Thanks Suresh for the article.
“When my son Balaji was born, the astrologers who were sought to compute his horoscope said, “Until sixteen years of age, this boy’s ‘yogam’ is not proper. So the horoscope should be computed only after that age!”
There was no god that my wife Sarasvati who was worried about this, did not pray to; no temple that she did not visit. She is a devotee of Tiruchchengottu Ardhanarishvarar. Although we have two daughters, our only one son is this boy; so which mother can remain without wishing for a long life for her only son? My wife observed fasting on all the days of ‘vratam’ that came in a month. She was also ready to take up any sort of harsh penance for the sake of her son.
It was a Thursday, a day of fasting for her, ‘Aharam’ (food) at only late evening, and that too after the puja. That evening, my younger daughter Rajam, who was reading her lessons after returning from the school, suddenly turned towards her mother and asked, ” Why, mother, people talk a lot about Periyaval at Kanchi. Why don’t you to pray to him for Balaji?”
Taking these words that came through a lass as the Devi’s words of grace, my wife from that day on started doing puja in worship of Mahaperiyaval. A speciality about this is that, my wife is very serious about whatever she starts, so she started doing ‘Aradhanam’ to Maha Periyaval with mad obsession. Her only attention was on Kanchi Periyaval…
One night she had a dream. Periyava is sitting on the chair I use for reading and writing. Between Him and her, water is flowing noisily in a stream. My wife, on this side of the stream, prays to Him for her son.
That Mahan says peacefully: “You have saved a lot in the bank. It wouldn’t decrease whatever you take from it. So don’t worry.”
The dream dissolved. It was dawn time. Thereafter, it was only Maha Periyaval for her. Her friends and she had started the habit of visiting Kanchi every full moon day and have darshan of Sri Kamakshi and Kanchi Periyaval.
My position about this was different: I am the one who thinks that it is enough to respect Mathadhipatis (pontiffs)–no need to worship them.
During this time, a friend of mine bought a beautiful, small Devi statue from the Poompuhar Art Shop and presented it. This was followed by the debate as to whether the ‘vigraha Aradhana’ could be done at home or not.
First of all, what God is this ‘vigraham’? It was the situation that we could place the god on the image with certainty.
I told my wife. “You are going to see Kanchi Periyaval. You ask Him about the God of this ‘vigraha shila’. If He says it right, I shall accept him as a God among men.”
This was an incident that happened twenty-five years back.
“This time, you too come with me”, she said. Some ‘shakti’ in me told, “Go and see…” So we went… A long queue… One by one, people were having darshan of the Mahan and moving away. After some people stood my wife, and me behind her.
The Mahan extended His hand and called my wife. When she went near him, He raised both His hands and blessed her well! Then He asked forthwith, “Akhilandeshvari has come to your home?!”
Tears gushing from her eyes, my wife simply nodded her head in affirmation. Blessing her again, He looked at her keenly from top to toe, as she prostrated to Him and got up.
Later my wife told me, “That look did something to me!”
I, who was listening to His words, fell before Him, my eight limbs touching the ground. That hands that came together in worship in the God’s presence did not come down, as we moved away!
Calling my wife once again, the Mahan blessed and sent her back. From then on, I became a slave of Maha Periyaval”
*****
Source: ‘Kanchi Mahanin karunai ullam’ book.
Translated by Shri Saideo.
