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PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR(PART 18)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramanbil • December 15, 1998 


PRAKRITAM AZHAGIYA SINGHAR, 
MY ACHARYA, FRIEND, PHILOSOPHER AND GUIDE (PART 18)

Dear Bhagavatas,
Presented below is Part 18 on the above subject being excerpts from my talk
during the 600th Anniversary Celebrations of Ahobila Matam held at New York
during the first week of September 1998.
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
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SWAMI'S SANCHARAMS
· Once when our Swami came to know that I had the Bhagyam of completing 105
out of the 106 Divya Desams one could visit with this physical body, the
solitary one left out at that time was Dwaraka, he remarked " When am I going
to visit all the Divyadesams?" Today, he is more than fulfilling his desire. 

Tirumangai Alwar did Mangala Aasaasanam to only 86 out of the 108 Divyadesams.
But, our Swami would seem to excel all Alwars. The restless Sancharam he has
undertaken during these 7 years is really incredible. It would not be an
exaggeration to say that (not only those consecrated by Alwars), but so many
Perumals are upgrading the status of their stations to Divyadesams thanks to
the Mangala Aasaasanam of our Swami. In fact, a mere listing of the places our
Swami visited would become a huge compendium. Therefore, I propose to refer
only to a few of these in which I had occasion to pay my obeisance to our
Swami mentioning a few incidents that happened and gems that he had uttered on
those occasions. 

· No wonder, the 44th Pattam Azhagiya Singhar felt that more than the building
of the Rajagopuram, his greatest achievement was nominating our Swami to
succeed him. This has been chronicled on page 8 of Narasimhapriya, November
1991 issue (Prajotpatti Kartigai issue)

· AHOBILAM March 4th to 9th, 1993: 
I had returned from U.S.A. to Madras in March 93. I joined the Vanload of
members of Kalakshepa Goshti arranged by Sri Ravindra Kannan (Retd. Judge of
Madras High Court and a classmate in the Kalakshepam classes of our Swami) to
go to Ahobilam where Our Swami was holding the Serthi Sevai of Malolan
Moolavar and Utsavar for the 2nd time. A funny thing happened. I met one of
my cousin sisters with whom I had lost contact for over 50 years. It was a
thrilling family reunion. 

Our Swami was doing Abigamana Aradanam.  He least expected my presence there.
Normally, he would not talk to anyone during this event. To the astonishment
of everyone around, he asked when I came back from USA and enquired about my
family. 

Later, when Abigamana Prasadam was served, I was sitting near our Swami. When
he noticed the Paricharakar distributing just a little Prasadam in my hands,
to my bewilderment, our Swami openly pulled him up saying, " Do you know who
he is? He has come all the way from America." and ordered him to offer me
more. The Paricharakar gave a big ball of food (like what is given to an
elephant!)

· AT BANGALORE ON 5th APRIL 1993:
Our Swami was camping at the home of Sri S.M.S.Chari. Our Swami introduced me
to Sri R.K.Swami who had come there and spared me quite a time discussing very
many things.

· AT TIRUVALLIKKENI ON20th February 1994: 
During the reception accorded to him at the Marina Beach, he said he felt as
if he had come back to his "Pirandha Agam" - 'home sweet home'. This was the
first time he had returned to Madras after a long Kshetradanam.

· AT BESANTNAGAR ON 8th and 9th April 1994:
It was an unscheduled visit when he was accorded a reception at the
Besantnagar Community hall, on the first day. Not all the members of
Kalakshepa Goshti could attend due to short notice. Our Swami Jocularly
remarked "Satari Vaithu Enakku Kai Valikkap Pogirathe Enruthaan Rombe per
varavillai polirukku" -' Perhaps out of concern that my hand should not get
ache by placing Satari, not many have turned up". The next day, the hall was
overflowing with his dear Sishyas who had come to know of his arrival.

· AT MY RESIDENCE FOR DOLAI ON 9th April 1994: 
Our home was blessed with his "Ponnadi Saathuthal" when he performed Dolai. My
2nd son and his wife had married just a few days earlier. Drawing a parallel
from a domestic scene, he advised how for pleasing the husband, a wife was
respectful to his parents, the Lord would be more pleased only when respect is
accorded to those close to Him (i.e.) Bhagavatas.

· AT TIRUMALAI ON 15th MARCH 1997: 
He was camping there for the Annamcharya Vardhanti Celebrations. Again, he
recognized me and enquired about our activities in America.

· AT TIRUKKALLAM ON 2nd MAY 1997:
Sri K.G.Krishnan (father of our Anand) took my sister and me for her
Bharanyasam. He gave a talk in which he said the normally people celebrate
their birthdays with great eclat, not realizing that one more year had been
snatched away from them. But, in his case, he felt as if he should celebrate
birthdays more frequently because of the Samarpanai that flows into the
coffers for the Kainkaryam of Emperumaan. He also said that though some rates
had been fixed for other services like Dolai, no fee was fixed for Bharanyasam
because it is the duty of the Acharya NOT to expect a return for this. And,
whatever was offered was accepted without question.

· AT TIRUVALLUR ON THE SAME EVENING: 
The Swami asked us to follow him to Tiruvallur where he was going to release
the Audio Cassette of Sri Veeraraghava Suprabatham". I was pleasantly
surprised when he asked someone to fetch me to receive the first copy of the
Cassette along with Sri K.G.Krishnan.

· AT BOMBAY ON 8th DECEMBER 1997:
When I went to India for completing the visit to Nava Dwaraka, the first thing
I did was to fly to Bomabay to attend the Tirunakshatram of our Swami at
Chembur. Here he presented me a Souvenir titled "AzhagiyaSinghar's Vijaya
Yatra" brought out by Sri K.S. Tirumalai, Secretary, Azhagiya Singhar
Reception Committee, New Delhi. (This Tirumalai's wife is also my cousin
siter, and sister of the one whom I met during my Ahobilam trip mentioned
above and whom I was meeting after about 50 years). I also met at Bombay the
mother of our Sri Srinivasa Tanikella.

Besides these, I had the Bhagyam of offering my "Dandam Samarpithal" on
various other occasions and in various places. For want of space, I am
omitting these.
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