While speaking on this incident, Sree Thathacharyar says, “He explained all the minute principles found in the ‘Grantha’s, speaking as if He is explaining the ordinary worldly matters to be done! This interesting experience was unique by itself! I was immersed in an ocean of Bliss, without being aware of the passing of time! As He is a phenomenon which was beyond Time, We will not be aware of the passing of time, while talking to Him.”
The discussion stretched and stretched , and it was past 3=30 A.M , the time Periava usually wakes up!
He started for the secluded place in the back yard, in order to take some rest, before starting the next day’s duties. Agnihothram Swami says, “ when I looked at Him walking, holding the Dhandam and Kamandalam , It was as if the ‘Dharma Devatha’ himself was walking! I followed Him!”
At that ‘unearthly hour’, a lady came in His way, holding a child, followed by another young lady.
Agnihothram thought, ‘ this lady has come to trouble Him, who is just going for a small rest after being awake throughout the night, talking non—stop till the tongue got dry’ and rushed to stop her; but before he could do that, that lady placed the child at the feet of Periava, prostrated before Him and started talking!
Agnihothram Swami could not digest this; and asked her, “ Oh lady! Does Periava need some rest or not?”
The lady ignored his intervention , asked her daughter also to prostrate before Periava, and started talking animatedly! She said that her daughter recently gave birth to that child and was proceeding to her husband’s home in Bombay (present Mumbai) by the morning express. A she was very particular about proceeding only after getting Periava’s Anugraham, she had to come at this untimely hour and trouble Him.
Karunamoorthy said, “Born you are as a lady, you, in the midst of your hurried programme to start your journey, have come with your child in this untimely hour; you are the one who has taken a lot of trouble!”
Periava looked at Agnihothram Swami with a meaningful smile! It revealed His appreciation for Agnihothram Swami’s care for His health, as well as the intensity of her devotion, without minding Agnihothram Swami’s effort to stop her.
He sat down there and then.
He asked Agnihothram Swami himself to go inside and fetch the prasadham for them.
Agnihothram Swami says, ‘ He made the time to bless the devotees, unmindful of my intervention”.
At that hour, it would take some time for the attendant to prepare Prasadham and bring it. When it came, He gave it to the devotees with His usual kindness. They took leave with their fulfillment showing abundantly on their faces.
After this, Periava explained to Sree Agnihothram Swami, why they should not consider it as a trouble given by the devotees, that they should not stop people coming to see Him to seek His advice and kind words, what seems to be a trouble for Him is in fact the strength He gets out of it. And He also explained in detail how it gives Him the strength.
After listening to Periava’s explanation , Agnihothram Swami says, “ I cannot explain my feelings with mere words. I was immersed in the ‘ Brahmaanandham of the ocean of love’ for some time.”
TO BE CONTINUED………………………
