Kanchi Periyava on the significance of Lemons!

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1) When Periyaval was camping in Sivasthanam, a drunk man created a riot in front of the Matam. Devotees coming to the Sri Matam found it very disturbing. It was impossible to bear his crazed shouting. The language he used was terribly foul.

The matter reached Periyaval.

At once Periyava removed the garland of lemon that he was wearing and instructed that it be given to the drunkard. The drunk ripped the garland apart, and taking once fruit at a time, smelt all of them and flung them away on all sides. By the time he came to the last lemon, he was fully cured of his drunkenness. He regretted his behaviour and felt remorseful. From a distance he prostrated to Periyaval and ran away.

The whole thing seemed like magic!

Everyone was stunned to see the drunkard change in a moment, like a snake charmed by a spell. Only medical researchers should tell us if lemon has the capacity to cure a person of drunkenness.

Not only was the man cured of his drunkenness, he also came back to reason. Who effected that? Only Sankara knows....

*****
Source: In the Presence of the Divine
Narratives of Experiences with Maha Periyaval - Volume 1
Translated by: Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
From: Periva.org



2) Periyaval was wearing a garland made of a number of lemon fruits.  Pointing to it,
He said, "See here, this lemon fruit has a few uses.  As it is capable of attracting divine
powers we make a garland of it and decorate idols of Ambal.  When we do Vyasa Puja taking the
names of each Guru we evoke the presence of each Guru on a number of lemon fruits each.

So this fruit has the powers to convey good thoughts and intentions, remove negative influences
of jealousy and hatred, and carry one's best wishes.  So when meeting respectable senior
citizens and elders it is the tradition to first hand over, if nothing else, at least a lemon.

As it has a pleasant sour taste and fragrance we make pickles and rasam and lemon rice!  It has the effect of countering biliousness and nausea.  Then finally we make use of it in cleaning of copper and silver wares. Between attracting divine forces and cleaning of copper and silver wares, you will agree that there is a vast difference as between a mountain and a valley!  That is the way the divine sound effect of the Mantras and their worldly applications based on word-meanings differ.

(On the day of Vyasa puja a silver altar is filled with akshadha ( combination of rice and turmeric) and in the middle an idol of Krishna is placed. Around the idol, otherdeities, rishis and gurus are represented by placing a lemon in the altar and pujas will bedone to each of them. This is a very key event for a Sannyasin that temples around thecountry would send Prasad to Swamigal. Kings and landlords across the nation would send in their offerings on this occasion. Thousands of disciples from all parts of thecountry would come together to witness the puja.)

Source: Thanks a ton to Vidya for running the first two by me; last paragraph about Vyasa Pooja has been taken from Mahaperiyava Charithram.



3) Divine Name redeems all – even the worst sinner

An old lady who was in a queue to get the blessings of Maha Periyava (Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kaanchi Kaamakoti Peetam who is reverentially addressed as Nadamadum Deivam or the Walking God) wore an auspicious look. Wearing a pure white saree and the neck adorned with utrasum ( Rudraksha) bead and crystal (Spadiga) maala while the forehead completely covered with the holy ash (vibhuthi), she prostrated at the feet of Periyava in all due respect.

Mahaperiyava, by glancing her, ordered the nearby attendant to immediately bring 100 lemon fruits
from the mutt’s kitchen and the task was performed immediately.

“Hand this over to that old lady”, said Periyava.

The lady was so puzzled because usually the blessed material (prasad) will be one or two lemons
that will be given to devotees but not in hundreds. She looked at Mahaperiyava with a question in her eyes.

“You are spending lot of money in buying lemons in the market to invoke the evil forces in those lemons. By performing the black magic you are eventually wrecking the lives of innocent peoples as a mean to earn money. Now you collect these lemons and it would be useful for your devilish work”, Mahaperiyava said in a stern voice.

Her situation was so perplexed. Crying and wondering how He knew of her profession, she fell at the feet of Mahaperiyava and beseeched His forgiveness.

“You can utter these ill effected mantras to the ears of a cow and forget it once and for all. Never
ever think of performing such black magic in your life. You should not look this as a mean to gain income. Spend the rest of your life by repeating the holy names of the lord (Bhagavan Nama) and
be peaceful. That would suffice”, replied Mahaperiyava.

And then He gave only the holy ash (vibuthi prasadam) to her.

“From this very moment I am going to change my way of life," said she and began to do japa of Rama Nama incessantly.

*****
Source: https://guruandnamakirtan.wordpress.com


மஹா பெரியவாளை தரிசிக்க வந்த பில்லிசூனியப் பாட்டி

பார்ப்பதற்கு ரொம்ப நல்ல பாட்டியாகத்தான் தென்பட்டாள். வெள்ளை வெளேரென்று புடவை. நெற்றி நிறைய திருநீறு. கழுத்து கொள்ளாமல் ருத்ராக்ஷம், ஸ்படிக மாலைகள். பெரியவாளை வெகு வினயமாகப் பணிந்து எழுந்தாள்.

பெரியவாள் ஒரு தொண்டரிடம் சமையல் கட்டிலிருந்து நூறு எலுமிச்சம்பழம் கொண்டுவரச் சொன்னார்கள். ஒரு தட்டில் அவைகள் வந்தன.

"அந்தப் பாட்டிகிட்ட குடு".

பாட்டிக்குத் திகைப்பு. பிரசாதம் என்றால், ஓரிரு பழங்கள் போதுமே? நூறு எதற்கு? ’எனக்கு ஏன் இத்தனை பழங்கள்?’ என்கிறார் போல் பார்த்தாள் பாட்டி.

"நீ நிறைய எலுமிச்சம்பழம் காசு கொடுத்து வாங்க வேண்டியிருக்கு, துர்தேவதையை ஆவாஹனம் பண்ணி, பல பேர் வீட்டிலே வைத்து, அவர்கள் குடியைக் கெடுக்க வேண்டியிருக்கு. இந்தப் பழத்தை அள்ளிண்டு போ; உனக்கு ரொம்ப உபயோகமாக இருக்கும்", என்று பொரிந்து தள்ளினார் பெரியவா. அவளோ, தான் ஒரு பில்லி-சூனியக்காரி என்று பெரியவாளுக்கு எப்படித் தெரிந்தது என்று திடுக்கிட்டுப் போனாள்.

அழுதுகொண்டே நமஸ்காரம் செய்தாள்; மன்னிப்புக் கேட்டாள்.

உனக்குத் தெரிந்த துர்தேவதை மந்திரங்களை, ஒரு பசு மாட்டின் காதில் சொல்லிவிட்டு, மறந்துவிடு. இனிமேல் பில்லி-சூன்யம் வேண்டாம். அதனால் வருகிற பணமும் வேண்டாம். பகவான் நாமா சொல்லீண்டிரு, போறும்."

*****

பின்னர் பாட்டிக்கு விபூதிப் பிரசாதம் மட்டும் கொடுத்தார்.

Source of tamil translation: http://karaimodumalaigalmathangi.blogspot.com/