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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00124 Dec 2006

 
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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

Thus so far we have discussed the vedic religion Sri
VisishtAdvaita sampradaya and the qualities and
Supremacy of Sriman Narayanan in accordance with
Vedanta saasthrAs. It becomes clear by the study of
great works of VisishtAdvaita, that this system is
based in Sruthi, Smrithi, and AzhwArs? Divya
prabandhams that are true refelction of Vedantha. 

The experience and revelation of Sages, and Acharya
purushas and the works of theirs substantiate and
vouch the same. Sri Ramanuja did not invent this
sampradaya; he only propounded and expounded. This was
already in practice and is as time immemorial as Vedas
and Vedantha. It bceoms evident from the study of
Vedas [Rg Veda] that the love of God is the means to
attain Him and realize Him. The Upanishads also
enjoined that the loving meditation upon Brahman is
the summumbonum of life. The Ithihasas and Puraanaas
expound this bhakti philosophy wonderfully. 

It is absolutely necessary to have Acharya sambandha
or the grace of Acharya for all the aspirants of
mOksha. It is only the kataaksham and the benign grace
of Acharya that will enable the aspirant to proceed
towards attainment of Moksha. Kshathrabandhu was the
worst sinner but he gained mOksha on account of the
grace of Acharya. Pundarika was a puNyavaan [virtuous
person], but he gained mOksha only on account of the
grace of the  Acharya. 

paapishta khasthrabandhuscha puNdareekascha puNyakruth
|
aachaaryavatthayaa mukthow thasaadhAchAryavaan bhavEth
||

Dr Sri Ubhaya Vedantha NS Anantharangachar Swami is
his book on Essence of Srimad Rahasyathrayasaram
mentions that: The Upanishad says that one should
himself to the Acharya alone for gaining the jnAnam of
Brahman. Smrithis affirm that all aspirants of moksha
or liberation [eternal service at SrivaikuNtam] should
seek an Acharya. By one?s own puNya, one can not
attain mOksha. It is well established that performance
of meritorious deeds or study of Vedanta without
Guru?s teaching or initiation, will not yield or be
capable of mOksham granted to us. They are probably
the ways by which the Lord would be pleased and pave
the way to get the grace of Acharya in the nearest
future. On account of one?s association and dedication
to the Acharya one gains the essential spiritual
knowledge helpful for adopting the means for mOksha,
enhancement of knowledge for knowing the means for
moksha. The Swethaswathara Upanishad ordains that one
should have supreme devotion towards the Acharya as
much one has towards the Lord Sriman Narayanan and
only such a dedicated person would imbibe the
spiritual truth. 

The Katha sruthi says: An individual who has the
utmost devotion in God and who is the same way shows
equal respect to his Guru, will be able to comprehend
all philosophic knowledge- says Sri SMS Chari in his
book on Vaishnavism. It is therefore absolutely
necessary for a spiritual aspirant to show the utmost
devotion to his Guru and speak about his glories.
Failure to do so leads to the decay of his spiritual
knowledge.

Swamy Desikan describes the greatest qualities of
AchArya in nyAsavimsati slOkA 1: 

1.Sound philosophical jnAnam obtained (learnt) through
the greatest lineage of his AchAryAs
2.Having an undisputed clear knowledge on sAsthrAs;
3.Free from any sins and attachments;
4.Complete knowledge of Vedas, its subsidiaries and
ithihAsAs
5.Deep unshakable faith in Brahman (Almighty-
unsurpassed unparalleled Sriya: Pathi Sriman
Narayanan)
6.possesses sAtvic guNA;
7.Always speaks truth
8.lives in accordance with the manner laid down in
sAsthrAs;
9.free from jealousy, show etc..
10. having control over sense organs
11.friendly and affectionate towards all;
12.Compassionate towards all;
13.helps the disciples who err, correct them and make
them follow right track as laid down in sAsthrAs
14.wishes for everyone?s welfare at all times.

A mumukshu [an aspirant for moksha] should thus
approach such a SadAchArya for initiation and
instruction in philosophic knowledge. It is not an
easy task and it may even be impossible to find an
acharya who possesses all the above virtues. Even in
the matter of coming into contact with such a
SadhAcharya, the grace of God is needed ?says Swamy
Desikan. Vedanta Desika says there are six factors
responsible for being blessed with a suitable
SadAchArya. [Sri SMS Chari enlists them in his book on
Vaishnavism]

a.Friendly disposition of God 
b.The good deeds done by a person even accidentally or
inadvertently
c.The grace of God showered on one at the time of
birth,
d.Development of faithful attitude towards God and
sacred texts
e.Coming into contact even causally with pious and
religious minded persons. 
f.Conversation with them

The torch-bearers of the bhakti were great saints of
Tamil Nadu who were known as AzhwArs. AzhwAr means the
One who immerses himself [in bhagavad Bhakti and
bhagavad chinthanai]. 

Let us enjoy briefly about AzhwArs and their divine
works first before we proceed to glories of Acharyas
as AzhwAr [Nammazhwar] is our Acharya too? and comes
in the lineage. 

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm
Regards
Namo Narayana
dasan


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