Let us celebrate on this occasion the
importance of such MahAnubhAvAs in our life along the lines in which the
ancient Vedams in general and Saama vedam in particular point out to us.
Rig Rk celebrating
AchAryan ***************************
One of the Rg rk states that the
AchAryAs use the power of their Tapas and Jn~Anam to overcome all the
handicaps and serve as chakravarthis for the human assembly :
utha svarAjO adhithirabhdhasya vrathasya
mE mahO rAjaana IsathE --Rg Vedam: 8.12.4
(meaning): Those noble persons of
blemishless character through their soul force and by the strict
observance of the Lord's inviolate laws (SaasthrAs) become fit to rule
over others (lead others) by their supermacy.
They have severe nishtai and through
their power of intellect (mEdhA vilAsam) spread their benevolent Jn~Anam
all over the world like the rays of the Sun.
AchAryAs' UpAsana and Kaimkaryams to the
Lord *********************************************
The power of Jn~Anam of these austere
learned persons is celebrated in the three VedAms by the following Veda
Manthram:
kaNvA iva bhrugava: iva SooryA:
iva visvam id dhItam aasata , Indhram sthOmEbhir mahayanta aayava:
priyamEdhAsO asvaran
(UtharArchika Saaman: 1363, Rg Vedam:
VIII.3.16 and Atharva Vedam:10.2,59.2).
This veda manthram points out that the
Bhrugus and the descendants of the family of KaNva have attained the
Supreme Being as the Sun pervades the Universe by his rays (Bhrugava:
Bhrugu kula jAthA:, KaNva Kula jAthA: iva taTA Soorya: iva visvam id
dhItam aasata).
This manthram also points out the tight
realtionship between these powerful AchAryAs and their SishyAs. It is not
only these learned wise sages keep themselves busy in singing the praise
of the Supreme being through Yaaga , yaj~na AarAdhanams and sthuthis but
also their pious sishyAs keep themselves fully occupied with the eulogy of
the Lord and the performance of sacred rituals to please their AchAryan
and the Supreme being. The importance of Bhagavd AaarAdhanam and
BhAgavatha AarAdhanam is hinted here.
AchAryA's unbroken kaimkaryam to the
Lord *****************************************
These MahAnubhAvaas pray for the welfare
of mankind and approach Him through reverential thoughts, noble deeds and
blemishless homages:
upa thvAgnE dhivE-dhivE dOshAvastardh
dhiyA vayam namO bharantha emasi --PoorvArchika Saaman:14 and Yajur
Vedam:III.22)
JarAbhOdha tadh vividDhi visE-visE
yaj~niyAya SthOmagum rudrAya drusIkam
--PoorvArchika Saama : 15 ,
UttharArchika Saaman 1663 and Rg Vedam I.27.10
(Combined meaning of both the
manthrams): Oh Lord ! We approach You day and night with reverential
homage enriched by sublime thoughts about You and noble deeds commanded by
Your SaasthrAs. Oh Matchless Lord!(OppilA appanE!) May Thou listen
earnestly to our prayers and accept our offerings! May Thou enter in to
the spirit of our eulogies for the purpose of the completion of our
sacrifices (Yaj~nams) for the benefit of all mankind !
Here the Lord's anupravEsam in to all of
the sthuthis and Yaj~nAs of the learned sages (JarAbhOdha/ one with mature
experience and Tapas) is invoked for the good of all people (visE-visE).
Our Lord's pervasive presence through
AchAryAs **********************************************
There is a series of 32 UtharArchika
Saamans praising Soma rasam, which start with the word "yEsha: " to salute
the anantha KalyANa guNams of the Lord. One of them is the following
Saaman (UttharArchikam 1281 and Rg Vedam IX.28.2):
yEsha pavithrE aksharAth sOmO dEvEbhya
Sutha: visvA dhAmAnyAvisan
(meaning): This Supreme Being manifests
Himself to the wise learned persons (AchAryAs)and is realized in various
beautiful forms. He pervades all places.
Prayer to that Supreme Lord by our
AchAryAs *******************************************
Saama Veda manthram (uttharArchika
Saaman 1358 and Rg Veda Rk IX.97.38)describes the relationship of our
AchAryAs to the Supreme Lord as follows:
"sa punAn upa dhadhAna ObhE aprA rOdasI
vee sha: aava priyA chidh yasya priyAsAsa UthI sathO dhana kAriNE na
pra yagumsath"
(Meaning at one level): The learned
person purifying himself thru profound meditation of the Lord and is
empowered by his Jn~Ana VairAgya anushtAnam. That tapasvi fills both the
literate and illeterate with the glow of learning and discloses various
vidhyAs. The pure and noble wishes of the learned persons are meant to
protect us against fears (samsAra bheethi) and obstacles (vignams in UpAya
anushtAnam). May that Lord grant us the excellent wealth of spiritual
knowledge as (he does) to the AchAryAs (learned persons/MahAthmAs)!
This Saaman refers to those
paramaikAnthis, who do not seek chillundi swAmis (" siRu dhaivam sErEn")
and hold firmly to the sacred feet of SrIman NaarAyanan. These are
MahAthmAs with theevra tapas and noble conduct and serve as light houses
on the shore for those , who are being buffeted by the fierce waves of
SamsAric ocean. They are mArga darsees, who have superior aathma GuNams
like ahimsai, Sathyam , asthEyam , aparigruham , Soucham , Indhriya
nigraham et al.
These Brahma Vidhs are saluted by Swamy
NammAzhwAr in his ThiruvAimozhi paasuram (8.3.10):
kalakamilla naltava munivar karai
kaNDOr tulakkimilaa vAnavar yellAm ThozhuvArkaL malakkamyetha
maakadal tannaik-kadainthAnai ulakka nAmm puhazhkirpathu yenn seyvathu
urayeerE
(Meaning): AchAryAs with unmuddled
knowledge/Jn~Anam known for their authentic penance/tapas perform
MangaLAsAsanam to the Lord , who churned once the milky ocean with great
energy to produce amrutham. AchAryAs on a par with the nithya sooris and
muktha jeevans serve the Lord on this earth with joy .Please tell me how
to eulogize that Lord to His full satisfaction and gain freedom from all
of my samsAric afflictions.
A concluding prayer for AchAryan's Veda
prAyam **********************************************
Vedam refers to one hundred autumns as
the life span for humans:
sataminnu saradhO anthidEvA nascchakrA
jarasam tanUnAm putrAsO yathra pitarO bhavanthi maa nou madhyA
rIrishathAyurganthO --Rg Vedam I.89.9
(meaning): Hundred autumns are given to
us by the Supreme Being for life on His earth although the body is subject
to old age and decay. Those who are sons today will grow to become fathers
tomorrow and hence may we have no afflictions or infirmities in the midst
of our life span.
Our prayers are to the Dhivya dampathis
to bless our AchAryans to enjoy arOga dhrudagaathra sarIram and go on
to celebrate his veda PrAyam while engaged in providing rakshai for our
ancient darsanam.
Bhadram karNEbhi: sruNuyAma dEvA bhadram
pasyEmAkshibhir yajathrA: sTirair angais tushtuvAmsas tanubhir
vyasEmahi dEvahitam yadhAyu: --Rig vEdam: I.89.8, Yajur Vedam 25.21,
UttharArchika sAman: 1874
O AchAryAs! May we pray for our ears to
listen to what is auspicious and good! Oh AachAryAs and learned persons
worthy of sacred deeds! Bless us to see with our eyes all that is
auspicous and subahakaram! Oh AchAryAs! May we be blessed to engage in
Your eulogy, enjoy with firm limbs and healthy bodies a full term of life
(one hundred years) dedicated to serving You (AchArya Kaimkaryam) and Your
Lord (BhagavathKaimkaryam)!
NamO NaarAyaNaa !
V.Sadagopan
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