananda that made the entire universe to look at India and start exploring Hinduism is because of this samasthanam.
I have also bundled up Rameswaram related interviews along with this to bring the continuity.
After we pick up few words in vedanta and read few articles about Hinduism, contribute few dollars/rupees for kovil kaingaryam what we pick up first is ego! We think we know everything, we criticize swamijis/sanyasis, we criticize on temples etc. One should listen to what the maharaja has done – nobody has ever done this – nobody is ever going to do this….The Maharaja’s bakthi towards our country, our religion and to Swami Vivekanandha is immeasurable.
This samasthanam has been continuing to be a significant contributor to the Rameswaram Kovil. Every time, when HH Pudhu Periyava visits the temple, the current Raja also goes along with Him (including few times when Periyava was denied of darshans due to political pressure). Their connection with Kanchi Matam goes back few 100s of years….
Mahaperiyava have blessed this family immensely and the blessings continue even today from our current acharyas.
As Shri Ganesa Sharma mentioned, we all need to think about Maharaja Bhaskara Sethupathi often and tell the story to our kids on the vinayam of the Maharaja and his contribution to Hinduism.
Due to technical reasons, I was unable to combine Chacha sastrigal’s video also in the main one….Don’t miss the 2nd video…
Thank you Shivaraman for this wonderful video…
One of our fond readers, Shri Rajah Iyer, who hails from the same district, has written a nice article about this Maharaja based on what his father told etc. Please read…http://srajahiyer.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/swami-vivekanadawho-made-the-world-know-about-hinduism/
Categories: Devotee Experiences, Periyava TV
For Chachu mama’s Video,addl points:-
1.Adhi Narayanan is my father’s next younger brother.He was always with Paramacharya during all His visits in and around Ramnad.I hv mentioned in my interview how he used to carry Periyava’swishes like building Navapashanam etc., to my father..He and Vichu mama were celeberating Sankara Jayanthi n Mahaperiyava Jayanthi every yr in Rameswaram in a very very grand scale.The year just before Vichu mama passed away,I had met him in Mahaperiyava’s Brindavanam and he kindly remembered my chittappa,my father n all.He was going round the Brindavanam108 times putting one coin each time he completed a prathashanam!Truest of all His devotees.
2.Dhanabal is a komutti chetty,my classmate n close friend.He helped my chithappa in all his Mutt activities.He is still active in that area.My father’s student.
3.Sadagopan was a leading lawyer,my father’s student.He along with my chithappa n others helped to execute all matters connected to Kanchi Mutt in Ramnad n Rameswaram.
Time has flown since the days when Mahaperiyava wished n executed this unique Sankara Idol on top of the Rameswaram mutt..as explained by Chachu mama that evryone must see only Sankara after one’s bath in Rameswaram..
There is none whatsover I hv come across in my life,whose only cause during His entire life span was Nothing other than Acharya Bakthi.For Him Acharya is a reverence of unknown magnitude..for us He is Nadamadum Deivam..
Let there be more Noble Souls,thanks to Him,in this world!
either a maharaja of any princely states in India or the kings of the other countries or the kins of this country, all are same before Him. His kaarunya paarvai on anyone will make a world of difference.
very moving account of the greatness of Paramacharya and the devotion of the Sethupathi Maharajas and their families to the cause of Hinduism and the unparallelled reverence which they accord to the Kanchi Sankaracharyas. Thanks for sharing these experiences through this video. I could have the darshan of Raja Rajeswari Amman and Her temple which i used to visit regularly about 45 years ago in my younger days I was a student of the Schwartz High School. I was the beneficiary of the munificience of Adhi Narayana Mama ( whose reference i made by Chacha swamygal in the accompanying video) who was instrumental for my college studies. What I am today is because of Adhi Mama.
The video revived in me those memories. My pranams to Shankaracharya swamigal and elders like Adhi narayana Mama.
Sir, In this video, two voices are heard simultaneously, perhaps due to a recording mistake. This has to be avoided, if we are to hear this video properly, understand its contents, and thereby make this video useful. Regards. S.Chidambaresa Iyer. 1 May 2014
are you playing some other video at the same time in a different browser window/tab? pl check…. i haven’t heard others complaining and also i checked this again too – all are fine…
Great interviews. Piety towards all Mahaans will bring plenty of rewards and God’s Grace. Maha Periyava ThiruvadigaLee CharaNam! Hara Hara Shankara, Jaya Jaya Shankara!
The Acharya Parampara of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam has had rights since time immemorial to enter the sanctum of Sri Ramanathaswami and offer worship with Their own hands.
In the previous decade, Sri Pudhu Periyava was not allowed entry within the premises by the authorities who wrongly cited that He did not have rights and only that the Acharyas of Sringeri Mutt and the Nepal Maharaja could enter the sanctum other than the designated priests. A lot of media reports are available in the Internet reporting these incident.
The devotees that accompanied Pudhu Periyava tried to explain to these authorities that in the near past itself, both Pudu Periyava and Bala Periyava had themselves offered abhishekam to Sri Ramanathaswami within the sanctum, but all this sane talk fell on deaf ears. The pressure to not allow entry came not only from the political quarters, but also due to the influence of other religious institution(s). Even the intervention of the Sethupathy-s in this matter did not yield much hope.
Prayers to Sri Ramanathaswami that He bestow good sense on all and help them come out of dual and vengeful mindsets.
While thanking you to have mentioned my name and linking my blog on Bhaskara Sethupathi,I wish to add a few words for posterity’s sake,as I was a witness in 1961when Mahaperiyava was camping in Vivekananda House in Ramnad:-
1.Mahaperiyava used to perform the Chandramouli puja and every evening used to give Spiritual discourse sitting on those steps in front of Ramalinga Vilas.
2.Ramanatha Sethupathy was such a pious of all Sethupathys,Mahaperiyava prayed for Ramanatha Sethupathy for a child and next yr he was blessed.He didn’t have a child for quite some years.
My father being Ramanatha Sethupathy’s teacher was so happy when Ramanatha Sethupathy broke that good news to my father.The present Rani is that child.
Every day my father used to go to Ramnad club by walk and exactly st 8PM,Ramanatha Sethupathy used to drive my father in his Fiat car back home!He admired my father more as a student!
3.Ramanatha Sethupathy helped a lot when Mahaperiyava wanted to build a Sankara Mutt infront of Rameswaram sea front(Adi Sankara facing the sea)My chithappa was the one who conveyed this wish to Ramantha Sethupathy thro my father(I hv mentioned about this in my video interview)
Sethupathys are amazingly pious,simple and above all so hospitable.
My father and my family owe our existance to them.
God be wit them!
What a great intervew with very important message for us. Indeed thankful to Sri Sivaraman sir for this effort. I certainly enjoy this. It is very informative to understand the reach of maha Periavaa on all.