Thuppul PiLLai-1- Acharyan is the dispeller of all sins

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SrI:

SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the

lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

 

Due to the forthcoming Thirunakshathram of Vedanthacharyan Swamy Nigamantha

Mahadesikan, aDiyEn’s desire to write on Acharya saarvabhouman. Merely

reproducing or translating from articles and books that aDiyEn came across.

 

The word Guru means one who removes ignorance (agnjAnam) of spiritual

knowledge. In Prapanna pArijAtham by SrI NadAdhoor AmmAL Guru is described

very beautifully:

 

Please forgive me for my free translations (from tamil meanings)

 

A great Guru should be sought after by a person (disciple), immersed in

samsaaric afflictions; who is afraid of the transitory life; the sorrows due

to internal and external factors (AdhyAthmikam- soul dependent;

Adhiboudhikam- external world dependednt; and Adhideivikam- pertaining to

Supreme Lord). That Guru will teach and initiate the disciple with the

necessary manthrAs and impart jnAnam.

 

This Guru is the Supreme Highest; he is verily Brahman (Lord); He is the

highest of highs; He is the highest desire; He is the Highest God Himself.

Guru is the Ultimate wealth; Guru is the knowledge; Guru is our treasure;

Guru himself is means; Guru is the end. He needs to be worshipped at all

times, under all circumstances; His name shall always be uttered by the

disciple at all times.

 

gururEva parambrahma gururEva param dhanam;

gururEva paraa vidyA gururEva parAyaNam;

gururEva para: kAma: gururEva parAgathi:

tasmAth sathupadEshTasou thasmAth guruthamO guru: (48 Chapyter 4- Guru

paddhathi)

 

Acharyan is the dispeller of all sins. He removes the darkness from our

minds and removes ignorance. He gives us new birth (vidya janmam); He is the

Father and the manthram (which He initiates us with) is the Mother. This

birth places us on the path which leads us to an end to all future births

and deaths. He endows us with divine vision. He has infinite amount of

compassion towards us. He always is interested in our welfare. On account of

all of these, He is always to be worshipped as the Lord Himself. One should

never harbour any feeling that he is doing a good return for what Acharya

has done by paying few dollars. It is only as a token of our gratitude.

 

Swamy Desikan himself 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.

 

Our Greatest AchArya parampara as mentioned earlier starts with Sriman

Narayanan Himself.

 

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.

 

Let us enjoy on Swamy's greatness morrow...

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo Narayana

dAsan

 

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