THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The fountain pen with Gurudeva's blessed touch will now cross seven seas. The pen which was sacredly kept in a special box in the puja room of Ulloor Sreedharma Nilayam will now be an ornament to the Sree Narayana Guru Ashram established in Washington, North America.

This black Parker pen was gifted by Gurudeva to his disciple 'Bhrigu' (V Bhargavan Vaidyar) during his education. Swami Guruprasad received Vaidyar's pen from his daughter L Nirmala Devi today, which is the day of Vaidyar's 30th death anniversary. When Swami Satchidananda published the book 'Gurudeva Smarankal', a collection of articles written by Bhargavan Vaidyar on Gurudeva, a picture of this pen was also included in it. Subsequently, many pilgrims visiting Sivagiri came to see this pen at Sreedharma Nilayam.

Born in Kulathur, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhargavan was taken to Sivagiri at the age of eight by Sree Narayana Guru with the permission of his parents. The boy was fortunate enough to learn Sanskrit, Vedanta and philosophy directly from his Guru. Nataraja Guru, who was in Sivagiri Mutt at that time, taught him English as well. Bhargavan also got the opportunity to travel continuously with Gurudeva. It is during this time that Gurudeva presented the pen to Bhargavan. Many prominent people from abroad used to come and meet the Guru at that time. It was during this period that the great poet Rabindranath Tagore and his secretary CF Andrews visited Guru. This pen may have been presented to the Guru by one of them as a 'Paada Kanikka'.

Bhargavan wanted to study law. Guru suggested him to study medicine. That is how he joined Thiruvananthapuram Ayurveda College. He spent 17 years in Sivagiri. Bhargavan Vaidyar, who completed his Ayurvedic studies with first rank, later became a well-known physician and principal of Ayurveda College. When Vaidyar died in 1994 at the age of 93, the pen was kept in the pooja room. The custodian was Sheela R. Chandran, former Special Secretary of the Law Department, granddaughter of Vaidya who now resides at Sri Dharmanilayam. When Swami Guruprasad expressed his desire to have something blessed with Gurudeva's touch in the ashram in Washington, it was Guruveekshanam editor PG Sivababu who informed him about this pen.