5. Second tour of the Mahaswamiji

For two years after this, the Mahaswamiji stayed at Sringeri, studying the sacred scriptures and teaching disciples who came to him for instruction in Vedanta and worshipping daily his own Guru and Sri Chandramoulishwara. It was a quiet life divided between self-improvement and instruction, after the time required for meditation and Puja. It was a life after his own heart. But his mission was not to do what was most congenial to his temperament, but to go about preaching the truths of Vedic-Dharma to the vast multitude of people who owed allegiance to the Math. So he resolved once again to go on a tour to those parts of South India which he had visited with his Guru when he was quite young and all preparations were made for the purpose of carrying out this tour.

In accordance with the usual practice, the proposed tour was intimated to His Highness, Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar. By the blessings and the grace of the Guru and Sri Chamundeshwari, the patron Goddess of the royal family, His Highness, the Maharaja, had been blessed with children and the royal family was a happy sight to see like the Gokula of Nanda. The Maharaja was anxious that the Mahaswamiji should see with his own eyes the happiness in the royal family and give his blessings. It is at this point in time that the Maharaja received with great pleasure, the communication from the Math regarding the Guru’s tour. He replied stating that it would give him utmost pleasure if the Guru would be pleased to perform Vyasa-Puja and Chaturmasya-Sankalpa for that year in Mysore and give his blessings to His Highness and the royal family before setting out on his further tours. The Maharaja also added that the Dewan had been requested to render all such help as was required from the Mysore government and to arrange for all such assistance as may be required from the British Government in British territories.

On Friday, the fifth of the dark half of Jyeshtha, in the year Khara S.S. 1814 (1891 C.E), the Mahaswamiji left Sringeri with his retinue and proceeded to Kigga, the ancient hermitage of Rishyashringa Maharshi and encamped in that place. The next morning, after performing the worship of Rishyashringeshwara and receiving His blessings, he left Kigga and travelling through Chickmaglur, Belur and Hassan, he reached Mysore on Friday, the second of the bright half of Ashada. The Maharaja received the Guru with all honours in accordance with the established custom and after performing the Dhuli-Pada-Puja, presented his children to the Mahaswamiji and obtained his blessings. The Mahaswamiji was filled with joy at beholding the love and devotion of the Maharaja and the happy royal family and said to the Maharaja – “By the blessings of our great Guru, your Highness has now attained complete living; for it is stated in the Vedas, “through children a man’s life becomes complete”. He then blessed the Maharaja and, leaving the palace, proceeded to encamp in the chatram (guest house) of Nanjaraya Bahadur which had been reserved for his accommodation. Here, he performed the Chaturmasya-Sankalpa and Vyasa-Puja as well as the worship of Sri Sharada and participated in other festivities of Dasara season. All the expenses of the Chaturmasya during the two months it lasted were borne by the palace. During the remaining two months of the stay of the Mahaswamiji, the expenses were borne by other disciples. In this manner, the Guru remained in Mysore for a period of four months and thanks to the charitable distribution of food for all classes of people during these months, the drought and famine which threatened the country at that time were fortunately averted.

Mysore is one of the principal seats of Vedic learning. After the patronage of the court of Peshwa Baji Rao II was lost, the great pundits of that court found their way to the court of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, and being welcomed by that Maharaja, stayed there permanently. At the time of the Mahaswamiji’s visit to Mysore in the year Khara (1891 C.E), there were Pundits and learned men of the court, who possessed profound knowledge of Tarka, Vyakarana, Veda and Vedanta of the likes of Panditaratna Sitarama Shastri, Panditaratna Kasturirangacharya, Dharmadhikari Rama Shastri, Dharmadhikari

Kumbhakonam Sheshacharya, Sundara Shastri of Pazhamaneri in Tanjore District, Tamugondlu Samacharya, Vibhagam Srikantha Shastri, Narasimha Ganapathi, Dwivedi Subbavadhani and others. A Sanskrit College had been established by the Maharaja and many of the Pundits referred to above were engaged in teaching Vedas and Shastras to their pupils. His Highness Maharaja Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV, the ruler of the State, was firmly imbued with belief in the Vedas and the Shastras. Very much more money was spent than ever before in the cause of Sanskrit learning and the maintenance of learned men.

The learning of these days is not a hundredth or a thousandth part compared with the learning of bygone days either in extent or in depth. Is this the effect of the time sprit? Or is it the will of Ishwara? The time has come where one hesitates to speak of Vedic learning as any learning at all. Even those who have learnt the Vedas and Shastras and have become pundits are forced to regret their folly in having devoted all their lives to such unprofitable learning. They now desire that their children should not follow their example and devote themselves to profitless Vedic learning. The contentment that was in the blood of the Brahmins seems to have fled. From head to foot men are filled with the spirit of restless desire and its mischievous activities. The power of the mantras to exorcise that evil spirit seems to have become blunted. All this must be ascribed to the evil effects of past births by which the present generation is condemned to endure the manifold miseries caused by the tendencies of the present day and to no other cause. Everyone young or old is imbued with a feeling of egotism that he or she is the only wise being in the world, the only one possessing a subtle intellect and capable of exercising the faculty of reasoning and the only savior of the world! We have discarded the ancients who were contented and farseeing men of pure lives, free from all egotism. The Vedas and the Shastras that once occupied an exalted place have been set aside for the use of brainless people. A doubt however arises in the minds of some as to whether the decision of the present day was made after careful enquiry with such intelligence as God has given us or whether it is the result of thoughtlessness and folly.

The philosophy of the modern educated Indians seem to be as follows: - “In the search for happiness the one desire of all mankind, the one and only indispensible means is money. As stated in a verse penned by the famous poet Bhartruhari, “Whoso possesses wealth is the man; he is of noble birth, learned wise and virtuous. He only is eloquent and worthy to be seen. All virtues follow wealth.”

But does this philosophy stand to reason? Is it possible to meet the objections that can be raised against it and to establish the truth of this theory? It is necessary to determine first the meaning of happiness which is sought after and desired by all. For the attainment of happiness determined by this inquiry is wealth, the sole and sufficient means or are there other and more necessary conditions?

Happiness and misery are mental conditions and have no hard and fast material basis; nor are they the same in outward form for all human beings. Real happiness persists through all time – past, present and future -- and is independent of external conditions. Real learning is that which teaches us the means of acquiring such happiness. If we cultivate that learning, the happiness that has deserted us will seek us once more. The evil spirit of desire that has taken possession of us will flee away. We shall then obtain freedom. The human life that has been vouchsafed to us will then be justified. Modern learning, its endeavors and its practices can never be the means for the acquisition of happiness that is truly desirable. There can be no doubt that we have mistaken misery for happiness and are in a state of delusion, and that being unable to see the end of it owing to our confused state of mind, we are engaged in complaints, lamentations and restless activities. Have those which have made their best efforts for the acquisition of wealth reaped benefits and enjoyed happiness commensurate with their efforts? Are those who have accumulated vast wealth satisfied and enjoying happiness unalloyed with misery?

The things that are necessary for true happiness are desirelessness and devotion. If we give up our egotism little by little and cease to despise our ancestors and the works they have written and increase our faith and devotion, our delusions will vanish gradually, our minds will become pure; We shall become fit to seek the knowledge of the nature of happiness and its causes; and we shall be enabled to obtain that happiness that we desire and to shun the misery that we detest. This and no other is the way to accomplish our aim and experience true happiness.

What led us to this dissertation here was our amazement and sorrow at seeing the disastrous decline of the Vedic-way of living and the learning of Sanskrit in spite of all the conveniences and opportunities created for their development by His Highness the Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. God almighty should bestow His grace upon us who are completely deluded and foolish, should teach us faith in the Vedas and the Shastras and should confer on us the inestimable boon of contentment!

The Mahaswamiji tried to stem the tide of inflowing materialism and keep the ancient ideals vividly before the huge crowds of educated Hindus who flocked to his lectures, drawn by his learned eloquence and inspiring personality, but the enthusiasm of the hour was forgotten in the daily scramble for the pelf. The Mahaswamiji did not fail to notice this; but he had a duty and he did it. He was conscious that he had to hold on to his mission bravely.

During the period of the Chaturmasya, in the month of Bhadrapada, an idol of Lord Ganapati, called Sabha Ganapati, was installed and worshipped by the Mahaswamiji according to the established custom of the Math. The Ganapati-Sabha on this occasion was even grander than usual; the Mahaswamiji delivered persuasive lectures on the burning social questions of the day. In the presence of the Lord, every evening, from four o’clock to seven o’clock, the learned men of the Math, the palace and the students of the Sanskrit College who formed the assembly, discussed knotty issues in Tarka (logic), Vyakarana (grammar) and Vedanta (philosophy of the Upanishads) under the guidance of the Mahaswamiji. These discussions between great Punditas vying with each other in their learning and capacity, immersed in an ocean of joy even those who were ignorant of the Shastras. On one occasion, His Highness the Maharaja Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar came to the assembly and was pleased to hear that the Mahaswamiji highly appreciated the learning of the Pundits. The Mahaswamiji, on the request of the Maharaja, spoke in the assembly for two hours on the subject of image worship. He clarified that image-worship was very much in accordance with the Shastras and that through it, one can please Ishwara and obtain His grace. He established this with arguments taken from the Shastras and illustrations from our daily life.

On Wednesday, the third of the bright half of Kartika of the year Khara (1891 C.E), the Mahaswamiji was pleased to visit the Sri Chamarajendra Saraswati Prasada Pathashala at the request of the Palace Controller to install there according to Vedic rites, an image of Lord Ganapati by the name of Vidya Ganapati and in order to confer special virtue on that image, the Mahaswamiji worshipped it with his own hands and blessed all who were present. At about 2 o’clock on the same day, the Maharaja came to the Pathashala and beheld the newly installed Ganapati; he also had an interview with the Mahaswamiji and after receiving Tirtha-Prasada from the Guru, returned to the palace. In the evening, the Mahaswamiji returned to his camp in the Nanjaraya Bahadur Chatram. The Mahaswamiji visited the Sanskrit College once again and spoke eloquently for three hours on Sanskrit education and Dharma in a manner that kept the audience spell-bound. The assemblage consisted of the Maharaja, the Dewan and the other officers of the State as well as the learned men of the court.

For four months, the Mahaswamiji remained in Mysore. By means of private instruction, public teaching and lectures, he eradicated the doubts and difficulties that perplexed the minds of the Maharaja and his people and increased their faith in the Vedas and Shastras and their devotion to God. Thereby, he earned the gratitude of all, young and old. He then proceeded with his tour.

On the morning of Friday, the eleventh of the bright half of Kartika, of the year Khara (1891 C.E), the Mahaswamiji carried out his religious observances in the house of Dewan K. Seshadri Iyer and set out for the palace at about 8 o’clock with all the State honours. Having arrived at the palace, he took leave of the Maharaja and the Royal family, after bestowing on them costly gifts and his blessings by means of fruits and Mantrakshata. From the countenance of the Maharaja, he saw that his departure had caused grief and agitation in the mind of the Maharaja who loved him with heartfelt devotion and who was one of his cherished disciples. He consoled the Maharaja saying, “It is rarely that an object of reverence and love receives our constant thoughts when that object is always near to us; but when it happens to be removed to a distance, our thoughts are constantly turned towards it.” He pacified the Maharaja in this manner and convinced him that he ought not to take his departure so much to heart. He then left the palace and proceeded to a place at some small distance from Mysore on the Nanjangud Road called Chikkayyana-chatra. He encamped there for the night and travelled on the next day to Garalapuri, commonly known as Nanjangud.

This place, situated between the rivers Kapila and Koundini, is famous in the Puranas. It is fourteen miles away from Mysore, the capital of the Mysore Maharajas. Here, Paramashiva is worshipped under the well-known designation, Srikantheshwara, along with his spouse Parvati. It is stated in the Sthala-Purana (story about the sacred place) that Parashurama who had incurred the sin of matricide at the command of his father, set out on a tour and becoming enamored of the beautiful scenery in this place, desired to remain there for some days performing tapas (penance).

He selected a certain place on the banks of the Kapila for his hermitage and as it was overgrown with trees, bushes and creepers, he set about cutting them down with his axe. Suddenly, a stream of blood spurted out from the place which not only covered the axe but drenched his body as well. As he became greatly agitated and was reflecting as to what its cause could be, Paramashiva manifested himself before him in the form of a linga. What should have been the state of the mind of Parashurama, when he realized that he who came there to expiate his sin of matricide had incurred a much greater sin against Shiva! He thereupon attempted to cut-off his own head with his axe; but Shiva, full of mercy, manifested in front of him, stayed his hand and promised protection to Parashurama who was so full of devotion and assured him that he would always wear the mark caused upon his head by the blow of the axe in the form of a crescent moon. He also conferred on the clay soil of the locality, the power of healing wounds and stopping the flow of blood and informed Parashurama that if a temple was built in that place and He was worshipped in it, all sins would be forgiven and His grace would be secured.

If we consider the miraculous things taking place in this place even in this age of the prevalence of Kali, we cannot help believing the above Sthala-Purana. Some years back, a Mohammedan ruler is said to have sent to this place an elephant which was blind in both its eyes with the object of testing the power of this deity, and to have vowed that he would believe in the powers of this deity in case the elephant was cured of blindness in both the eyes within a stipulated time and that otherwise he would demolish the temple. That elephant was made to bathe every day in the Kapila River, and taken twelve times round the temple in Pradakshina (circumambulation) within the outermost enclosure; its eyes were smeared with a paste of clay and the sacred tirtha (water) from the temple. At the end of the stipulated time, the covering of paste was removed and it was seen that the elephant had regained perfect vision in both the eyes.

The Mohammedan ruler who was convinced of the power of the deity was pleased to call the deity Hakim Nanjunda (Doctor Nanjunda)! This story which is current at the present day is only one hundred and twenty five years old. We would not be justified in refusing to believe in a story of such recent date.

The Mahaswamiji entertained great love and devotion towards Srikantheshwara. He remained in Nanjangud for twenty two days and worshipped Srikantheshwara in a variety of ways and prayed devoutly for the welfare and happiness of His Highness, the Maharaja, and the royal family as well as for his innumerable disciples. He then left Nanjangud and travelling through Chamaraj Nagar, Gundlupet, Heggada, Devanakote, Yedatore, Hunsur and Arkalgud, he entered Coorg with the object of reaching Talakaveri, the place where the River Cauvery takes its rise. Many of the indigenous Coorgs are rich and prosperous. The principal temples and chatrams or rest houses are subject to local supervision by the Coorgs and the charities of the country are under good management.

When the Mahaswamiji visited the place, the principal residents of the place welcomed him with great reverence and love. In Mercara and Bhagamandala, the Mahaswamiji was provided with accommodation inside the temples and he and his followers were treated as guests of the temple authorities, while many of the prominent gentlemen of the place visited him with their families and worshipped him, bringing their offerings for Bhiksha and Pada-Puja; the Mahaswamiji greatly appreciated their devotion. The Mahaswamiji remained for three days at Bhagamandala, which is close to the place where the Cauvery takes its rise. He bathed at the source of the Cauvery, worshipped the river with coins of gold. From there, he travelled back to Pashchimavahini near Srirangapatnam and performed the annual Aradhana ceremonies of his Guru there. The Maharaja, Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar, visited the Mahaswamiji here one afternoon quite unexpectedly; he returned to Mysore after spending some time with the Mahaswamiji.

The Mahaswamiji travelled from Pashchimavahini to Mandya and visiting Maddur, Shivasamudram, Kollegal and Chamarajnagar, he descended the Ghats into the Madras Presidency and reached Satyamangalam in the Coimbatore district. There, in the large and beautiful Sringeri Math situated on the banks of the river, he encamped and performed his Chaturmasya-Sankalpa.

From Satyamangalam, he travelled on to Gopichettipalayam and remained there during the days of the Dasara festival. A rich land holder named Shivakkolundu Mudaliar was desirous of installing an image of Lord Sri Subrahmanya in this place, as desired by his father. He desired to have the image installed according to the Vedic rites by the Mahaswamiji and to arrange for its worship in the Vaidika method. Till that time, the common practice in the southern districts was to conduct the consecration and the daily Pujas in the shrines in accordance with Agama methods and not in the Vaidika method. The Mahaswamiji approved of the idea and sent the Math pundits to assist the local Vaidika priests to install the deity according to Vedic rites. After the consecration ceremony was over, the Mahaswamiji visited the temple and in order to confer special sacredness in the shrine, performed his worship and recited mantras.

He then left Gopichettipalayam and travelled on to Erode, Bhavani and other places, remaining in each place for three to fifteen days as desired by his disciples and helped men to purify themselves by beholding the worship of Chandramoulishwara, partaking of Tirtha and Prasada, and by listening to his instructions. In this manner, he was travelling for about a year in these beautiful Agraharams on the banks of the Cauvery.

At a distance of about 15 miles from Tiruchirapalli, on the banks of the akhanda (unbifurcated) Cauvery, there is a village named Ayyampalyam. There was a gentleman named Tandavaraya Pillai, son of Shanmukham Pillai, living in that village. He was a good natured gentleman. His ancestors had acquired extensive and fertile lands on the banks of Cauvery and had thriven by agriculture. It had been ascertained from certain inscriptions on stones that the ancestors of Tandavaraya Pillai had set apart a third of their properties for charity and had willed that the remaining two thirds should be divided among their descendents. The properties that had been set apart for charity were kept under the management of certain members of the family who were maintaining out of the proceeds of these properties, only one charity in the form of feeding Brahmin travelers who came to the village.

By the fruits of his past merits, there arose a desire in Tandavaraya Pillai to devote the whole of the properties set apart, for charitable purposes. As his family members were worshippers of Dandayudhapani Subrahmanya, he desired to build a large temple to that deity, to install an image there and to make suitable provision for the daily and periodical worship and processions; and this desire grew up in him. Learning that the Mahaswamiji had arrived in these parts and was travelling on the banks of the Cauvery blessing his innumerable devotees, Tandavaraya Pillai made up his mind that the hour had come when he could realize his wish. He was an intelligent and far-seeing man. He knew that a temple founded by him could flourish only if it was made acceptable to all castes and that if the Mahaswamiji, who commanded universal respect and had such a pure history, undertook the task of consecrating the temple.

With this object, he invited the Mahaswamiji to make a sojourn in the village. When the Mahaswamiji arrived there, it seemed to Tandavaraya Pillai that his God Dandayudhapani had Himself come there in the form of the Mahaswamiji. As this idea became firmly rooted in his mind, his desire to entrust the task to the Mahaswamiji began to increase. On the next day, Tandavaraya Pillai communicated his wishes to the Mahaswamiji and prayed that the Mahaswamiji may be pleased to lay the foundation stone of the temple with his own happiness-bestowing hands, before proceeding on his pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. He undertook to have the temple completed before the Mahaswamiji returned from his pilgrimage, so that the installation of the deity could also be performed in Mahaswamiji’s presence, when the Mahaswamiji came to Ayyampalyam on his return journey. The Mahaswamiji yielded his consent.

On Friday, the seventh of the bright half of Chaitra, in the year Vijaya, S.S. 1816 (1893 C.E), in Simha-lagna, the Mahaswamiji performed the worship of Sri Sharada and Chandramoulishwara and other Gods and having finished his morning religious duties, proceeded to the place where the temple was to be erected, had the worship of Ganapati and other religious ceremonies duly carried out and laid the foundation stone of the temple. He then conferred Prasada on Tandavaraya Pillai and directed him to complete the erection of the temple before his return journey from Rameshwaram and to also make suitable arrangements for installing in it an image of Vishnu as well as the images of Parvati and Parameshwara. The Mahaswamiji then proceeded southwards.

By this time, the occasion for Chaturmasya-Sankalpa came on. Leaving the Cauvery, he proceeded to the banks of the Amaravati in order to bless his devotees in those parts. He carried out his Chaturmasya-Sankalpa for the year Vijaya, in the village of Kozhumam or Varadarajapuram, near Udumalpet in Coimbatore district and after performing the worship of Sharada and the other worships connected with the Dasara festival in a village called Kadathur, he went on to Palani, a place in the Madurai district, sacred to Subrahmanya.

Palani is one of the most famous places in South India. A great many people come to visit the temple of Dandayudhapani Subrahmanya in this place. It is said that not a day passes without devotees bringing on their shoulders, loads of milk for Abhisheka to Lord Subrahmanya. The Mahaswamiji remained here for some days and worshipped Dandayudhapani and then proceeded onwards to Madurai via Dindigul.

The disciples of Madurai welcomed the Mahaswamiji with great love and reverence. In accordance with established precedents, the Mahaswamiji was accommodated in the Kalyana-Mantapa which forms a portion of the temple of Meenakshi Sundareswara. The Raja of Ramnad of that time, named Raja Bhaskara Sethupathi, a descendent of the ancient Setupathis, came there to visit him. With the object of affording to all the people of Madurai, a chance of seeing the Mahaswamiji, the Sethupathi Raja, took the Mahaswamiji in procession through streets decorated with pandals and festoons. The Mahaswamiji was seated in a golden palanquin decked with flowers. The crowds who had assembled to witness the procession were immense; all people, young and old, beheld the Mahaswamiji with great joy and blessed the Sethupathi Raja who was the means of giving them that happiness.

Learning that the Mahaswamiji was on his way to Rameshwaram, Raja Bhaskara Sethupathi, begged the Mahaswamiji to visit his territories after visiting Rameshwaram and stay in Ramnad, his place of residence, for some time and thereby bless him and his people. The Mahaswamiji accordingly journeyed on to his territories and after halting in several places, reached Rameshwaram on Friday, the fourteenth of the bright half of Vaishakha of the year Jaya, S.S. 1817 (1894 C.E). Here, according to the usual custom, he was accommodated with lodging in the third enclosure of the temple of Ramanatha. From the time of entering the Ramnad territories, the expenses of the Mahaswamiji’s camp were almost fully borne by the Raja of Ramnad. The Mahaswamiji proceeded to Dhanushkoti and after remaining there for three days and distributing charities in abundance, he returned to Rameshwaram.

From time immemorial, Goddess Rajarajeshwari has been worshipped in the palace of the Sethupathis of Ramnad. During the Dasara festival, special worship and processions were conducted by the Sethupathi Bhaskara Raja, with much splendor. On one of the days during Dasara, under the name of ‘Sahasra-Puja’, there was a custom which had descended from very early times, of sacrificing one thousand living creatures to the Goddess.

When the Mahaswamiji heard of this, it occurred to him that he should put a stop to this cruel practice. It was not the habit of the Mahaswamiji to speak out at once of what he thought about on any matter. One day, however, the Raja Bhaskara Sethupathi, came to see the Mahaswamiji and, of his own accord, mooted the subject and said that though he very much desired to put a stop to this practice he had not the courage to interfere with such a long standing custom and that, in case the Mahaswamiji gave him his support, he would stop the cruel custom at once. When Sethupathi Raja himself mooted the subject, the Mahaswamiji rejoiced greatly but as he was not in the habit of making any pronouncement off-hand in any matter, particularly with regard to established customs, he promised to give his answer the next day. That night, he worshipped Sri Sharada and prayed to her for an indication in his dreams as to whether he should or should not stop the custom involving cruelty.

The Mahaswamiji had a dream that night. A woman wearing a soiled garment and holding in one of her hands a drinking vessel and in the other, a broomstick, came before the Mahaswamiji and told him that she was going away. Sometime after, a married lady, wearing beautiful clothes and jewels announced herself as having come to stay. The dream gave great satisfaction to the Mahaswamiji and he determined that he should stop the cruel practice of sacrificing a thousand living creatures and substitute for it, a more humane form of worship.

When the Sethupathi Raja came with great eagerness on the next day to know the Mahaswamiji’s decision, the Mahaswamiji narrated to him his dream of the night and said that he had resolved to stop the cruel practice and had been strengthened in that determination by the Sethupati’s own wishes in this matter. The Mahaswamiji also instructed the Setupati regarding the different fruits of the Vama and Dakshina methods of worship and gave it as his decision that though the Vama method had descended from very early times, that method, which gave inferior results, ought to be abandoned and the Dakshina method, which gave far superior results, ought to be substituted for it. He then established a Srichakra at the shrine concentrating therein the divine power and installed Goddess Rajarajeshwari. The Mahaswamiji himself performed the worship of Goddess Rajarajeshwari and had the temple separated from the palace precincts and enclosed. He persuaded the Setupati to give a grant of land yielding about twelve thousand Rupees every year for the maintenance of the temple and nominated two priests from the Sringeri Math to conduct the worship. By these means, he established the Vedic method of worship at the temple and blessed the Raja and his subjects.

Raja Bhaskara Setupati of Ramanathapura was an enlightened Ruler. His generosity was exemplary. He spent fifteen annas out of every rupee of his income in charity and his income was quite disproportionate to his liberality. On account of this, he was greatly in debt and it did not seem likely at that time that the territories which he had inherited from his ancestors would be transmitted to his descendents. This became known to the Mahaswamiji and as the lineage of the Setupatis was of a very ancient origin, he felt it to be his duty somehow to save the properties from being lost. One day, when the Setupati came to see him, Mahaswamiji said to him “We are greatly pleased with the kind of hospitality and the devotion shown to us since our arrival. Your generosity equals that of Karna portrayed in the Mahabharata and though we do not deem it improper to solicit from a prince of such generosity any boon however great, I solicit from you the free gift of all your territories as Guru-dakshina(offering to the Guru).” The Raja’s delight on hearing these words knew no bounds. The magnanimous Ruler rose immediately and made a declaration that he had offered the whole of the territories to the Mahaswamiji, as desired, and prostrated himself before the Mahaswamiji. The Raja was requested to assemble the officers of the palace and all the prominent persons in a durbar the next day.

The Mahaswamiji proceeded to the durbar with his followers and sent for the young prince to attend the function. In the public assembly, he then declared that his disciple, Raja Bhaskara Setupati, had offered the whole of his territories to him as Guru-dakshina and that he, in his turn, was bestowing the same on Raja Rajeshwara Muthuramalinga Setupati, the son of Raja Bhaskara Setupati. No words can adequately describe the happiness of the people who heard the announcement. They showered praises on the benevolence of the Guru and the wonderful devotion of his disciple. In this manner, the Mahaswamiji saved the territories of the Setupati of Ramanathapura. He only accepted, out of sheer compulsion, the grant of five villages bestowed by the Setupati on the Sringeri Math and earmarked it for the purpose of worshipping Sri Sharada and Chandramoulishwara on behalf of the Rajas of Setupati for the sake of their welfare and prosperity. In return, the Mahaswamiji vouchsafed a crown decked with gems to the Setupati, blessed the Raja and his family and then proceeded on his travels.

In the districts of Madurai and Ramnad there is a class of merchants known as Nattu-kottai Chettiars comprised of highly successful and wealthy traders. These merchants have made it their special duty to bestow monies either separately or in communal co-operation on the ancient forms of charities, such as restoring old and dilapidated temples in southern India, establishing choultries for free feeding in ancient places of pilgrimage and constructing tanks for storing water. They had chosen a holy man from among themselves and made him the Swami of an ancient Math established at a place called Kovilur who, in turn, gave them advices on religious and philosophical matters in their own vernacular. The Nattu-kottai Chettiars sent the Kovilur Swami to the Sringeri Jagadguru with a prayer to the Jagadguru to visit their places, and accordingly, the Mahaswamiji proceeded to visit their towns. He was welcomed with great devotion and worshipped by the Nattu-kottai Chettiars according to their varying degrees of wealth and position. On this occasion, the Chettiars made up their minds to renovate the temple of Sri Sharada in Sringeri and for this purpose, subscribed thirty thousand rupees as lump sum from their community and deposited it with the Kovilur Swami and through him, prayed for the Sringeri Mahaswamiji’s kind permission for the purpose. The Guru was greatly pleased with the devotion of the Chettiars and accorded his permission saying that if such was the will of Ishwara it would be fulfilled.

Wherever the Mahaswamiji stopped, he gave daily lectures on vaidika-Dharma, which was listened to by large crowds with rapt attention; they never failed to create enthusiasm for the teachings of the Scriptures. The lectures were instinctively adapted to the capacity of the audience. When he was touring in the Agraharas on the banks of the Cauvery, where there were still great scholars, the key of his lectures was pitched in literary and often technically advanced style, interlarded with quotations from the scriptures. In places where such subjects could hardly be followed or understood, his exposition of the Vedic-Dharma was pitched in a lower key and the truths were brought home by familiar and telling illustrations, taken from everyday life.

The words, the illustrations and the apt expressions flowed freely in a melodious voice. It was a spontaneous flow welling-up from the heart. All this may be within the reach of practised oratory, though the Mahaswamiji had never practised it. But it was not these that told; it was the personality behind all these that gave an indescribable value to every word he uttered. His very presence was an education. One cannot better describe this trait of the great Mahaswamiji than in the words of the editor of the Mahaswamiji's work ‘Bhaktisudhatarangini’, Sri T.K. Balasubramaniam, one of his sincerest devotees: “No one was ushered into his holy presence who did not go back full of noble resolve to lead thence-forward a purer and a more exalted life. To hear of him was a pleasure. To see him was a privilege! To speak to him was a real blessing and to be granted special interview – Ah! That was the acme of happiness which people coveted most in all earnestness. The magnetic force of his wonderful personality was such that one word, nay one smile or even one look was quite enough to convert even the most indifferent of persons into his most ardent and obedient of disciples.”

While he was at Kovilur, the Raja of Ramnad wired the news that Chamarajendra Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysore had unexpectedly died in Calcutta. This news was a great grief to Mahaswamiji. He sent words of consolation to the royal family. Nearly four years had elapsed since the Mahaswamiji left Sringeri on his pilgrimage to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkoti. The main object of the journey had been fulfilled and the mind of the Mahaswamiji turned towards Sringeri, his abode.

Meanwhile, the Mahaswamiji’s disciples living on the banks of the Tamraparni learnt that it was the intention of the Mahaswamiji to return to Sringeri. Some of the most prominent among them came to Madurai with a request to the Mahaswamiji to accept the invitation of the thousands of his sishyas in that district and bless them with his visit to their places. As the Mahaswamiji was bound to his disciples by love, he could hardly ignore their request and he promised to visit Tirunelveli. He only stipulated that as he could not spare much time to travel in those parts, it would be very convenient if the disciples from all parts of the district could be requested to meet him in Tirunelveli itself to meet him and also behold the worship of Sri Chandramoulishwara.

Accordingly, from Madurai, he entered Tirunelveli district. He halted in several villages on the way to Tirunelveli to bestow blessings on his disciples and encamped at a distance of two miles from Tirunelveli at the Sandhyamantapa on the banks of the River Tamraparni. After performing his religious duties of the morning there, he received several thousands of devotees who had assembled there from all parts of the district and in accordance with their prayers, he ascended the golden palanquin, on the river bank. As soon as the Mahaswamiji sat on the palanquin, a good many number of his disciples gave their shoulders to the palanquin. Such a spectacle was not a common sight. With music and the recitations of the Vedas and the wavings of Mangalarati, all people, young and old, helped to take the procession with great zeal and jubilation. The Mahaswamiji was provided with accommodation in the temple of Salivateshwara (Lord Nellayappa).

His stay for some days in Tirunelveli provided his disciples of that region the golden opportunity of beholding him, hearing his sweet discourses and receiving his blessings. He then started for Bana Tirtha, where the Tamraparni takes its rise. He remained there for three days. As the mountains where the river originates are within the territories of the Zamindar of Singampatti, all the conveniences required for the Mahaswamiji at that place were provided by the Zamindar. At the time of the Mahaswamiji’s visit, the Zamindar was without issue. The Mahaswamiji who was greatly pleased with the devotion and respectful service rendered by the Zamindar conferred on him the title ‘Tirthapati’ and blessed him saying that he would soon become a father. There is an ancient saying, which is as follows:

(What is (spoken of) quickly follows the utterances of the ancient sages.)

No wonder, the blessing of the Mahaswamiji bore fruit soon and the Zamindar became a happy father. The Mahaswamiji travelled for about forty days in Tirunelveli district and then went to Ayyampalyam where a task awaited him which was the installation of the image of Dandayudhapani Subrahmanya.

The Mahaswamiji was astonished at the zealous endeavours of Tandavaraya Pillai which had enabled him to erect a beautiful stone structure for the temple and to have all the arrangements for the installation of the image completed in so short a time after the foundation was laid. The preparatory ceremonies having been performed in accordance with the Vedic injunctions, the installation of the images of Dandayudhapani Subrahmanya, Prasanna Parameswara and Parvati as well as of the image of Lord Srinivasa was duly conducted by the Pundits deputed by the Mahaswamiji on Friday, the tenth of the dark half of chaitra in the year Manmatha S.S. 1818 (1895 C.E). After the installation of the images, the Mahaswamiji came into the temple, consecrated and worshipped the idols and distributed tirtha and Prasada to all the assembled. Since then, that temple has been greatly enlarged by the erection of Mantapas, enclosures and turrets. A large number of ornaments of gold and precious stones have been provided for the Gods. Worships and processions are being carried out regularly.

It has already been stated that the Mahaswamiji was anxious to return to Sringeri. He therefore passed into Salem district and then to Hosur and Anekal. While the Mahaswamiji was in Anekal, he received an invitation from several of his leading disciples in Bangalore requesting him to give them the joy of beholding him, and stating that many years had elapsed since the last visit of a Jagadguru to Bangalore. Although the recent sorrow of bereavement caused by the death of Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar made it hard for the Mahaswamiji to visit Bangalore, he considered it his duty to see the Dewan and other State officers, make enquiries of them and give words of consolation and advice to the members of the royal family. He, therefore, made up his mind to visit Bangalore. K. Sheshadri Iyer, who was then the Dewan of Mysore, having learnt about the Mahaswamiji’s intended visit, caused inquiries to be made as to what honours had been accorded to the late Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji on the occasion of previous last visit to Bangalore during the British Commission days at the request of Sri Krishnaraya Wodeyar III; and having arranged for similar honours on this occasion, received the Mahaswamiji in the most appropriate manner. The Mahaswamiji remained in Bangalore for one week and gave interviews to the Dewan and the principal officers of the State, made enquiries regarding the welfare of the royal family and requested the Dewan to convey to the members of the Royal family such words of consolation and advice as were in keeping with his affection to the late Maharaja. He also gave to all his disciples in Bangalore the happiness of beholding him and his blessings and was contemplating his return to Sringeri through Tumkur.

Meanwhile, Her Highness Sri Kempa Nanjammani Vani Vilasa Sannidhana, the Maharani regent of Mysore, who had taken under her protection the administration of the Mysore state and under her guardianship the young princess of Mysore and was fulfilling her duties with great wisdom, sent an invitation through the Dewan requesting the Mahaswamiji to visit Mysore before his return to Sringeri and give her and the princes, who were plunged in sorrow, the happiness of beholding him and such words of consolation and advice as would serve to assuage their sorrow.

Induced by the Dewan, K Sheshadri Iyer, to undertake the journey to Mysore, the Mahaswamiji left Bangalore and arrived in Mysore on Wednesday the fifth of the dark half of Jyeshta in the year Manmatha of S.S. 1818 (1895 C.E). Both when the Mahaswamiji entered the city and when he came near the palace, his countenance which showed, in general, a quiet genial smile, was overcast with sorrow and this caused perturbation in the minds of all beholders. As soon as he came to the principal gateway of the palace, he beheld the two little princes awaiting his arrival; they seemed to him like divine brothers Rama and Lakshmana, who were separated from their father at a very tender age to protect the sacrificial rites of Vishwamitra. The Mahaswamiji went into the palace, saw the Maharani Regent and the princes and consoled them with the teachings of Dharma in a variety of ways. He then left for his quarters in the Sanskrit College as arranged by the authorities of the Palace.

Later, he gave Mantropadesha to the Maharani Regent and instructed her regarding the performance of Shivapuja and other duties. Leaving Mysore, he travelled through Pashcimavahini and other places and reached Sringeri with his retinue on Saturday, the seventh of the bright half of Ashada in the year Manmatha (1895 C.E).

The Mahaswamiji’s second tour lasted for over four years from 1891 C.E to 1895 C.E. During this tour, a number of gentlemen whom modern education had turned into agnostics, came under the spiritual influence of the Mahaswamiji, received Upadesha from him and began to devote a portion of the day to prayer and thoughts of God.