Arunachalam Pathangi Press Periyava Kainakaryam

The Sanskrit College lecture of Periyava in the 1950s transformed his life and he came to perform Kainkaryam at Periyava's feet for decades 

In December 2020, this section had featured a story on a Nonagenarian who had run a devotional printing press and had served as an archaka for decades at the Mylapore Srinivasa Perumal temple (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/12/t-srinivasachariar-raghava-simham-press.html). Earlier in 2020, this section had featured a story on Periyava's Mylapore trip in the 1950s (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/03/periyava-mylapore-kapali-1957.html). This story is about another Nonagenarian whose cycling trip from Central Station to Sanskrit college in the 1950s proved transformational. 

A native of Mahendravadi, North Arcot, M.S. Arunachalam did his schooling at The Hindu High School Thiruvallikeni. Soon after his SSLC, he joined the Chennai Central unit of Higginbotham's, where he went on to become a manager. When he was informed about Periyava's presence at the Sanskrit College, he decided to cycle his way to Mylapore from Chennai Central  in the mid 1950s. He was not yet 30 at that time and his decision to go to Mylapore  instead of his home on Mount Road near Paragon theatre that late evening transformed his life. 

Now aged 97, he still fondly remembers that transformational night and recalls to this writer at his home in Rangarajapuram (Madras) that phase in his life “It was my first real experience of Periyava. He spoke about the importance of taking the mind away from financial desires and detachment from materialistic life.  It was such an inspirational moment that I instantly became his disciple and wanted to spend the rest of my life at his feet.”

In 1957, he moved to West Mambalam and came into contact with his neighbour Srivatsa Somadeva Sharma, an ardent devotee of Periyava “He took me to Periyava and introduced me as one who was interested to perform Kainkaryam. Periyava received 1000s of letters from devotees requesting for a copy of the book he had just brought out. I was completely thrilled when he assigned me the task of delivering the books to those devotees.”

Impressed with his meticulous approach, Periyava assigned him the Kainkaryam of handing out books brought out on festive occasions round the year “Periyava received huge number of post cards around festivals such as Vinayaka Chaturthi, Rama Navami and Krishna Jayanthi. Each time, he gave me the opportunity to hand out the special books to the devotees.”

The inhabitants in various jails used to send hand written letters to Periyava expressing repent over their inappropriate actions and requesting him for books that could give them peace of mind during their stint at the jail. Periyava assigned the task of sending these books too to Arunachalam. He would personally send scores of books including Thiruvachakam and Bhagavath Gita every month to different jails in TN. This helped in their positive transformation and they came back to lead a new life.

Arunachalam looks back at another big moment in his life when he had the privilege of an exclusive one hour walk with Periyava to the river bank in TADA "When Periyava visited TADA over six decades ago, he asked me to accompany him on his morning bath. We were to walk almosta kilometer to the river bank. During the walk, he presented the entire Ramayana story as narrated by Hanuman to Sita. I was not aware of this at that time and it was an enthralling experience to listen to Periyava presenting these sacred verses."

Periyava directed him to start a printing press that would print devotional books and spread the message of dharma among devotees across the country. He resigned from Higginbotham's in the 1970s and started Pathangi and Surabi Press and printed devotional books there. Later he also had a tie up with Bhavan's in Mylapore near the Kapaleeswarar temple and ran the Bhavani Book store for a few years.

By the 1980s, Periyava had begun to trust him fully as one who would perform his kainkaryam with sincerity. Arunachalam gathered courage and asked Periyava if he could come to Kanchi and perform every day service. “I was delighted when he acceded to my request and I moved full time to Kanchi in 1985 and performed daily service for close to three decades till I was into my mid 80s.”

Arunachalam took care of the work at the Patshala, Old Age Home and Hospital in addition to the work relating to the books. He looks back at the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s as a great time in his life “The Mutt was very vibrant and there were devotees in several hundreds visiting the mutt every day. Periyava would ask me if I took great care of each one of them. Pradosham occasions were packed with devotees. Periyava would identify each devotee personally – such was his power - and enquire about them.”

Arunachalam also made trips to Andhra Pradesh and narrates another unforgettable moment “During Periyava’s stay at Rajamundary, he called for me one late evening at 10pm. He had received a telegram that one of his disciples in Madras was unwell and he asked me to leave that same night to deliver prasadam to that devotee. I considered it a great blessing that Periyava trusted me in following his instructions the way he wanted.”

On the occasion of Maasi Magam, Periyava assigned him the task of distributing 20000 copies of the booklet containing the significance of the Magam “I reached Kumbakonam at 1am and began distributing the booklet at the entrance of the Maha Magam tank from 5am on the morning of Maha Magam. I never dreamt that I would come to be Periyava’s ‘chosen one’ for such a sacred kainkaryam. He wanted devotees to be educated on the importance of the Maha Magam.”

On another occasion, when Periyava had had an eye operation, he called on Arunachalam to take some notes.  Arunachalam was stunned listening to Periyava's fluency in English “His English proficiency took me completely by surprise. He narrated 16pages of notes in English on Adi Sankara and Thirukural paying minute attention to the right choice of the English word. It was yet another great experience to take notes for a book in English and was completely taken aback at his grasp of the English language.”

After his first visit to the Sanskrit College in the mid 1950s to listen to Periyava’s lecture, service at Periyava’s feet came to be the way of Arunachalam's life. He was at peace with himself performing this kainkaryam for decades at the Mutt. He was also assigned the task of visiting the shrines where Adi Sankara’s idol had been installed across the country. When he was working at Higginbotham's selling wide ranging books, he did not visualize that in the second half of his life, he would be the chosen one to be printing and distributing  several thousands of sacred books to devotees across the country. 

At 97, Arunachalam continues to perform Sandhya Vandanam and daily Thiru Aradhanam at his home as instructed by Periyava and counts being assigned daily kainkaryam by Periyava as the greatest blessing of this life.

Another Corporate to Kainkaryam story: https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/07/kapali-v-ramkumar-world-bank-to-sanyasam.html