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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Mumukshuppadi


6. SishyanAy ninRathu - sishyanirukkumiruppu nAttAr
aRiyAmaiyAlE aththai aRivikkaikAka.


Meaning:
If one wonders why Sriman Narayana who is the first among 
acharyas took on the role of a sishya, the answer is, 
since the jIvas in this world were not aware of the true 
nature of a disciple, He donned the role of one.


Sri PBA Swami's Sarartha Deepikai:
There may arise a question that why should He simply not 
have released the Thirumanthra as an acharya; why did He 
also have to take on the role of a sishya. The answer is 
that because the souls in this world did not know the 
nature of a sishya He took the role of a sishya and made 
known the nature of one. A further question might arise 
that did He have to actually become a sishya; could He 
not have simply advised the nature of a sishya to 
everyone. Had He done that it is possible that jIvas 
might think that He is announcing the Thirumanthra just 
to gather fame for Himself. By His becoming a sishya the 
jIvas would begin to wish that they too become sishyas 
to acharyas.

The nature of a sishya is this: one who is faithful to 
Sastras, one whose mind wishes to follow the dharmas 
detailed in them, one who has the mental strength to 
follow them, one who practices Bhakti to Sriman Narayana, 
one who does not have pride in him for having the above, 
one whose love for his acharya cannot be measured by 
others, one who has no equal in his faith to his 
acharya, one who is restless in his service to his 
acharya. Also, one who considers himself and everything 
he has, as belonging to his acharya is a sishya.

Nyasa Vimsathi explains the nature of a sishya thus: a 
sishya is one who has the knowledge of what to give up 
and what to keep as a means to his higher goal, one who 
based on this knowledge surrenders to his elders, one 
whose every day acts are based on this knowledge, one 
who seeks to understand the higher truth, one who is 
in the service of his acharya, one without ego, one 
who bows with his entire body, one who looks forward
to listen and learn, one who has control of his mind 
and body, one who has no hatred toward anyone or 
anything, one who stays in his acharya's abode, one 
who has faith in the Sastras, one who has gratitude, 
such a person should be accepted and taught as a 
disciple.

Sriman Narayana became a sishya to show the above nature 
of a sishya.


Sri Vanamamalai Jeeyar's Upanyasam:
It is quite clear that He needed to take the form of an 
AchArya to deliver the tirumantra. But why did He have 
to become the disciple too? Is it that He could not 
find any other disciples?? Where was the necessity to 
take both the forms? Such doubts are addressed in this 
choorNai. 

In order to exemplify the role of a true disciple and 
to show how a real disciple should conduct himself, 
this dual role of nara-nArAyaNA was taken by the Lord. 
The following shlOka depicts the various necessary 
attributes of a true disciple:

Astika: dharmasheelashcha sheelavAn vaiShNava shuchi:
gambhIra chaturO dhira: shiShya itya bhidhIyatE

Astika: - should be aware of the existence of the 
Supreme Entity ie., not be an atheist

dharmasheelashcha- should be magnAnimous

sheelavAn - should be of good conduct

vaishNava - should be aware that the Supreme Entity 
is srImannArAyaNA

shuchi: - clean in words, deeds and mind (have 
trikaraNa shudhi, as in "uLLa urasheyyal")

gambhIra: - should not resort to loose talk (lacking 
restraint)

chatura: - should be smart enough (to know what kind 
of service is to be done to his AchArya)

dhIra: - should possess courage and composure even in 
face of circumstances that may call for the contrary 
(here it is to be noted that circumstances that never 
provoke one is not what is meant, but what is referred 
is composure in situations when there is a great 
temptation to yield to anger and other undesirable 
emotions)

Therefore according to purANas and itihAsAs, a true 
disciple is one with all the above qualities. It is 
to embody such a disciple He took the dual role and 
delivered the tirumantra.


Pillai Lokacharyar Thiruvadigale Saranam
Azhvar Emperumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale Saranam

rAmAnuja dAsi
Sriranganayaki Sheela
&
madhurakavi dAsan
TCA Venkatesan
http://www.acharya.org





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