Malliyoor Thirumeni - an Acharya non-pareil

Bhagavatha Hamsam Malliyoor Sankaran Nampoothiry will be remembered as the spiritual beacon light which guided people on the track of Bhagavatha Dharma.After yesteryear Bhagavatha scholar Vazhakunnam Vasudevan Nampoothiry, Malliyoor Sankaran Nampoothiry occupied the pride of place at the Bhagavatha Sathrams and Sapthahams.With a long line of disciples, Malliyoor will be remembered for his support to the launching of the first Bhagavatha Sathram in 1983. An Acharya nonpareil, Malliyoor was keen on preserving the pristine purity of the worship of Srimad Bhagavatham, its recital and the discourses based on it.He was very particular regarding the traditional dress of the Acharya and the listeners on the dais of the Sapthahams.He followed the special food habit prescribed for a Sadhaka, especially during Sapthahams. The recital of Bhagavatham and the giving of discourses were a spiritual mission conferred on him by Lord Mahaganapathy and Lord Guruvayurappan, he believed. Bhagavad Gita recital after the recital of Srimad Bhagavatham has been part and parcel of his Sapthahams.Called Malliyoor Thirumeni by his disciples and admirers, he used to advise people to recite the Narayana Naamam as a panacea for peace of mind.Continuous recital of the Kalisantharanopanishad (Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare) and the Narayana Namam from evening till the morning hours was envisaged by the organisers during the Bhagavatha Sathram at the time of launching it.Recently, he noticed some deviations. He expressed displeasure over the deviations. He said that the Sathram of the present day had been crafted in the mould of the Sathram of yore, led by the legendary SoothaSaunakadis, which had lasted thousands of months. He wanted the people to always tread the right path of truth to realise 'Sathyam Param Dhee Mahi'.Malliyoor had to face several ups and downs during his Bhagavatha Upaasana. At a reception arranged by an organisation in the late 1990s in Thiruvananthapuram, Malliyoor said he had faced stonethrowing in the early days of his Sapthahams. He said he was happy that at least the new generation leaders were giving good support to Bhagavatha Sapthahams.The presiding deity of the Malliyoor Mahaganapathy Temple is Lord Mahaganapathy, with Unnikrishnan, the young Lord Guruvayurappan, sitting in his lap. The image of the presiding deity is what Malliyoor had seen in one of his dreams, when he had a vision of Lord Guruvayurappan also. He recalled this while explaining the concept of the idol a few years ago. Malliyoor Thirumeni never yearned for Dakshina. Srimad Bhagavatham and the Sapthahams were not means for making money for him, even when he and his family were spending days in abject poverty and penury.Following the true Bhagavatha Dharma, Malliyoor loved all people alike. He led a very simple and humble life with lofty thoughts. He was accessible to all, irrespective of caste, creed and colour.All those who had the rare fortune to see and hear him were copiously showered with his blessings.He also used to bless the others who had several other busy preoccupations. He was a man who always prayed for the welfare of all people Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu.