ACHARYA CHAUVINISM

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ACHARYA CHAUVINISM

 

 

We have heard about male chauvinism, female chauvinism. What is this AchArya

Chauvinism?

 

The first sUthram of srEvachana bhUshaNam commences "vEdhArtham aRudhi iduvadhu,

smrithi,idihAsa purANathAlEa"

 

To determine the truth or the ultimate message of the vEdhAs one has to take

refuge in smrithi , idihAsam and purANAs.

 

To master the smrithis text itself is an herculean task. To comprehend the

abstruse meanings is still complicate.

 

Sri rAmAyaNam and mahAbhAratham are oceans and talk about the Lord in bits and

pieces and talks about other things also. One has to sift properly, before

coming to a conclusion.

 

It is well known that upanishadhs have declared that it is not possible for them

to completely descriebe the Lord.

 

Then comes the purANAs. The list is long, the divisions are manifold and certain

purANAs are questionable.

 

Even assuming all the above one needs a lenghty life, a human birth, interests,

education proper teacher and so on and so forth which has been rightly

elaborated by sri azhagia maNavALap perumAL nAyanar in his AchArya Hrdhayam "

chadhur vidhamAna ..." 16.

 

What can one do? the longevity, limited knowledge, ability, health etc. are not

blessed to one and all to finish of the aformentioned endevour to complete the

mission to find out what is the essence of vEdham-s.

 

The best thing would be to take refuge in AzhwAr's thriuvAkku. To learn the

text is also not easy. You need an able teacher and spiritual guide.

 

To learn the meanings, you have to take refuge in AchAryAs teachings and

vyAkyAnam-s.

 

It is always better to comprehend what we follow or recite. Is it possible

always? No. Sometimes, we may not comprehend the abstruse and delicate aspects.

Then, what to do ? In some cases, we may not understand and therefore may not

mentally fall in line with the thinking of AzhwAr/AchAryAs. The fact of sri

rAmAnuja adeptly using the thriuvoimozhi in srE bhAshyam is well known.

"bhAshyakArar idhu koNdu sUthra vAkyangaLai orunga viduvar" AchArya Hrdhayam 65.

 

Further, if we appreciate certain aspects of AchAryAs works when we like it and

condemn when we do not like it (the likings and dislikings are due to our

understanding capabilities and teachings of our AchAryAs and spritual mentors)

the attitude towards these divine works are likely to fluctuate. When anasuyai

asked pirAtti, whether she accompanied sri rAmA in exile as He was good, pirAtti

told that, she follwed Him not just because He was good, but it was because it

is the nature of the soul.

"anasuyaikku pirAtti aruLich seidha vArthaiyai smarippadhu" srEvachana bhUshaNam

113;

 

That is what we should do. Whenever, our mind is in agreement with AzhwAr

AchAryAs, very good. Even whenever our mind is not in agreement, still we should

follow them -but try to understand them by learning from blessed souls and not,

I repeat not criticize their greatness or try to interpret ourselves.

 

This is what sri AndAL says " mEalaiyAr seivanagaL vEaNduvana kEAttiyEal"

 

Yes, it may look that I am following them blindly. That is my swarUpam. My

limited knowledge is nothing as compared to theirs. "E AduvadhO! garudaRku

edhirEa".Let the world accuse me of blind faith. I expose my falinings and

fallings in this regard. I concede my total surrender to pUrvAchAryAs and

AzhwAr;'s works blindly. I do not need substantiation for their works. Yes, I am

AchArya chauvinsitic.

I call this

"AchArya Chauvinism"

 

rAmAnuja dAsan'

vanamamalai padmanabhan

 

tailpiece: "munnOar mozhindha muRai thappAmal kEattu, pin Oarndhu thAm adhanaip

pEasAdhE,

than nenjil thORRinadhEa solli, idhu sutha upadhEsa varavAthathenbar,

mUrkarAvAr" upadhEsa rethinamAlai