Sage of Love & Grace

 

Apaara Karuna Sindhum Gyaanadham Shaantharoopinam
Chandrasekhara gurum Pranamaami Mudhaanvaham ||

A school for the visually challenged, functions in Poonamalle. A teacher from this school came and had darshan of Maha SwamigaL who was then staying in Sivasthanam. He prayed to SwamigaL, "I am planning to bring the school children next Sunday to have Periyavar's darshan. Those children have no eyesight. So they can't have a darshan of PeriyavargaL with their eyes. So PeriyavargaL should talk to them a few words and bless them. I have come to inform this proposal, I want anugraham." Maha SwamigaL heard his words with his holy ears, that was all to it, and the man went away.
On the morning of the next Sunday, that teacher brought the visually challenged children for Periyavar's darshan, in a chartered bus, which was parked outside. An assistant of the sage said, "Periyavar observes silence since yesterday." That was all! There was no limit to the distress of the teacher. He cried openly and slapped his head. A sight that moved the onlookers.
"Alas! These children have no eyesight! They can't see PeriyavargaL! Only if a few words are spoken they could hear them and be happy. Even if Periyavar does not talk to us, we would have a darshan of him and go away. What would these children do? It was only for these children that I came last week and prayed. Now I have become a maha paavi who has disappointed them!" The teacher sobbed again and again.
An unexpected situation. PeriyavargaL came out from his room and signed to the teacher to stop his wailing. He asked for a wooden plank to be placed near the well and sat on it. His silence dissolved. He called each and every child near him, patiently inquired the name, place and the reason for the loss of vision, and blessed the child. The children had Periyavar's anugraham for a full hour. He gave a big plate of fruits, raisins and sugar lumps to the teacher, asking him to distribute them to the children.
Everyone was immensely pleased with this anugraham. The teacher knew no bounds for his joy. He cried even now. Cried in distress earlier, in joy now.
Even today it overwhelms the heart with joy to think about the incident when Maha SwamigaL appreciated the needs of the vision less children and dissolved his vow of silence to bless them with words--a silence that he did not give up even for President V.V. Giri or Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Maha SwamigaL is a jnana deepam that never goes off. Let us pray to the flame of light to guide us on our path.