I have heard about the way how vaidheekas are evaluated by our Sri Kanchi Matam – extraordinarily hard to comprehend. Thanks to my scholarly friend who gave me this write-up.
http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/news/2015/CampMylapore%20-%20Kal%20Vaitta%20Vaaram%20held.html
As we all know, Kal Vaiththa Vaaram is a very special way of testing ultimate Vedhic scholarship – it is a form of an “ongoing continuing education and testing” to scholars who “graduated” even a long time ago. For instance, in the US, in several professions regular recertification is required as one’s continued mastery of one’s professional training, e.g., medical doctors. Since time immemorial, our Vedhic forefathers have developed several such systems to nurture and develop knowledge.
It must be widely appreciated that our Sri Matham, under the current Gurus HH Sri Pudhu Periyava and HH Sri Bala Periyava, has pursued nurturing and supporting Vedha Samrakshanam with no less vigor and dedication since Sri Maha Periyava’s days; if any, these events which used to be truly rare during Sri Maha Periyava’s sthoola sareeram days are becoming “much less rare” because the frequency of such exceptional events has increased greatly under the guidance of HH Sri Pudhu Periyava and Sri Bala Periyava. Given that most of these truly esoteric scholarly events are not well publicized, it is important to reiterate the full and continued extent of commitment of our Sri Matham for Vedha Samrakshanam. Indeed, the list of such scholarly and intellectually divine events as this (other examples include Nithya Agnihotri Sadas, Bhashya Paadam, Advaitha Sabha, various types of Sadas, etc.,) that are regularly conducted is too long and not as widely known outside as one might wish.
For instance, in the picture below, under the watchful guidance and encouragement of HH Sri Bala Periyava, some of the foremost authorities in the entire world on Krishna Yajur Vedha are conducting this test and the participants themselves must be true scholars of the highest level of Vedhic accomplishments, mostly salakshana Ghanapatigals, etc. Some of the Vedhic scholars who served as “examiners” (not all of whom are included in the picture below, but they appear on another picture in Sri Matham’s site linked above) include:
Bramhasri Hyderabad Venkatrama Ghanaptigal, Bramhasri Dr. VG Subramanya Ghanaptigal, Bramhasri Mullaivasal (in front of the mike – His Vedha Sapthaham, posted on this site, is a must to listen), Bramhasri Sengalipuram Vajpaye Mudgala Sundararama Deekshithar, and Bramhasri Sedalapathi Subramanya Ghanapatigal
As HH Sri Bala Periyava very nicely elaborated in His speech, the examiners have to have perfect “poker face,” not letting out a hint of how well a participant is progressing. It must be remembered that most participants are capable of chanting the Krishna Yajur vedham in Ghanam form “in their sleep” and, yet, when they are required to chant precisely 250 padams in front of these “masters”, that is lots of fun to watch!
The loukeekam form of education that we all have is so different; hardly, any of us would remember the details after a year out of school, whereas these scholars remember every notation, every intonation, every maathirai, every aksharam, etc., even after 50 years! That is the scholarly greatness of these Vaidheekas! Now we understand why Vedhas say all the Thirimurthys, Bramha, Vishnu and Shivan reside in these most respected Vaidheekas.
