திருவருள் செல்வர்கள் = Divine Grace Staretsy
ஸ்ரீபாம்பன் ஸ்வாமிகள் = Srīpāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ
Posted Date : 06:00 (01/01/2019) Sakthi Vikatan
திருவருள் செல்வர்கள்! - 18 - சத்திய வாக்கு
StaretsyDivineGrace – 18 – The Truthful Words/ Keeping the Promise
பி.என்.பரசுராமன் Author P.N. parasuraman
பத்மவாசன் = Images: Padmavasan
“Sister! This boy passed all his subjects. There is a problem with his physical fitness. He is so skinny he stands like a mike stand. He is afraid too of his physical condition. 1
“If he gets this job, it will be good for all of us.” So, said the boy’s mother to her sister. 2
Akkā (the older sister) said, “Tell him to go to the Pāmbaṉ Temple. The visit and Pāmpaṉ’s grace will help him with the selection.” 3
Akkā conversed with her brother on the phone. What is the reason Akkā was so strong in her recommendation? Her personal experience. 4
Akkā was so sick in the past she could not walk and went to see a specialist doctor. 6
After a battery of tests over ha two-month period, the doctor declared emergency surgery must umay nt msbe done. He gave a five percent chance of survival and a lifetime survival of two years. 7
The woman did not consent for surgery. (Soliloquy) ‘Though you may shuint me, please do not abandon my dependents.’ So, saying she surrendered to Srīpāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ the perfect devotee of Murugan the greatest of all doctors. She went to the Srīpāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ Temple in Tiruvāṉmiyūr, supplicated to and worshipped him. What was the result? 8
Since then, 16 years went by. She is still walking and does the laundry and the cooking. She does all the household chores and stays healthy. You can still see her often in Tiruvāṉmiyūr Srīpāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ Temple. 9
She (Akkā) narrated her experience to her brother and advised, “Tell your son to go to Pāmbaṉ Temple and supplicate to him. He will surely be in the selection list. Her brother followed the advice of his sister. His son passed the qualifying physical examination for the selection, received the appointment and is now doing a responsible job. The aunt and the nephew are both close relatives of mine, the servitor of Pāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ.” 10
Even to this day, Srīmath Pāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ from the burial memorial Temple wipes away the difficulties of the supplicants. 11
Srīmath Pāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ sustained a small injury from an accident and was receiving treatment. Murugan appeared before the Swāmigaḷ as a Mayūra Vāhaṉam (peacock mount of God Murugan) and conferred his blessings on Swāmigaḷ. To celebrate that event in the life of Swāmigaḷ, Māyūravāhaṉa service festival was to take place in Tiruvāṉmiyūr Temple on the coming January sixth. When the devotees get ready for that festival, we can see a few incidents in the life of Srīmath Pāmbaṉ Swāmigaḷ. 12
Akkā said, “I, being the servitor, have no words to describe the oceanic expanse of the greatness of the Swāmigaḷ. Am I Agasthiyar to contain the ocean in the palm of my hand? 13
What else can I do? I can stand on the seashore, looking at the sea and enjoying the sight. We can take Darśan of wave-generating Appāvu’s events. Yes! Appāvu is the sacred name of the son of Srīmath Kumaragurudāsa Swāmigaḷ. From here on, he is Swāmigaḷ. 14
Srīswāmigaḷ took his Avatar (birth)in Ramesvaram on the Pāmbaṉ side as the fruit of Tapas (austerity) by his parents, Seṅkamala Ammai and Sāththappiḷḷai and by the servitors of Murugan. Srīswāmigaḷ was a polymath well-versed in Vedas and Sastras. He was the ultimate and accomplished devotee of Aruṇagirināthar. He was an extempore Santhakkavi poet. He had on multiple times had Darśan of Muragapperumāṉ both in dreams and wake. 15
From his early age, Swāmigaḷ had a penchant for asceticism. Fearing to go against his mentor, he became a householder. He, in the spirit of an ascetic, avoided salt, tamarind and other spices in his food. He ate only one meal a day at noon. If he missed his noon meal, he wouldn’t eat that day. The propensity for asceticism grew and blossomed. When he embraced asceticism, the six-faced God Āṛumukam performed wonders. 16
He told his friend Aṅgamuththuppiḷḷai on a Friday in the month of Ādi (mid-July to mid-August), Tamil Kara year 1891, “I planned to go to Pazani tomorrow.”17 Tamil Kara year = 25th year in a 60-year cycle.
The friend asked Swāmigaḷ, “When would you return?” Swāmigaḷ: “I can’t really say.” Realizing the ascetic attitude, the friend said, “You should not take to asceticism. Is it the commandment of Muragapperumāṉ?” The friend did not ask him more questions. Swāmigaḷ’s mental state bothered his friend. 18
That evening, Swāmigaḷ was on the upper floor. He read the poems he composed. He thought to himself, “Tirumurugā! Tomorrow, I intend to leave this town as an ascetic.” He turned his body and face to the south. 19
That second, Murugaperumāṉ’s holy form appeared before him, raised his wagging right index finger of disapproval with clenched teeth and expressed his unhappiness on his holy face. 20
Muragapperumāṉ in a gesture of body language told him of his disapproval. 21
Swāmigaḷ perceiving the holy sight of Murugan and visibly shaken in his body and soul, closed his eyes, and said, “My Father! Aṭiyēn, as I am yours, did not utter any falsehood for receiving land, property, or luxuries. It is for the attainment of the richness of the soul. Please show me patience and extend your grace to me.” Murugan knowing Swāmigaḷ’s mind and stirring of the soul said, “That enrichment of the soul: Could it be done by me? Hereafter, until I (Murugan) extend a welcome invitation to you, you should not go to Pazani. Tell me that you will not go to Pazani.” Srīswāmigaḷ said, “So be it.” 22
Srīswāmigaḷ narrated this event often appealing to Lord Murugan to tolerate his mistake and confer on him the grace. Murugan did not invite him; Srīswāmigaḷ did not go to Pazani; Srīswāmigaḷ kept his promise and deferred going to Pazani. 23
This staged event by Murugan was to bring to light Srīswamigaḷ’s words are unadulterated truth completely free of falsehood. Let us continue to see more of these wondrous events.
Wordsmith P.N. Parasuraman. Images: Padmanabhan.