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 68th
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 //
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