நிலாவும் பாரதப் பண்பாடும்

காலம் காலமாகத் தமிழர்கள் நிலாவை மிகவும் விரும்பி உள்ளனர்.

சங்க கால இலக்கியங்கள் முதல் இக்கால ஹைக்கூ கவிதைகள், நாடகங்கள், திரைப்பாடல்கள், கதைகள் என அனைத்திலும் பலவாறு வான் நிலாவை நம் மக்கள் புகழ்ந்தும், வர்ணித்தும் உள்ளனர்.

பூரண நிலவைப் பற்றி வள்ளல் பாரியின் இரு மகள்களும் அழகாகப் பாடியுள்ளனர்.

சிலப்பதிகாரத்தில் இளங்கோவடிகள் ”நிலாவின் குளிர்ச்சி போல் அரசனின் அன்பும் இருக்கிறது” என்று புகழ்வார்.

மக்கள் நிலாவை உரிய காலத்தில் வணங்கவும் செய்கிறார்கள்.

ஒவ்வொரு பெளர்ணமி நாளையும் பூரண ஞானத்தின் அடையாளமாக மக்கள் மதிப்பர்.

புத்தர் கயாவில் போதி மரத்தின் கீழ் தவம் செய்து, வாழ்க்கையைப் பற்றிய உண்மையை உணர்ந்த நாள் பூரண நிலா நாள் ஆகும்.அதையே புத்த பூர்ணிமா என்கிறோம்.

கார்த்திகைப் பூர்ணிமை நாளில் காசியில் கங்கை நதியை மரியாதை செய்யும் தேவ தீபாவளி மிக மிகச் சிறப்பாகக் கொண்டாடப் படுகிறது.

தமிழகத்தில் கார்த்திகைப் பூர்ணிமை நாளில் தீபத்திருவிழாவைக் கொண்டாடுகிறார்கள்.

சோழர்களின் தலைநகரான பூம்புகாரில் நிலாவை வணங்கும் தனிக்கோயில் இருந்துள்ளது.

இன்று கும்பகோணத்துக்கு அருகில் உள்ள திங்களூர் நிலாவை தேவதையாக வணங்கும் ஸ்தலம் ஆகும்.

தமிழகர்கள் மிகச் சிறப்பாகச் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் வரும் பூர்ணிமை நாளைக் கொண்டாடுவர்.

அந்நாளில் குலதெய்வ வழிபாடுகள் செய்வர்.

விதவிதமான உணவு வகைகள் சமைத்து, நிலாவுக்குப் படைத்து இரவில் நிலவொளியின் கீழ் அனைவரும் ஒன்று கூடி நிலாச்சோறு உண்டு மகிழ்வர்.

மதுரை மாநகரின் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் நடக்கும் விழா மிகவும் சிறப்பானது ஆகும்.சித்திரைப் பூர்ணிமா நாளில் மதுரை வைகை ஆற்றில் கள்ளழகர் தங்கக் குதிரை வாகனத்தில் இறங்கி மதுரை முழுவதும் உலா வரும் விழா மிகவும் சிறப்பானது.பல லட்சம் மக்கள் இவ்விழாவைக் கண்டு மகிழ்வர்.

சித்திரைப் பூர்ணிமா நாளில் பல கிராமங்களிலும் கிராம தேவதைகளுக்கும் கொடை விழா நிகழும்.

பழங்காலத்தில் சோழ மன்னர்களும் மக்களும் பூம்புகாரில் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் மழை வேண்டி இந்திரனுக்கு விழா எடுத்து மகிழ்வர்.சித்திரைப் பூர்ணிமை நாளில் விழாவை முடித்துக் கடலில் நீராடுவர்.

சித்திரைப் பூர்ணிமை நாள் அன்று கேரளம் - தமிழகம் எல்லையில் உள்ள குமுளி மலை உச்சியின் மீது சேர மன்னன் கண்ணகிக்கு எழுப்பிய பத்தினி கோட்டத்துக்குச் செல்வர், கண்ணகியை வழிபடுவர்.

சித்திரைப் பூர்ணிமை நாளில் நாம் செய்யும் பாவ-புண்ணியங்களைக் கணக்கிடும் ப்ரபஞ்ச சக்தியான சித்திர குப்தனுக்கும் காஞ்சிபுரத்தில் மிக விசேஷமாக விழா எடுப்பர்.

சந்திர க்ரஹணம் அன்றும் மக்கள் நீர்நிலைகளில் நீராடுவர்.

மிகப் பெரிய கோயில்களில் பத்து நாள் விழாவில் இறைவன் சந்திரன் வாஹனம் ஏறி வரும் நிகழ்ச்சியும் நடைபெறும்.

‘’Kanchi mut or circus troop?’’

Once a student asked Maha Swamigal,

''Guru Dev! Why you have an elephant, bulls, camels, horses in this mut? I have seen only in a circus troop''

Maha Swamigal laughed and answered,

'' Dear child! It is easy for me as a Guru to tame and train these animals than human beings. Human mind is taking forms of various animals at each moment which is very difficult to tame.

Each of these animals has made prayers with awareness in previous birth to serve a Guru. They are appreciated for their hard work. Elephant can carry me to any distance without shrinking the face with frustration.

Camels, bulls and horses can carry lot of heavy things during our journey and also pull our carts and they never blame anyone like us.

Like them man must be able to bear any thing in life through spiritual inner strength''

The animals can be the saints or staunch devotees who have taken the animal forms to serve their Guru from previous birth.

''Accept me in my child hood''

This happens in early 1960s...

It is a small village near Tanjavore.

Maha Swamigal took his abode for a while in that village.

Daily he took bath in Cauvery River and had his darshan in local Shiva temple.

It was a Sunday.

People were slow in nature that day.

It was also raining slightly.

By evening Swamigal took his walk towards the coconut farm and planned to meditate.

He was accompanied by few of his service men.

By this time children were playing ball in the street and most of them were resting for Sunday.

The road was calm and Swamigal just chanted Shankara nama and walked across.

Suddenly the ball fell at his sie and a 8 year old bot rushed and took the ball.

He could not control his balance and fell upon Maha Swamigal.

He felt bad and he do not knew much about Guru.

He said just sorry and tried to leave.

In the meantime from his home his mother came out and witnessed the situation.

She was worried and scared. She was concerned about the consequence for her child.

She called out her husband and explained the matter. All of them fell at the sacred feet of Guru and prepared to accept the ''parikara'' for touching his physical body.

In Vedic tradition a sanyasi is not allowed to tough any ones physical body. It may lead to sensual distractions. This may also cause him or her to get the negative vibrations of the people and they get deviates.

Swamigal said, ''Please do not worry! But this boy has to perform a parikara. He can serve me through Kanchi Kamakoti Mut forever. Can you accept this parikara?''

The boy felt happy and is parents were mentally free to accept this. They send him to the mut. The boy also studied Vedas, basic education and he served the Guru in many ways. At right time he was asked get into married life and his family dedicated to Guru permanently.

This boy had the great prayed to a Guru like Maha Swamigal in previous birth.

He must have a very deep devotion to a Guru in previous.

He must have prayed that the Guru must direct him and remove the ignorance of materialistic life at very early age.

To undergo this he has the SAL ENERGY to choose parent who is also ready to dedicate their son.

Unless else man's mind cannot get attracted to spiritual life and if we force it will create unwanted issues.

‘’Do no abuse your children’’

Once the couple who were involved in cleaning the Kanchi mut were abusing verbally. This was heard by Maha Swamigal. He called them and said,

''We are very much worried when we do not have children after marriage. For that we do lot of rituals and consider that they are our life's completeness. This is the Vedic family pattern of life.

But we are not enough patience to handle our children in various age levels. We give them good names but call them in most abusive way. Today you both called your daughter as slippers.

Yes even slippers are sacred. Without slipper how can we walk? You know many devotees consider by wooden slipper as sacred. So every object is sacred. But child is very special and they deserve respect and care.

If you abuse your child with negative words, those words have own negative vibrations and they will reflect in their life, which cannot be accepted by us.''

Selfless service brought the Guru.

1950s

Kalmala was very old and she lost her husband and son also.

But she was very courageous enough to face the tough times of her life and she was a very staunch devote of Maha Swamigal from her teen age.

She has been taken to few discourses and darshan whenever Guru came to her area which was quiet enough for her to face the reality of life.

She worked in many ways to face the day to day life.

Out of that many times she has saved Penney to offer Guru dakshina to Maha Swamigal at Kanchpuram.

But some circumstance will make er to give that to others for a selfless help.

But she has never misused her part of Guru dakshinai.

Time traveled and now she is in her late 70s. She is being taken care by her sister's poor son.

In this context she came to know that Maha Swamigal is arriving to her town and she saw people preparing them self to welcome him.

She was very much longing and anxious to perform poojas to her Guru's sacred feet.

But the dakshinai was Rs.100 which is very heavy cash in that time.

When she heard about that she tried to get help from few and she could not get and she just left that idea.

She was just meditating upon Guru and offering her selfless payers and naamavalis at his feet.

Third day after the Guru's arrival....

A post man came and handed over a money order of Rs.100 to Kamalam and said that he could not read out the address as it was not clear.

She was shocked, surprised and through her awareness she realized that her prayers were listened by her Guru.

She just handed over the cash amount at Kama Koti Mut and performed paadha pooja to her Guru saying, ''Lord, everything is yours! Please accept this prayer.''

Guru smiled at her.

Guru's grace gave her money because she was selfless and all times she spends her savings for service. This made Kamalam to perform a paadha pooja finally in her life.

‘’Pray to Periyawa and give away non-vegetarian food’’

Chennai city.

Vimala is a mother to 3 children. The elder one got married and just ignored the mother and family. The middle son is mentally ill person. Very often he beats the mother. The last daughter studied computer diploma and got a job.

She is dreaming for a married life. Vimala is a staunch devote of Maangadu Kamakshi. She is a servant maid in many homes and gain good name. Her husband was a gate keeper in a mall and just 2 years later he died in an accident.

Vimala is very bold and she faced all her challenges with her inner spiritual strength.

After her husband's death she refused to pray to God but we gave explanations and clarified her doubts about devotion.

Her worry about her only girl's wedding made her sick. She again started going to Maangadu temple.

Last Navarathry she was in tears saying that she has prepared everything for the marriage but no one get;s suits with her girl's jathakam.

We advised her to follow 6 weeks Maangadu temple visit on all Sundays and place Maha Periyawa's photo at her pooja corner. Then she was advised to give up non-vegetarian food.

She accepted and continued her devotion to Maha Swamigal and Kamakshi and last week she said that a good family has accepted her daughter for marriage. In January she is conducting the wedding in Maangadu temple.

She says, ‘‘When I pray to Devi and Guru, I got inner strength and with patience I searched for a good a boy''

‘’Ayyappan’s irumudi will cure previous birth’s karma’’

Rahu was a grade 12 student in Kanchipuram town. He was very good in studies and trying for state rank.But suddenly he started getting severe head ache. Slowly the frequency of getting pain increased. His parents gave various treatments and they failed.

It was mid of January. Rahu came to Kanchi mut and stood in line to have the darshan of Swamigal.

His mouth was just chanting Vishnu Sahsranamam.

Slowly his turn came and he just prostrated at the scared feet of the Jagathguru.

Swamigal looked him with his shining eyes.

''Gurudev! I am suffering from a severe head ache for past few months. Slowly I am losing my memory and I am unable to focus in studies. My April I have to attend my school exams.''

Guru, ''Dear son, I am not a medical doctor''

Boy, ''But I understand that you are jagath - Viswa - you knew everything''

Guru, ''I can tell you a treatment but it is hard''

Boy, ''If you say that, it is understood that you will give based on a baktha's strength''

Guru admired his devotion and asked him to carry Ayyappa's irumudi with rice or wheat and walk for 1 mile daily chanting Vishnu Sahasra namam. Daily that grain has to be offered to a temple or a poor family.

The boy performed that medication and he got cured with that pain.

After his exams he came and thanked Maha Swamigal.

Guru says, ''Irumudi makes us to shed the previous birth's karma. This karma is the seed for any happiness and suffering. You Sahasranama syllables have cured the nerves and irumudi's weight also has the secret energy to relax the head nerves.'' 

‘’God will never help us’’

Kanchi Maha Periyawa talks before public in Kumbhakonam in early 60s...

''Every day before we sleep let us sit and list out the actions which we have performed out of our real awareness. Even you can note down in your diary.

First we must see how many mistakes out of ignorance we have done and we must say to the inner self-awareness to help us not to do that again. This is the aim of spiritual practice.

We must try our best to stop sins and performing sins. God's help can be asked only for that.

God as our inner self-awareness will give the strength to face all tough times in life.

This analyzing energy is within us and it is being granted by the supreme truth.

But we all say, ''I have done enough to God and God fails to save me when I did mistakes''

We must be thankful to the supreme truth for making us to get food, sleep, and dress even after committing many mistakes. This is the time given for us to reconstruct our self through awareness.

After committing all mistakes when we all God he will never help anyone''

‘’We must visit and inspect the temples’’ – Kanchi Periyawa

1958, New Year day - Kanchi Maha Swamigal says,

''It is a question now days whether to go to temples daily. Yes we have to go.

In olden days people had their food after hearing to the temple bell which followed the apt time.

We all eat. We need to check whether the Lord in our local temple takes his food through proper rituals.

We need to inspect the cleanliness and perfection in rituals of the temples.

Today in our state idols are wearing the dirtiest cloths.

When public visits the temples and observe the activities, the officials and priests will be aware about their mistakes and duty.

It is our duty to inspect the temples by daily visit.

But today we have forgot many unique duties and just blame each other.

Offering food to poor, porridge to poor, garments, cleaning the temples are various ways of performing public responsibilities.

We must check whether the local temple is being lighted with at least a lamp regularly.

When the local temple glows with a good lamp the locality will become enriched with awareness of life. When there are more hospitals with proper facilities we are very happy. Like that when our temples are maintained properly we will be happy.

We must say prayers just by seeing the temple and inside we have to recite the mantras, shlokas and songs which will make the temple to get enriched with divine energy.''

Offer food to guests at right time…

Once Maha Swamigal gave darshan in Kumbakonam. Among many devotees there was a couple.

Swamigal asked about the boy’s mother’s health.

Daughter in law says, ‘’Swami! My aunt is just suffering from stomach ache for past 15 years. But she never stops her fasting and rituals on all auspicious days.’’

Swamigal asked the boy to make a Vel [Lord Muruga’s spear] from the chain which his mother wears.

The Guru also directed about the size, shape and where it has to be made.

After a week the couple came back with a golden spear and handed over that to Guru.

He just took and placed over his palm and observed for few minutes.

‘’Daily perform milk abishekam to this and do archana with hisbiscus flowers. Ask you aunt to drink and eat few flowers’’

The couple left the mut and followed what Guru said.

Slowly the old lady’s abdomen problem got solved.

Later in an occasion they had darshan of Swamigal.

‘’In previous birth you have not offered food to your guests at right time. That has expressed as this karma phala. But your continues devotion, fasting and rituals has given a chance to cure this.’’

Later they came to know from a Ayurvedic doctor that milk with hibiscus will cure many abdominal problems.