Mumukshuppadi 006

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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