Thread by @anbezhil12

#MahaPeriyava
It was during the height of summer. Some devotees arrived sweating in the sweltering heat, for Periyava’s darshan. Their eagerness to receive Periyaval’s darshan did not let them mind the fact that they were very thirsty. Periyaval told an attendant to give them

the juice of the #vilva fruits that had come from Kashi. The devotees were delighted beyond measure. Periyaval’s compassion cooled their hearts. At once Periyaval called His attendant who was fanning Him and instructed that he do the same for the visitors. The visitors were

shocked. This is sacrilegious. The fan that is used for Periyava should not be used for us, they said in one voice. We are ordinary folk.
Periyaval said, “It is the Lord who is the soul in every body. As far as the fan is concerned, one body is the same as another.”
The devotees

were delighted to hear this, which sounded like a revelation from the Upanishads. “Now everywhere you have electric fans and fridges. So, we have forgotten how to welcome and serve guests. One must fan the visitor, offer water to drink… we have forgotten all this. Children do

not understand the significance of all this. That is why I told them to serve you some juice and fan you. Watching this at least a few will put our culture into practice. The vilva tree is very sacred. The Vaidya Shastra says that there is gold in the leaves of the vilva tree. If

one receives vilva leaves from Siva-puja every day and eats it as prasada, the body will shine like gold, they say. One must rub the pulp of the vilva fruit upon the head and then bathe. It is so very cooling and does good to the eyes. Now vilva trees have become scarce. Even in

Siva temples, only very old vilva trees can be seen. It is very meritorious to plant a vilva sapling and nurture it. It is most auspicious of trees, Sri Vriksha. It is good even the propagate that growing a vilva tree will increase one’s prosperity.”
Even as Periyava finished

speaking a peasant woman arrived. She too was very tired. Periyaval instructed the attendants to serve vilva juice and buttermilk to her. The sun was scorching outside. But it was a cool shower that was raining in Periyava’s heart. It is so easy for Periyava to make every heart

feel the pleasant chill of an air-conditioner.
Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanam 🙏🏻
Author: SriMatham Balu Mama
Source: Maha Periyaval Darisana Anubhavangal Vol 3
Compiled by Jagadguru Sri Maha Periyava - Kanchi Paramacharya/Fb