Sri Kanchi Mahanin Padhugai Mahimaigal

By Dr. Shyama Swaminathan

This book came into existence due to the graceful waves of the Kanchi Mahan.

It is only my writings that are making me breathe. I write about lot of stuff. I have been writing for about 10-15 years. However, I never had any resolve to write about Mahaperiva. Didn’t have the courage either. Didn’t have the knowledge either. Didn’t have the bhakthi, like the one that melts like wax, either. Like this, so many things that I don’t have. Yet, in the last few years, it seems Mahaperiva has decided to use me as a tool for writing about Mahaperiva.

How much confidence did Hosur Ganesan mama have on me! He kept driving me and made me write “Kanchi Mahanin Karunai Alaigal”( 100 years of his Life as Peetathipathi of Sri Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam). Ganesan mama, also connected me to Shri Mettur Swamigal, the direct devotee of Mahaperiva. (He was in Sri kanchi Thapovanam in Govindapuram, near Kumbakonam) This Periyava not only provided guidance and complete blessings for writing the book, he also ensured its success by developing it and providing the flow. After the completion of the book, Maha Periyava, happily went and sat down in the hearts of the devotees whom He chose to be the recipients of the book in this world.

For whatever fundamental objective for which the book was written (through my simple tamil alphabets, to dispel the myth that he is ‘Mahaperiva’ for just one caste of people and that true to his title of being a Jagathguru, he is close to the common man), that objective was fully authenticated by Mahaperiva and as if to certify it, one commoner wrote a letter to me which is reproduced in this book.

I told him that I was about to write about Periva’s Padhuka and also asked him to let me know if he knew people with Periyava’s Padhugai. He then dropped a bombshell and completely upset me.

He said “if you want me to be truthful, Periva did not give Padhuka to anyone. Some people in kanchi madam, are calling it as Periva’s Padhuka and giving it to their near and dear. My family has been doing kainkaryam for three generations. As a child, I grew up playing in Periva’s lap. Periva did not give Padhuka for some of the prime devotees (and doled out a few names). Then your wish”. I was like “what is this test for Madurai?” (referring to test to Madurai in Thiruvilayadal Puranam) and was very confused. Then I firmed up my mind thinking that to confuse and then to clear up is all his blessing.

What a surprise? Shri Kanchi Mahan’s Padhuka was there all over this world. A worldwide search was essential. America, Australia, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia - the epitome of grace made the world come to my palm! Some said they got it directly from Paramachcharyar Himself, some said they got it through Periva’s anukka thondars (lieutenants), some said they had it for generations and didn’t know the origins, some strangely said they got it through mail, some said they purchased it and submitted it to Periva and requested Him wear it and bless us.

I pray to the Holy Feet of Periva Himself, that from the moment that you hold this book, which basically holds Periva’s Padhugai, that your life should be prosperous and you should live long.

Periva Saranam!
With love and respect
Dr. Shyama Swaminathan

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pustaka Digital Media
• Release date: May 1, 2020
• ISBN: 6580526105303

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Sri Kanchi Mahanin Padhugai Mahimaigal

(GREATNESS OF SHRI KANCHI MAHAN’S HOLY SANDALS)

Experiences of Shri Kanchi Mahan’s Padhugai Worshipers

Author:

Tamil Original Authored by

Dr. Shyama Swaminathan

Translated in English by

Shri. Baskar Agneeswaran

Edited by

Shri. G.S. Subramanian & Sunitha Ganesan

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Digital/Electronic Copyright © by Pustaka Digital Media Pvt. Ltd.

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All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Table of Contents

DEDICATION

Shri Guru Padhuka Stothram

Foreword

God’s grace and Guru’s grace!

The speciality of Mahan’s Padhuka!

Shri Guru Padhuka Panchakam

Reader’s letter

1. HE is with us in the form of Padhuga!

2. Would feel like Periva Himself is in our house…

3. Holy Feet! Dust of the Holy Feet! Padhuka! Safety!

4. Finger size silver Padhuka and foot size wooden Padhuka

5. Flower Padhuka! Sandalwood Padhuka! Golden Padhuka!

6. Shri Lotus Padhuka!

7. I’ve read this only, you also read this and don’t ask for anything else!

8. Its been said, ‘Worship Guru Padhugai ,even by stealing it!’

9. First person to see me tomorrow, will get my Padhugai !

10. The wonder Padhuka that made a Bhaktha realise that Mahaperiva is manifestation of Ardhanareeswara!

11. The slap given by father! And the Padhuka given by Periva!

12. Maha Padhuka! And New Padhuka!

13. One lakh circumambulations for Mahaperiva Padhuka!

14. Blissful Pushpa Padhugai

15. The Padhuka that acted as a preventive wall!

16.I left it only for you!

17. Padhuka of Kanchi Periva and the Padhuka of Shringeri Periva

18. Panchami! And Anusham!

19. Mahaperiva and Sivan Saar

20. ‘Periva Padhuka that dances in the swing!’

21.For you, I’ve already given

22. ‘Acharyar ordered !’

23. ‘Periyava Padhugai worshipped with white Lotus flowers!’

24. ‘Kanchi Padhukais in Brindavanam!’

25. Little Girl, She wants me to be with her always!

26. The Periva Padhuka Given by Pradosham Mama

27. What will you do with this?

28. ‘The Guru Padhuka that came on its own’

29. What will you do with my Padhuka?

30. ‘The Padhuka given by the Mahan for Sashti’

31.You have something in mind, what is that? Ask!

32. You give me a Horse , I give you my Padhugai!

33. Do you know the story Do you think I’m a stork?

34. ‘Padhuka Periva’

35. He is God who came on his own and saved!

36. Is this enough?

37. Manakkal Narayanan son! Periyava Padhugai, if not for you for whom?

38. ‘The Lotus Feet of the Karunamoorthy!’

39. I am there in your drawings of my picture and my padhugai

40. ‘Sivan Saar and Gold Padhuka!’

41. ‘Lotus flower Padhuka and Children of Veda Patasala !’

42. ‘The Padhuka was given as soon as I asked for it !’

43. ‘Thiruvenkadu Periva and Shri Mahaperiva Chathurveda Gramam’

44. ‘Samrajya Pattabhishekam and Periva’s Padhuka!’

45. I’ll accept whatever you offer!

46. Poovarasu Leaf Padhugai worn by Periyava!

47. Am I going and earning Padhuka even in dreams?

48. Old Sandal Wood Padhugai with Periyav’s Feet Print!

49. Not one, two but four Padhukas!

50. Father’s(Appavin Padhugai) Padhuka!

51. Everyday Flower Padhuka!

52. I have the confidence that you’ll do Pooja for this Padhuka

53. Take it from my feet

54. Powereful medicine called Periva’s Padhuka!

55. There is nothing other than Periva’s Padhuka!

56. ‘Everyone should have the darshan of Periva’s Padhuka’

57. Unexpectedly blessed with Periyva Padhuka!

58. ‘Periva Padhuka blessed by Siruvachur Madhurakali!’

59. The Padhuka for which archana was done with Kashmir Saffron!

60. The Velvet Padhuka that was given to my mother!

61. The Padhuka that Periva Himself desired to give!

62. Unexpectedly blessed with Guru Padhuka!

63. Should definitely give him

64. The small Padhuka that came on its own

65. Kunjitha Paadham and Chitra (drawing) Padhuka

66. Shri Periva Paadha Sthuthi

67. Like how a new born baby would have been handed over…

DEDICATION

To H.H. Shri Mettur Swamigal of Shri Kanchi Thapovanam, Govindhapuram.

Shri Mettur Swamigal was personification of humility, the hall mark of true Jananai and self -effacing to the core. He never allowed anyone to describe Him as a great person or even take photograph of Him. He used to say, EVERTHING IS SHRI MAHAPERIYAVA AND DO NAMASKARAMS TO HIM.

Shri Kanchi Maha Periyava in HIS own words used to mention about HIS ardent devotee and sishya Shri Rajagopalan (Poorvashrama name of Shri Mettur Swamigal) as follows:

I have a sishya by name Rajagopalan. He would not take a drop of water from the mutt until I do my biksha. After resigning from his job as an engineer in mettur chemicals, he gave everything to mutt, and serving me full time. He took great effort to fetch me holy Ganga water from Haridwar.

In the year 1989, Shri Rajagopalan (Mettur Swamigal) along with Shri Thiagarajan (Kuvalaikal Swamigal), was initiated into Sanyasa by Shri Kanchi Maha swami Himself.

On 2-11-2013, the Deepavali day, Mettur Swamigal attained siddhi. HIS athishtanam is at Kanchi shrimutt Maha Swamigal thapovanam, Govindapuram, Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu, India.

*****

Shri Guru Padhuka Stothram

Shri Gurubyo Namaha

This great shloka was written by Adi Shankara. According to the Hindu Dharma, we are supposed to pray to our parents and guru even ahead of god. Praying god before parents and guru would not give the desired results. In this beautiful shloka, Adi Shankara explains the greatness of the Guru Padhuka like a gooseberry in our hands. The meaning of the shloka has been given.

अनंत संसार समुद्र तार नौकायिताभ्यां गुरुभक्तिदाभ्यां।

वैराग्य साम्राज्यद पूजनाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥१॥

The crossing of this endless ocean of samsara is enabled by the boat that is sincere devotion to guru, showing me the way to the valuable domain of renunciation, O dear Guru, I bow to the holy sandals.

कवित्व वाराशि निशाकराभ्यां दौर्भाग्यदावांबुदमालिक्याभ्यां।

दूरीकृतानम्र विपत्तिताभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥२॥

Like a full moon for the ocean of the knowledge, Like down pour of water to put out the fire of misfortunes, Removing the various distresses of those who surrender to them, O,dear Guru, I bow to thy holy sandals.

नता ययोः श्रीपतितां समीयुः कदाचिदप्याशु दरिद्रवर्याः।

मूकाश्च वाचसपतितां हि ताभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥३॥

Those who prostrate to the blessed padukas of their Guru, become possessors of great wealth and overcome the curse of their poverty very quickly. To such padukas my infinite prostrations.

नाली कनी काशपदाहृताभ्यां नानाविमोहादिनिवारिकाभ्यां।

नमज्जनाभीष्टततिब्रदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥४॥

Attracting us to the Lotus feet of our Guru, removing all kinds of desires borne out of ignorance, fulfilling all the desires of the disciple who bows humbly, to such padukas I humbly offer my obeisance

नृपालिमौलि ब्रज रत्न कांति सरिद्विराज्झषकन्यकाभ्यां।

नृपत्वदाभ्यां नतलोकपंक्ते: नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥५॥

Shining like a precious stone adorning the crown of a king, they stand out like a beautiful damsel in a river infested with crocodiles, they raise the devotees to the state of sovereign emperors, to such padukas I humble offer my obeisance.

पापांधकारार्क परंपराभ्यां पापत्रयाहीन्द्र खगेश्वराभ्यां।

जाड्याब्धि संशोषण वाड्वाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥६॥

Shining radiantly like the Sun, effacing the endless darkness of the disciples sins, like an eagle for the snake like three-fold pains of samsara, like a conflagration of fire whose heat dries away the ocean of ignorance, to such supreme padukas of my Gurudev, I humble surrender.

शमादिषट्क प्रदवैभवाभ्यां समाधि दान व्रत दीक्षिताभ्यां।

रमाधवांघ्रि स्थिरभक्तिदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥७॥

They endow us with the glorious six qualities like Shama, they vow to bless the initiated ones with the ability to go into samadhi. Blessing the devotees with permanent devotion for the feet of Lord Vishnu (Ramaadhava). To such divine padukas I offer my prayers.

स्वार्चा पराणामखिलेष्टदाभ्यां स्वाहासहायाक्ष धुरंधराभ्यां।

स्वान्ताच्छ भावप्रदपूजनाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥८॥

Fulfilling all the wishes of the disciples, who are ever available and dedicated for Sewa, Awakening the sincere aspirants to the divine state of self-realization, Again and again prostrate to those Padukas of my Poojya Gurudeva.

कामादिसर्प व्रजगारुडाभ्यां विवेक वैराग्य निधि प्रदाभ्यां।

बोध प्रदाभ्यां दृत मोक्ष दाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥९॥

They are like an eagle for all the serpents of desires, blessing us with the valuable treasure of discrimination and renunciation, granting us the knowledge to get instant liberation from the shackles of the life, My prostrations to those holy padukas of my Guru.

*****

Foreword

सदाशिव समारम्भाम् शंकराचार्य मध्यमाम् ।

अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्ताम् वंदे गुरु परम्पराम् ।।

sadasiva samarambham sankaracarya madhyamam ।

asmad acarya paryantam vande guru paramparam ।।

नारायण समारम्भाम् व्यास शंकर मध्यमाम् ।

अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्ताम् वंदे गुरु परम्पराम् ।।

narayana samarambham vyasa sankara madhyamam ।

asmad acarya paryantam vande guru paramparaam ।।

ध्यान मूलं गुरु मूर्ति , पूजा मूलं गुरु पदम् ।

मन्त्र मूलं गुरु: वाक्यं , मोक्ष मूलं गुरु कृपा ।।

dhyana mulam gururmurti puja mulam guru padam ।

mantra mulam guruhu vakyam moksha mulam guru kripa ।।

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुर्गुरुर्देवो महेश्वर: ।

गुरुस्साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ।।

gururbrahma gururvishnuhu gurudevo maheswarah ।

guru sakshat parabrahma tasmai sri gurave namah ।।

This book came into existence due to the graceful waves of the Kanchi Mahan.

It is only my writings that are making me breathe. I write about lot of stuff. I have been writing for about 10-15 years. However, I never had any resolve to write about Mahaperiva. Didn’t have the courage either. Didn’t have the knowledge either. Didn’t have the bhakthi, like the one that melts like wax, either. Like this, so many things that I don’t have. Yet, in the last few years, it seems Mahaperiva has decided to use me as a tool for writing about Mahaperiva.

How much confidence did Hosur Ganesan mama have on me! He kept driving me and made me write Kanchi Mahanin Karunai Alaigal( 100 years of his Life as Peetathipathi of Sri Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam). Ganesan mama, also connected me to Shri Mettur Swamigal, the direct devotee of Mahaperiva. (He was in Sri kanchi Thapovanam in Govindapuram, near Kumbakonam) This Periyava not only provided guidance and complete blessings for writing the book, he also ensured its success by developing it and providing the flow. After the completion of the book, Maha Periyava, happily went and sat down in the hearts of the devotees whom He chose to be the recipients of the book in this world.

For whatever fundamental objective for which the book was written (through my simple tamil alphabets, to dispel the myth that he is ‘Mahaperiva’ for just one caste of people and that true to his title of being a Jagathguru, he is close to the common man), that objective was fully authenticated by Mahaperiva and as if to certify it, one commoner wrote a letter to me which is reproduced in this book.

After three years, Shri Hosur Ganesan mama, the ardent devotee of Mahaperiva did not leave me. Suddenly one day, in his booming voice, started saying so many things about Periyava and His Padhugai. Conversation with him went like this:

what are you doing now?

As usual writing a book.

Is it about Periyava?

No, mama… some general title

Stop all those writings. Maha periyava wants you to write about His Padhuka, start now.

I did not understand anything and was looking confused.

He spoke fast. Mami, collect the bhaktas who has been blessed with Maha Periyava’s Padhugai and worshiping it generation after generation. Ask them how they got the padhuga from Periyava? It will be very interesting and will turn out as an outstanding book for you.

Oh! Mama, it is too much for me. How can I collect the bhakthas who has Periyava Padhugai?

So easy it is now a days. Why you are worried. See, in another 2 or 3 days you will be flooded with bhakthas details.

How it is possible?

Hosur Ganesan Mama made this possible!

He started a WhatsApp group in the name ‘Guru Padhuka Pravaham.’ And messaged ‘Dr.Shyama is writing a book on Periyava Padhugai mahimaigal. Those who are having, can contact her.’ He gave my mobile number.

As told by him, within a week, my phone was flooded with the details of Padhuga Worshipers!

However, is it not related to Jagatguru’s Padhuka? Is it so easy to get the details of Padhuga? There were challenges!

My pilliyar suzhi (first obeisance to Lord Ganesa before starting to write) happened in Mahaperiva’s Brindavanam in Kanchi mut in Kanchipuram, then I went to Kanchi Kamakshi temple, prayed for the knowledge for doing this, and when I came out of the precincts of the temple, I met a person whom I had very much been introduced to before. He was a person doing kainkaryam for Ambal every day and also a very important person. I told him that I was about to write about Periva’s Padhuka and also asked him to let me know if he knew people with Periyava’s Padhugai. He then dropped a bombshell and completely upset me.

He said if you want me to be truthful, Periva did not give Padhuka to anyone. Some people in kanchi madam, are calling it as Periva’s Padhuka and giving it to their near and dear. My family has been doing kainkaryam for three generations. As a child, I grew up playing in Periva’s lap. Periva did not give Padhuka for some of the prime devotees (and doled out a few names). Then your wish. I was like what is this test for Madurai? (referring to test to Madurai in Thiruvilayadal Puranam) and was very confused. Then I firmed up my mind thinking that to confuse and then to clear up is all his blessing.

What a surprise? Shri Kanchi Mahan’s Padhuka was there all over this world. A worldwide search was essential. America, Australia, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia - the epitome of grace made the world come to my palm! Some said they got it directly from Paramachcharyar Himself, some said they got it through Periva’s anukka thondars (lieutenants), some said they had it for generations and didn’t know the origins, some strangely said they got it through mail, some said they purchased it and submitted it to Periva and requested Him wear it and bless us.

Why should it matter how they got it? Isn’t faith and good culture the foundation for everything? Are we not worshipping lord Ganesha by moulding mud and sometimes turmeric? Are we not turning a vessel upside down and calling it Annamalaiyar? Are we not taking a small round stone to be Shiva lingam and Salagramam? This is the speciality of our Hindu religion. Krishna Paratma has made us realize that in whatever thing you believe that I exist in, I manifest myself in that thing, hasn’t he? The fact that He would be there in a straw as well as the pillar is the magnificence of our Hindu religion!

In the same way, the devotees of Acharya received the Padhuka in many ways, celebrated and did Pooja for that in many different ways, called Him as their relative in different ways, and received His grace in many different ways which surprised me. The extent possible, I had the good fortune of having darshan of Periva’s Padhuka with devotees in Chennai. Even though we were His devotees for generations, we had not received His Padhuka. Even though I had lost the right to ask Periva for His Padhuka, receive it and do Pooja, during the process of writing this book, unexpectedly, I got the Kunjitha Paadham that was garlanding the Feet of Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram and I also got a Chitra Padhuka by Shri L. S Venkatesan, whom Periva Himself had said that ‘He would reside in the painting of Periva and Periva’s Feet drawn by Shri Venkatesan (details inside).’ This is more than sufficient for my life.

I pray to the Holy Feet of Periva Himself, that from the moment that you hold this book, which basically holds Periva’s Padhugai, that your life should be prosperous and you should live long.

Periva Saranam!

With love and respect

Dr. Shyama Swaminathan

Contact details:

Dr Shyama Swaminathan

Ph: (Res) 91-044-24470651

101, Kottur Manor, 4th Main Road Extension

Mob: [phone]

Kotturpuram, Chennai 600085.

E.Mail : [e-mail].

*****

God’s grace and Guru’s grace!

Shri Ganesh Sharma

The bottom most part of a human’s body is the feet. For that reason, we call it adi (adi means feet, it also means bottom). We add the thiru prefix to that and say thiruvadi. The Holy Feet brings in the highest form of prosperity. If we want to get things done from someone, we catch hold of his feet. Vairagya is nothing but being steadfast in holding on to that feet until the work is accomplished.

Instead of catching different human’s feet for each work, we can catch hold of one person’s feet, to accomplish everything. That one person is Almighty. HIS Holy Feet is the only thing that can take us to realization in this worldly life. Those who have grabbed the feet of the Lord, we call them adiyar.

We say that god is personification of grace. The grace comes down through various parts and is fully found in HIS Holy Feet. If we strongly hold the Holy Feet, it not only gives us everything that we desire for, it also removes all the faults in us! For that reason, we glorify the Lord, stating pathitha pavana sharanam. However, it may be difficult for ordinary people like us to understand the concept unless we see it with our eyes and feel it with our hands.

That is the reason why god, the personification of grace, appeared in front of us in the form of a guru. We can easily see that guru saakhaath param brahma (guru is no one but god himself). Ok, what happens if that guru also disappears from our sight? Our Dharma Shastras show us the way in that case. It says that Guru’s Padhuka is equivalent to the Guru’s Holy Feet itself.

Is god’s Holy Feet the same as Guru’s Padhuka? After all, Padhuka is made of wood, which is a non-living thing. Can it have greatness? The answer is that it absolutely has greatness! The reason being, the feet bears the weight of the man, and the padhuka bears the weight of the feet too. Isn’t the Padhuka a living thing that bears the load of the Holy Feet, which in turn, is the personification of the Lord’s grace and love, which actually ebbs, flows and finally stagnates in the Holy Feet?

If we touch electricity, we get a shock. However, if we stand on a wooden plank and touch it, it doesn’t affect us. That wood has so much power. Like that, the God’s Padhuka fully preserves the power of HIS grace. Therefore, a person who is in possession of Guru’s Padhuka and does Pooja for the same, he not only gets Guru’s grace, but also immediately gets god’s grace also. There is no doubt that if we do Pooja to Guru’s Padhuka, we can come out of any kind of problem and attain His grace.

*****

The speciality of Mahan’s Padhuka!

Keeranoor Shri S. Ramamurthy

There is a proverb in tamil adi udhavuvadhu pol annan thambi udhava maattaan. The word adi here denotes the Holy Feet of the Lord and not to beat. In Perumal temples, they usually keep a hat like thing on our head, which is called Sadaari. The top portion of the Sadaari is imprinted with Vishnu’s Holy Feet. The meaning of this is that the Holy Feet of the Lord should touch our head.

The first literature to speak about the Padhuka in detail is the Ramayana. Rama’s brother Bharathan was greatly disappointed to hear the news about Rama going for living in the forest for fourteen years. He realized that his mother Kaikeyi was the reason behind it, and in order to set it right, he goes to the forest along with his uncles and guru.

There he was compelled to return and take the throne since their father died and Ayodhya was without a king. Shri Rama said that there is no greater mantra than father’s words and therefore He (Rama) would return to Ayodhya after living in the forest for full 14 years. He kindly requested Bharathan to rule until He came back. Bharathan accepted it as a temporary arrangement and said that he would keep Rama’s Padhuka in the throne and rule. Bharathan got Rama’s Padhuka in a village called Nandhiyampathi and did Pooja for the same.

Sri Ramar Padham

Pujyashri Vedantadesikan (the founder of the Vadagalai sect within the Vaishnavaite community) wrote about the greatness of Padhuka in his beautiful and magnificent poem Padhuka Sahasram in front of Shri Ranganathar in Srirangam.

This work contains 1008 shlokas spread across 32 chapters and this Acharya wrote Shri Rama’s greatness overnight.

He describes in detail, the greatness of the Padhuka in this work.

He gives more than a thousand examples like Dharma being followed, no child death, no fear of theft etc.

In general, there is a practice of doing Pooja for the Padhuka of Sanyasis. In particular, the greatness of our Mahaperiva’s Padhuka is extraordinary. Everyone might get the thought its just a Padhuka, what can be its greatness?. Highly realized souls, when they live, the Padhuka that they wear creates certain divine waves. Their divinity, attained over many years of penance and thoughts about God, would also be reflected in the Padhuka. When someone gets such Padhuka from them and does Pooja, there is great fruit and divine peace to be attained from that.

Devotees, with fervor and devotion, take these Padhukas to different places and undertake different types of Pooja. It gives me great joy to know that Dr. Shyama, a religious writer, has undertaken the task of compiling the fantastic experiences of such devotees. I pray Mahaperiva for her long life.

Keeranur S Ramamurthy (Ph: 9840756776)

Old No. 3, New No. 7, 12th Street

Thillaiganga Nagar, Nanganallur, Chennai 61

*****

Shri Guru Padhuka Panchakam

Shri Gurubyo Namaha

These five verses were sung by Shri Adhi Shankara Bhagwath Padar, when he saw the Holy Sandals of HIS guru, Shri Govinda Bhagawath Padar for the first time, at the entrance of the ashram in the banks of river Narmada.

(After came to know that This great holy verses of Adi Shankarar was available in the Tanjore Saraswathy Mahal Library, kumbakonam Advaidha Sabha published the same in their publication ‘Bramma Vidhya’)

जगज्जनि-स्तेम-लयालयाभ्यां अगण्य-पुण्योदय-भाविताभ्याम्।

त्रयीशिरोजात-निवेदिताभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्यम्॥१॥

(Jagajjanisthe ma layalayabhyam, Aganya punyodhaya bhavithabhyam,

Thrayee sirojatha nivedithabhyam, Namo nama Guru padukabhyam ) 1

Salutations and salutations to the sandal of the Guru,

Which is the cause creation, upkeep and destruction of all the worlds,

Which can be attained only through limitless amount of good deeds,

And which is being talked about in the Vedas.

विपत्तमस्तोम-विकर्तनाभ्यां विशिष्ट-संपत्ति-विवर्धनाभ्याम्।

नमज्जनाशेष-विशेषदाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम्॥२॥

(Vipathamasthamo vikarthanabhyam, Visishta sampathiha vivardhanabhyam,

Nama janasesha visesham dhabhyam,Namo nama Guru padukabhyam ) 2

Salutations and salutations to the sandal of the Guru,

Which is the sun, which dispels the darkness of dangers,

Which increases more and more invaluable wealth,

And which blesses attainments on people who worship it.

समस्त-दुस्तर्क-कलङ्क-पङ्कापनोदन-प्रौढ-जलाशयाभ्याम्।

निराश्रयाभ्यां निखिलाश्रयाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम्॥३॥

(Samastha dustharka kalanka banga,Panodhana prouda jalashayabhyam,

Nirasrayabhyam nikhilasrayabhyam,Namo nama Guru padukabhyam ) 3

Salutations and salutations to the sandal of the Guru,

Which is the water in the lake that washes and cleans,

The stained knowledge created by false arguments,

Which is not dependent on any other thing,

And which is depended upon by every other thing

तापत्रयादित्य-करार्दितानां छायामयीभ्यां अतिशीतलाभ्याम्।

आपन्न-संरक्षण-दीक्षिताभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम्॥४॥

(Thaprayadhithya kararthithanam,Chayamayeebhyam aathiseethalbhyam,

Aapanna samrakshana deekshithabhyam,Namo nama Guru padukabhyam) 4

Salutations and salutations to the sandal of the Guru,

Which provides shade which is very cool,

To those burnt by the three types of sufferings,

And which has assumed protection of those affected,

By dangers as its primary duty.

यतो गिरोऽप्राप्य धिया समस्ता ह्रिया निवृत्ताः सममेव नित्याः।

ताभ्यामजेशाच्युत-भाविताभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम्॥५॥

(Yatho giro aaprapya diya samastha,Hriya nivrutha samameva nithya,

Thabhyamajesachyutha bhavithabhyam,Namo nama Guru padukabhyam ) 5

Salutations and salutations to the sandal of the Guru,

Which makes all knowledge retreat with shame,

When it tries to logically describe its greatness,

And which is being praised by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

ये पादुका-पञ्चकमादरेण पठन्ति नित्यं प्रयताः प्रभाते।

तेषां गृहे नित्य-निवासशीला श्रीदेशिकेन्द्रस्य कटाक्षलक्ष्मीः॥६॥

Ye paduka panchakamadarena,Padanthi nithyam prayatha prabhathe,

Thesham gruhe nithya nivasa sheela,Sri desikendrasya kadaksha Lakshmi., 6

The king of teachers will live in their houses

And the mother of wealth will grace it with her glance

In the houses of those who read this pentad on sandals,

Daily morning with devotion.

*****

Reader’s letter

(After reading the first book titled ‘Sri Kanchi Mahanin Karunai Alaigal)

Amma (mother), I am a regular reader of the tamil political weekly- Thuglak . I read your review of the book Kanchi Mahanin Karunai Alaigal and I bought the book immediately. I’m giving my deepest thoughts after reading the book in this letter to you.

Amma, I belong to a village in the foothills of Kollimalai in Namakkal district. I’ve studied only upto +2. I’m aged 48. I’ve lost the opportunity