Sri Maha Periyava was travelling to SriSailam through a path that went through a jungle. He asked the people in his entourage to do parayana (recitation) of the Vishnu Sahasranamam and walk their way.

However slowly recited, the Vishnu Sahasranamam would be over in half an hour. But on that day, for whatever reason, the shishyas were not able to recite the stotram in unison and had to repeat the stanzas whenever a mistake was committed. The next camping site was also not in sight.

Periyava said, “Neither does the Sahasranamam seem to end, nor does the village of our destination seem to arrive.”

After a long time they reached the village of their camping. Periyava said humorously, “You people did not recite Vishnu Sahasranamam. You have done a Laksharchana for Vishnu!”

Their night stay was at the Perumal temple in that village.

A crowd of rustics from that region were waiting for the Sage. They supplicated that Periyava should make a vijayam (visit) to the temple of their village deity, Katthavarayan.
Though Maha Periyava was very tired, he went to the temple so that the people would be happy. As he entered the temple, it started drizzling and then rained heavily for an hour.
The people were flooded with happiness. Their usual experience was that if the rain clouds gathered, a powerful wind from somewhere would blow and disperse the clouds. Since Sri Maha Periyava had come, the wind did not blow with the usual force, they said.

Maha Periyava did not accept it. He said that as he came to the Katthavarayan temple, the deity Katthavarayan (named after the wind) stopped the wind, so it rained! — thereby giving credit to the village deity.

An old man said, “Yes, our Katthavarayan poured out his happiness of seeing you as rains.”

Author: SriMatham Balu
Source: Maha Periyaval – Darisana Anubhavangal vol. 2

Categories: Devotee Experiences