Mahaswamigal Aaradhana

It was cold January in 1994 in Chennai and Kanchipuram. The bright sunlight of the fore noon was suddenly gone and there was this gloominess that many suddenly felt from 11 AM onwards.  The reasons no one could comprehend. At 2:58 PM there was a bright light in the sky north of Chennai towards Kanchipuram. Later information came that greatest of the saints, in 20th century, reverentially referred to as Mahaswamigal, the 68^th Peethaipati of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Jagadguru Shri Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal had left his mortal body to be one with the cosmos.

In remembrance of this day and the great sage, like every year since 1995, on January 8, 2013, Tuesday, at 8 AM, Abishekam and Archana and Prayer will be held at Sarveshwara Devalayam, at Adi Shankara sannidhi.  In the evening from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM Upanishads Parayana, by vedic scholars, will be held at the temple premises. Every one is invited to participate both in the morning and the evening.

Mahaswamigal became the Peetathipati at the age of 13 and he served the humanity for 87 years (till he took Samadhi at the age of 100). The greatness of this saint could be understood by what people had said about Him:

1.      Poojaya Vamadeva Muni, Rajaguru of Thailand said: “A rare phenomenon of this Yuga.” Only the divinities that preside over Kamakoti Peetham have the capacity to realize in full what His Grace is. He is a Yoga Siddha, verily a God on earth, a like of whom will be rarest among the rares of this Yuga. This is our firm conviction.”

2.      Robert Walser said: “As I was concentrating on HIS Holiness, I suddenly felt such a terrific spiritual strength that it almost overwhelmed me! What a concrete and tangible experience that blessing was! This was revelation that the blessing of true saint meant a transmission of spiritual power, a power as real and tangible as electricity and not just the meaningless sprinkling of water on things and people. He is Jagadguru.” 

3.      Arthur Isenberg said: One of the most remarkable persons of our troubled age: the gentle sage of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.”

4.      Dr.S.I.Tulaev, Russian Indologist said: Here is true Indian sage who is living a simple life, in the midst of such tiny villages, carrying the highest philosophy. It is only such sages who bless you with the answers you seek in a few seconds.

5.      Her Majesty Queen Frederika of Greece said: Two days we spent on his company will never be forgotten. There was pure spirituality.  The greatness of His blessings was so great that this human container was incapable of holding it without its overflowing which resulted as tears.” “We have come from Europe not as members of Royalty but as humble devotees seeking blessing and guidance of His Holiness.”

6.      Tirumuruga Kripananda Variar said: His holiness is an Embodiment of Enlightenment which is eternal bliss. He makes us see the right path - and so, is a margadarsin. He sees ahead with his prophetic vision-a dirgadarsin. From the mouth of this unmoving mount flows the Ganga of wisdom.

Jagadguru had aptly said “Corruption and fraud are on the increase now-a-days. These will be dispelled only when people are imbued with true devotion. Education is of no use without inculcating this devotion. The ills of today are the byproduct of an educational system which does not instill devotion in the student. We must learn to put animal propensities, and purify our mind. A career oriented education is no education. What should first be inculcated in young minds is respect for dharma.”

We definitely realize the veracity of advice given by Jagadguru.  If we inculcate proper education then the insurmountable pains we are witnessing today would be minimal.

Mahaswamigal visted Nagpur in the year 1936 on his Bharat Vijaya  Pada Yatra. He stayed at Dhantoli, At that time Kanchi Kamokoti Matham gave the first contribution of Rs.2000/- as instructed by Him to establish Bhagvad Pada Sabha, now one of the many a centres of Matham in India. The temple and Gnyana Vapi are also His contribution to the Nagpurians.

Some 50 years ago, to help poor and needy, Mahaswamigal thought of a simple system known as “Handful of Rice” scheme. According to this every house holder should set aside a handful of rice and one rupee every day. At the end of the month the rice and money is given to the temple nearby where it used for poor feeding throughout the month. This is ongoing even today. Bhagvad Pada Sabha feed orphan children at Shradanand Anathalaya, Nagpur, once in a month, through this scheme. This scheme is now extended by some of His devotee philanthropists who collect 1 % of a family’s grocery bill through big departmental stores. This amount collected is used not only for food but for other requirements of poor and needy persons. The Seer could look ahead a few 100 years. He has convinced his devotees of this idea and one can understand how He has developed his devotees to carry on His mission with innovation and creativity keeping the central idea intact.

What I have mentioned here are but a few drops in His Ocean of wisdom and kindness. He was personification of Shankara and Kamakshi Devi.

Gitacharya said “Parithranaya sadhunam vinashayatha druskritham, Dharma samsthapa narthaya sambhvami yuge yuge”.  Mahaswamigal was one such avatar proclaimed by Krishna Bhagwan.

We will not see another Mahaswamigal for another 100 years. We really miss HIM today. Let us pray on His Aaradhana day and get His blessings because He is still with us in astral body and guiding us.

// SUBHAM //