Balu Mama Part 6.

3
Besant Nagar did not have a temple, just a small Piayr temple. Now it is a huge iva
temple with Amb . . . Velankanni was originally a Mriamman1 temple, Mri has become Mary2.
The foreigner called her Mary. They practise all our customs, hoisting of flag, tonsure of the head . . .
the sea-coast villagers were converted . . . procession during festivals . . . the same is followed here
too. Some devotees came to Periyava from Madras, Venkatarama Sastri was one of them, he was our
family priest.
We went to Sringeri and asked the Swmiga there and he said, I do not know anything about your
city. Go to Kanchi Swami and ask him. The fisher-folk are being converted and festivities are being
held with their help. We wish to build a iva temple.
You wish to build a iva temple . . .said Periyava, that is a good deed. Dont you have any temple
there?
Yes, a small Piayr temple . . . a lot of conversion is going on, money is given to convert . . .
Alright, go ahead.
We need a ivaliga . . .
You already have one in your town. Wake up in the morning saying iva iva, bathe and go to the
beach and you will find the ivaliga . . .
1

Lit.Mother of Fertility, Goddess of nature and life, worshipped all over the world under different names by ancient
civilizations; now largely represented as regional/folk deity as both goddess of wrath and benignity; marked as boundaryguardian.
2
A wide-spread belief in coastal Tamil Nadu, now supplemented by research findings.
(2.i)The British marine archaeologist & specialist in theories involving ancient civilizations, Graham Hancock has
extensively examined a submerged city off the coast of Poompuhar, near Nagapattinam, in the East Coast in Tamil Nadu,
a region built over and over again through the ages. Hancock along with Glenn Milne of Durham University, dates the
neighbouring Poompuhar site to 11,000 years ago, predating the Sumerian Mesopotamian & the Harappan civilizations.
The formers book Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilisation,(Three Rivers Press; Rprt. Edn.,2003), posits that
this area of coastal Tamil Nadu is the cradle of modern civilization. Available as E-book.
(2.ii)Findings of India's National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), which has explored the site since the 1980s led to
many man-made structures including ruins of ring-wells and implements suggesting a refined civilization.
(2.iii) Another survey by the Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Tamil University,Thanjavur, seeks to shed light on
the ancient ports in south India, mentioned in Greco-Roman geographer, Ptolemys accounts.
(2.iv) To read more on the absorption of local religious beliefs and mainstream Hinduism into Christianity, see Popular
Christianity in India: Riting between the Lines, Editors. Selva J. Raj & Corinne G. Dempsey. Albany:State Univ. of N.Y
Press, 2002.Part I, especially the following chapters:
Chapter 5, Festivals and Rituals: Forging Hybrid Christian Identities, Transgressing Boundaries: Transcending Turner:
The Pilgrimage Tradition at the Shrine of St.John de Britto, by Selva J.Raj, pp 85 ff. See notes to this article, (p107) on
animal sacrifice as practiced in Mariamman shrines, earlier prevalent in Velankanni, later prohibited by the Church.
Also Chapter 4, Past Selves &Present Others: The Ritual Construction of Identity at a Catholic Festival in India,
by Margaret Meibolum, pp 61 ff.
Research as above along with scientific, archeological findings reinforce theories of religious assimilation in this place.

In the Presence of the Divine

2
They did just as they were told, got up chanting iva iva, bathed and went to the beach and true
enough in the place they stood was a ivaliga, buried in the sand. It is that which is installed and
named Ratnagirvara and the Amb was named Arakei3, by Periyava. Then the kumbbhiekam
was performed. In the same way devotees came from IIT, Madras.
We do not have a temple in our campus, not even a tiny one for Amb, we wish to build a iva
temple, we are most of us from Palaghat.
When a ivaliga is sculpted its not like sculpting other deities Vedic chanting must be done
while a liga is being sculpted. When a Sahasraliga is sculpted, all the four Vedas are chanted.
We need a ivaliga and also we do not know where in the campus to build it they said.
Your place was called Vedarei. In course of time Vedasrei became Velacheri. Appayya Dksitar,
a great person, has performed a yaga there.4 He never took his meal without performing
Paramevara pja, without Paramevara daran. He installed a ivaliga there for his worship and
dug a well for drawing up water to perform abhiekha. Close to the ivaliga and the well, he
planted a vilva tree. Go in the morning chanting iva iva and find it.
So they did that, went in the morning chanting iva iva around the campus and found an
old well by the side of which stood a vilva tree and close by a ivaliga lying in neglect. Then the
temple was built there and the consecration done. Periyava named the iva there Jalakatevara and
said that water must be taken only from the well for ivapja. When the kumbbhiekam was done,
they came, all of them to Periyava, the engineer and others and prostrated to him.
Periyava told the engineer. There is a small temple there, in our akara Maha.
T.S.Ramachandariyer is installing Rjarjevari there. He is very advanced in years. It is in the same
town and it seems like betrayal not to take it up on his behalf. You must do this. It is the same
ivaliga there too. Pudu Periyava will come there. I will follow later.
The engineer went and met Pudu Periyava who later did the consecration. One cannot gauge the
depth or meaning of Periyavas words. He is none other than Paramevara who holds poison in the
throat. One cannot take him for granted. The Rjarjevari temple was built and the installation done.
********
Seppu Ramamurthi was then preparing bhika for Periyava. His wedding was on the day of
the consecration of this temple. Ramamurthi was to marry his elder sisters daughter, his neice.
Periyava advised him against it as much as possible, but he did not pay heed to Periyavas words.
3

The one with beautifully braided hair

(i)For more on the spiritual history of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras campus, entitled Brief History of
Temples in IIT, Madras Campus, see:http://indiafacts.org/brief-history-of-temples-in-iit-madras-campus/
(ii)This article has photographs of Pudu Periyavas consecration of the temple on 18.6.1965 and Maha Periyavas visit to
the Jalakanewara temple at IITM, on 20.2.1966. Much information on this topic was found in the archives of the
Governors office and residence, the Raj Bhavan, when the temple committee went there on Maha Periyavas directive.
Periyava suggested the name Jalakanewara because he said that was the name originally given to the ivaliga in the
days of yore. The pond in neighbouring Velacheri is known locally as Appayya Kulam (Appayya Pond ).
4

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

3
Ramamurthi held that since his sisters family was in straightened circumstances, he must ease their
burden. The premises of two staff-quarters in the Railway colony at Royapuram in Madras were
taken for holding the wedding there.
We escorted Periyava to the Rjarjevari temple. He sat down and said, Everyone here
must go and attend Ramamurthis wedding! Arrange for a lorry. All of you, get into the lorry and go
to Seppu Ramamurthis wedding! No one must stay back with me. No one is going to eat me up.
There are so many people here and I will manage everything on my own, giving prasda and so on.
Now go on . . .
Periyava looked upon us as his children and that is how he treated us. So we went, all of us,
to Ramamurthis wedding and came back. After the consecration was done, Periyava came back to
the Maha. Devotees came and pda pja was offered and things went on as usual.
Ramamurthi could not cook for six months following the wedding and afterwards, when his
wife was in the family way.5 There was no one to prepare the bhika. Thiruvarur Jayaraman was
called to do this work. He was a bit of a dunce and besides, his cooking was awful, he knew next to
nothing. At that time Periyava and Pudu Periyava partook of the same bhika. Two separate kitchens
were not there. Periyava would at times accept bhika after Pudu Periyava took his. It was not at all
very rigid. I was called to do the service. I knew hardly anything about cooking.
That chap is making a mess of it, Balu. Why dont you do this service? asked Pudu Periyava.
I do the cooking! I dont know how to. I am terrified I said.
Dont worry. I am here to help you he said.
Pudu Periyava would guide me step by step, and the cooking would be done.
Spread the leaf for Periyava and serve the bhika without a word. Dont worry about anything, no
matter what he asks. Periyava will want to know who did the cooking and so on. Never mind, dont
be afraid.
Pudu Periyava told me what was to be done, step by step. It came out quite well. In fact,
Periyava ate well. Everyday Periyava would go out to different places and return to the Maha to rest
at night. This is how I got into personal service to Periyava. From then on I started preparing bhika
for Periyava. Wherever the camp went, I would go along and do this service to Periyava.
On another day there was no one to prepare and arrange the food-offerings for the pja.
Cooking was done in kottaiaduppu.6 Periyava himself came and sat inside the kitchen and told me to
light the fire-wood stove. Now if the pulses are boiled, set it down and wash the rice grains he said
and then I set the rice to boil. When the rice was cooked Periyava said, See if there is a gunny bag!
the rice was strained off the starch-water.Dont throw it away, store it in a vessel Periyava said.
5
6

As prohibited by the stras.

Lengthy culvert dug on earth and converted into several parallel firewood stoves.

In the Presence of the Divine

4
The pulses are done I said.
Add the diced pumpkin to it said Periyava.
Then I added the spice and falavouring, salt and so on and cooked it. Fetch the rice-strain you have
put away said Periyava.
Now add some sugar to it and I poured some sugar into the gruel.
Now go and get some saffron from the Manager he said.
I went and got some and added it to the gruel. Now roast some cashewnuts in ghee and flavor it
said Periyava and I did. Pyasam was ready.
Now said Periyava, the top layer that is thin is rasam, the middle portion is the sambar and the
lowest portion which is thick with pulses is the ku.
I had to separate the three layers in three separate cauldrons.
Look, youve done everything said Periyava, and you said you knew no cooking!
Periyava sat in the pja and asked for the mriti7. I hurriedly prepared the vadai. The food offerings
were made when the pja concluded. Everything had been cooked in plenty.
Who is to eat all this? I asked Periyava. The children from the pala who had fallen asleep were
woken up. They had not eaten and were fetched to eat the meal.
How is the pyasam, child I asked a boy and they all chorused to say that it was very good. There
was nothing left. The rice vessel became empty.
Is there anything left? asked Periyava.
Only the lemon flavoured rice, which the children did not eat. Nothing else!
It was because of his divine glance upon everything that it was all so tasty. His grace. There is
nothing that he does not know.
********

There were two brothers, inheriting their ancestral land, the northern and southern portions of
which had to be divided between the two of them. The southern portion was more fertile and yielded
more while the northern one was less productive. Both wanted the southern portion and there was a
quarrel over the division of the land. Neither would give in and the quarrel worsened. Both refused to
come to any kind of compromise, like drawing lots or something like that. The younger brother
wielded clout locally and so he got a band ready to support his claim over the southern portion.
7

Periyava spoke only in Sanskrit once he entered the pjakau; flavoured savoury

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

5
Suddenly one day, Periyava went to that village in the dead of the night and lay down on the
pyol of the elder brothers house. No one was aware of this. That night the younger brother came
with some of his henchmen who wielded scythes, and on reaching the house of his elder brother was
shocked to see Periyavas palanquin near the house. Periyava was seated on the pyol.
Summoning the man closer, Periyava asked, Who are these with you?
The man was stunned and stood speechless in fear. Then sending word to their agent, Periyava asked
him what the matter was.
After listening to the whole story, Periyava said, Listen! You can take the whole of it, the northern
and southern portions. Take everything. I will take care of your elder brother. It does not matter that
he gets nothing . . .
The man fell down in prostration and said, I dont need a share at all, Periyava . . . What does it
matter, northern and southern portions . . .
Then why these scythes? Come, slice my neck off, come on, here it is. . .
Then Periyava called the two brothers and said, Take what you want of the land.
The elder one said, Let my brother take what he wants, Periyava.
The younger one said, I am ready to go by whatever my elder brother says.
The whole thing fizzled out to nothing at all!
********

Everyone said that one must go to Kumbakonam for magam8. I too felt compelled to go and
goaded on by what everyone around me said, I went. On reaching the Mahamagam temple-tank, I
saw that at least twenty thousand devotees had gathered there. But for Sivarajan and me, the two of
us, not a single other Brahmin was there. Only the two of us were wearing the sacred thread. The
othes were all of them, non-Brahmins. With such piety, they take the holy dip, wash the flag-stone,
wash the banana leaf and wash the coconut and split it, wash betel-leaf and areca nut, offer fruits and
then under the guidance of their respective family priests, perform obsequies for their forefathers and
then gift rice, banana, pumpkin and other articles! Rice was gifted in sacks, in plenty! It is they who
practice dharma, they keep dharma alive. Appayya Dkitar says that dharma exists in the nonBrahmin and in women. They know the Dharmaastra. They may give public speeches, Karunanidhi
and others, but they practice dharma. They continued to pour in from so many places, such distant
places that day! Nearly two hundred and fifty lady police and two hundred and fifty policemen were
8

Celebrated once in every 12 years in the Mahamaham tank located in Kumbakonam, when the planet Guru (Jupiter)
enters Simha (Leo).All the rivers of India are believed to dwell in this tank on this day and a holy dip in it is considered
equal to a pilgrimage to all the holy rivers and sacred water bodies of India.

In the Presence of the Divine

6
there regulating the crowd. The (steps to the) tank were slippery when we went to take a dip in it.
I did not see a single Brahmin perform these rites that day. All were non-Brahmins. What love they
hold for Periyava! They would melt into tears and say, This is verily God!
********

Periyava used to say Iyengars chant the Nlyira divya prabandham9 on all occasions,
during kumbhbhiekam, whether it be marriage or death, personal, ritualistic worship in homes,
whatever, the ending is signaled only if prabandham is chanted. Especially, two verses,
citrancirukalae and vangakadalkadainta madhavanai kesavanai10, from the Tiruppvai, must be
chanted to mark the completion of tiruvardhana11. In the north, where there are Vaiava temples,
following the Ramnuja tradition, they chant these verses. They are not proficient in Tamil but in
spite of that, they bring the worship to a close only with the chanting of these Tamil verses. There
were some non-Brahmins among the Awrs. Here too, among the Nayanmars, there were many nonBrahmins, like Nandanr 12. . . we revere them as gods. It is written that Ramnuja would massage
the feet of Periya Nambi13, who was a non-brahmin. What matters is not the varna, but their devotion
is what we look to. We have the Panniru Tirumuai14, but we do not chant it. I have not read them
fully. I have a desire to read the Panniru Tirumuai. I am now ninety and my eye-sight is failing me. I
am unable to read now. Dunlop Krishnan was there. He was a great orator in Tamil. He used to
9

Four Thousand Sacred Collect of the Vaiav saints, called generally prabandham, a term in poetics that includes 90
different kinds of poetic compositions in Tamil
10
Verses 29 and 30 of Andls (Vainavaite saints / Awrs approximately 7th to 8th centuries) Tiruppvai 30 hymns,
celebrate the process of the esoteric union of the individual soul with the Divine.Verse 29 celebrates the attainment of
absorption into the fold of the Divine signified by the gift of the insignia of Krishnas drum, to the girls who have
awoken from the inner slumber of the soul and have succeeded in becoming part of his eternal fold:
Listen to why in the early hours of the morning, offerings you our adorations, we hail the golden lotuses that are your
feet!
Born as you are in the clan of cowherds, who live by tending cattle, you cannot reject our loving, personal service to you.
Pay heed, Govinda! It's not that we just want the insignia of your drum today. Forever and ever in births, seven times
seven, we must indeed be your nearest kin and to you alone be servitors.
Be gracious to remove all other desire [says the girl]. (Verse 29)
Verse 30 gives sanction of blissful union with Naryaa through the grace of his Divine Consort, endorsed through
the words of d or Kothai (who as Mother Earth incarnate, and both participant in the seeking and mediator for the
souls) to all those who recite the Tiruppvai in entirety:
Like the charming maids of Brindavan, with faces divinely beautiful like the cool moon, adorned with splendid
ornaments, having recited the grand story of their fasting and journey of penance, their petitioning for and receiving the
Lords insignia,
Those who recite such as done here, the thirty Tamil verses of love by Kothai adorned with fresh garlands of lotus
blooms, and who is the daughter of the foremost among priests, Battarpiran Periyvr of beautiful Srivillipitur, shall
receive without fail,
From rman Narya, the lotus-eyed Lord of auspicious countenance, the abode of the goddess of Prosperity, the one
with mountain-like shoulders four,
The all-pervading grace of His Divine Consort and experience bliss [says the girl]. (Verse 30).
11
Lit. Tiru (auspicious/divine)+ ardhana (ritualistic worship)
12
Saint of the aivite tradition, a bonded labourer whose love of Chidambaram Naarja is a legendary model of devotion
13
One of Ramnujas gurus; Narrated in the Guru Parampara Prabhva, the legends of the lineage of Vainavaite saints
14
aiva canonical literature in Tamil, 12 in number, including the Tevram, Tiruvcakam, Tirumantiram (3000 esoteric
verses by the saint Tirumlar) and Periyapuram(the legends of the 63 aiva saints)

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

7
chant the Tevram whenever he came for daran. Then there was Nagaikadai Venkataraman and the
gentleman who came here today he is a doctor, MBBS qualified, Subramaniam by name, and one
more gentleman. These four read out the entire Panniru Tirumuai in forty days to Periyava. This was
in Hagari15. The river flowed close to the camp. Everyday Periyava would bathe in the river, finish
his anuna, japa and once his regular routine was done, he would say, Call Krishnan! they would
get started and go on till about seven or eight at night. There would be a short break for bhika in the
middle and some rest, when Periyava would lie down and then it would continue again.
Krishnan was a friendly person and got along with me pleasantly. He was a bit of a ruffian,
though. One day he said, Come, Balu, lets go to Hagari for a bath and sandhyvandana16!
Actually the river there was a forest-stream, rather than a river. I placed all the things in readiness
for Periyavas anuna. Where to? asked Periyava.
To the river, for sandhyvandana . . .
Do you do it there every day?
No, Krishnan is calling me to do it there.
Have you decided that it must be done only there?
Even then I repeated what I said before, Krishnan is calling me to do it there.
You have decided that it must be done only there, you are merely informing me. Thats all, isnt it?
After a moments silence, I left for the river.
One has to go down a slope of nearly sixty feet from the plains to the river. It is like going down a
well that has steps along the inside of its wall. We got down into the river to take a dip, when we
heard something. I looked up. A dog ran up to the banks of the river, barking wildly and looking
upward.
Krishna, Look that dog is barking wildly, looking upward at the sky!
Yes, Balu something strange . . .
We spun around and saw a swell of flash floods gushing onwards, throwing uprooted trees and
battered huts on all sides. We scrambled up somehow and ran for our lives. A moment more, we
would have been swept off.

15

Lit. Destroyer of sin; Name of town and tributary from the Western Ghats; also known as Vedavati, Vedayati,
Vedvati, Vedyati; place known for its earthquakes.
16
sandhyvandana- lit. saluting the sandhy/sunset time of the day for the third time in the course of a single day, the
other two being at sunrise and midday respectively, the act of worship through Gyatri mantra and oblations. See Hindu
Dharma Part 17, Chaps.10 &12.

In the Presence of the Divine

8
Have you done the sandhyvandana? With a hundred and eight Gyatri17 or with a thousand?
asked Periyava when we reached him. Did it go off well?
The floods rose to height of about forty feet above the river. We saw huts, winnowing fans,
household articles, trees and bushes thrown up by the floods as it rushed past furiously.

This was in Satara. Again it was an evening, like this. Kannan said, Balu, lets go for some
coffee. Filter coffee was available only at Jog Bhatts house. Marathi people make tea mostly. They
dont know how to make filter coffee. So we went to Jog Bhatts house and were all five of us,
Kannan, Srikantan and the others, seated on chairs, drinking coffee. Kannan said, Balu, lets go for
a stroll. I feel warm after the coffee.
The five of us went out for a walk. That day too, a dog came running towards us and stopping
specifically near us barked its head off. It must have been about half past five then. I suddenly
remembered that it was time for Periyavas anuna and ran fast to the camp. Periyava was sitting
upon a platform. He gestured to me that he was ready for the anuna and japa. I placed all the
things in readiness. Periyava took some sacred ash and applied it on his forehead. Suddenly for about
four seconds perhaps, there was a tremor and everything seemed to swirl around. I saw Periyava
sway about as he sat on the platform. The tremor must have lasted anywhere between two to four
seconds.
Who is dancing me about like this? Is there someone who can dance me about. . . as Ramaliganr
says?18 Periyava said.
On both occasions it was a dog that came to our rescue.
********
Mgandi Subramaniya, he is there even now, was so devoted to Periyava. His son, a youngster came
for daran at Hampi. He had brought a band of four or five boys with him. Appayya Sastri, an elderly
man was also in their group. They reached Periyavas presence. You may bathe and return said
Periyava. They did so and came back. Go and have daran of the deities in the temple.19 They did
and came back to Periyava.

17

The Gyatr mantra first occurring in the Rg Veda (3-62-10), again in the Yajur Veda (36-3), is also referred to many
times in the Upanisads and is taught to the initiate at the time of the investiture of the sacred thread. Literally SpeechSong that protects all creation it is the embodiment of the Supreme Brahman, and is a unique combination of both the
power of mantra and of prrthana (prayer). The deity associated with Gyatri mantra, is Savitr, the Sun, which is
metonymic of the Supreme Brahman, suggested by the neutral gender of tat, while the mantra itself is symbolically
represented as a Goddess with five heads sitting on a lotus. Periyava often reiterated the necessity and efficacy of its
repetition.
18
(i) The saint Arutpraka Vaalr Rmalingam (1823 1874)who advocated grace and love; authored the
Tiruvarutp, an esoteric collect of 5818 verses in 6 cantos, on the path of and fulfillment of divine love;
(ii) Periyava is referring to a folk-song miscellany on Naarja, where the lady-love tells her confidantes, ukinr
appuatil pkimre ennai ttuvippr ippuratil pkimre/ He dances in the beyond and dances me about here.
19
r Virupka iva temple on the southern side of the Tungabhadra river, originally built in the 7 th century.

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9
Appayya Sastri prostrated to Periyava and said, r Vru . . .20
Emandi? (What is it Sir?)
Close by is Sabari aram, arabhagaram and the place where Vli was defeated21. We wish to go
there and see those places . . .
Have you come to see me or to make a pilgrimage to many places?
We have come for r Vri daran, but the children wish to see these places.
You may go, but on one condition, you must return before sunset. If you agree to this you may go,
not otherwise.
We will be back here for the sandhyvandana.
Then you may go.
There are guides there who take pilgrims and tourists around. So they went and saw many places, the
place where Sita dropped her jewels, where Jayu22 attained liberation and so on and finally to the
place where Vli fell. The youngsters were determined to see the place. It is a steep climb and the
local guides become indifferent when they reach there. Give me fifty rupees for coffee he seems to
have demanded before they began to climb. So he was given fifty rupees. They all went up the hill
and after looking about the place, climbed down. By then it was pitch dark, being a last day of the
waning fortnight. All around there was bush and tree and no way could be discerned through the
thick woods. They lost the right path. Those hills are surrounded by forests on all sides. They did not
know what to do. Heh, Devud! Periyava said that we must be back by sunset and now we are lost!
Not knowing what to do, they offered prostrations to Periyava, then and there, falling down full
length upon the earth and called out to him to save them. Suddenly a dog came to where they stood
and began walking ahead. They were about eight kilometers from the camp. They followed the dog.
The dog guided and escorted them till about a furlong before the camp and then ran away just as
suddenly as it had appeared.
Did a dog bring you back here? Quite innocently, Periyava asked them in Telugu, when they
finally returned to the camp.
It was no dog, it was Peddalu23 said Magandis son, breaking into tears. Even now - he comes now
and then - he cannot speak of that incident without tears in his eyes. It was no dog, it was Peddalu,
he never tires of saying.
********
20

Lit. Embodiment of Auspiciousness; Honorific & respectful address of deities and saints
Hermitage of the aged lady-saint Sabari who received Rma; hermitage of her Guru, the seer arabhaga; the Monkeyking defeated by Rama; see cantos 6 &7 of the rmad Rmayaa.
22
The Eagle-king who resisted Rvaa to rescue Sita
23
Telugu word for Periyava
21

In the Presence of the Divine

10
When Periyava went on Ki ytra,24 a dog used to tag along with the camp. It was sick and
its coat was infected. Kuppu, who was in the camp then he was a wicked man, very troublesome
used to drive the dog away, flinging stones at it. The dog followed the camp persistently, in spite of
this. Periyava advised him to leave the dog alone.
Why do you harm that dog? Does it harm you in any way? Does it bite you? Does it eat your share
of the food? Does it trouble you in any way? Dont harm it. It is one more creature like the rest of us.
Dont raise your voice or hand against it. Let the dog come along with us.
The camp was moving past a place called Balarsha, near Nagpur. It was thick forest there25.
The escort was doubled, they were twenty-two in number. The guards would escort the entourage in
shifts because of the difficulty in negotiating the difficult terrain. There were about ten or twenty
Brahmins in the camp, Simizhi Vanchi, Madurai Sundaram and so on, going along with Periyava in
the yatra. There were totally about fifty persons in the camp that night. The palanquin was brought
down and everyone in the camp rested for the night. In the morning, Periyava got up. The sick dog
was near the palanquin, with blood streaming from its mouth. No one had noticed it.
Kuppu Periyava called out, look, this dog, the one you called a sick dog and tried to get rid of, is
streaming blood from its mouth. Take a look around the camp.
Close to the camp lay a leopard, a full-grown adult of about twelve feet, mauled to death!
This is the dog you drove away, calling it a sick creature. That is why I sent you to find out what it
was all about. But for this dog all of you might have been harmed. I might have been attacked too.
********
I was there with Periyava when the Dalai Lama called on him. When Indira Gandhi came,
Periyava did not give her leave to present herself, the first time. She was told not to come. Periyava
did not speak at all. C.R. Pattabhiraman, was the Minster for Broadcasting, came before her visit.
Periyava was in ka mouna. He left after a while. The second time he came, he made a phone call
to me prior to his visit and sought permission to come and present himself. Ten minutes will do,
Balu he said. I told him that I would ask Periyava and then inform him. He came the next day at ten
in the morning. A schoolboy, may be in the third or fourth form, came in at the same time wanting to
have daran.
Who is ankarcrya? he asked.
There is Maha there and if you go in, you will see the ankarcrya, replied Periyava. I know
nothing. Why ask me, my boy? The boy left.
24

Officially started in March, 1919 from Kumbakonam; In October1922 Periyava made first Rameswaram yatra where
he gathered sand at Ramsethu to offer in the Ganga (carried in camp till 1934 when it was immersed in Triveni) and
restarted pilgrimage; Reached Prayag on 25-7-1934 to immerse the sands in the Ganges; Entered Ki on 6-10-1934 on
an average of 20 miles per day.
25
In June 1934, Periyava camped at Deolbar and Gavasa, part of the Vindyas, in pitched tents in forest with big fire
wood torches for light, traveling 25 miles per day, and was given protection by Police of the Central Provinces

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

11
Pattabhiraman exclaimed in distress.
No, my boy, said Periyava, your father, C.P. Ramasami Iyer was a great lawyer, none was a
match to him. You too are a lawyer. Look up the law. I have authorized a statement that I am no
longer the Pontif of the ankara Maha.
Periyava must not say so. A thousand Pontiffs may come and go, but Periyava is always
ankarcrya.
Periyava did not reply. Pattabhiraman prostrated to Periyava and said, I submit a request that
Periyava must grant to me.
I am old, I can neither hear well nor is my eyesight good these days. If it is something that is
possible then I could, tell me, tell me what it is.
Indira Gandhi wishes to have daran. She says that a minutes daran will do.
Not necessary. God is all-pervasive. I am not speaking monistic philosophy. She can meditate upon
God from wherever she is. What is the good of seeing me? She is the Prime Minister. I am an old
man and I know nothing. I am not learned either.
Pattabhiraman prostrated to Periyava again and said, Thousands come for daran. She could come
along with the devotees and then have daran. But it cannot be done without Periyavas consent.
Besides she is the Prime Minister and we have to follow protocol. That is why I make this petition. I
will bring her for a minute.
Well, then, you are paa 26for the Maha and you say so.
Pattabhiraman escorted Indira Gandhi. Periyava removed his glasses and sitting down in mouna,
closed his eyes tight. Janakiraman knew Hindi. He told Indira Gandhi, Swamiji is in meditation.
I dont wish to talk to Swamiji. I wanted to see God before I died. That is enough.
The second time Indira Gandhi came there was political turmoil. The third time she came for darsan,
at Hampi, she had lost the elections. Periyava spoke on that occasion. Ananthasami, who is an
astrologer, styled himself interpreter and barged in. Kannan and the others were also there in the
camp. Periyava said, Only Balu should be here, no one else.
By your grace I am well. I am blessed said Indira Gandhi. There are many fake saints and godmen duping the public. I wish to take action on them. Shall I?
You need not. One false ascetic will ruin the name of many true ones. Leave them alone. They
wear the ochre cloth.
The Americans look down upon us. They take pictures of our gypsies and our men wearing their
hair in tufts and exhibit it there and broadcast that we are inferior to them. What is to be done?
26

Short form of name; Punning on the word meaning property-ownership document

In the Presence of the Divine

12
The Lord shall take care of us. India is a sacred land and there are at least ten saints here always.
Never mind what others say. Nixon sent his prayers to me for winning the elections, many
Americans come to see me. You need not do anything to impress them. The Lord takes care.
********
I came to Periyava in 1954. I served him even when he was the Pontiff. I have in fact served
in the pjakau for Periyava himself. The Senior Manager was there. I was but a lad and did not
know anything. We were trained before we actually served during pja. The first task assigned to us
was scrubbing the utensils used for the pjakau. Then we had to learn to handle the pardh, closing
it and opening it at the right time. Then cleaning and keeping vilva ready for pja and threading it.
Then grinding sandal paste for the pja. Then finally, one was allowed to climb up the pjakau and
serve Periyava when he performed the pja. One could not go into the pjakau right away.
Periyavas feet must be washed after the snna, Periyava would not new comers to do this.
He would do it himself. Only after a year or a year and a half, one would be permitted to do this
service. Once we entered the pjakau, we had to follow the discipline strictly. One had to bathe
even if one took a drink of water. Periyava was that strict.
Once Periyava entered the pjakau he became Paramewara himself. There was no question
of going too near. If one by any chance came in contact with him when placing the things there, for
at least half an hour he would rub his hand on the stone as if rubbing off the skin. He inspired awe in
us and we trembled in fear. The flowers and fruits needed for worship had to kept in their proper
places in readiness. The fruits had to be ripe and good, otherwise Periyava would fling them off the
plate. The pyasam must not be piping hot when offered at the pjakau. Swami is partaking of it
Periyava would say, It will scorch his tongue if it is this hot! So it had to be brought after it had
cooled a little. All the offerings would be brought in silver utensils, but not small ones as seen in
houses. It was a glorious to see the plabhiekha, the way he poured the milk on Swmi. He was
verily the Lord himself!
I once asked Periyava, How must I meditate? and Periyava replied, The way I do the
plabhiekha. Watch me when I do it and meditate in the same manner. What a sight it was! The
milk would flow down the string of rudrska and dribble off at the end where there was a single
coral. Periyava was not tall nor big built. It was so marvelous to see his short but finely proportioned
form as he waved the lights before the deities. When he held the votive camphor offering and waved
it in front of the altar, it needed more than a pair of eyes to see the sight. One would never have seen
such a votive offering of anywhere, or take ones eyes away. He was none other than Paramewara
himself, doing the pja. His eyes would flash when he looked about. When the pja was done,
Periyava would distribute trthaprasda prasda with a golden uddrii. the suvsins27 would first
receive it, then others. One trembled before him. He would give trthaprasda to may be, four or five
and then stop, suddenly, at times. Someone would have strolled in for prasda after a smoke or after
doing something wrong.

27

Married women whose husbands are alive

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

13
Devotees would wait from four or five in the morning for trthaprasda. Old women would
wait bearing the pangs of hunger. Periyava said one day that he would give trthaprasda to those that
sported their hair in a tuft. On another day, he would give declare, Today for piammas!28 One
never knew what his games were. After pja, Periyava would not arrange the prasda himself. The
prasda would be kept in readiness by us on wooden plates. If it was given on a silver platter,
devotees would take it away saying, Periyava gave it to me! The attendant was instructed not to
ask for it and fetch it back. Let them take it, if they do! Is it yours or mine to claim it back?
Krishnan Chetty of Asoka Hotel offered many wooden plates with Asoka engraved on it for this
purpose. Devotees would wait for four or five days to receive prasda from Periyava. Sometimes
devotees would leave without express command from Periyava and we would be dispatched to fetch
them. We would have to take a car and go in search them out. I have even rushed to the Railway
station and brought back devotees. Fetch them, even if they are in Delhi! Periyava would say.
How is it that you left without my knowledge? Periyava would ask the devotee. There may be no
apparent reason. There have been instances when the devotee would have received prasda but not
permission to leave. It has happened that devotees would have received prasda but would have
waited for three or four days to be permitted to leave. On Thursdays and Fridays prasda was not
given after twelve in the afternoon. Of course those that offered bhikvandana would receive
prasda. Thursday is known as Srvram29, prasda was not given on that day after twelve in the
afternoon.
********
One day, there was a large crowd of devotees assembled, which included a number of learned
Sanskrit scholars also. Periyava said, Call the pundit there!
Which pundit, I wondered! There were so many in the hall.
The one sitting in the corner there!
I went towards the man, who was sitting with his shirt on. He was not a Brahmin pundit. Are you a
pundit?
Yes said the man.
I brought him forward. He was a barber and they are known by the honorific of pundit. I did not
know of this till Periyava told me about it. He used to come frequently for daran.
He is very learned. In Sanskrit barbers are referred to as amritahastah30 because they purify us.
How are you? asked Periyava affectionately, turning to the man.
Kaai kptudu,31 Swami! said the man.
28

Euphemism for widows who followed the rigors of widowhood such as shaving their head, wearing a coarse, dull saree
and practicing austerities.
29
Called Lakshmi vram also.
30
Lit.Nectarine hand
31
The wood is protecting me

In the Presence of the Divine

14
Standing close to Periyava and listening to this, I thought, the gentleman meant the body, because we
generally refer to the body as kattai in common parlance.
Ask the Manager for a dhoti for this man and a saree for his wife!
All this was handed over to the man with fifty rupees in cash. Everytime he came he would reply to
Periyavas enquiry with the same words, Kaai kptudu, Swami!
The matter remained a puzzle to me. That day Periyava went in and lay down. This devotee
had gone to eat his meal with the guards and was seated outside on the pyol. The man, I learnt, hailed
from a small village near Kumbhakonam. He was also a skilled vaidya32 as well as an astrologer as
those of his community generally were.
My father and elder brother were both so skilled in these professions. I was married, but we lived
in utter poverty and according to my horoscope, I had only a short life.
His readings of the horoscope will not come out true said my people. My mother told me one day,
My boy, go and see the ankarcrya. It is enough if you prostrate to him from a distance and come
away. There is no need to talk to him.
I went because my mother said so. Periyava was seated on the steps of the Maha.
Come on, I have been expecting you to come he said as soon as he sighted me. Your father was
such a good man. Even people from the Maha used to go to him to have their horoscopes read. I
used to wonder about it. Your father would say, There must be vkphalitam33! What are you doing
for a living?
I am following my fathers profession. Our poverty is beyond our endurance. We hardly get a meal
a day.
What must I do for you now?
I did not know what to ask for. I saw the wooden sandals on his feet and said, Those wooden
pieces on your feet, give them to me! I did not know that his wooden sandals are worshipped, nor
had anyone, even my mother, told me of its greatness. It simply struck me to ask for them and I did.
Here! said Periyava and tossed them up from his feet in the air. I caught them and took them home.
From then on before I read a horoscope I would always place it upon his wooden sandals and I
developed vkphalitam. If I said a boy would be born it would be so, if I said it would be a girl, it
was so! Now we are securely placed. I now own a house with an upper storey. I have three sons. One
of them is studying for the B.A. Honours degree and another boy is also in college. Both my
daughters are happily married. From the day he gave me his sandals I began to live prosperously.
One day when I was lying down I wondered how this change in my life came about. I knew
then it was because of his wooden sandals. I desire to remember this always and not forget the past.
32
33

Indigenous medicine such as naturopathy, yurveda as well as with mantra

Li.Word bearing fruit; when ones word come to pass in reality

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

15
So I come to see him once every month. It is the one cure for all ills, his wooden sandals. Whatever
the matter, I place it on the wood. If someone is bitten by a snake, it is enough if I place a flower or a
leaf, whatever I can lay my hands on, on the wood and give it to the person, he is cured. That is how
that piece of wood is protecting me and that is why I say Kaai kptudu, Swami! He is God
himself.

There was this young lady, a sadhu by nature, deeply devoted to Periyava and would often
come for daran. She was quiet and never asked for anything or spoke about herself. She married and
settled down and lived happily. When Periyava was camping in Chennai, he was walking through
T.Nagar one day. This young lady lived there. She came out of her house when Periyava walked
down that street, and prostrated to Periyava.
Periyava must be gracious to give me his pdukas she said. It was mid-day and blistering hot.
How shall I walk if I give you my pdukas?
Here, Periyava, said the lady in readiness and placed another pair she had brought with her, at
Periyavas feet.
Why! I thought that I was smart, but she is smarter than I thought I was! She has never asked me
anything for herself. Periyava stepped out his wooden sandals and wearing the ones she offered
walked on. So the young lady took the pdukas and went in.
The young ladys husband had begun to go wayward, getting drunk and falling into bad
company and so on. She never spoke to anyone about it. One day he got so heavily drunk, he slipped
into unconsciousness that lasted for six or seven days. The doctors came but there was no response
whatsoever. This lady had never spoken a word about her husband to Periyava at any time. She
would come and offer her prostrations, take the prasda Periyava gave and leave.
One day, Periyava was performing pja and I was posted at the pjakau. It was in Sanskrit
College. Such a quiet lady, surprisingly, she beckoned me that day. I had purified myself to serve at
the pja, so I stood at a distance by the side of the altar.
I need to speak a word to Periyava. It is an important matter.
Though Periyava would be totally absorbed in the pja, he was always aware of everything that went
on there. His had eyes on four sides, not one!
When the pja was over, Periyava called me and asked, Why did that lady call you and talk to
you?
I repeated the ladys words to Periyava. The lady was called to Periyavas presence and she told
Periyava of her husbands unconscious condition for the past week. It is my unfortunate fate! I do
not complain about God.

In the Presence of the Divine

16
Why have you never told me this before?
If my husband performs pja and so on I can talk about it. If he went on a pilgrimage to Ki, I can
talk about it. Periyava is a great saint, how could I speak of such matters in his presence? Besides,
how could I speak such a bitter truth about my husband?
Does he earn well?
Yes, he is a contractor and we are comfortably placed?
Children?
We have three children.
Isnt it because he has money that he drinks? Isnt it because he has money that he drinks? Isnt it
because he has money that he drinks?
Thrice, Periyava asked this question. Fetch a donnai or a tumbler Periyava said and I did. Periyava
poured some trthaprasda into the leaf-cup and also gave some vilva leaves. Sprinkle the trtha on
his head and put the vilva in his mouth! May you be blessed!
I escorted the young lady. The man was lying unconscious. I sprinkled the trtha prasda on his head
and the vilva placed into his mouth. The man got up, stretched his limbs as if he had woken from a
good nights rest and sitting up, asked, Who is this?
Periyava has sent him!
I was in Malaya and Singapore for some time and I picked up the habit there the man said.
I blessed the couple and returned to the camp.
It so happened, from that day onwards, the man earnings dwindled to nothing at all. He never
handled anything less than five thousand or ten thousand in real estate business, but now he could not
get a quarter of an anna, till his passing. Periyava did this and the man was without a rupee. The lady
was not educated either and she suffered a great deal, educating and bringing up the children in such
penury. They had no amenities like telephone at home. Their only security was the house in T.Nagar.
Her husband mortgaged the house to a Muslim gentleman and borrowed money on it and in course
of time the loan accumulated to thirty thousand rupees.
This money-lender had three wives and four sons. One day when the ladys husband was
away and when she was alone at home, the money-lender barged into the house with his sons and
some henchmen and began to wind up the place, dumping the brass utensils into sacks and shifting
everything outside, as preliminary to taking possession of the house. Not knowing what to do, the
lady stepped out and stood on the road. An unknown gentleman, quite advanced in years came up to
her and said, I live in the same road, but I have never seen you outside your house. What is it, my
child? When he learnt of the matter, at once he rushed to the Pondy Bazar police station and in no
time two vans full of policemen arrived there. The money-lender was by then in the pja room and

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

17
was about to take Periyavas pdukas and toss them out when a policemans cane came down on his
back, even as he put his hands upon them. The men were rounded up and booked for unlawful entry
and harassment of the lady, and were placed under lock-up without an option to be bailed out. The
money-lenders family was not permitted to meet him and his sons either.
Sri Arul, who was then Inspector General of Police, was a very strict man and fearless of any
kind of clout. He was furious. You speak of right conduct in your religion. Was this the right thing
to do? If you were demanding repayment, or claiming possession of the house, go about it legally!
You cant take the law into your hands and break into a house in broad daylight when a lady is alone
and attempt to take over. Taking possession of a property is the duty of the bailiff after proper legal
procedure! Did you have a warrant or any official paper to allow your entry into the house? Where
was the mercy that you speak of so highly in your religion? If that lady herself came here and
requested your release I will let you out, not otherwise!
The offender was a very wealthy man. His wives pleaded with the IG of police, but for four
days they were in lock-up, with nothing but the gruel given there to sustain them. Finally the wives
went to the lady herself and pleaded with her to speak to the chief of the Police. You are like a
mother to us. Our children have not eaten these past four days. You must be gracious! You need not
repay our debts, Mother!
I know nothing of these matters. I find no fault with your men. We owe them money, it is true. It
was the way they went about the whole thing that was so hurting! said the lady but anyway went
along and helped to bail them out. The matter went to court and all this went on for some time. The
ladys husband got nothing by way of earnings. Periyava did that for he had asked the lady, Isnt it
because he has money that he drinks?
When Periyavas camp was in Hagari, one day there was a phone call for me. Srikantan was
not there, having gone out on an errand. So I told Vedapuri to manage till I got back, warning him
not to disturb Periyava with the news that I had gone out to attend to a phone-call. Periyava being
what he is seems to have told Vedapuri, Call Balu, I need a drink of water! He would not take it
from Vedapuri. He repeated his instruction when I was not called and then Vedapuri in his
characteristic fashion proclaimed, There was a phone-call and he has gone out to take it!
I had been away for hardly a few minutes and no sooner did he see me Periyava said, You
had a phone-call, my boy and before I could speak a word in reply, he continued, So what did that
lady say?
Their house in T.Nagar was coming up for auction in a days time. So I conveyed the news to
Periyava. They are unable to pay the money and the house is to be auctioned the day after
tomorrow.
What are we to do? Neither you nor I have money! Nor can we ask anyone here. I am an ascetic
who does not ask for money. Call the lawyer Nagarajaiyer!
Nagarajaiyer had come from Madras for daran. The gentleman presented himself to Periyava.

In the Presence of the Divine

18
Balu has something to say.
I explained everything to Nagarajaiyer.
That is not possible. How can that be done? May be five or ten thousand rupees could be paid and
we could ask for more time, thats all. But stay order , not possible!
Chee . . . Go away, go away. Go away! Periyavas words were repeated three times. Have you
come here to enlighten me? If someone asks for help, you simply act upon the matter! What kind of a
lawyer are you?
Why is Periyava angry with me?
The gentleman left soon after, not offering to help in anyway.
That day passed and the next and then it was Saturday. I was called on the phone. As before I
requested Vedapuri to wait upon Periyava and also suggested that he need not disturb Periyava with
this information. Periyava was resting. It was about one oclock in the afternoon. Getting up,
Periyava has asked for me, in his characteristically mischievous fashion,Fetch Balu!
Balu has been called on the phone. He told me not to tell Periyava, but I have. So Periyava must tell
Balu that I did!
You have told me and so I am going to tell Balu that you did.
Periyava must not!
Balu told you not to tell me, but you have. So I must tell him that you did!
It was going on like this and the two were still in the midst of a quarrel when I came back. The lady
told me over the phone, Buy plenty of sugar candy, raisins and fruits, offer it to Periyava along with
prostrations on my behalf and tell Periyava, The house is ready to be auctioned and that his devotee
is on the streets without a way for a meal.
As soon as I presented myself, Periyava said, What is it? Am I being scolded harshly by that lady?
What does she say?
I was not explicit because it was not polite, so I simply said, She expressed distress and left it at
that, though I apprised Periyava of the impending auction.
Wait a moment! What day is it? Saturday, isnt it? The auction cannot be valid if it is done today.
There is a certain procedure to be followed. Both parties must present themselves at the Registration
Department and sign there with four witnesses in support of their mutual consent. Today the
Registration office is closed. Tomorrow is Sunday. That means nothing can be done till Monday. On
Monday morning, as the first case this must be registered in court, by seven o clock. A sum of
seventy five thousand must be pledged to retrieve the house. It is worth a crore of rupees, much more
than the bidding in the auction. That is another point. Call Ramanujam over the telephone and tell
him to do the needful!

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

19
Ramanujam was an Iyengar. I called him over the phone and spoke to him.
Why, Balu! I am a seasoned lawyer and I go to court every day. I was not aware of these subtleties.
In fact I was wondering how to tackle this situation. Which Law College did Periyava go to and did
he get a B. L. degree? How well he has brought it under control! Ramanujam broke down and wept
over the phone.
Ramanujam went to court on Monday and registering his plaint, disproved the auction done
on Saturday citing legal grounds and also because the house was worth much more than what it got
at the bidding. A sum was paid in advance to answer for the debts and he managed to get a stay order
on the auction. The house was never auctioned and the family lives there even now. The sons are
grown up now and they are well-placed. The pdukas were never disturbed from where the lady had
placed them since she took them from Periyavas feet.

Periyava will not easily give away his padukas. He would make devotee cry for it. One
cannot get so much as a single rudrka out of him easily. One had to make a minimum of ten trips at
least. If we presumed to give away a pair of pdukas without his knowledge, then he would insist
that we fetch back the same pair. There was no question of stealing a pair or whisking it off silently
without his knowledge. Of what use is a stolen pair of his pdukas? You know what Malakudi
Krishnan did once? He had the habit of making generous offerings to Periyavas attendants. He also
carried huge tins of home-made snacks for us whenever he came for daran. There was this pair
which was worn out completely, the wood had thinned to such a fine sheet. He told Srikantan, I am
taking this pair! and went away with it. A new pair was placed for Periyavas use at his feet but he
said Fetch the old pair! So I went to the Railway station and managed to get it back. Malakudi
Krishnan was already seated in the train. Periyava wants the old pair I said. I had gone in CSRs
car to catch him in the station. None can fool Periyava. Not only this. The devotees themselves will
blurt out what they wish to conceal. If they said, We have Periyavas pdukas at home then
Periyava would ask them how they got it. It is enough if they said, Balu or Srikantan gave them to
us then we had it! In this matter he was pointedly strict. Periyava would give his pdukas to those
that did the morning sandhyvandana and followed the rules of ritualistic pja regularly. Oh! He was
so strict in these matters! Once Periyava renounced the pontifical seat, he did not give his pdukas to
devotees except very rarely. For years no one got them. Nor did he give prasda.

Kalanjamedu V.Krishnamurthi - his younger brother was Dr.Raju was a disciplined man.
His wife was deeply devoted to Periyava. She would come for daran and prostrate with such
devotion. One day she said, Bhagavane!
Why do you call me in that fashion?
Because you are Bhagavan, none other! I want Periyavas pdukas.

In the Presence of the Divine

20
Periyava called me and said, I have pdukas in sacks, so many pairs of them. From today onward,
you may give a pair to whoever asks for them!
So I did, to many, Gowda and others! The instruction was however only for me. If Srikantan gave
away a pair, it would be brought back. I was instructed, so I alone had to give them away, no one
else. We had so many sacks full of them.
When Periyava was nearing siddhi, no longer mobile, RSR came for daran. There were
hundreds of wooden ghatas, two or three hundred bundles of ochre cloth, about sixty darbhsanas34,
six sacks of sandal pduks - each costed four thousand rupees, pdukas made of sandalwood were
always heavy, very heavy it would make Periyavas feet bleed but that is what everyone offered
because it was considered pure and sacred. Periyava would wear them for two days and then take
them off and we would add it to the ones in the sack and bundle it up. Fetch me the pair Venkatesan
brought for me he would say and if we placed it at his feet, he would wear the pair for a day or two.
In Kerala particularly, a very light kind of wood, called white wood is available. Especially in
Coimbatore and Tiruchur. It is as light as pith. Periyava never rejected the ones that were offered, he
would wear them for a few days, acknowledging the devotee. Periyava would walk about a little also
wearing the sandal pdukas, but if he had to walk eight or ten miles, then only the whitewood ones
would do. Only then can he walk without discomfort. Now Bala Periyava uses whitewood pdukas.
A few days ago someone brought a pair for him and he is using them now. Palghat Murali of Murali
Cafe, Dunlop Krishnan, these devotees always offered pdukas made of whitewood. So too devotees
from Kerala. Periyava always wore these pdukas. But he did wear the others also, to go the
thatched-shed, to go out for a short while, maybe to Kamakshi temple and so on.
We were celebrating Paramaguru35 ardhana every year. We have been doing it for the past
fifty six years. Periyava said, It was suggested that I perform the ardhana of my guru. I knew no
Guru because I never saw my elder brother after he became Pontiff and he died within so short a
period. I only know my Paramaguru whom I had seen as Pontiff36. We shall perform the ardhana
very well!
In those days the Tirunageswaram37 dhoti costed six annas. It came from Kuttalam. Kuttalam
Sivaramaiyers father in law had a shop where these were available. The dakia to the Brahmins
was six and a quarter as and a brass pot and a tumbler. Now zari bordered dhotis are offered to
Brahmins and the dakia is a thousand rupees. It is going on well.
As far as the ardhana is concerned, every item has to be purchased by us, the ones who
perform the ardhana. Nothing will be taken from the Maha. Groceries starting from rice grain and
pulses, tamarind, spices, ghee and so on, everything. We have to cater to everything for the day, right
34

Periyavas gras-mat seat

Gurus guru; Periyavas guru(also his cousin), Sri Mahadevendra Swami, adorned the Pontifical seat for less than a
month, succumbing to fever.
36
In his pre-monastic days, as a child of twelve, Periyava, then Swaminathan, saw the 66 th pontiff of the r Maha,
Sri Chandrasekharendra Swami, his Paramaguru at the latters Cturamsya camp in July 1906 at Perumukkal village
near Tindivanam.
37
Village near Kumbakonam, renowned for weaving
35

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21
up to the bran and cattle-feed, castor seeds, akkati greens and grass for the cows, everything required
for the Candramouvara pja and food offerings, apart from for groceries required for the feast of
the thirty-two Brahmins. This besides, we have to get the offerings given to the Brahmins, thirty two
of each item, umbrellas, wooden seats, apart from the traditional dhoti and brass pot. We would also
get thirty two pairs of footwear. We would place everything in front of Periyava for him to take a
look at them, except the footwear. Periyava would specifically ask for them. Where is the footwear?
The Brahmins represent my Paramaguru and their footwear is verily his pdukas! Periyava would
place the footwear on his head in adoration. Then when everything was conducted in a grand
manner, he would lie down and say, Get me a lemon! He would take it and say, Do you know
why I wanted a lemon fruit? Everything was done so well and the ardhana was so grand. All this
has filled me with pride. So I lay down like a haughty elephant, swollen with pride. Now that I have
smelt the lemon and inhaled its flavor, I am cured of pride and can get up! Periyava would sit up
and say, In those days when the white-man was here, he would celebrate Christmas, his birthday
and so on. His subordinates would give him a bouquet, garland him and give him a lemon fruit38
also. After getting drunk and celebrating lavishly, the white-man would become inebriated with
power. Then by chance, if he smelt the lemon in his hand, he would sober down and that would be
safe for all. So he was given a lemon fruit, you see!
Periyava would accept cooked rice in his bhika on that one day. What joy with
Paramewara himself! He was fond of bitter-gourd. Coconut was not used in Periyavas cooking.
When Krishnapuram Venkataraman was preparing Periyavas bhika, an old hag with a
moustache39 she was offering the bhika that day- commented Wont the ascetic eat his food if it is
not flavored with coconut! Why, he seems to eat tasty food! So no coconut from then on! Periyava
used to drink tender coconut water. Someone commented that tender coconut water was equal to
toddy, so he gave that up. On yet another occasion, someone commented, The Swami must not use
a woolen blanket to cover himself! After all, he must be beyond feeling heat and cold. Something
may be spread on the floor, but his ochre cloth must do for the rest! So Periyava gave up using a
woolen shawl. Periyava paid heed to everyones words. On the day of Paramaguru ardhana we
served him coconut-flavoured and spiced rice, which he would accept. He would accept vegetable
fritters also. We would be so happy to see Periyava eat a meal, cooked food, on a leaf, a proper meal
at that. We would offer him a garland and a shawl. What joy we had on this day! So much about the
pdukas!
********

A family brought an infant to Periyava for his blessings. Unexpectedly, the infant crawled up
to Periyava and caught hold of his feet. Everyone was stunned and the parents tried to pull him away.
Never mind! Let him be! What does the baby know and why must you excite yourself over this?
38

A traditional gift to saints and royalty as a mark of respect, lemon fruit is considered divine and houses deities when
infused into it with appropriate mantras; on Guru Prima, several lemon fruits are used to represent the lineage of Gurus
by the ascetic who performs the worship to them
39
A cooloquial way of referring to a woman with manly traits

In the Presence of the Divine

22
Then somehow, the baby was coaxed away from Periyava. The baby grew up and when he was a boy
of ten, he came with his parents to for daran. Pudukkottai Jana gave him a garland of cardamom to
place before Periyava as an offering. This time too, he reached up in a flash and garlanded Periyava.
He took an engineering degree and lives happily in Madras. He studied in Triuchi, but lives in
Madras now.

Periyava was very strict in dealing with the lady devotees who came into the Maha. Such a
Periyava did something astonishing! M.K.Ranganatha Iyer, one of the founders of MIT, and his wife
were such extraordinary devotees that Periyava would permit them to sit and chat with him when he
took his bhika. They would not look at him, but face the wall and we would be on this side, inside
the room while he partook of his bhika. So too, V.G.Pal Neelakantaiyers elder sister,
Sundaratamma, was always allowed to sit and chat with Periyava when he took bhika. She was such
a devoted and pious lady, a widow. She too would look at the wall and chat with Periyava. She was
such a gem of a lady!
When Periyava took his bhika two bowls would be placed near his leaf, one for the
Gowbhga 40and one to wash his hands in. Most of what we serve would be placed in the Gowbhga
bowl, cleverly cutting down the intake. Only a very little portion would remain of all dishes on the
leaf. How would that ever do? Two of us must be there to serve him, Srikantan and I. Srikantan
would get upset if Periyava did not eat well. He was by nature short-tempered and his voice and
blood pressure would both go up. What pains I have taken to cook so many delicacies, and you eat
nothing at all! I had to be there as a moderating presence. We would speak to Periyava alternately
like distracting a child and feeding it and when he would chat with me, looking at me, very quietly
Srikantan would push little more of the dishes on to the leaf and so too when he turned to Srikantan,
I would replenish the leaf with some side dish. Periyava would also play along as if we were his
children whose gimmicks he tolerated. Srikantan was terribly short-tempered and he gave vent to his
anger he will not spare his words, Periyava or anyone else! Periyava would refuse to eat anything in
the evenings. Srikantan would not come anywhere near the place, lest he let off steam!
********
The M.K.Ranganathan couple had four sons and four daughters. The whole family was
deeply devoted to Periyava and loved him dearly. They hail from Mayavaram. Periyava has camped
in their house. The eldest son Krishnan, was a doctor, in Mayavaram. The eldest daughter Rajamma
died young. The second was Sundaratamma, another fine lady who was widowed early. The
youngest two of the daughters, Kanaka and Vijaya, lived and breathed Periyava day and night. If
they saw a tiny picture in Kalki or Amudasurabhi, a notice or newspaper, so as the word Periyava
would do, at once it would go into their scrap-book. They have several such books at home. These
two ladies have made generous offerings to the Maha. Whenever I visited them - each visit would
last four or five hours - they would beg me to speak about Periyava and listen with tears streaming
down their eyes. Tell us more they would say. They would fuss over me and invite me to eat. Even
40

Lit. The cows share

Vol. II/ Article 6, Part Three-Balu Mama

23
if I had taken only light tiffin I would say that I had had my meal and endlessly talk about Periyava.
Talking about Periyava is my sustenance I would say.
Vijaya was married to a gentleman named Ranganathan, who served in Reserve Bank retiring in due
course. So too, Kanakas husband Ramasamiyer who served in All India Radio, and who retired from
service. Both these ladies came one day. It was very late.
Balu, there is one thing that you alone can do for us. We are born as women in this birth. Periyava is
our only meaning in life, our God. Nothing else exists for us in this world. We cannot aspire to go
near Periyava. We are to be born again to attain spiritual fruition. There is one thing we pray for,
however. You must do this for us. Please tell Periyava that we pray that his pdadksa41. You must
request him on our behalf.
I cant. It is so wrong.
Periyava was almost ninety-four then. The two ladies continued to plead with me.
I went up to Periyava and prostrated to him.
What were those ladies telling you?
I will not repeat it. I dont dare to!
Am I a bear or a tiger? Am I going to maul you up?
It seems sacrilegious.
It can be nothing sacrilegious, tell me.
They say that they are women. Their only means of spiritual fulfillment in this birth is the sacred
touch of Periyavas divine feet upon their head.
What is your opinion?
Periyava can most graciously grant this to them. They are truly devoted, they are good people,
without a blemish, pious and chaste. They are most worthy of this, Periyava.
Call them here.
Periyava placed his divine feet upon their heads for twenty minutes.
Ask them if they are satisfied.
The same Periyava who would not so much as allow the utterance of a womans name, gave them
this extraordinary blessing. The devotees were weeping profusely when they left.
Balu, what can we ever do or getting such a thing as this? We ought perform kanakbhiekam to
you!
41

Spiritual initiation by touch of the Gurus feet

In the Presence of the Divine

24
Nothing of the sort, no kanakbhiekam is necessary. It is enough if you look upon me with
affection when you come here.
After the devotees left, Periyava called me. I am an ascetic. I have no right to touch women.
However in the Gita it is said tha one must revere the Brahmin, his word42. That is why I asked you
for your opinion. With this sanction I agreed.
********

42

devadvijaguruprjapjana aucam rjavam

brahmacaryam ahis ca rra tapa ucyate Chapter17, verse14.
Worship of the gods, reverence of the twice-born (the Brahmin), the Guru and the wise, practicing purity,
straightforwardness, continence, and non-injury are, it is said, the austerity of the body.