The Divine Disciple

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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika

Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

 

The Divine Disciple

 

Shastras speak volumes about the Lord

being our Prime Preceptor. He is our first and

foremost Acharya, and is at the head of the

Guruparampara (“LakshmInAtha samArambhAm”).”Peetaka

Adai PirAnAr pirama guru Agi vandu” says Sri

Periazwar, acknowledging Emperuman’s invaluable

contribution as an Acharya. He also takes birth in

this mundane world, and guides mortals out of the

morass of sin and ignorance, with the light of

Scriptural knowledge.

”SAkshAth NarayanO dEva: kritva martyamayeem tanoom

magnAn uddharatE lOkAn kAruNyAt shAstra pANinA”.

Thus the role of the Lord as an Acharya par excellence

is well known.

What adiyen would like to mention in this piece is

about the few roles He has played as a disciple.

Normally, a person in authority, used to commanding

others, does not make a good disciple, for he knows

not how to obey his Master. What is the record of the

Lord in this regard?

 

In Sri Ramavatara, the Lord takes on the character of

an ideal human being, and all the roles He plays (that

of obedient son, faithful and protective husband,

loving brother, a King whose sole care was His

subjects’ welfare, etc.) set out models of how human

relationships should be. Therefore it is no surprise

that when it comes to being a disciple, He excels

there too.

Though a person might have several Acharyas, his

father is the first Acharya, by virtue of

“BrahmOpadEsam” or upadEsa of the Gayatri mantra at

the time of his upanayanam. To Sri Rama too, Sri

Dasarata must have been his Prime Acharya. And Sri

Rama’s obedience to His first Acharya is legendary.

All of us are fond of expecting implicit obedience

from our children: Alas, most of us never have a taste

of it. In Sri Dasarata’s case, however, Sri Rama was

all that he could have expected in a son, and much

more too. Sri Rama never waited for His Acharya’s

spoken command, but used to read His father’s wishes

from the minutest of gestures, and carry them out

instantly (“Pitru sushrooshaNE rata:”).

Sri Raghava’s unresisting departure to the forest

for a long sojourn of 14 years, especially on the eve

of His coronation, is a case in point. The moment He

is given this news of Sri Dasarata’s wish by KaikEyi,

He immediately makes arrangements for leaving Ayodhya,

without even verifying independently whether His

father had indeed wished so. In fact, He remonstrates

with KaikEyi for saying “Your father wants this”.

Addressing Kaikeyi, Sri Rama continues,” Would I not

carry out Your wishes? Do you have to say that father

said this? I am indeed pained at your lack of

confidence in me. After all, who is inheriting the

mantle? It is my beloved Bharata.”(In the immortal

words of KambanAttAzhwan,”Mannavan paNi endrAgil num

paNi maruppEnO? ILayanan petra selvam adiyEn petradu

andrO?”). Confirming Sri RaghuveerA’s unprotesting

adherence to His Acharya’s wishes, Sri Valmiki says

“Pitur vachana nirdEsAt na icchat rAjyam mahAbala:”

 

Prior to this too, Sri Rama displays endearing

qualities of the Model Disciple. Despite His station

in life, that of the Heir apparent to Sri Dasarata’s

vast empire, Sri Rama is all humility and obedience

when it comes to interacting with Acharyas. With all

meekness, He puts not only Himself but his brother too

completely at the disposal of Sri Visvamitra, with

whom He is sent for YAga SamrakshaNam. Sri

Chakravartthi Tirumagan says “imou sma muni shArdoola

kinkarou samupastthitou”. The word “Kinkarou” speaks

volumes, for Sri Rama puts Himself at the beck and

call of Sri Visvamitra, much in the fashion of a lowly

servant. This act is magnificent indeed, considering

that the speaker is none other than the Paramapurusha,

on whom the entire Universe depends for its

subsistence. A moving display of Acharya bhakti

indeed!

 

We turn next to the KrishnAvatAra, to

scrutinise the Lord’s attitude towards His Gurus.

Nobody would expect in Sri Krishna the model conduct

we see in Sri Rama. In fact, some of the sobriquets He

earned during the KrishnAvatAra are indeed

unflattering-“Dharumam ariyA kurumban”, “Puram pOl

uLLum kariyAn”etc.

 

However, we are surprised to see that whatever be His

attitude towards others, Sri Krishna displays a

perfectly obedient demeanour towards His Acharya. He

spends several years in the Gurukula of Acharya

Sandeepini, learning the Vedas. This looks

paradoxical, for the Lord is verily the essence of all

Vedic knowledge, as He Himself declares to Arjuna

later (“Vedaischa sarvam ahamEva vEdya:”). Thus the

Ultimate undergoes instruction at the feet of an

Acharya, perhaps indicating to us mortals how

knowledge should be acquired.

And at the end of the period of instruction, it is

customary to offer the Acharya Guru dakshina, as a

token of one’s gratitude for the wisdom imparted.

“Token” is the operative word, for, even the Lord

would not be able to adequately recompense the Acharya

for his immeasurable contribution (“Etri ezhil

viLakkai manatthu…………oru kaimmAru Mayanum kANagillAn”

says Swami Desikan).

Sri Krishna too offers plentiful wealth to His Guru

at the end of His studies. However, the Acharya is

unsatisfied with the bounty offered, but requires his

son, long dead and gone, swallowed by the ocean, to be

brought back to life. A tall order indeed, for who can

rejuvenate the departed? Further, even if it is

possible, would it not be against the laws of Nature

for the dead to be brought back to life?

 

Here, Sri Krishna, torn between preserving the balance

of nature and satisfying His Guru’s wishes, chooses

the latter, in a scintillating display of Acharya

bhakti. For, doesn’t the Upanishad say “AchAryAya

priyam dhanam Ahritya” (Give unto the Acharya what is

dear to his heart)?

 

Hence, obediently, the Lord brings back the Acharya

putra and is thrilled at the Acharya’s delight.

It is said that only he can command, who knows how to

obey. Thus every Acharya should have been an obedient

disciple, if he were to command respect later as an

Acharya. Perhaps it is to emphasize this concept that

the Lord, whenever the circumstances warrant, displays

the qualities of the Dutiful Disciple.

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka

SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya

Nama:

Dasan, sadagopan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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