VINAITHEER PADHIGAM
By Sri K.Shankaran
Mathioliyai mathi meedhu vaithu,
Gadhiyume nee enrirundhal
Naal nanmaye seiyum !
Kolum tol koduthu kaakum !
Kaalam kaavalaagum !
Ennum ezhuthum edupadiyaai nirkum !
Aindhu boodamum ettu dhikkum
Aiyamindri kattupattu nirkum !
Uyirinamo jada porulo
Uruvam petradho aruvamaanadho
Evaro edhuvo evvinamo
Paadhagam arave neeki kuraivatra
Saadhagame payakkum!
Aimporiyum aimpulanum
Muzhu meiyum muzhu manadum
Muzhu Chittamum muzhu piraviyum
Thadaiatra arogyamum
Kuraiyatra vazhvum
Patrindri petrirukkum
Mathioliyai pattruvadhal!
Moovulagamum muchakthiyum muzhudum thannil
Adakkiya Mathioli arul padhigam idhanai
Mukkaalamume dhyanipavarkku
Ekkalamume bayamindri jayameyaam!
Munvinai, pinvinai, yaavum arupattu
Immayil idaiyara kalippum nalgi
Marumai endra piraviye indri
Aval paadham urudhi siddhikkumeyaam!

VINAITHEER PADHIGAM

INTRODUCTION - LET’S SHARE

Is it not always nice to share the good things and experiences one has gained? With this spirit at the back of my mind, I proceed to share the background behind this verse Vinaitheer Padhigam on our dear Sri Amma / Sri Akka, Mathioli Saraswathy as well as some of the unique experiences I underwent by chanting this verse in testing, rather, grave circumstances.

THE ORIGIN

It was in 1993 Nov. that my father was admitted for a hip surgery. Akka had suggested avoiding the Deepavali day for the surgery but due to unavoidable circumstances the surgery was already underway. I thought that when Akka was with me, what harm, a day or time, could do to me or my father. While this thought was gaining strength there was also a lurking fear. I kept introspecting, and realised that fear is the one word everybody should fear. There are prayers like Kandar Sashti Kavasam, Shanmuga Kavasam etc. chanting of which are prescribed for warding off all fears, evils, diseases, worries, etc. But these are quite long and in the modern day one may not find time to recite them fully. One also feels guilty if he is not able to recite them fully or properly. This thought forced me to attempt to write a few lines in Tamil in meditation of Akka so that one can get over all fears and pray in a few minutes for whatever one can seek in this earth as well as the other world.

While I am capable of writing in normal flawless Tamil, writing a verse in rhymes with the right vocabulary is well beyond my capacity. In spite of this limitation, almost in a trance, I could put together a few lines in rhythmic Tamil. Thus was born in Nov 1993 on the Deepavali day the first version of Mathioli Kavasam, which was renamed by Akka herself as Vinaitheer Padhigam.

SOFT CIRCULATION

The first version consisted of stanzas 1,2 and 4. I showed the verse to Akka. With a warm heart She accepted the verse and said the verse would require some additions to make it complete and blessed that I myself would complete it at some point in time. She also assured that She would soften the sufferings of my father in his last days. This meeting was on 31st Dec 1993 and I immediately returned to Bangalore. During the New Year’s day i.e. 1st Jan 1994 the verse was circulated to a small gathering.

THE REVELATION

I had almost forgotten about this verse till May 1995. During Nadalala Seva Samithi’s 7th Anniversary celebrations, a devotee of Akka met me and told me that she has been chanting Vinaitheer Padhigam and always met with success after chanting the same. She further added that she used to chant Lalitha Sahasranama everyday hurriedly. After getting the copy of the Vinaitheer Padhigam she uses the later more regularly as it is very short and simple as well as easy to understand and that she has been getting the same relief. I was amazed and I checked with Akka. Akka replied that I was just a medium through which powerful words flew and that it was the total faith of the devotee in the verse that brought her the benefits.

THE COMPLETION

In 1997 Mr. Sitaraman of the Bangalore Chapter got admitted into the hospital for a heart ailment. I visited him at the hospital and something told me that I should write something on Akka to enable the speedy recovery of Mr. Sitaraman. I found that the first version of the Padhigam did not adequately cover a prayer for the whole body, mind and intellect. By meditating on Akka I was able to put together a few lines i.e. stanza 3 and within a day Mr. Sitharman recovered and was also discharged. Akka approved of the stanza 3 and blessed that the Padhigam was complete.

THE LONG WAIT

Though the Padhigam was complete in 1997 Akka never gave permission to publicly release the same. When I sought Her permission for releasing the same during the occasion of the Kumbabishekam She replied that the occasion belonged to Lord Nandalala and not to Her. After a few attempts I too did not press. But I did share the Padhigam in private with a few devotees. In the mean time I did gain a few great experiences and I started having more and more faith in the Padhigam. Probably Akka was waiting for my faith to stabilise unwaveringly. On 6th October 2000, the eve of Akka’s 60th birthday celebrations, I requested Akka whether I could read and explain the Padhigam on 7th October 2000, the day of Her Sashtiyabtha Poorthi. I observed that this time there could not be any excuse as the occasion solely belonged to Her. When I made this request, Akka was surrounded by a large crowd but she nodded Her head.

On the 7th there was a very large gathering. Hoards of devotees were waiting in long queues to have Akka’s darshan and blessings. One after the other was also speaking or singing in the public address system. I thought I chose the wrong day and that Akka would not remember my request and even if She provided the opportunity, in the crowd and din I would not be able to do proper justice.

To my surprise when the crowd was thinning Akka called me to the dais and made me sit near Her. Just before the Pada Pooja and Arthi She asked me to briefly explain the Padhigam. As it was already past 1.30 PM She asked me to be brief and finish my speech in less than five minutes. I had to really rush through and I did not have the satisfaction. But I consoled myself that a beginning was made on the auspicious Vijaya Dasami day.

THE REAL LAUNCH

The real launch of the Padhigam in printed form for mass circulation happened in exactly a week after the Vijayasa Dasami day and I did not plan it.

On 8th October 2000 I was to meet Akka in the morning. Akka sent word postponing the same to the evening. In order to spend the morning usefully, I requested a 70-year old friend of mine to join me at the Srinivasa Temple at George Town, Madras. He used to tell me about the significance of this temple and was desirous of taking me to this temple with my family. He was waiting for us at the temple and had made all arrangements. After worshiping Lord Srinivasa, as we were about to reach the Lord Hanuman’s shrine, my friend slipped and fell down. He got up and as the Arthi was being performed he fell flat on his head like an uprooted tree on the hard granite floor. His eyes were frozen and I could not feel his pulse. I just shouted “Krishna” and sprinkled water on him provided by the temple and in my mind I recited “Vinaitheer Padhigam” meditating on Akka. In a few moments he got up and started talking normally. There was no injury, though he fell with a deafening noise, his head hitting the granite floor. Later he told me that he sensed somebody holding his head as he fell down. Whose were those invisible hands holding his head?

The next day I briefed Akka about this incident and my experience of the real efficacy of the Padhigam. I told her that the rhyming words seemed to vibrate well and I felt as if I was chanting Mritunjaya Mantra. After a while Akka observed that it was God’s wish that I should have been with my friend on 8th morning and that it was He who made Akka postpone my meeting with Her scheduled for that morning.

I shared my disappointment with Akka that I could not speak well on the 7th on the Padhigam and that I was looking for another occasion. Akka replied that everything is God’s will and that I should get the Padhigam printed in Tamil as well as have it transliterated in English as, the words and sounds contained in the Padhigam are quite forceful. She suggested that the Padhigam could be released for public at Delhi on the 15th October. It so happened that I had to be in Delhi on that day for an official appointment and Akka permitted me to speak elaborately on the Padhigam, in the public function of the Delhi Chapter of the Samithi.

THE APT LOCATION

The 12th Anniversary of the Samithi was scheduled in Delhi and the first function was the Ganapathi Homa on 15th Oct 2000. The location was at the temple premises of the Shankar Matt. The principal deity in the Temple is Lord Chandra Mouleeshwara (the Lord wearing the moon). The name of the consort is Saraswathy (Sharadha). It is needless to point out that these two names merge into our Akka’s name Mathioli Saraswathy. I was asked to explain the Padhigam just before the Poornahudhi.

THE COMMENTARY

The text of the Vinaitheer Padhigam consisting of four stanzas in Tamil, with a transliteration and translation in English is attached. For a fuller comprehension I proceed to provide a commentary in a little more detail including a narration of one more unforgettable experience I had.

a. ‘Mathioli’ -- the Nama and its significance

‘Mathioli’ means the enlightened and the enlightening - an apt adjective for our Akka. The short meaning of the Gayathri mantra is “ Let us meditate on the light that enlightens the intellect”. In Tamil ‘Mathi’ means the intellect and ‘Oli’ means the light. Thus the name Mathioli personifies the holy Gayathri Herself. Further Lord Shiva wears the moon in his head. The rays from this moon created the temple town of Madurai in South India. Thus the name Mathioli directly relates to Lord Shiva Himself.

The pranava ‘OM’ is phonetically made of the syllables A, U and M. Mathioli also contains these syllables. The pranava for the Sakthi is ‘EEM’. This sound is also contained in the name Mathioli. Thus by pronouncing the name Mathioli we pronounce both the pranavas. It is pertinent to note here that the Panchakshari ‘ Na Ma Si Va Ya’ is said to contain the pranava OM and there is no need to prefix OM to ‘NAMASIVAYA’. Like wise both the Pranavas OM and EEM are self-contained in the nama Mathioli. Mathioli also means ‘tejas’ i.e. the Atma or the Soul.

Akka Herself told the gathering that the significance is to the Nama ‘Mathioli’ and there is no need to attach Her personality to the Nama. The divine efficacy will pour out by just meditating on the Nama itself.

b. Stanza 1

Most of us are always confronted with one fear or the other. We are afraid of inauspicious days (ashtami, navami, the13th number etc); movement of planets or their position in our horoscopes; the role of destiny and fate; fear of travel; fear of death; fear of marriage; fear of boss; fear of workers; fear of poverty; fear of failures; fear of evil spirits; - and one can keep adding many things to this list.

For one who surrenders unto Mathioli and keeps his mind fixed on Her all the time, every day is a good day and every day will bring good only. Planets will shoulder all his responsibilities and stand by him irrespective their benefic or malefic nature. Such a person need not be afraid of even planets like Saturn or Rahu or Ketu generally considered as malefic planets. Every time of the day will be good for him and even the God of Time, Yama will be his security guard. There is nothing called destiny for him as the same will be under his command and his mind will be under his control. As we all know, one who is under control of his mind or impulse is like an animal; but when the mind is under the control of man he becomes divine.

The five elements – water, space, earth, fire and air and the eight directions will undoubtedly be at the service of the one who meditates on Mathioli. I have an interesting experience to narrate here.

c. Proof of the pudding is in its eating

Some time in July 2000 I was on a flight from Bangalore to Bombay. The flight took off at about 8 Am and when reached over the Bombay skies could not land in Bombay due to inclement whether and poor visibility. The plane kept hovering over the Airport almost for an hour waiting for air-traffic clearance. The plane had just 17 minutes of holding fuel and was diverted to Baroda, which was 31 minutes away. It was a somewhat panicky situation, since as many as five aircrafts were diverted to Baroda, a very small airport. The passengers were getting nervous. I wondered whether Vinaitheer Padhigam contained anything relevant for the situation. It struck me that the line, ‘Aindhu Booothamum ettu thikkum aiyamindri kattu pattu nirkum’ was apt for the situation. One of the five elements is air; as also space is another element. Vaayu Bhagawan and Varuna, the rain God are two of the lords of the eight directions. I meditated on Akka by chanting these lines. The pilot actually glided for most part to save fuel and ultimately the flight safely landed at Baroda with just 2 minutes of holding fuel left. I for a moment thought that my chanting was a coincidence. But, probably to prove me wrong the ordeal continued.

It was around 11AM when we landed at Baroda. I did not have breakfast in the morning. There were five aircrafts with almost 500 stranded passengers. As there was insufficient security personnel we were all confined to the aircrafts. I started feeling very hungry. There was no snack or even water left in the aircraft. I realised what hunger could mean and thought about AKKA’s favourite Mathru Seva (poor feeding) scheme. I wondered whether Akka would provide some food to me at that time. After all, the money or credit cards in my purse could not satisfy my hunger. I scrambled through the left over plates and found one unopened small pack of cornflakes and could get some relief from the severity of hunger pangs. At about 3PM some food arrived which could feed only 70% of the passengers. Somehow we all managed to share the food in the order of children, older people and the remaining people including me. The ordeal was far from over.

The flight was cleared for take off to reach Bombay. As we approached Bombay the instrument landing system at the airport went off and the pilot announced that he would follow the manual operating procedure. The weather started becoming very turbulent once again, and the pilot needed at least 800 meters of visibility to make a safe landing or else the aircraft would have to be diverted again. It was pitch dark outside the aircraft with jet-black clouds. This time I became very serious and meditated on the earlier said lines of Vinaitheer Padhigam relentlessly. Within moments the clouds started dissipating and the pilot announced that the visibility had unexpectedly improved to 2 kilometers and landed safely. A co-passenger, a middle aged foreign lady, who was next to me said that she was observing me chanting something intensely and asked whether it was a prayer to God. I replied in the affirmative. She profusely thanked me for the prayer, as she had lost hopes that she would ever survive her first business tour of India. She was insistent that it was only my prayer (we were seated in the first row immediately behind the crew cabin) that brought all the passengers safety.

At the end of this long ordeal from 9AM to 6 PM, the lady’s words made me feel too small. It was me who thought that the first safe landing was a coincidence. When confronted again I relied on the same verse. But a total stranger, who had a different religious faith, just by observing me chanting, was more confident of the relief than I was. It was only after this incident that I persisted with Akka to allow the Padhigam to be made public.

The above incident and the one I had narrated earlier about reviving my friend by chanting the Padhigam are enough proof of this Padhigam as nectar.

d. Stanza 2

Following the first stanza this stanza also relieves fear and confers benefits. To a person who meditates on Mathioli no living being whether human or animal or insect or bacteria or virus will do any harm. On the contrary they will shower flawless benefits and comforts. He will have no enemies and each one will be his best friend and well- wisher. Similar is the case with inanimate objects and intangible beings.

This is the stanza on which I meditated, the day following the release of the Padhigam at Delhi. A matter, which was pending with the Government for almost a year, was cleared during that week with astonishing speed as all the officers whom I met during the week uniformly appreciated the merits of the case and cleared the same.

e. Stanza 3

The human being is a combination of body, mind and intellect. The body is made of five organs and five senses. These have to remain healthy so also the mind and intellect. Further a man requires material possessions and should also be in a position to enjoy the same. At the same time he should be able to remain detached to them just as a drop of water on the lotus leaf (that is, to remain Teflon coated to quote a contemporary example). By meditating on Mathioli one is showered with uninterrupted good health and a well-satisfied life with a sense of absolute fulfillment. This is the stanza I added when Mr. Sitaraman was ill.

f. Stanza 4

This stanza prompted Akka to name this Padhigam as Vinaitheer Padhigam. Once I asked Akka whether She could totally change the fate or destiny of a man. She replied that changing the fate is in the hands of the man and She would not interfere to totally change one’s destiny though She would lessen the bad effects. She indicated that I should find the answer myself. After some time I came across one of Akka’s writings where she mentions, “ Only a human being has a choice. He can act in this world with ego as if he is the doer or he can act by surrendering to God. In the latter case he is able to get relived of all his karmas whether acquired in the previous births or this birth.”

Mathioli is the embodiment of the three worlds as well as the three sakthis, namely Icha Sakthi, Kriya Sakthi and Gnana Sakthi. By chanting this Padhigam thrice a day one achieves success in all his missions. He need not be afraid of the results as defeats get defeated. Such a man gets disentangled from the karmas of the past and present. Since such a person acts as if he is the instrument in the hands of the Almighty no bondage gets attached to him. While enjoying a wholesome blissful life in this birth he avoids rebirth, as he would merge one with Mathioli, the Almighty.

One important aspect of the entire Padhigam is that many of the lines end with the sound AUM i.e. OM, the pranava. In Tamil, anything expressing possibility and optimism is expressed with the sound UM (eg. Nadakkum, Mudiyum, etc.)

CONCLUSION

I thank Akka for choosing me as an instrument in penning this Vinaitheer Padhigam and permitting me to share the same with everybody. Before concluding, I wish to share the faith reposed by several new visitors at Delhi. Soon after the Homa, quite a few of such visitors confided in me that they had come to ask Akka a few queries, but after going through the Padhigam they were convinced that all their queries were answered. They prostrated before Akka and took copies of the Padhigam for their daily use.

K Shankaran,

Bangalore chapter.