Guest guest Posted October 25, 1995 Report Share Posted October 25, 1995 Here is an article about the need for approaching an acarya. This appeared in the current issue of Sri Nrisimhapriya, October 95. The Bhakthi/Prapatti exchanges prompts me to post this rather long article. I hope it is not too much of a burden on the resources. If you wish to to the monthly please contact Sri Nrisimha Priya 66 Dr. Rangachari Road Madras 600 018, INDIA -- Dileepan ========================================================== Acarya Samasrayam Resorting the Preceptor By Dr. S. Padmanabhan, Devanarvilagam T = Teacher Sudarsan P = Pupil Subandhu T: WELCOME P: Many salutations to you Sir! T: Where are you residing now? P: I dwell now in the Northern part of the country. T: I learnt that you are holding a high position. I am indeed very happy. Do you have an opportunity to study our traditional texts? Do you find time for that? P: Whenever I find some time, I read those texts. T: Is there any learned person there in your place to instruct you traditionally? P: There is no such person in my place. Yet, I have leant Sanskrit during my school days and I have a good knowledge of it. I have good acquaintance with logic (Tarka,) grammar (Vyakarana.) Hence I could read and comprehend any text. T: What are the texts you read during your leisure time? P: I read the Ramanujabhashya, Rahasyatrayasara, Ramanuja's commentary [meaning] on the Gita, and the meaning of Tiruvaymozhi whenever I, find time. T: Alas! P: Sir, why this interjection of pity? T: The difficulty is that you are unable to name the texts properly and yet you claim that you have learnt the meaning of those texts clearly. P: I told the names of the text which are known as the Granthacatustaya (the four sacred texts.) Did I not? T: Those who have studied tradition at all will not say like this. P: Then how do they name them? T: They would denote them as Srimad Bhashyam, Srimad Rahasyatrayasaram, Srimad Gitabhashyam, and Sri Bhagavadvisayam. P: What a notion! If they are not denoted like this, does it mean that the meaning of those texts wouldn't become clear? T: Yes, indeed. The true import will not become clear. One has to resort to a preceptor and comprehend the true import. P: So, it means, for this purpose, I must go in search of a person. Whenever I am free, the teacher must find time (to teach me). Being aware of my commitment he must be present well in advance. In case, he could not come on a specific day, my precious time would be wasted. Suppose I say that there is no time on the specified day, he should not think otherwise. Moreover, I do not know, what he would demand to teach all these. Knowing my position and my income, he may expect much. He must understand that I read only to spend my time. In order to avoid all these inconveniences and difficulties I read all these texts myself whenever I am free. Hence I don't require anybody's help. T: All these statements of yours are silly and nonsensical. It is because of the arrogant and egoistic nature caused by your status. If you further harbor such thoughts you will be ruined. You will not attain liberation. P: Why have you become so furious? If I have said anything (provocative) kindly excuse me. Hope I have not insulted you! T: Sure, you have not insulted me. Yet, you speak without any discrimination. Let me explain. P: Sir, I shall listen to your advice attentively. T: Subandu! In order that a man may adopt the righteous path and attain liberation the association of an acarya (preceptor) is essential. Therefore, you will have to choose acarya. P: Sir, in order that a person may adopt the righteous path, is it not enough to read good books? Is it necessary that one should approach an acarya for this purpose? T: I agree with you. But one should know as to what are the books to be read and what are the ones to be discarded. In the beginning of the Mahasiddhanta section of the Jinjnasadhikarana of the Srimad Bhashya, Yatiraja (Sri Ramanuja) states that the learned should pay no attention to the statements of persons, who are not given to the true import of the Vedas. While commenting on the word Anadaraniya in the context under reference, Sri Srutaprakasikacarya says that even to understand the siddhanta view (that is, the final view of one's own system) one should not clearly explain and study the prefatory texts. Hence we should know, in the first place, as to what are the essential and important texts that should be read. All the things we have known are not good. We might have acquired the knowledge of a good thing and, it may not yield undesirable results. Yet, it does not mean that we have had a desirable result. P: Sir, what are the things that should be known? T: Tattvam (reality), Hitam (means) and Purushartham (the goal) are the three essentials that should be known. P: Sir, what is Tattva, what is Hita and what is Purushartha? T: It cannot be revealed in the course of a mere conversation. You will have to approach an ideal acarya, (preceptor sadacarya) who has come in the linage of satsampradaya (right tradition) with due respect and then learn it. P: Swamin! I am unable to understand what you have said. What is satsampradaya? Who is a sadacarya? T: The sampradaya (tradition) beginning from Bhagavan and culminating in the acarya whom you are resorting to, and which has been instructed accordingly through specific persons is known as satsampradaya. A sadacarya (ideal preceptor) is one who has a firm faith in such a satsampradaya, who hails from a virtuous family, without doing sinful acts, who has controlled his sense organs, who has realized the Supreme Being, who is devoid of jealousy, pomp and show, and who is affectionate towards his disciples as he is attached to his relatives. P: Swamin! It really confuses me further. If I want to invite a person and listen the lectures from him, you say that he must be a sadacarya who has come in the satsampradaya whom I should really search for? T: Subandu! You cannot attain an acarya so easily. It requires six prerequisites for the attainment. If these are fulfilled, then a sadacarya may be obtained. P: Six prerequisites! Sir, what are they? T: Yes, let me explain. They are: 1. Lord's Mercy, 2. Merit acquired accidentally, 3. Grace of Lord Visnu 4. Being without aversion towards Lord Visnu, 5. Listening to the anectodes of Lord Visnu, and 6. the conversation with noble souls. These are conditions for a person to attain a sadacarya. P: I am happy. Among these six, I believe that I have the first five. I am able to obtain the sixth one namely conversation with noble persons, to-day only, by your association. Hereafter, I think, I have become fortunate to attain an acarya. Holy one You alone should arrange (fix) me an acarya and request him to visit my residence daily. I shall pay him accordingly. T: The acarya will not come in search of you. It is only you, who should go in search of the acarya. When you go to a temple or to meet acarya you should not go with an empty hand. You should present him with fruits, coconuts or any desirable objects according to your capacity and request him with folded hands, "Sir, I have become your disciple. You will have to protect me and bless me. I have surrendered unto you". The great Arjuna surrendered unto Lord Krsna only thus. Hence, it is you who should go to the place of the acarya. P: How much would the acarya demand to teach the texts? T: Please don't say that he must teach the texts. You should say instruct or initiate [upadesa], or delivering [sadikka] Kalaksepa. The acarya will test you in various ways. Just for the sake of name and fame or for any material benefits he will not instruct you. Furthermore becoming elated on the ground that a disciple has come to him, if he instructs any traditional secrets, without really testing, the acarya incurs the sin of the disciple. For instance, Brahma instructed Indra, without really testing him, and unaware of what would be the dire consequences. As a result he forgot the Brahma-vidya instruction he had received. Later, the Lord, taught that Brahmavidya, through Narada out of compassion. Therefore, only after testing he would initiate you. The duty of an acarya, according to the sacred scriptures, is to instruct the disciples with compassion. Therefore, I am sure, he will not demand any money from you. P: You said that he would test me. Does it mean that he would test me in sastras? T: No, definitely not. He will test you as to whether he could instruct you the true import of Vedanta and whether you are really desirous and have the capacity to know and comprehend it. So he might ask you to come day after day. In case, the disciple is very young, he would ask him to do small house-hold chores. These are the probable tests. P: What should I do? T: In order that the instructions of the acarya may become very clear, one has to rend service to the preceptor. Or we may give him substantial money. All these, would be know from the conversation of Janasruti and sage Raikva. P: Even after such a long conversation, I have some doubts. Kindly, Sir, clarify those doubts too. After attaining an acarya with such difficulties, he is going to instruct only what is there in the book. Is it not? I have with me the Srimad Rahasyatrayas of Swami Sri Vedanta Desika and also the commentaries thereon, that are published so far. Also I possess a lucid English translation of the text. While myself can understand from these books, should I approach an acraya essentially for this? T: You should note that in the Srimad Rahasya Trayasara, which you have referred to now, it is stated that one should resort to an acarya. Sastras which are terse and difficult to understand would only confuse one's intellect. Hence. if you approach an acraya he would instruct that truth which is not required to be elaborated and that truth which requires an explanation without contracting it. On the contrary, if one comes. to know the meaning accidentally, or secretly or under some pretext or by studying on one's own, it would become futile. Also it should be noticed that it would yield undesirable results. Hence it is very essential that one should receive the instruction and initiation from the acraya only. In the books it could be noticed that mantras like Astaksara, Dvaya and Caramasloka are printed. Their greatness too has been explained elaborately. With the help of these books, we should memorize these mantras and meditate on them. They not only would yield the desired results but also would yield counter results. The astaksara mantra has certain accent (or note) for its pronunciation. It has certain gestures to be followed. All these should be initiated into, only through an acarya. If they are spelt with discordant note (accent) it would end in undesirable results. Once, a demon by name Tyasta performed a sacrifice by which he wanted to create an enemy who could kill Indra, the King of gods. But while performing the sacrifice, he spelt the mantra on a discordant note which meant that he got an enemy who could be killed by Indra, and accordingly that enemy was slain by Indra. Hence persons of discriminating mind should not think that they have understood the meaning of a particular text or mantra by merely reading it. This being the difficulty of the text, how is it possible to know the inner or secret meanings which are known only through tradition? In the Sampradaya Parisuddhi section, Swami Desikan has clearly stated that determining the meaning of a passage or text which has been handed down traditionally, with the help of sastras is impossible. Even if it is understood easily with the help of sastras that is, without receiving it from the acarya it is useless. Further, listen carefully. Sri Alavandar even in his boyhood languished one Akkilazhvan in a debate with the help of Sastric knowledge. And he (Sri Alavandar) proclaimed that there is no scholar equal to him. Yet, a person of his calibre resorted to an acarya in Manakkal Nambi and got initiated into the true meanings of the tradition. Yatiraja (Sri Ramanuja), after criticizing and rejecting the several interpretations and meanings of Yadavaprakasa, (when he was a student under him) on the command of Lord Varadaraja resorted to Periyanambi and did Kalaksepa. Our acarya Sarvabhauma Sri Vedantadesika, had the genius, even at the very young age of five, to point out the context in the Sribhasya that was left off and forgotten in the traditional discourse of Sri Nadadur Ammal. Yet, did not he resort to an acarya in his uncle to learn the sastras? Did he not state this gleefully in his books? If you further have any doubts in this matter, even the God who created you cannot satisfy and answer you. P: Kindly pardon me. I have clearly understood that only by resorting to an acarya I can have the right knowledge and get liberated. Why one should resort to an acarya? Is it not enough if we sing the name and glory of the Lord, in this Kaliyuga? T: Whether one is a sinner or a virtuous person it is only through the association with an acarya one can attain liberation. Ksatrabandhu, a noted sinner attained liberation only through the association with an acraya. His sins were not counter productive. Pundarika too, the virtuous soul, attained liberation only through the association with acarya. His virtues and merits did not help him in this. Therefore, without the association with an acarya there will be no liberation. Some books of admitted validity state that liberation (moksa) could be obtained by singing the name and glory of the Lord. Some declare it is attained by either bhakti or prapatti. In the Bhagavad Gita the Lord says that to attain liberation, it is enough if one meditates upon the secret as to why the Lord has incarnated in the mortal world. Another one holds the view that there will be no liberation for who has no sons (progeny). All these statements should be explained satisfactorily, without contradicting each other. Please, express your view on this. P: (In all humility) Sir, what do I know? You yourself, please, clarify. T: Singing the name and glory etc. would lead to moksa only through Prapatti [self - surrender]. Don't misunderstand all these concepts by mere reading of books. You act and do as intended and instructed by our acaryasarvabhauma Sri Vedanta Desika. It is only by prapannas [those who have performed saranagati] that liberation could be achieved. For others Lord Mukunda will not grant liberation thus it is stated very clearly by Srimad Desikan in the Srimad Rahasayatrayasaram. Therefore, try to know clearly all these and other such truths by approaching an acarya. P: Svamin! you, who has advised and instructed me so patiently is my acarya. Please accept me as your disciple and save me. Many salutations to you! [He falls at his feet]. T: Rise- up! 0 Subandhu! You too resort to our Vedantacarya. I shall lead you. [Rise takes Subandu with him. Then happens the resorting to the acarya.] ============================================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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