Maha Periyava
I have been reading about Periyava whenever I can. And each time I read something I feel very touched, emotional. It is just beyond words what HE has achieved - what HE meant to his followers, critics.
I am touched by his simple austere living. He never travelled by a motor vehicle all his life. He initially travelled by the palanquin which in his later years he abondoned for Pada yatra. His abode or living wherever he went were huts and other dilapidated mansions, where he slept on bare floors and his kashaya vastram served as his bed spread and blanket. His food habits were minimal - fruits, leaves etc. He never touched money or asked for it.
HE lived the Vedic way of life - explaining the Vedas and Dharma Sastras wherever he went. HE has conducted various Kumbhabishekams, initiated Vedic schools and other wonderful Vedic rituals like Yagas etc.
He spoke slowly and very little, in fact Periyava's Kashta Maunam vratams occurred quite too often and too many times.
But what was so so special about our Periyava?
For me it is his affection - HE seems to have been a shoulder to cry and had ever open kind ears to common man's problems from petty to lofty. He traveled and stayed in many villages and people flocked to him with their good news, their grievances, blessings for auspicious functions etc and just to be with him for a few minutes. Those few minutes with HIM when he enquired who they were and his raising his hand in benediction made millions of lives better in many ways. We all became instruments in HIS divine will to do something good/noble however small it might have been.
Periyava could speak a number of languages, HE was an erudite scholar and clearly quite extraordinarily intelligent with a powerful memory. What stood out with Periyava was not his intelligence, his memory etc - it was his simplicity, authenticity, humbleness and compassion.
I was fortunate to meet Periyava many many times. For a long time, I thought He was my grand-father. When people told me about His miracles, knowledge, I was surprised, are they talking about 'my' Periyava, I wondered. For me, He was and is love, He always spoke softly and my meetings with Him were special, simple and complete. He gave me His complete attention for a few minutes. And that's all I needed. He always sent me home with packets of raisins and kalkandu(sugar candy), fruits and flowers. I came back feeling enriched in many ways. The way He lived was his teaching.
I am touched by his simple austere living. He never travelled by a motor vehicle all his life. He initially travelled by the palanquin which in his later years he abondoned for Pada yatra. His abode or living wherever he went were huts and other dilapidated mansions, where he slept on bare floors and his kashaya vastram served as his bed spread and blanket. His food habits were minimal - fruits, leaves etc. He never touched money or asked for it.
HE lived the Vedic way of life - explaining the Vedas and Dharma Sastras wherever he went. HE has conducted various Kumbhabishekams, initiated Vedic schools and other wonderful Vedic rituals like Yagas etc.
He spoke slowly and very little, in fact Periyava's Kashta Maunam vratams occurred quite too often and too many times.
But what was so so special about our Periyava?
For me it is his affection - HE seems to have been a shoulder to cry and had ever open kind ears to common man's problems from petty to lofty. He traveled and stayed in many villages and people flocked to him with their good news, their grievances, blessings for auspicious functions etc and just to be with him for a few minutes. Those few minutes with HIM when he enquired who they were and his raising his hand in benediction made millions of lives better in many ways. We all became instruments in HIS divine will to do something good/noble however small it might have been.
Periyava could speak a number of languages, HE was an erudite scholar and clearly quite extraordinarily intelligent with a powerful memory. What stood out with Periyava was not his intelligence, his memory etc - it was his simplicity, authenticity, humbleness and compassion.
I was fortunate to meet Periyava many many times. For a long time, I thought He was my grand-father. When people told me about His miracles, knowledge, I was surprised, are they talking about 'my' Periyava, I wondered. For me, He was and is love, He always spoke softly and my meetings with Him were special, simple and complete. He gave me His complete attention for a few minutes. And that's all I needed. He always sent me home with packets of raisins and kalkandu(sugar candy), fruits and flowers. I came back feeling enriched in many ways. The way He lived was his teaching.