For all those who have either participated and/or witnessed debates on the ‘existence of God’ – we present you a powerful dialogue on the same topic between E.V. Ramasamy (an Indian social activist who worked against Brahmanical dominance, caste prevalence and women oppression in India) and Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swami (a freedom fighter, social reformer, the first person to build more than 100 pakka homes for Harizans on his own land, conducted All India Vedic summit, received appreciations from leaders like India Gandhi and Rajendra Prasad, gave moral lessons to prisoners, built anna prasada center in Badarinath, and a pioneer and inspiration in Spiritual world)
E.V. Ramasamy walks along streets of Chennai tearing the pages of Ramayana book and throwing them on the road.
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji (who was not a Jeeyar then, and known by name Srimannarayana) wanted to protest against the act of E.V.Ramasamy
Back then, the Tamil communities did not understand Swamijis mission and intention. So they remained neutral. The great scholar Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annangaracharya too felt that, Pedda Jeeyar Swamy, with origins from Telugu land and less popular, may not be able to counter the Tamil native Ramaswamy who held a strong influence in the province. And hence Annagaracharya too, could not approve of Pedda Jeeyar Swamy’s ways and intentions.
Swamiji gathered 300 supporters from Andhra and chanted Ramayana walking along the same streets. They had to spend nights on pavements of roads. After successfully chanting Ramayana for three days, Tamilians and Telugu speaking communities in Tamil Nadu began to give their support, offered them shelter and joined Him.
HH took sannyasa asram (monkhood) and became a Jeeyar, now known to the nation as Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji!
Swamiji did not feel satisfied with the three-day chanting. He went around the nation chanting Ramayana once every 27 days for 9 full years. The intention was to chant SriRamayana for 108 times. Swamiji built Rama Stupa (a tower signifying the importance of Ramayana and unifying the community) in every location where ‘the 27 days’ chanting was done. The 108th Rama Stupa was built in Tirumala Hills. Each of these sthupas were built by collecting one brick and one rupee from each resident of the area.
Met E.V. Ramasamy and then had the following dialogue with him…
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: My brother, I came to meet you because of we share a common bond…
E.V.Ramasamy: What bond are you talking about? I am an atheist and you are a Jeeyar. There is absolutely no connection or relation between us.
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: I suggest people to write the name of ‘Rama’. You have also been writing it your whole life , and there lies the connection.
E.V.Ramasamy: No way, I have never written the name of Rama!
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: You have been writing the name of Rama every time you put your signature. You are in fact adding “Swami” to it, in the form of “Rama Swami” indicating that you accept him as your owner.
E.V.Ramasamy: (laughs) It does not matter. I don’t believe in God.
E.V.Ramasamy: When I was little, I watched my family worship God so much that they even offered coffee to God before sipping it. One day, I visited a Ganapathi temple. There was cockroach on the deity. I waited to see if Ganapathi would get rid of the cockroach on his body. He didn’t. Then I felt, if he can’t get rid of a cockroach that can be seen through the naked eye, what can he do to get rid of my sins which can’t be seen?
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: (laughs) Do you have children?
E.V.Ramasamy: I am 90 years old, I have grand-children!
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: Do you pamper and love your grand-children more compared to your children? For example, when the little ones come onto your lap with dirty hands or legs, would you push them away and abandon them?
E.V.Ramasamy: No, I don’t abandon them. They are little kids. Whatever they do is sweet and can be accepted because there is no ill intention. It’s all part of their growing up and fun times.
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: You are a human being and hence you are very loving to your grand-child who is also a human being. But, God is the father and source of all beings, including the cockroach. In fact, the cockroach you saw on His body was the great grand child of several other cockroaches in lineage to his first cockroach baby. Imagine God’s love towards that cockroach…
E.V.Ramasamy: Oh! I never knew one can perceive God in this manner. In fact, I was also a devotee once upon a time. I sponsored the golden ornaments for the Deities of temple in Erode! But, I am now known to all my people as atheist. I don’t think it’s possible to change my image now…
Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji: I did not come here to convert you. As a God-brother, I simply wanted to tell you that whatever sin you have acquired by disrespecting Ramayana on the streets of Chennai is now erased. Given you were not to show repentance on your own for this act, I along with hundreds of devotees chanted Ramayana on your behalf 108 times. So, you are free from it. There is nothing we expect in return as far as renumeration, simply we request you to be well.
E.V.Ramasamy: With an uplifted and drenching heart – full of gratitude bows down to Swamiji. E.V. Ramaswamy remained as an atheist to public but they both knew the transformation in his heart towards God.
– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– 1st November 2019, Ekotthara Sahasra Kalasabhishem
Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji launched the English edition of ‘Satya Sankalpa’, a book on Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji’s life history. The title of the book reflects the side of Pedda Jeeyar Swami who had a divine intention, and was able to follow through on these missions good for the world. Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annangaracharya (who once opposed Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji as he chanted Ramayana on the streets of Chennai) gave Swamiji the title ‘Satya Sankalpa’ after watching Swamiji take up numerous activities with an aim to build universal brotherhood and universal well-being through spiritual education and enlightenment.
Ex. CM of Andhra Pradesh, Sriman Chandra Babu Naidu visited asram to pay respects to Swamiji. The book was gifted to him in honour. Several other key players, Ninananda ji, Krishna ji, Sarada ji, and Ramarao ji were all appreciated for all their efforts in the release of the book.
Samudrala Rangaramanujacharya Swami, Sri Krishnamacharya Swami, Sri Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji, and Sri Devantha Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji guided the entire event (Thirunakshtra Mahotsavam followed by Ekotthara Sahasra Kalasabhishekam). The 1008 pots of divine shower to Sri Rama Chandra Swami (the Deity given by Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji to Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji) concluded beautifully as prescribed in agama scriptures. Sriman Madhusudanacharya Swami and Sriman Srinivasacharya Swami along with several other priests including Sriman Raghudatta Swami and his team were all appreciated for their efforts in the event.
The final act of grace was the prokshana of abhisheka theerth from Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji to shower upon every single attendee who came to witness the grand Ekotthara Sahasra Kalasabhishekam event. When Swamiji’s Deities stepped away with some thieves 25 years ago, Swamiji could not take it and requested for the Deities to return in 3 days. The Deities accepted and returned by the end of the third day.
Vedas talk about ‘accessibility of God in Deity form’. Swamiji experienced the same and hence this divine shower to the Deities every year, expressing the gratitude and reverence to God.
Great article. Namo Narayana.
ోటేశ్వర రావు గురించి స్వామివారు పదే పదే చెప్పారు .శ్రీ రామ చంద్రుడు తనకు ఎవరైనా చిన్న సహాయం చేసినా గుర్తు పెట్టుకొని అపకారాలనన్ని మరిచే వాడట