This is a long and important post. Pl read this fully. This post is only intended for devotees who are confused and at guilt of not doing certain things by comparing themselves with others. Share your comments as well in a nice way.
Few days back there was a posting in Facebook about some Guru Puja to Mahaperiyava initiated by someone for a specific period of time and many people have been doing this and they are greatly benefited. It always makes us happy to note that people are benefited. Also this person talks to Mahaperiyava, gets His direction and communicates to others. I often get mails asking for some mama or mami’s name to get help from their current troubles.It is very surprising to see why one needs to waste time to look for mama/mami etc when in trouble. Praying to Mahaperiyava / kula dheivam is as easy as standing in front of their photos and chanting their namavalis. To do this, we do not need any initiation. There is a namavali for Mahaperiyava- “ஓம் ப்ரார்த்தனாமாத்ர ஸுலபாய நம:”, which means one who is easier to worship. What more pramanam do we need?
I am normally against any intermediaries between us and jagadgurus. Jagadgurus have taken avataram to be easily accessible and why another agent for Him?! Does not make sense – to me. I have also heard about people who talk to Mahaperiyava and receive directions etc. While they all could be true, what is important is to make our bonding between us and Mahaperiyava or any Periyava stronger. Point is that we should not be wasting our time in running between mamas and mamis.
I think we all should realize that there is no extraordinarily different routine needed just because we are Mahaperiyava devotees. Sri Pradosham mama told his people only one thing “Periyava parameswarandaa …gettiyaa puduchukkongo” – thats all. He encouraged all to read Sivapuranam, Thevaram etc. He kept the routine simple and insisted on unshaken bakthi towards Him. If we have that kind of bakthi, rest does not matter.
In fact a devotee from Malaysia asked me “What do you do daily prayers for Mahaperiyava?”. I did not respond to him till now. I will do this via this post. Here is what I do:
Morning
- karavalambam in the morning for Lord Subrahmanya (my kula dheivam) and Kanchi Acharya karavalambam – although I thought this was written for Mahaperiyava, it is actually for any Kanchi Acharya.
- I also chant “Potri Yen vaazh muthalaagiya porule” – to wake up Thiruperundurai Atmanaadhar, who is same as Mahaperiyava – this is part of Thiruvasagam. (if I finish shower and do sandhyavandhanam all before 8 AM..If it is beyond that I dont do this – makes no sense wake Mahaperiyava/Swami at 10 AM!)
- I chant Kanchi jagadguru ashtothram – dont know the author – i have shared in the blog long back – unable to find now…
Anytime (Morning/evening – doesn’t matter)
- Used to chant certain thevarams like “Thirukurugaavur pathigam (ithanai yaamatrai)”
- Used to chant “Thiruvum mei porulum …” by Sri Sundaramurthy Swamigal. Sri Jayendra saraswathi swamigal once handed out this pathigam to all devotees who went for His darshan…
- I do rudrabishekam to my panchayathana puja.
- On Thursdays or whenever I wish I do abishekam to Mahaperiyava/Pudhu Periyava Padhukas and ashtothra namavalis whenever I feel like.
- On Fridays, if i remember, I will chant Vinayagar Agawal. I 100% chant on every chaturthis
- Used to chant Kolaru Pathigam – that stopped as well.
(many in my list is in past tense!!! – i need to make some effort to make it present tense soon)
This is my routine – is there anything that is targeted for Mahaperiyava here? No – these are all what He and all other Periyavas have asked us to do. I am not the standard – I understand but I know there are several folks who have lots of Periyava experiences on a daily manner offer very simple bakthi.
If you wish to elaborated puja, there is a book blessed by Sri Matam called “Sagunopasana”, which is available in this blog for free download. Download that book, get a sastrigal and do it at your place – they are completely based on vaidheeka procedure – so any sastrigal would feel comfortable to do this for you. If the link on this page doesnt work, please search for this in the blog, look in the comments section for email id of the publisher – Sri Ravi Venkataraman, PA – he will be happy to email you this.
I recently got an email few days back from a devotee who got a dream of Mahaperiyava putting His feet on his head. He was asking me what to do from this dream as he was worried if there is any dheiva kutram etc if no action is taken after the dream. He seems to be doing nithyakarmas properly and whatever he could – there is nothing to worry – we need to be consistent in our religious/spiritual journey.
Bottom-line – there is no extra special drill for Mahaperiyava bakthi. Whatever we do to any swami reaches Mahaperiyava too. I dont have any doubt. Having said that, I have strong belief that Mahaperiyava will take care of me as long as my bakthi is consistent and strong.
So, let us stop complicating Periyava bakthi and keep it simple. Our acharyas have come to this world to establish traditions and sastras. Whatever our tradition established by Adi Acharya is enough to please any devata including Mahaperiyava. Let us stick with our tradition and advises of our acharyas.
To wrap it up, let me quote an incident from Dr SV Radhakrishnan mama of Srirangam, who is a very serious devi (Bala) upasaka. He went to Mahaperiyava and asked “why I am not getting mantra siddhi? I am doing it very seriously?”. Periyava asked “You are a serious devotee of ambal. Instead of asking Her why are you coming and asking me? – go ask Her”. His message is that there should not be anyone between you and devata.
Thanks to Sri Suresh Panchanathan for initiating this thread in FB and I only extended that here.
My advance apologies if I have accidentally hurt anyone’s feelings, which is unintentional.
Periyava Sharanam!