"Balakrishna, what did you say now?"

Shri Jayarama Sharma had once gone to meet Swamigal along with Shri TS Balakrishna Sastrigal. The purpose of the visit was to release the book Shri TSB had written about his illustrious father Shri Sambamurthi Ghanapadigal, in the august presence of Him.

Being Shankara Jayanthi day, the throng of devotees at the Matam was just too much; so they decided to go to Kamakshi Amman temple but the scene was the same there too! They saw Him lying down on the portico 'thinnai' in a house near Kamakshi Amman temple and went near Him.

"Your father used to live in Thiruvadaimaruthur, no?", says He to Shri TSB.

And goes on to tell their family's background in minute details....!

And asks him to read from the book. As Shri TSB starts to read, he is surprised to hear the snoring sound of Swamigal, and stops reading!

The Sarveshwaran says quickly,

"I may be snoring, but don't stop, my ears are always listening...!"

And then Shri TSB goes on to say how his father's family migrated from the North to South India and how they were received with respect by the local Kings wherever they went for the sole reason that his father was well learned in the holy Vedas.

And his father settled down near the banks of small place called North Pennaiyar near Vizhupuram.

The Seer who was snoring until now, gently asks Shri TSB:

"Balakrishna, what did you say now? North Pennaiyar? No, it should be South Pennaiyar as it is in South Arcot district. Please correct it"!

Shri TSB was floored!

*****
Shri TSB was born on 18th August in the year 1918. He attained His Lotus Feet on January 1 in the year 2003.

The above is the beautiful caricature of Shri TSB by Shri Keshav Venkataraghavan.