Sringeri Jagathguru Aabhinava Vidya Theertha Maha Swamigal Pahimam
Jambunathan Iyer
Aabhinava Vidya Theertha Maha Swamigal- Few incidence in his life on his Great Concern For Others
Deep concern and presence of Mind
On an occasion, Acharyal had travelled for about an hour from a city towards another when He espied from afar, a partially overturned automobile lying off the road.
Some motorists passed on without even pausing. Acharyal halted His car near the accident spot and rushed to the badly damaged vehicle. He saw a motionless, bloody man trapped within it. In a trice, He discerned that the mishap had occurred only minutes earlier and that the man was unconscious, not dead.
He instructed a responsible employee to proceed speedily in a Math vehicle to arrange for an ambulance.
Having determined that the accident victim could be freed only after uprighting his car, Acharyal laboured, along with those who were with Him, to do the needful. He was then in His forties and His well-exercised muscles were hard and powerful.
Nevertheless, as the vehicle was heavy, He had to put in much effort before it finally stood on its wheels. Acharyal then cautiously examined the wounded man and came to the conclusion that it would be safe to extricate him without waiting for the arrival of an ambulance.
Using an improvised stretcher, Acharyal gently transferred him to a spacious Math vehicle and ordered the driver to proceed smoothly in the direction from which an ambulance was expected. His actions ensured that the accident victim received medical attention at the earliest. The man survived and recovered; he owed his life to Acharyal.
Ready to get involved in Work for social concerns and avoiding publicity
A tree uprooted by a gale fell across a road. Consequently, all vehicles plying on that route were forced to decelerate to a crawl and swerve to beyond the edge of the road in order to get past the obstruction. The car in which Acharyal was traveling had just crossed the tree when He told the Math official at the wheel to stop the vehicle. "If we move on, as many others before us have done, motorists will continue to be put to inconvenience at this spot.
So, we should move the tree to the side of the road", declared Acharyal. In deference to His command, the Math staff in His convoy applied themselves to the task of shifting the tree. Though physically weakened by ill health and age, Acharyal did not remain a spectator. He put His shoulder to the wheel and soon the road was cleared. The good deed done, Acharyal resumed His journey.
Acharyal was once approached by a team of press reporters seeking His opinion on a serious social issue that was shaking the entire country at that time. Acharyal gave His opinion in His usual inimitable way. Impressed by the reply given by His Holiness, the reporters also sought His permission to take a photograph of Him so that they could publish that too along with His statements, in the newpapers.
Acharyal, however, rejected the idea. The reporters tried to convince Him by suggesting that it would benefit thousands of devotees, as they would get the chance to see His photograph in the newspapers but Acharyal was firm.
When they expressed their desire to know the reason for this firm stance of His, Acharyal explained, "You will publish My photograph and it is true that many people will see it. However, someone may throw the newspaper away on the road after reading it and someone else may step on it.
If a devotee of Mine happens to see this, He may feel offended because someone is standing on the photograph of his Guru. This may force him to express his displeasure to that man. This may in turn result in yet another clash and that may grow bigger too. Why create a chance for new problems especially when the country is already being torn apart with meaningless issues?" The reporters were struck by the practicality of Acharyal"s approach.
Timely Action to ensure that all will do the pithrukarma not worrying the cast of doing the same
A certain devotee desired to visit Kashi and Gaya with her children to perform the last rites for her husband. However, being economically challenged, she was apprehensive about the expenditure that such a pilgrimage would entail. She had heard accounts of the priests at these places making unfair demands for money, even emotionally blackmailing the unsuspecting pilgrim, to satisfy their greed. These fears drove her to write a letter to Acharyal seeking His blessings for her wish to be fulfilled.
After reading her letter Acharyal instructed His Personal Assistant to write to the manager of the branch of the Sringeri Math at Kashi informing him of the arrival of the lady with her children on a specific date. The manager was asked to receive them at the station, arrange for their comfortable stay at the Math and also for priests to help them carry out the desired rites.
Not stopping at this, Acharyal also mentioned the details of the rites that they would have to perform as also the fee to be paid to each priest. The manager was specifically instructed to stay with them during the rites and pay the priests. He was also asked to accompany them to Gaya and make all the arrangements there. Once again, Acharyal specified the rites to be performed at Gaya and the fee to be paid to the priests!
After having finished dictating this letter, Acharyal dictated another letter, this time to the lady, informing her of the arrangements made so that her mind would rest assured. Acharyal instructed His secretary to enclose a copy of the original letter for the lady"s use in case of the letter not having reached Kashi on time.
The lady was overjoyed on receiving the letter from Acharyal. All her fears vanished and she started out on the trip. Receiving her and the children at the railway station at Varanasi, the manager of the Sringeri Math there saw to it that, as instructed by Acharyal, they had a comfortable stay at the Math. He played escort throughout the trip and ensured that Acharyal"s instructions were carried out to the letter. As Acharyal had already given all specifications, the priests there were powerless and could not cheat the lady into performing extra rites. Their attempts to extract more money were futile, since the manager was there to take care. The lady was overwhelmed with joy. After completing her trip to Gaya too, she returned to her native place.
She then visited Sringeri carrying with her a pot of Ganges water for Acharyal"s use. Readily accepting her offering, Acharyal made kind enquiries about her trip to Varanasi and Gaya. His Holiness exhibited great joy when the lady expressed her complete satisfaction.
An old lady sold some property belonging to her, and decided to donate the entire proceeds to the Sringeri Math. She thought that this benevolent act of hers would surely please Acharyal. When she went to His Holiness and told Him of her intention, He explained to her that if she were to go ahead with her plan to donate everything to the Math, she would end up with difficulties later, because she would be left with nothing for herself. He advised her to donate a part of it to the Math and to deposit the rest in a bank so that she will get monthly interest on the amount.
The lady followed Acharyal"s instruction. She paid the sum that Acharyal had mentioned, at the Math office, and came back and reported the same to Him. Immediately, Acharyal was concerned about whether she had collected the receipt for the amount paid. When she answered in the negative, Acharyal cautioned her against such carelessness, pointing out that she should always make it a point to get the receipt whenever she makes a payment.
