Many Jaya Jaya Sankara to Shri Lakshmi for this great share. Rama Rama
Experiences with Maha Periyava: What is PIN?
Sri Maha Periyava had vishesha karunya (special compassion) and preeti (kindness), towards the Veda Panditas. Just their having memorised the Veda shabdas–Vedic accents and words was the complete reason for adoring them. Periyava has stressed this fact many times.
One day in Kanchi Matham Sri Maha Periyava asked, “Do the vaidikas who are the vadhyars (teachers), know the artha (meaning) of the karmas (rites) they conduct? Some people tend to look down upon them if they do not know the meaning of the mantras they chant.”
A mail for the Sri Matam arrived just as this talk was going on and Periyava asked the vilasam (address) on it to be read out. When the man who was reading it out read the word PIN, Periyava asked him, “Do you know what PIN is? Does the postman know (its expansion)? Does the postmaster know it?”
The one who read out the address stood speechless.
“Even if no one knows the meaning of PIN, once a number is written with the word PIN, the mail reaches its destination correctly, doesn’t it?
“In the same way, if we recite the Veda mantras with their proper swaram (intonation), even if we do not know their meaning, the offerings in the homam (fire sacrifice) reach their destination. There is no necessity to know the meaning.
“But then I shall tell you the expansion for PIN. It is ‘Postal Index Number’.” Periyava knows!
Author Dr.R.Krishnamurti Shastrigal, Chennai-4
Source: Maha Periyaval – Darisana Anubhavangal Vol.2
Hara Hara Shankara Jaya Jaya Shankara
Categories: Devotee Experiences
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