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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00044 Jan 2002

 
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Hello all:

I have been browsing all these lists and it seems there are so many
acharyas everywhere. How do i choose
my acharya or guru. Is there anyplace that i can find the qualities of the
perfect guru?

How do I differenciate between the real gurus and so many fake sadhus
everywhere.

Looking for a response from learned members of this group with some real
ans. (please do not give answers
without any substantiation)
===============
SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya namah:

Dear SrI Satakopan Ramanujan,

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 everyones welfare at all times.

Our Greatest Srivaishnava AchArya parampara dovetails into the above
definition and it starts with Sriman
Narayanan

The lineage is:
Sriman Narayanan.
Sri Mahalakshmi
Sri VishvaksEnar (sEnai nAthan- commander in chief)
Sri SaTakOpar (nammAzhwAr)
Sri nAthamuni
Sri puNdarIkAkshar (uyyakkoNdAr)
Sri rAmamisrar (maNakkAl nambhi)
Sri yAmunAchAryar (ALavandhAr)
Sri mahApUrNar (Periya nambhi)
Sri rAmAnujar (udayavar- EmperumAnAr- yathirAjar)

This AchArya paramparA also is nicely recited by Swamy desikan in the
following Tamil prabhandham.

ennuyir thandhaLitthavaraich charaNampukku
yAnadaivE avargurukkaL niraivaNangi
pinaruLAl perumpudhUr vandha vaLLal
periyanambhi ALavandhAr maNakkAl nambhi
nanneRiyai avarkku uraittha uyyakkoNdAr
nAthamuni saTakOpan sEnainAthan
innamudhatth thirumagaL enRu ivarai munnittu
emperumAn thiruvadigaL adaiginREnE.

What an excellent sweet prabahndham!

Sri Manavala mamunigaL also mentions: (in UpadEsa ratthina mAlai)

"jnAnam anuttAnam ivai nanRAgavE udaiya
nAna, guruvai adaindhakkAl - mAnilatthIr!
thEnAr kamalatth thirumAmagaL kozhunan
thAnE vaikuntham tharum."

When one takes refuge and performs prapatti at an AchAryan (Guru), who is
the great personification of jnAnam and anshtAnam, oh folks! the Lord
Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan will grant mOksham.

He also stresses that if one wishes to get saved, place your mind (and
surrender yourself) at the feet of your AchAryan. (uyyaninaivuNdAgil
u~ngurukkaL thampahatthE vaiyum.. )

(Given below is an extract from a post written by Sri N Krishnamachari on
nyAsa vimsati- thanks to Sri Krishnamachari Swamin for his permission)
svAmi deSikan concludes the stotra with a gist of how he was led to
prapatti, and how he lives his life as a prapanna after performing
prapatti.

This concluding Slokam is included as part of the nitya-anushandhAnam at
the end of the nyAsa daSakam which is recited during the nitya
bhagavad-ArAdhanam.

samSArAvarta vega praSamana Subha-dr*k deSika prekshito'ham
samtyakto'nyairupAyair-anucita cariteshvadya SAntAbhisabshih |
niS-Sankhah tatvat-dr*shtyA niravadhika dayam prArthya samrakshakam
tvAm nysya tat-pAda padme varada nija-bharam nir-bharo nir-bhayo'smi ||

"I chose a good AcArya who could instruct me on how to get out of the whirl
of samsAra, and had his divya kaTAksha. Because of the AcArya's teachings,
I obtained the knowledge that could help me analyze and understand the
difficulty of bhakti yoga and the realization that prapatti is the only
recourse open to me, which I could perform easily, and attain the desired
moksham by performing it once and only once. I learnt the facts about
prapatti and so had no doubt whatsoever about its efficacy. I sought
refuge
of peraruLALan with pirATTi as the sole refuge who could protect me. I
surrendered all responsibility for my protection at the feet of peraruLALan
and performed prapatti at His feet. Since I am now living the life of a
prapanna, I feel completely relieved of all responsibility for my self from
that point. Since all my acts from that point on have been directed to
only
kaimkaryam for bhagavAn, there is nothing more to fear about any
accumulation of karma. So I continue to lead a life of nishkAmya
kaimkaryam
to bhagavAn while spending the rest of my life in this world, and deriving
infinite happiness from it".

AchAryan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Regards
Namo Narayana
adiyEn AchAryan Thiruvadi





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