My First Experience with Kanchi Mahaperiyava

While many of you may have been fortunate to have some experience with
Mahaperiyava at a much younger age, my first experience with that great
Living God came when I was in my early forties.
I was raised in Pune and after graduation, I moved to Mumbai where I
launched my career in industry. I was married in Pudukottai in the presence
and blessings of Sri Santhananda Swamigal, my
first Guru (see inset picture). Major part of my
life was in Maharashtra and so, I had very little
opportunity to have darshan or interact with
Mahaperiyava. However, I was greatly inspired
and influenced by reading the Deivathin Kural
publication. So, in my heart, I was longing to
have a darshan of Mahaperiyava and receive His
blessings.
This incident happened sometime after I moved
to Chennai early 80s. I was working then as a
general manager in an engineering company
based in Chennai. One fine day, I decided to
make a trip with my entire family including my
parents to Kanchipuram to see Mahaperiyava. After we reached the Kanchi
Mutt, we were told that Mahaperiyava was camping at Kalavai a place that
I had not known or visited before. So, we traveled to Kalavai. When we
reached Kalavai, there was a huge crowd of devotees. Getting closer, we
saw people were pushing each other to force their way to get a darshan of
Mahaperiyava. There was no discpline or any kind of orderliness. The local
police was merely watching and did nothing to regulate the crowd. In such a
situation, the best we could do was to get just a glimpse of Mahaperiyava
and that too from a distance. It left all of us in deep disappointment. I felt so
frustrated that I picked up an argument with the policemen who were not
doing their jobs to regulate the crowd. In my mind, I prayed and wished to
have Mahperiyava's darshan again, not just a glimpse but for a much longer
time.
Many weeks later, I got a phone call from my company's manufacturing
plant in Ranipet that the Kanchi Acharyas (all three of them) would be
visiting the factory next day and I was invited to receive them.

On hearing this, I jumped with joy! The next day early morning, I adorned
myself with Vibhuti and panchakatcham and proceeded to Ranipet. Frankly, I
was ignorant on the formalities of receiving the Acharyas!
At first, Puduperiyava and Bala Periyava came into the factory. We showed
them around the plant. I was blessed with a Tulasi Mala.
Then came the great and most memorable event in my life! Preceded by a
hand cart, Mahaperiyava came walking slowly in the blazing hot sun. It was
a divine sight to see the real Walking God. He was accompanied by some
of the staff from the Kanchi Matam chanting "Jaya Jaya Sankara."
Mahaperiyava stopped in front of the factory gate. Aho Baghyam, Aho
Baghyam, I was indeed blessed to receive Mahaperiyava with Poorna
Kumbam honors. He did not enter the factory gates but permanently
entered into my heart forever! No doubt, Mahaperiyava answered my
prayers so graciously that I spent over one hour with Him accompanying
Him on the road.
While walking, He slowed down near a wayside temple built around a tree
trunk and asked me what temple it was. I had absolutely no idea though I
had passed that way many times. I felt ashamed at my poor observation and
replied to him in the negative. He stopped the cart, walked across, stooped
down and went inside through the narrow entrance of the temple. Inside,
there was a small stone idol of Ganesha. So, it was a Pillayar Kovil, I
thought. Looking at the Ganesha, He said there must be a Hanuman too and
went around the tree - and sure enough there was the Hanuman idol behind
the tree trunk.
The next question he asked was who built this temple? Again, I had no
answer. Fortunately, there was a person (Sri. Subramanian of SRP Tools
Ltd.) in the crowd who named a local industrialist as the builder.
After this first unforgettable first experience, I had several interesting
experiences later with Mahaperiyava, the "Living God" who blesses His true
devotees in His own way.
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara
Sundaresan Subramanian (Subi)
Chicago