ஸ்ரீ சிவன் சாரோடு என் அனுபவங்கள்; My experiences with Sri Shivan Sar audio

ஸ்ரீ மஹா பெரியவாளின் பூர்வாஸ்ராம தம்பியாக அவதரித்த ஸ்ரீ சிவன் சார், தன்னையும் துறந்த துறவியாக விளங்கினார். நம் கோவிந்த தாமோதர ஸ்வாமிகள் அவரை மஹாபெரியவாளின் மற்றொரு உருவமாகவே நினைத்து வணங்கி வந்தார். ஸ்ரீ சிவன் சாரை தரிசித்த போது, அவரிடம் எனக்கு கிடைத்த சில அனுபவங்களை இங்கே பகிர்ந்துள்ளேன் https://valmikiramayanam.in/Shivan%20Sar%20Ganapathy.pdf

இந்த கட்டுரையை இன்று படித்து ஒலிப்பதிவு செய்துள்ளேன். ஒலிப்பதிவு இங்கே – சிவர் சாரோடு என் அனுபவங்கள் (27 min 18 mb file)

Sri Shivan Sar

Sri Shivan Sar is the younger brother of Mahaperiyava in his pre-monastic life (Poorvashrama).
I was very fortunate to have Sar darshan a few times and had some blissful experiences while associating with him. I should not call these mere “experiences.” Every darshan and every word Sar spoke was a great blessing (Anugraha). I understand that now.

Some friends asked me to share them. I was hesitating a lot. It is true that such a great Mahatma was kind enough to talk to me, but I would think every time that I do not seem to possess any of the divine traits that comes from such an association. However, concluding that there is no harm in sharing the sweetness of those experiences, I am speaking about them now.

I was closely moving with Govinda Damodara Swamigal (Angarai Sri Kalyanarama Bhagavathar, also known as Triplicane Periyava or Angarai Periyava). He protected me as his own child.
He was teaching me one by one—Mooka Panchashati, Vishnu Sahasranamam, Adi Sankara’s shlokas, Sundara Kanda Parayanam etc.

I had heard from many of those devoted to Swamigal that when they went to Mahaperiyava, Periyava would enquire with great compassion and grant special blessings.

Swamigal would often say, “Go and have darshan of Mahaperiyava.”
I would go to Kanchipuram and have Periyava darshanam. But I was very afraid to go near him.
The orthodoxy of the Mutt and having read Deivathin Kural (Voice of God)—keeping all that in mind, there was some kind of fear. But it was my prayer that Mahaperiyava should bless me as a devotee of Swamigal. That was always in my mind. Swamigal used to say every day, “Do namaskaram to Periyava saying ‘Guru Moorthe Tvam Namami Kamakshi,’ and Periyava will bless you.”
So that was my prayer. If one makes a prayer to Mahaperiyava, it never goes unfulfilled.
Just as if Mahaperiyava hugged someone like a child and showered love, I attained that same experience with Shivan Sar.

When Swamigal himself learned about Shivan Sar and visited him, he was very surprised.
Swamigal would say movingly, “Such a great Siddha Purusha, he is above hunger and thirst; Sar is Mahaperiyava’s own brother; we have been associated with Srimatam for so many years, yet we didn’t even know such a person existed! Only after all these years I got the darshanam of this great Siddha Purusha. It is clear that one can only approach Sar only if He wills it. Since Periyava has taken a vow of silence, it is the Periyava Himself who has come in the form of Shivan Sar to guide me.”

Swamigal told me to have darshan of Shivan Sar and do namaskaram saying: “Sadashiva Brahmendra Swaroopebhyo Shivan Sar Sadgurubhyo Namaha.”
I went one day. The first darshan.
I did namaskaram as Swamigal taught me. I said “My name is Ganapathy Subramanian. There is a great soul in Triplicane called Angarai Kalyanarama Bhagavathar who reads Bhagavatha Ramayanam. I am learning stotrams from him,”.
Immediately, Shivan Sar asked, “Adiyaarkku Adiyana nee?” (Are you a devotee of a devotee?).
At first I didn’t understand. “What Periyava?” I asked. When he repeated, “You are an Adiyaarkku Adiyan,” I felt such great happiness. What I had been praying to Mahaperiyava for, I had received. Right then, I did namaskaram and became a slave to Shivan Sar.

From the day he saw me, Sar took me under his grace and showed great love. He would ask his devotees to “Prepare and bring Badam Halwa” and give it to boys like me who came there. He would ask such snacks to be made and keep them. We would go there and sit for hours. He would give us some small tasks. He would ask me to rub coconut oil on his hands and legs. When leaving, he would give us that Badam Halwa like Prasadam.

“Go and buy some bajji,” he would say. He would eat a little and give me the rest. “This has a unique taste, doesn’t it?” he would say.
“You would bring tender coconut, right?” he would say. Immediately I would go and bring tender coconut. By showing love like this, he became very close within a week or ten days. After that, I went regularly.

One day, he told me to “Write down” his horoscope and a Nadi reading about him called Kaushika Nadia. How highly it spoke of him!
These are the words of Vishwamitra Maharishi:
“Thaayaana Tripurasundariye undhan thakka arul ivan agam pugundhu Thaaye”
“O Mother Tripurasundari! Your fitting grace entered the heart of this soul.”
“Thakka Advaitam adhin saaramellaam Sadguru perarulaal thaane vandhu valuvaai koodi”
“the very essence of Advaita (non-duality) rightfully came and merged with him firmly, solely through the great grace of the Sadguru.”
I am reading this from the middle; before this, it mentions that his elder brother, the Jagadguru and head of the Mutt (Mahaperiyava), as his Sadguru.
“Advaitam adhin saaramellaam Sadguru perarulaal thaane vandhu valuvaai koodi…”
“Pooranathai maruvu sugavizhiyinaal dharisithu etri, endha vidha seyalkal ivan seidha podhum, eppodhum maanadha nishtai koodi, sundara jyothiyin adiyil nirpan”
“Gazing upon and infusing the State of Totality (Poornam) through the Kataksha of blissful wisdom, no matter what actions he performs, he shall forever remain in a state of unwavering silence (Nishta), standing eternally at the feet of the Beautiful Radiance (Sundara Jyoti).”
What beautiful words! In this:
“Ambigaiye neril Kaushikarukku arivithadhaavadhu” (What the Goddess herself told Kaushika):
“Immaindhan uyar piravi ongkodukkum,
iyalbaana thai thandhai ongkodukkum,
pannivan kanishtan kadai perutha mukthan,
paarengum emmadhathirkum aasaan,
en-arul migha vaaindhuon, nava-siddharkum ezhilaana membudaiya jnani”
“This son is of a noble birth that bestows greatness. Even His mother and father (the lineage) are elevated by his presence. His younger brother has attained the ultimate state of liberation. He is a Jagadguru. He is abundantly endowed with my divine grace. He is a sage superior even to the nine Siddhas.”

Amba kamakshi says about Mahaperiyava that he is “Nava-siddharkum ezhilaana membudaiya jnani” (A Sage superior even to the nine Siddhas). Sar asked me to write this down. He showed the Akhanda Samrajya Yoga present in his horoscope.

Sar would ask everyone who came to him to buy and read his book Enippadigalil Maandhargal. At that time, the price of that book was around 120 rupees. I bought it. In my book: He wrote, “With best blessings to Chiranjeevi Ganapathy Subrahmanyam – Sadasivam.” Once Sar said to my friend Chandrasekar, “kshemamaga iru” (Be well), and then asked, “Do you know what ‘Shemamaga iru’ means?”
When he requested, “Periyava should tell,” Sar said, “Not cars and bungalows, But health and happiness.” I hold that same meaning for “Best blessings.”

I read many portions of Enippadigalil Maandhargal while with Sar. Initially, he would ask readers to read the topic Solon and Creasus. He told me to read the book three times. I finished that and asked if I should read it again.
“You have finished reading this. Go buy and read the books of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa,” he said. I had left my job at that time. My father was giving me ten rupees a day. I didn’t have the means to buy those books, even though Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s books are sold at very low prices. I couldn’t buy it. Swamigal gave me the money. “If Shivan Sar told you, you buy and read them immediately. Read it today itself,” he said. The Amudha Mozhigal (Gospel) of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is in three parts. In that, Mahendranath Gupta recorded incidents from Ramakrishna’s life. When I read it, all those scenes seemed to be happening in Swamigal’s life. I think Shivan Sar told me to read about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa so that I could understand Swamigal’s divine madness, his detachment from money, and his wisdom.

In his pre-monastic life, Swamigal’s father named him “Ramakrishna Sarma.” He was called Kalyanaraman. Swamigal’s horoscope is 80% similar to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s horoscope. Life was like that too. Since he was born in Tamil Nadu, only the acharams were slightly different. He was a Mahatma who lived in the world but was not of it.

I have already written about the postcard incident. If one reads Shivan Sar’s Enippadigalil Maandhargal, it has 180 paragraphs explaining the behavior of Categories like Sinner (Paapi), Commoner (Paamaran), Wise (Viveki), Pious (Saadhu), and above that.men of Higher-Wisdom (Uyar Viveki). Through this, I understood that Swamigal is a Divine Saint (Mahan), Shivan Sar is an Ascetic (Thuravi), and Mahaperiyava is a Jnani.

But we are unable to even cross the levels of Sinner and Commoner! Knowing right from wrong and making even a drop of effort towards Vivekam seems difficult. Being completely selfless is the quality of a Sadhu. The times are such that attaining these levels seem impossible. The books I read and movies watched within these twenty years have spoiled the intellect. I felt afraid, wondering how to recover from this.

I wrote to Sar on a card. “I have had darshan of Mahaperiyava, I have had your darshan, and I have taken refuge in Swamigal; yet I don’t know the way to climb up these steps. You must show mercy to me,” I had written. I mailed that postcard to Vyasarao Street in T Nagar where Sar lived at that time. Four days later, I went there. That card arrived on the very day I went. The postman delivered it. A friend named Tiruvarur Ganapathy Subrahmanyam was there that day. He brought it inside. “Ganapathy has sent a letter,” he said. Sar immediately replied, “Read it.” He read it.
Then Shivan Sar looked at me and said, “Do namaskaram.” I stood up and did namaskaram to Sar. “Why are you afraid? You are holding the feet of Triplicane Periyava. Meditate on him, you can go higher,” he said. Sar had large hands and large feet. With those large hands, he gave me a huge Abhayam (gesture of protection). Those words were so comforting. Then he gave that letter back to me. I still have it.

Then in the evening, I came and told Swamigal about what happened. Swamigal said, “If he says ‘meditate,’ don’t go to any meditation classes. Chant all the stotrams I have taught you; that is meditation,” he said. Those words were also very powerful. Because only if we perform an action can we understand things like meditation. Since he told me to sit and read Mooka Panchashati and Ramayana, when reading the Ramayana, I remember Swamigal. That is meditation. Otherwise, how else can we meditate on Mahatmas? By listening to him and reading these stotrams, at least for a little while amidst the daily rush, we are able to think of them.

During that period, Swamigal took permission from Shivan Sar and entered Sanyasa (monastic life). Shivan Sar has written, “It is better to ban Sanyasa altogether; everyone in this age is bringing disgrace to that stage of life.”
Therefore, Swamigal asked for permission to take Sanyasa from Shivan Sar through someone else. “Why does he need it? He is a pure soul. Even if he wears a white dhoti, he is a Sanyasi,” Sar said. So Swamigal dropped it.
Then he asked again a second time after a few months. Sar said, “Aha, certainly tell him to take sanyasam. He will be glorious. Tell him to stay on the terrace of that very house.” Then Swamigal took Sanyasam. He shaved his head, chanted the Praisha mantra, took the ochre robes from Mahaperiyava’s sandals (Padukas), and entered Sanyasa. I was fortunate to see the scene of Swamigal taking Sanyasa that day.

After that, Shivan Sar told many people many times:
“He is the genuine Sanyasi.”
“It is a merit (punyam) to see those who have sacrificed their body, wealth, and soul for the sake of the Bhagavatam and Ramayana; I tell this to everyone.”
“His body should be well. A rare soul.”
“He is full of peace (Shantham). Not getting angry even when provoked is what is called Shantham. He is in that state of supreme peace.”
“Being under his refuge is worth more than a job paying two thousand rupees,” (I was looking for a job then, so he meant it in the sense of how great a blessing it was).
“A genuine Sanyasi, he is the one worthy of Sanyasa. It is enough if he just reads the Bhagavatam with this discipline; other staffs and water pots (Danda Kamandalu) are not needed. He should not be called a common Sanyasi; he should be called Yatindral” — Shivan Sar kept showering such praises on Govinda Damodara Swamigal.
He told me many times. He told Janakirama Mama, Nagaraja Mama, Narayana Iyer, and everyone about Swamigal. He sent many people like Mohan and Sivaraman-Gowri to go and learn good things from Swamigal. Thus, through his book Enippadigalil Maandhargal and through his words, Swamigal’s purity and high state were understood by many of us.
Shivan Sar kept on speaking of Swamigal’s greatness. I was also just starting to associate with Swamigal then. It was only because I heard these things that I developed devotion toward Swamigal. Swamigal was very simple. He would be doing his chanting in solitude. He would comfort those who came, and their troubles would vanish. Understanding his greatness to this extent and being devoted to him only came to me because Shivan Sar kept telling me.

Once I was sitting with Swamigal. Swamigal was reading Mooka Panchashati.
He read, “Kamakshi thavaaka kadaksha yatheeshwarosau.”
It means “The glance of Kamakshi shines like a Lord of Ascetics (Yatheeshwara).”
At that time, Sri Narayana Iyer came inside.
“I have just come after visiting and doing namaskaram to Shivan Sar. Sar said you should not be simply referred to as a Sanyasi; you should be referred to as Yatindral (a king among ascetics) ,” he said.
The line of the shloka being read and what Narayana Iyer said were so perfectly matching.

Swamigal also had sincere devotion toward Shivan Sar. When he came to Sar, he would be like a child. He would bring shlokas from the Bhagavatam that praise saints and yogis. He would recite those shlokas and do namaskaram. Sometimes he would ask me to read. Just as Swamigal was with Mahaperiyava, he was with Shivan Sar—with devotion, like a child, acting as if he knew nothing and needed blessings.

Witnessing these two great souls together was a huge blessing for me. Once Sar told Swamigal, “After reading the book Enippadigalil Maandhargal, they call me a genius. God dictated, I wrote. That is all!”

Swamigal was strict in acharam. But he would devoutly accept and eat the leftovers Shivan Sar gave as “Uchishta Prasadam.” When Swamigal’s body became very weak, he was only doing nama japam. But because Shivan Sar desired it, he gave a discourse on Srimad Bhagavatam for two hours at a time over fifteen days. That recording is still available. That is a great gain.

One day Swamigal was chanting Lalitha Sahasranamam. When the line “Sadashiva anugrahadha panchakrutya parayana” came, he said “Aha!” “Shivan Sar’s pre-monastic name was Sadasivam. I am waiting for that Sadashiva’s blessing,” he said. He had such supreme devotion.

Once Shivan Sar told me, “In this Enippadigalil Maandhargal book, if one just places a flower, they can grow spiritually.” From the day I told this to Swamigal, until his last day, he kept that book in his puja, applied sandalwood and kumkum to it, and offered flowers. That book is still in the puja at Swamigal’s Adhishtanam (shrine) today.

The book Enippadigalil Maandhargal is available at Narmadha Publications. It is a must-read book to understand divinity (deivikam) and spirituality (aathmikam) . Nowhere else can one see the history of Mahatmas written so sweetly and clearly. It is a treasure equivalent to the Vedas, Dharma Shastras, Ithihasas, and Puranas.

Once I said to Shivan Sar, “Your Enippadigalil Maandhargal is the essence of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Sar. From the level of Sinner to philosopher, it speaks of Karma Yoga; from Divine Saint (deiva sadhu) to Mahan, it speaks of Bhakti Yoga; and the Ascetic (thuravi) and Sage (gnani) levels speak of Jnana Yoga.” Sar said with a smile, “True! But I have explained it in a way you can all understand!”

Shivan Sar was also the reason for calling Swamigal “Govinda Damodara Swamigal.” One day he told me, “I would call him ‘Periyava.’ They might think I am exaggerating. One can call him Swamigal.” I came and told this to Swamigal. Swamigal was very fond of the Govinda Damodara Stotram. He also had great love for the “Govinda.” nama. So as Sar suggested, Swamigal told us to refer to him as “Govinda Damodara Swamigal.”

Once my brother and I went to Haridwar and Rishikesh. We brought Ganges water (Ganga Jalam) in a can. My father asked me to give that Ganges water to Swamigal. I gave it to him.
He took a little, consumed it as Prashanam, and said, “Give this to Shivan Sar. He is Gangadhara, the form of Parameswara.” As soon as I gave it to Shivan Sar, he asked, “Did you give it to Swamigal?” I said, “I gave it.” Shivan Sar asked, “Should this water can be returned immediately?” “It is yours, Sar,” I said. Shivan Sar would bathe only once in six months or a year. He asked, “Can this can stay here?” so that he could use it when he bathes. “Certainly. It is for you, Sar,” I said.

Ramanarayanan is Janakirama Mama’s son. He was truly devoted to Shivan Sar. Swamigal encouraged him a lot, saying, “Go and do service (kaingaryam) to Sar,” and he held onto that firmly. He has done a lot of service. One day in their house, a Rama Pattabhishekam picture fell down and the frame broke. It was a bit upsetting to the mind, so he went and asked Sar about it. “Should any atonement (pariharam) be done?” Immediately, Shivan Sar said, “You ask Swamigal and do whatever he tells you to do.”
Swamigal said, “Vibheeshana Sharanagathi moonu sargam (Three chapters of Vibheeshana’s surrender) can be chanted,”. VJR mama did that. In that way, to Shivan Sar, whatever Swamigal said was the voice of God (Easwara Vaakku).

There was a famous carnatic vocalist named K. V. Narayanaswamy. He came to do namaskaram to Shivan Sar. Shivan Sar told him, “There is a Periyava in Triplicane, go and do namaskaram to him,” and said, “Receive some mantra related to Dakshinamurthy from him.”
He came and asked accordingly. After that, he would often come to Swamigal and sing.

If someone mentioned “Triplicane Swamigal,” Shivan Sar would raise both hands above his head and do namaskaram. It would be surprising to see him celebrate Swamigal like this. One day I said, “Today is Swamigal’s 63rd birth star.” Sar said” He should live for a long time. He will be there. He should be well, I am also praying.”

Once Shivan Sar went to Tiruvarur and came back. It had been about 10-15 days. When I went inside after he returned, he said, “I was just thinking of you. I kept thinking that you will be coming and seeing the locked door and going back.” Mahatmas show such love that thinking of it melts our heart even today. But during that period, I did not like going to work. I told Swamigal, “I cannot work, I will do the parayanams you told me and stay with you,” and left my job. Swamigal was worried. He said, “Why are you doing this? Father and mother have educated you, there is your sister’s marriage, you must go to work; in your horoscope too, you have a worldly life, not a life of a sadhu.” Swamigal was directing me thus. At that time, Shivan Sar gave me a photo of himself. In it, Sar was wearing a garland. Swamigal said, “Look! In the photo he gave you, Sar is wearing a garland. It is only to say that the householder’s stage (Grihastha Ashrama) is good for you.” I just laughed.

The job was gone, and my body was suffering. There was swelling (hydrocele) and pain in the mornings; by evening, a severe headache. This lasted for six months. I was taking homeopathic medicine as told by Swamigal. It was as if I had to experience this to exhaust it. Once when Swamigal told Shivan Sar, “This child’s body is suffering a lot,” Sar said, “It will become alright.” Then it became alright shortly after. In this way, the blessings of Mahatmas protect us from danger.

Swamigal told me, “You chant the Mooka Panchashati stotram. No need for Ambal worship (Upasana).” Swamigal was an Ambal upasaka. He had received Shodakshari mantra initiation, countless chantings, pujas, up to Poornabhishekam. He had even given Srividya to some people long ago. At one point, Swamigal was giving mantra initiations to others.
After seeing people receiving initiation and going abroad or living according to their own whims, he stopped giving mantra initiations.

“In Kali Yuga, we only have nama Japa. Rama Nama Japa will protect,” he was telling everyone. I asked Swamigal for a mantra initiation, thinking it would be special if it were unique.
He said, “No, boy! The times are not good, we don’t have the thapas to bear it. I am also reading Mooka Panchashati only.” But truthfully, he would chant Lalitha Sahasranamam once every morning. All evening, he would chant Mooka Panchashati. He didn’t say “I am doing something special, this is only what you are fit for. He himself only kept Vishnu Sahasranama chanting, one hour of Rama Nama Japa, Mooka Panchashati chanting, and Ramayana-Bhagavatha chanting. He didn’t do anything special just for a show. His life was an open book.

He told me no need for Srividya upasana, just chanting stotrams is enough. Then seeing that I was very eager, he said, “If you want, pray to Periyava and just read the Lalitha Sahasranamam stotram.” Immediately, I bought a Lalitha Sahasranamam book and put it in my cloth bag. That day I went to Shivan Sar. Shivan Sar asked, “What is in that bag?” I said there is a pen and a notebook. He said, “Pour everything down.” I poured everything out. He took that Lalitha Sahasranamam book and said, “Didn’t I tell you that you don’t need this?” I was shocked. I decided I must listen to what Mahatmas say. If they hadn’t guided me like this, I would have gone on a path thinking I know everything.

Because of my English education and studying engineering, I had developed a “scientific temper.” Liberal views from reading many novels. My mind was confused from reading a lot since birth and hearing Bhagavat Gita discourses from Anandas. I had a bloated ego. It was the association with these Mahatmas that knocked down some of that ego and brought me onto a somewhat good path. Even now, it doesn’t seem like I have improved much. At least there is clarity; I don’t do anything else, I am chanting mooka Panchashati and Vishnu Sahasranamam.

I had a thought that there was a contradiction between Shivan Sar and Swamigal. If one reads Sar’s book, it feels that way. Sar says “To win in a horse race, for love failure—for such stuff they print and sell stotram books. Such prayers will not be answered if one just repeats stotrams. There is no connection between success in tasks and stotram chanting.”
“Today’s swamis say if you say ‘Rama’ once all sins will go, thus encouraging people to live as they please. That is very wrong. One should be very honest, fearing sin,” he says. That is very true. But when reading it, it would be confusing in a way.

Swamigal would say “The greatness of God’s name, the greatness of stotram chanting, the words of Rishis—if done with faith, benefit will be gained without fail.” Through that, he gave relief to many. If someone came with a problem, Swamigal would tell them, “Read this stotram, the trouble will go away.” As soon as they started reading it, their trouble would be solved. Life would change for the better to the extent that they’d wonder if they even had that problem. I have seen that many times. When I asked Swamigal about what is in Sar’s book, he said, “He has written that for a particular audience. The words of Rishis are truthful. Don’t confuse yourself with that.”

As if agreeing with that, when I personally told Shivan Sar, “I am doing the stotram chanting Swamigal told me,” He said, “Good deed. Do it.” When I said, “I am doing Rama Nama Japa as Swamigal told me. He says it is superior to all divine worship,” Shivan Sar said: “True, that is also a way. If one keeps doing Nama Japa while discarding attachment to material things, it will lead to divinity.” (ஆமாம். அதுவும் ஒரு வழி. பொருட்பற்றை விலக்கி நாம ஜெபம் செய்து வந்தால், தெய்வீகத்தில் கொண்டு போய் விட்டு விடும்.) It is important to note that Shivan Sar approves the statement “Nama Japa will lead to divinity.” Only when reading his book does one understand what a high state divinity is. One can understand that by trusting God’s name, one can reach that state. Sar himself has written about the greatness of Rama Nama in his history of Bodendral. But one should not think, “There is Nama Japa, so I will live as I please.”

Trusting Mahatmas and doing Nama Japa—that is all that can be done in this Kali Yuga.
Shivan Sar has given his word that through that, one can reach divinity (deiveegam).
Since he himself said that, Swamigal went one step further and told me, “Keep doing Rama Japa incessantly, your attachments will leave you.” Sar says, “Discard attachments and do Nama Japa.” It was understood that the difference is only in that order; both are saying “Do Nama Japa and stotram chanting while keeping the basis correct—wanting to develop sense-control, humility, and devotion.”

Some people mocked Swamigal when he comforted those who came to him saying, “Read this. This trouble will be solved for you. Or this good thing will happen.”
It was painful to me. I told Swamigal, “Why do you give boons like this? Some people are mocking you. As Sar says, one has to experience and exhaust all karma oneself.”
Swamigal said, “I don’t know why I am saying it. If you agree that I am not saying it with the motive of earning money, that’s enough.” He was a bit hurt. I should not have spoken that way. I did namaskaram and said, “Forgive me.” That day we went to Shivan Sar. Shivan Sar pointed to Swamigal and said: “Whatever he says is all the voice of God (Easwara Vaakku).” From then on, I understood I should not argue pointlessly (Vidhandavadam).

When Mahaperiyava attained Siddhi, I was with Shivan Sar. I asked if I should go to Kanchipuram. “You stay here,” he said. Swamigal said, “You won’t be able to bear the grief. That’s why he told you so.”

Taking leave from Sar, I went to America. While there, a thought came to correct my leg (limp from polio). At that time, I asked my mother and father to visit Shivan Sar. When they went, Sar said, “You are the parents of that Ganapathy who walks with a bit of a limp, right?” Hearing that, I thought “This is my identity” and left the leg as it was. Thus, the compassion of Mahatmas protects us wherever we are.

When we have Mahaperiyava who is the form of Kamakshi, Shivan Sar who is the form of Parameswara, and Govinda Damodara Swamigal who is the form of Maha Vishnu, we have no lack. Mahatmas have shown the way. I must go on that path. Even with the blessings of such great souls, I am going very slowly. I need your blessings.

Janaki Kantha Smaranam Jaya Jaya Rama Rama.

கோவிந்த தாமோதர ஸ்வாமிகளின் மஹிமையை இங்கே பதிவு செய்துள்ளேன் கோவிந்த தாமோதர குணமந்திர சுந்தர வதனாரவிந்த

அவரைப் பற்றி மேலும் சில நினைவுகளை கீழ்கண்ட பக்கத்தில் பகிர்ந்து உள்ளேன் கோவிந்தம் பரமானந்தம்