Thanks to Sri Suresh Panchanathan for this fine article. This experience is all about His karunai and this devotee’s bakthi. We will read these articles and learn and improve our bakthi towards Periyava!
I was narrated a similar incident by my friend/colleague that happened in Kulithalai agraharam several decades back. I will write about it tomorrow…
We had Maha Periyava’s Padham Lotus Feet photo at home but we did not know much about Him. We kept that in our showcase for 8 months or so. Then for the first time I went to kanchipuram when I was 20 with my family. We visited many temples and also Shankara Mutt and Orikkai in December 2012. We returned happily after the darshan. A year passed.
There was a sudden demise of one of our family members. Myself and my mother were there helping them through out the rituals and my mother stayed with them for a month to help them. I have a fear of ghost and dead bodies. But still I was in a position to help them there. I am working and staying as a paying guest.
After helping them during the Rites I came back to my place and no one was there in my room that night. Some thing terrible happened and the next 3 months were not good for me. I had nightmares. I was literally petrified. I wanted to be with my Parents but I was pushed to stay away from them. Nightmares continued. I could not concentrate when I chanted Hanuman Chalisa numerous times. I had to face the hard truth of life but I had no support. No one was there to understand what I was going through. Sleep was the thing I hated most. I could not fall asleep.
I walk 4 kms a day so that I become tired and sleep. Still no luck. I regularly go to Baba temple which is more than a km away from my place searching for solace. I hardly know Maha Periyava or Sai baba. But I started to think about Maha Periyava suddenly. I was taken to few temples like Gunaseelam and other places. Slowly I was recovering.
I immediately had chicken pox and that was a blessing in disguise so that I can stay with my parents during my treatment. But still the night mare continued. It didn’t go completely. I was finding hard to sleep. But I closed my eyes thinking about the nightmare.
One day saw the advertisement aired on Vijay TV for ‘Mahangalum Adhisayangalum’. I kept remembering that while sleeping. Nightmares continued. Then there was a glimpse. I saw Maha Periyava leaning on the Mena amidst my nightmares. Nightmares stopped once and for all. I began to sleep well from that night. I was worried coming back to work but came in the hope that He will take care of me. And He is still taking care through this Sage of Kanchi group. My antidotes for the nightmares came from this Group!
The Periyava padham picture moved from the showcase to the Pooja room. He cares like a Mother. Speaks like a Father. Plays like a Brother. Guides like a Guru and I share every detail to Him like a Friend. Motherly friend. Whenever in distress hold His Padham Lotus Feet and He will take care. Just having patience and faith will do.
Maha Periyava saranam.
