Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Sankara – Anantha Jaya Jaya Sankara to Smt. Gayathri for the share. Ram Ram
One Sunday Sri Maha Periyava went to the ‘Gangai Kondan Mandapam’ Anjaneyar (Hanuman) temple opposite Sri Matam and sat down there. A large number of devotees had a leisurely darshan.
Even when it was four in the afternoon, Periyava didn’t seem to move back to his abode. Since Periyava would not take even a cup of water after sunset on a Sunday, the disciples got worried. It was ascetic dharma to fast on Sunday nights. A disciple gathered courage, went to Periyava and supplicated, “Anushthanam, Bhiksha–(daily religious observances, taking alms) need to be done. Today is Sunday. If it is sunset, then there would be no bhiksha thenceforth. Periyava should come back to the Matham.”
Periyava said: “It’s said that Seshadri Swamigal, after taking bath in the sarvateertham (temple pond}, and doing his shamshana japam (litany in the cremation ground), would visit this mandapam (pavilion) and stay for many days. I too came here so that I can stay for at least a day. And you people are driving me away!”
Sri Maha Periyava had great respect for Seshadri Swamigal and Ramana Maharshi.
Then He consented to their supplication and started towards His abode. The fruits, sugar lumps and coconuts that His devotees had submitted to Him in darshan had formed a large pile there.
“Let all these things remain here. Let the Hanuman poojaka (priest of Hanuman temple) and the umbrella people take these things.”
The crafts people who design the temple umbrella and flag used to stay in the Gangai Kondan pavilion. They can be seen there even today.
Categories: Devotee Experiences
Hara Hara Shankara, Jaya Jaya Shankara! Sri Rama Jayam! Jai Hanuman! MahaangaL SmaraNam Parama Paavanam!
Good drawing…
Nice drawing Ms. Sowmya.
I am hearing for first time that Sri Maha Periyava will not take Bhiksha after sunset on Sunday evening. Can anyone confirm whether this continues even with Sri Pudu Periyava or Sri Bala Periyava?
My guess is the information may not be correct.
I am subject to correction of course
It is not a rule that Sanyasi / Peetathipathi should not take Biksha on Sunday evenings after sunset.
Mahaswami started fasting on Sunday evenings, after Hindu Muslim riots in Kashmir and Bengal after independence. Mahaswami was pained by the happenings during India Pakistan partition.
To ensure that those things should not recur again, Mahaswami started fasting.
Bala Periyava had shared this information in one of his old interviews.
//It is not a rule that Sanyasi / Peetathipathi should not take Biksha on Sunday evenings after sunset.//
It is a rule indeed as per Dharma Sastras and as per Maha Periyava’s Deivathin Kural. Not only for Sannyasis but all of us too. Excerpts as per Deivathin Kural Vol. 3. It will be good to verify the source before making these statements. Ram Ram
தர்ம சாஸ்திரத்தில் சொல்லியிருக்கும் உபவாஸ நாட்களைச் சொல்கிறேன். ஒவ்வொரு பக்ஷத்திலும் வரும் ஏகாதசியன்று முழுப்பட்டினி கிடக்க வேண்டும். ஞாயிற்றுக் கிழமை, அமாவாஸ்யை, பௌணர்மி ஆகிய நாட்களில் பகலில் மட்டும் போஜனம் செய்து இரவில் உபவாஸமிருக்க வேண்டும். ஒவ்வொரு பக்ஷத்திலும் அஷ்டமியிலும் சதுர்த்தசியிலும் பகலில் சாப்பிடாமல், ராத்திரி மட்டும் ஆஹாரம் பண்ண வேண்டும்.
ராமநவமி, கோகுலாஷ்டமி, சிவராத்திரி ஆகியனவும் பூர்ண உபவாஸ தினங்களாகச் சொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. ஆனால் சிவராத்ரியில்தான் இதை ஓரளவுக்கு விதிப்படிச் செய்வதாகவும் மற்ற இரண்டு தினங்களில் பூஜைக்கு அப்புறம் சாப்பிடுவதாகவும் (கிருஷ்ண ஜயந்தி பூஜை ராத்ரியில் செய்யப்படுவதால் பலஹாரம் செய்வதாகவும் -இதில் ஏகப்பட்ட பக்ஷண தினுஸுகள் சேர்ந்துவிடும்) நடந்து விடுகிறது.