Pranaam to my Guru! Vande Guru Paramparam!
Memories coming flooding back. As a 11 year old, I remember going and having his darshan when he was camping at Secunderabad (where we stayed at that time) near Skandagiri temple (built by him). It was in a workshop shed that he stayed for more than a month. Almost every alternate day, parents would take us (elder brother and me) and we would watch with interest as he performed Chandramouleswara puja.
Easily approachable, He would always have a word with us youngsters, he would ask what we had for lunch/tiffin etc and give us sugar candy and drakshai (dry grapes) as prasadam. But when he went for his Snanam and after doing his Japam proceeded on stage to do the Puja it was a transformation. His face would be radiant, eyes flashing as he looked at everyone and then he would remain still as he did the 2 hour plus puja (five times a day). He used to walk everywhere. We were fascinated to see the elephants, horses, camels, cows that accompanied the camp.
Many people would throng the venue! I also distinclty remember the Mahaperiyava, his guru, Chandrashekara Saraswathi join the camp, to see him was to see Eswara himself. There used to be lectures by Swamijis and I also remember that one day Mahaswami made the great poet Kannadasan speak in his presence. I was too young to recollect what he said, but Kannadasan spoke with tears streaming his face.
He then went on to Ramchandrapuram BHEL complex and stayed for a few days there. At the end of it he proceeded further and we had to bid him goodbye. The entire crowd walked with him and did not want to leave him. He stopped, spoke gently to us and reminded us to be truthful and follow Dharma at all costs. "Protect and worship the cows, protect Vedas and Veda Vidwans, Be contended". He asked us not to follow him or feel sad. He said he was a Sanyasi and he had to travel as per his Guru's Agnya. He smiled and walked on. When he reached an elevated spot, he stopped suddenly and turned around and smiled his famous smile and blessed us all. That image is now before me as I type.
Later on many years later, I myself had a 11 year old son, and as is custom in many Tamil Brahmin homes, any function has to be first informed to Acharya Gurudeva and on his benediction only, things must commence. He was visiting Chennai and it so happened he was camping near my house in the next road in Kamakshi Temple.
My wife and I went along with our kids and did Vandanam and informed him of the intention to perform Upanayanam to my son. He asked what was his name and said, "so you have named the young lad with a name similar to mine." He enquired about our ancestry, blessed us and my wife sat in front of him and sang Soundarya Lahiri. He closed his eyes and sang with her!
I gently submitted to him that I wanted to be given an opportunity to spend an equal amount of money that I intended to spend on my son's Upanayanam for a righteous cause. I sought his directions on what I should do. He closed his eyes for some time and then said, " Do one thing, there is an organisation started by Paramacharya called Veda Pata Nidhi Trust, that provides pension to indigent priests and Veda Vidwaans in their old age and also takes care of Antima Samskara of these people as they cannot afford it. You donate it to them. Their benediction will protect and bless the child with all that is good."
He then asked someone to give me the name of the concerned person and his number. Foolishly, I lost it and for many years that pledge was unfulfilled until 2 years ago. Both Acharyas (Sri Jayendarar and Shankara Vijayandarar) returned to the same place near my house. My son was in his 12th grade. We went and did Vandanam, Sri Jayendarar was withdrawn and was quite weak but he looked at us benignly and blessed.
I gathered courage and approached Sri Vijayanderar and told him of my unfulfilled promise. I told him I did not remember the name of the trust nor the person's name. In a flash, he told me the name and the person and made sure that I got the contact details. I then called Sri Jayaraman of the Trust and that very evening fulfilled the promise to Guru and payed the money to the trust. Since then I keep paying the amount every year.
In my life, I have seen his relentless energy to fulfill every Agnya of his guru, the great Mahaswami. He traveled relentlessly across the length and breadth of India till his very last. Never stayed in the same place beyond 2 days. Earlier it was by padayatra that he went around India. In later years it was by the famous saffron Innova. Even during the last year, when he was visiting Chennai, again near my house, he would do the first puja without fail as per the Agnya of his guru. Sharp at 5:30 AM.
Two days ago he was fully participating in the ongoing Brahmaotsavam of Kanchi Kamakshi. Maybe the Divine Mother wanted to give him a Kailasa Darsanam this time and he transcended his mortal coils to reach Siva-Paravati.
I will miss the physical presence of my Gurudeva, but the continued legacy of Guruparampara lives on with the divine presence of Sri Shanakara Vijayendra Sarawsathi Shankaracharya. Sri Jayendrar has joined his Guru, Chandrashekarenda Saraswathi in the Spiritual Plane and will continue to shower the impartial grace and compassion (Karunavilasam - the matham is) that is the very badge of the Guru Parampara of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, on us all.
In particular, Sri Jayendarar's stupendous contributions to the cause of Dharma will live on through the multi various institutions and movements that he initiated across the length and breadth of this ancient land called Bharath, much like his first preceptor Adi Shankaracharya once did!
Jaya Jaya Shankara! Hara Hara Shankara!
Memories coming flooding back. As a 11 year old, I remember going and having his darshan when he was camping at Secunderabad (where we stayed at that time) near Skandagiri temple (built by him). It was in a workshop shed that he stayed for more than a month. Almost every alternate day, parents would take us (elder brother and me) and we would watch with interest as he performed Chandramouleswara puja.
Easily approachable, He would always have a word with us youngsters, he would ask what we had for lunch/tiffin etc and give us sugar candy and drakshai (dry grapes) as prasadam. But when he went for his Snanam and after doing his Japam proceeded on stage to do the Puja it was a transformation. His face would be radiant, eyes flashing as he looked at everyone and then he would remain still as he did the 2 hour plus puja (five times a day). He used to walk everywhere. We were fascinated to see the elephants, horses, camels, cows that accompanied the camp.
Many people would throng the venue! I also distinclty remember the Mahaperiyava, his guru, Chandrashekara Saraswathi join the camp, to see him was to see Eswara himself. There used to be lectures by Swamijis and I also remember that one day Mahaswami made the great poet Kannadasan speak in his presence. I was too young to recollect what he said, but Kannadasan spoke with tears streaming his face.
He then went on to Ramchandrapuram BHEL complex and stayed for a few days there. At the end of it he proceeded further and we had to bid him goodbye. The entire crowd walked with him and did not want to leave him. He stopped, spoke gently to us and reminded us to be truthful and follow Dharma at all costs. "Protect and worship the cows, protect Vedas and Veda Vidwans, Be contended". He asked us not to follow him or feel sad. He said he was a Sanyasi and he had to travel as per his Guru's Agnya. He smiled and walked on. When he reached an elevated spot, he stopped suddenly and turned around and smiled his famous smile and blessed us all. That image is now before me as I type.
Later on many years later, I myself had a 11 year old son, and as is custom in many Tamil Brahmin homes, any function has to be first informed to Acharya Gurudeva and on his benediction only, things must commence. He was visiting Chennai and it so happened he was camping near my house in the next road in Kamakshi Temple.
My wife and I went along with our kids and did Vandanam and informed him of the intention to perform Upanayanam to my son. He asked what was his name and said, "so you have named the young lad with a name similar to mine." He enquired about our ancestry, blessed us and my wife sat in front of him and sang Soundarya Lahiri. He closed his eyes and sang with her!
I gently submitted to him that I wanted to be given an opportunity to spend an equal amount of money that I intended to spend on my son's Upanayanam for a righteous cause. I sought his directions on what I should do. He closed his eyes for some time and then said, " Do one thing, there is an organisation started by Paramacharya called Veda Pata Nidhi Trust, that provides pension to indigent priests and Veda Vidwaans in their old age and also takes care of Antima Samskara of these people as they cannot afford it. You donate it to them. Their benediction will protect and bless the child with all that is good."
He then asked someone to give me the name of the concerned person and his number. Foolishly, I lost it and for many years that pledge was unfulfilled until 2 years ago. Both Acharyas (Sri Jayendarar and Shankara Vijayandarar) returned to the same place near my house. My son was in his 12th grade. We went and did Vandanam, Sri Jayendarar was withdrawn and was quite weak but he looked at us benignly and blessed.
I gathered courage and approached Sri Vijayanderar and told him of my unfulfilled promise. I told him I did not remember the name of the trust nor the person's name. In a flash, he told me the name and the person and made sure that I got the contact details. I then called Sri Jayaraman of the Trust and that very evening fulfilled the promise to Guru and payed the money to the trust. Since then I keep paying the amount every year.
In my life, I have seen his relentless energy to fulfill every Agnya of his guru, the great Mahaswami. He traveled relentlessly across the length and breadth of India till his very last. Never stayed in the same place beyond 2 days. Earlier it was by padayatra that he went around India. In later years it was by the famous saffron Innova. Even during the last year, when he was visiting Chennai, again near my house, he would do the first puja without fail as per the Agnya of his guru. Sharp at 5:30 AM.
Two days ago he was fully participating in the ongoing Brahmaotsavam of Kanchi Kamakshi. Maybe the Divine Mother wanted to give him a Kailasa Darsanam this time and he transcended his mortal coils to reach Siva-Paravati.
I will miss the physical presence of my Gurudeva, but the continued legacy of Guruparampara lives on with the divine presence of Sri Shanakara Vijayendra Sarawsathi Shankaracharya. Sri Jayendrar has joined his Guru, Chandrashekarenda Saraswathi in the Spiritual Plane and will continue to shower the impartial grace and compassion (Karunavilasam - the matham is) that is the very badge of the Guru Parampara of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, on us all.
In particular, Sri Jayendarar's stupendous contributions to the cause of Dharma will live on through the multi various institutions and movements that he initiated across the length and breadth of this ancient land called Bharath, much like his first preceptor Adi Shankaracharya once did!
Jaya Jaya Shankara! Hara Hara Shankara!
Very will written and captured. Some of the things you mention about Secunderbad days are still fresh in my memory, including that of meeting with Guru Paramacharya.
ReplyDeleteHeartfelt tribute! Hara Hara Shankara! Jaya Jaya Shankara!
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