3.

Sri Sreedhar - Transformed by Deivattin Kural

I was born in Nallangur, a village, ten kilometers from Tindivanam. Maha Periyavas
father, Sri Subramaniya Sastri who was Inspector of Schools, was a good friend of my
grandfather. He visited our village and was hosted by my grandfather. During one of his
visits he told my grandfather, it seems, Look here Krishnaswami, all this property, this land,
wealth everything is impermanent. It will all be gone one day without a trace. Only one thing
endures, knowledge! So why dont you build a school? I will help you with all the
formalities. We heard about this often from my father.
In 1903 the Primary school was started and in 1905 it was recognized. It was the first
school to be recognized in the district. After my grandfathers time my father looked after
the school. One day my father received a letter from the Inspector of Schools that it was to be
handed over to the Panchayat Board. Complaints about several schools run by private
management had been submitted and as a revamping measure all the schools were to be taken
over by the local administration. My father was very upset. So he decided to submit the
matter to Periyava. I was then twelve years old. He took me along with him. Periyava was
then in Kanchipuram. Periyava listened to my father and said, Hand over the school in
writing to the Government authorities. Nothing untoward will happen. When we were
travelling back by bus, my father said, I will do as Periyava says and did so.

Sometime passed. One day my father received a letter. He jumped with joy when he read
it. The letter stated that the Nallangur Primary School which was run by a private
management from the days of its founder and now by his son, had not evoked a single
complaint against it. The order had come from the District Education Officer. My father was
so elated, he started at once for Periyavas darsan, taking me along with him.

Periyava was then in Tenampakkam.

My father prostrated to Periyava.

After the

preliminary enquiries, Periyava asked my father Sivan Sirs father1 has been a visitor at your
house. He has eaten there, hasnt he?
My father said Yes, we remember this with pride.

Sri Subramania Sastri, father of Sri Periyava in his pre-monastic days; hence referred to as Sivan Sir
Periyavas younger brothers father.

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In the Presence of the Divine

What is it? asked Periyava and after listening to my father and said, So Kamakshi seems
to have taken matters into hand and done this!
My father said to Periyava with tears in his eyes, I did not understand what Periyava meant
when he said Give it away in writing. Nothing untoward will happen. Only now do I see
the truth of Periyavas words.
Later we lived at Chetupattu, in Arcot. I had the opportunity of having Periyavas
darsan several times. I was fortunate to grow up in an atmosphere where Periyava was at
centre of life itself. His word was final in all matters, personal, familial and other. Later I
came to Chennai in 1972. My cousin Chandrasekhar was here in Chennai. I stayed at
Yogashram, of Yogi Shuddhananda Bharati. This was my entry into life in Madras and I
must say that it was by the Gurus grace that I started thus. In 1979 I married and settled
down to a blessed life. In those days I had the opportunity to read Deivattin Kural.2 Periyava
says that that performing the last rites of orphan who is deceased is one of the most
meritorious deeds. It is equal to performing an Aswamedha yaga.3 Periyava says that this
body has housed the Lord. When the soul departs, the body must be respectfully returned to
the five elements which have constituted it. Some people dispose of the dead like getting rid
of rubbish. The corpse must be buried or cremated and honoured with the last rites prescribed
by the religion of the dead person.

Periyava says that this divine service was being

performed very well by the Jivatma Kainkarya Sabha in Kumbhakonam. He appeals to all to

Seven volume collection of this title, comprising Periyavas discourses spanning most of his lifetime. Parts
concerning Vedic Dharma is translated as Hindu Dharma. The full collection is translated as Voice of God
(vols1-7).
3

Horse sacrifice of yore; Periyava identified the performance of last rites to the dead such as burial or cremation
as per the tradition of the dead person, equal to this sacrifice in these times.
a) Last rites to the dead is known as the Final Sacrifice or antyeshti. See pages 373 and 632 of Hindu
Dharma to read Periyavas explanation.
b) For Periyavas message on the greatness of service to the corpse and service of last rites to the dead see
Section 4 of Vol III of Devattin Kural for Tamil and Section 4 of Vol III Voice of God.
c) Also access Can all of us do Asvamedha yaga? Publication No. 42 of the Veda Dharama Sastra
paripala Sabha (Regd.)Kumbhakonam, for the manifesto extolling service to the orphaned dead as
envisioned and initiated by Periyava (published in the 40s)
http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/articles/CAN%20ALL%20OF%20US%20DO%20ASVAMEDHA
%20YAGA.html
d) For the above manifestos Tamil version refer:
http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/old_tamil/aswamedayagam.pdf
e) On 5-2-1946, Periyava instructed Mudradhikaris of the Sri Matha, through a Sri Mukha, to perform
Jivatma Kainkarya, i.e. this service as a bounden act of Dharma; again in 1952, Periyava named it
Anatha Pretha Kainkarya Trust.

3
Volume II Article No 3 / S.Sreedhar Transfromed by Deivattin Kural

come forward to perform this service. Periyava elaborated this in the section entitled Pretha
Kadan or Debt to the Dead.
When I read this passage the words entered my very being and it seemed as if the words were
addressed particularly to me. I was inspired to take up this service.
I went to Periyava who was then camping in Kanchipuram.
I wish to perform anatha preta kainkarya4. I seek Periyavas blessings.
Periyava lifted his left hand, blessed me and said You may take up this service. You shall
live a blessed life.
I returned to Madras with Periyavas blessings. I did not know how to go about it,
what one ought to do and what legalities were involved. Where was I to go for the corpses of
orphans? I went to Vishranti, the home for aged destitute women to meet Savithriamma,
Savithri Vaithi. The office there informed me that an old lady had died and that Amma had
gone to cremate the dead person. I sought more information and learnt that Amma would
herself perform this service whenever a destitute person in the home passed away. I waited
till she got back and told her that I had read Deivattin Kural and inspired by Periyavas words
I had decided to serve this noble cause. I also told her that I had only then returned from
Kanchipuram with his blessings. From then on I joined her in this service whenever an old
lady died at the home.
In course of time I began to work independently. Till date - November 2012 - I have
cremated or buried one thousand one hundred and sixteen orphan-corpses. Inmates in old age
or destitute homes give a written statement to the authorities that they have no relatives. And
that the authorities of the home may attend to their last rites. As far as unclaimed bodies
from Government hospitals are concerned, all the formalities are completed by them and the
body is handed over to us legally. If the corpse is that of an inmate from a place like
Vishranti, then I give it a traditional cremation. This would cost about Rs1500/- if done
independently. If electric cremation is done, the cremation alone costs about Rs 600/- per
individual. Mass burials are less expensive. I follow Periyavas words. Periyava says that
the body of the individual must be given a burial or cremation in accordance with the
individuals faith. In the case of corpses of Christians or Muslims, when they get the

Lit.service to the orphaned dead, cremation or burial

4
In the Presence of the Divine

information, they come to us and say Please hand it over to us . . . we will do it our way
and we simply hand over the body to them.
It is generally held that we must not go to the cremation ground when ones parents
are alive. Twenty eight years ago when I started this service, my parents were both alive.
They were happy and they blessed me.

My father said someone who did not have a

discerning frame of mind has floated this superstition.

In any case I shall depart one day or another. If you wait till then to do this noble service,
time will be lost. Go ahead!
I had their full support and blessings. Later after I got married, I got the same support from
my wife. Of course I came in for a lot of criticism from relatives from my wifes side. They
remarked What is this? All the time like a grave-digger moving around in the hearse with
corpses!
My wife did not get upset and react. She explained to her relatives that what I was doing
was a great service. Now my children are of great support to this cause. If I am out of town
on work, and there is a call, either my elder or younger son take it up and step into my shoes.
Either of them would take the van and do the honours to the orphaned dead. We have never,
by Periyavas grace, run short of funds. It keeps coming in. State Bank has donated a van to
us.
So far I have worked in three or four companies. Now I am in India Infoline, which
has its Head Office in Mumbai. I am Vice President, Operations, of their Chennai branch.
As soon as I get a call I go straight from my office to do the necessary work. I have never
met with any difficulties in this office or in the others served earlier. As far as my
professional life is concerned, I have had no difficulties. It is all by Periyavas grace.
A lot of credit goes to my wife. I once got back home after cremating an orphaned
old lady. I bathed, dressed, got ready and left for office. No sooner did I reach the office I
received another phone call informing me of yet another such death. I had to attend to it at
once. In such instances my wife takes on the responsibility of the practical side of things, so
that I manage my office and these commitments without anxiety. As far as I am concerned,
Periyava has taken full charge of my life, my personal and professional life, the professional
placements of my sons, everything. I had a friend, an Auditor-Banker, Suriyanarayana. We
called him Suri, he is no more. He would say, Sreedhara, you have taken one dictum of

5
Volume II Article No 3 / S.Sreedhar Transfromed by Deivattin Kural

truth given by Periyava in your life, he in turn his taken over the whole of your life. This is
the truth.
Sometimes I have been through some moving experiences serving this cause. Once
an old man from a home was ill and was admitted at Kalyan Clinic, Adyar, where
Dr.Krishnamurthy was kind enough to treat him free of cost. The nurse would take care of
the old man during the day and at night I would stay in with him. He told me that he desired
to see his daughter once before he died. So I took her address - she was in Perungudi and I
went there. I told her about the fathers condition and wish. She had married a gentleman of
another religion and for this reason her father had disowned her. I spoke to her softly and
attempted to impress upon her the urgency of the situation and the need for her to forget the
bitterness of the past. She was reluctant. Meanwhile her husband stepped in, abused me
vehemently and threatened to throw me out by the force. My friend who had accompanied me
and I came out.
My friend said, They used such insulting language. How is it that you did not react at all?
I could only quote Periyava words, Once you resolve to serve a common cause and do good
to the world, you must remain unmoved by praise and blame.
When I returned to the hospital that the old man asked me eagerly if his daughter was
coming. I said, The door was locked. I have left a message with the neighbors. She seems
to have gone out of town. They will give her the news the moment she returns.
I lied. I could not help it, but I could not speak a truth that would hurt a dying old man in his
last moments. That night he passed away he had died without knowing of his daughters
response.It seemed the kindest thing to do then.
In another instance, an old lady in her death-bed wished to see her son. When I met
him and requested him to come back with me to see his mother, he said, I have not seen her
when she was alive. Why must I come now?
I came back with the feeling that it was good that such a son did not see his mother.
Elders in destitute homes, many of them, do have legal heirs. But very often these
children do not come to see their parents at all. At times after the cremation or death is over,
when relatives learn of it - may be from an advertisement in the papers - they contact us.
Then we take them to the place of burial where they perform rites according to their tradition,
for their satisfaction. A group of like-minded friends, all of them in responsible positions
have got together with me and we have started a public trust, Anatha Pretha Kainkarya

6
In the Presence of the Divine

Trust.5 Savithriamma is the Executive Chairman of the Trust and several others, all holding
responsible positions are Trustees. None of my family is a member of the Trust. Once a year,
or as often as we can, my wife and I go to Gaya and offer oblations for those cremated by us.
We carry the list and read out all the names and offer oblations to these persons.6 For those
from homes, the names are available and I read out the names. Where names are not known, I
simply pronounce the number of people buried or cremated and pray for their salvation. I am
very happy to have had this opportunity to speak of this great cause put forth by Periyava and
more particularly about Periyavas immense grace upon this service. It is all by Periyavas
grace.
(This narrative is followed by a video presentation of service to the orphaned dead.)

For details see: http://www.dharmaa.org/html/firstpage.htm

Offering oblations to the dead at Gaya is held as a final honour and duty done to the departed, completing the
last rites.