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Sage of Kanchi
 My
next visit was my most hilarious experience at Shankara Math. This
time our visit was best organised and I was escorting a VIP guest of
the government who wanted to have a darshan of the sage. I suppose
on that occasion somebody had informed him that I was a civil
servant of Tamil Nadu Government and I was originally from Kashmir.
Instantly, he started behaving like the Chairman of Public Service
Commission and asked me if I knew 'Tamil' well. In order to maintain
the reputation of the officials of Tamil Nadu Cadre I claimed that I
knew Tamil quite well.
Immediately he whispered something to one of his
assistants who ran inside and returned promptly with a tray full of
Banana fruits. Paramacharya pointed to the tray and asked me to
identify the fruit. I thought God! This was damn easy and said 'Pazham'
(Banana) he said, yes, but what Pazham. It was a bunch of green
bananas, so I said Pachai Vazhaipazham. Before I could breath a sigh
of relief, another tray of Bananas was placed before me for
identification. I saw it and said 'Rastali Pazham'. Then came
another tray and I said 'Malaivazhai Pazham'. Within a moment
another tray arrived and luckily I recognised the fruits and said 'Poovam
Pazham'.
 By this time realisation had dawned on me that I
was in deepest trouble and I could not possibly name all the exotic
varieties of Bananas grown on this earth. ore trays of Bananas kept
coming, and nobody wanted me to lose. Taking advantage of his
hearing difficulty, they started actively assisting me and giving me
clues. After half an hour of treacherous but hilarious examination
he declared me successful in my Tamil test and perhaps fit to work
in Tamil Nadu. I don't know what might have happened if he would
have declared me otherwise. The whole crowd, which participated in
this humorous exercise felt blessed, since it is not always that
Paramacharya exposes his great sense of humour so readily and so
fully.
When problems began in Kashmir and Hindus started
migrating from the valley, Paramacharya was quite distressed. He
sent word through Swami Jayendra Saraswathi that all Kashmiri
families in Madras must visit Shankara Math on the following Sunday.
Many local families had by this time received several migrant
relatives when no one seemed to be taking much note of these people.
The message from Paramacharya was like a ray of hope.
 I went along with these people. Paramacharya sat
with us for a long time, silently understanding and sharing the
grief and misery. He consoled each one of us. I was myself utterly
inconsolable about the unthinkable events in the valley, so I
completely broke down and started crying. Since Paramacharya does
not speak much, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi conveyed his message.
Upheavals are part of human history. These things happen, worse
could have happened. Human beings have been saved; the honour of the
women has been saved. Wealth will come and go. Take this in stride.
Be like Sindhis. They are all around the world; they are richest and
most successful. Be like them. They did so well. You will also do
well, come out of this defeat and work hard. I am with you. I only
called you here to tell you that I am with you. My doors are always
open to you.
These words were a source of strength to all
these families who were immensely worried about their near and dear
ones, their homes, their lands and their properties. The experience
of sharing the inner grief, washing away the depression and shedding
the sorrow with Paramacharya was like being born again. Not many
migrants from Kashmir have come as far as Madras, but those who did
were able to help themselves with the divine blessings of
Paramacharya.
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