Ramanujacarya (6)

[Guest guest]

April 7th, 2003, Monday (Pancami)

Appearance day of Sri Ramanujacarya

 

 

RAMANUJA BEGINS HIS TEACHING

 

All the people of Kancipuram were very surprised to hear that

Ramanuja had taken sannyasa. He was still a young man, and his wife was

extremely beautiful. Some considered him insane, but many others began to

compare him to great devotees of the past; from all around people came to

see him. The Vaisnavas who stayed at the asrama at Kanci made him their

acarya, for his good qualities and understanding of the scriptures were well

known.

 

Gradually, by ones and twos, disciples began to gather around him.

His first disciple was Dasarathi, his nephew, who was famous for his

knowledge of the Vedas. The second was a young man named Kuresa, who had a

wonderful memory.

 

 

YADAVAPRAKASA BECOMES A VAISNAVA

 

One day, when the elderly mother of Yadavaprakasa came to the temple

to see Lord Varadaraja, she noticed Ramanuja instructing his disciples

outside the asrama. Being captivated by his gracefulness and scholarship,

she considered that if her son were to become the disciple of such a

wonderful personality, then his life would be perfect. Ever since his

mistreatment of Ramanuja, Yadavaprakasa had been very disturbed at heart,

and his mother knew this. She considered that the best thing for her son

would be to take shelter at the feet of this effulgent young sannyasi.

 

When she returned home, she begged her son to go and become a

disciple of Ramanuja, but Yadavaprakasa would not hear of surrendering to

one who had previously been his own student. Still, however, his mind

remained disturbed. Once he happened to meet with Kancipurna and he inquired

from him, "Sir, I am very troubled at heart and can find no peace. As you

are well known as the one through whom Lord Varadaraja gives instructions,

please tell me what I must do."

 

"Go home now," replied Kancipurna. "Tonight I wilt pray to Lord

Varadaraja. If you come to me tomorrow, I will tell you His instructions."

 

When they met the following day, Kancipurna immediately began to

describe the greatness of Ramanuja and the benefits one might derive from

becoming his disciple. On hearing this, Yadavaprakasa decided he would go to

visit Ramanuja at the asrama and discuss the scriptures with him.

 

`That night Yadavaprakasa found it hard to sleep. He lay awake for

several hours, considering the different points over and over again.

Eventually he dozed into a light sleep, and while he slept, he had a

wonderful dream. It seemed that an effulgent person appeared before him and

began to give him instructions. Again and again he told Yadavaprakasa that

he should become the disciple of Yatiraja.

 

When Yadavaprakasa awoke, the effects of the dream were still with

him, and he was struck with wonder. However, he was never a man to act

solely on the basis of his emotions, and in his mind there still lingered

doubts about Ramanuja's philosophy.

 

That afternoon he went to the asrama and, as soon as he saw

Yatiraja, he was struck by the young acaryas purity and effulgence. Ramanuja

received his former teacher with courtesy, offering him an elevated sitting

place. After they had exchanged greetings, Yadavaprakasa began to express

his doubts about the Vaisnava philosophy that Ramanuja was so expertly

presenting. "My child," he said gently, "I am very pleased by your

scholarship and humble behavior. I can see from the markings of tilaka and

the emblems of the lotus and cakra on your body that you are a devotee of

Lord Visnu and consider the path of bhakti alone to be proper. But what

evidence can be found in the scriptures to support such a point of view?"

 

To this inquiry Yatiraja replied, "Here is Kuresa, who is most

learned in all of the revealed scriptures. Place your question before him."

 

Thereupon, as Yadavaprakasa looked towards Kuresa, the young

disciple of Ramanuja began to speak. He cited numerous verses from many

different scriptures - the Vedas, Upanisads, Puranas, etc. - which confirmed

that loving devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the

perfection of spiritual life.

 

On hearing this torrent of evidence from the scriptures,

Yadavaprakasa was dumbfounded and fell silent. Different thoughts passed

quickly through his mind - his previous outrageous behavior, the words of

his mother, and the advice that had been given to him by Kancipurna.

Suddenly he threw himself down at the feet of his former disciple, crying

out, "0 Ramanuja, blinded by pride, I could not see your true qualities.

Please forgive all my offenses and become my guide to deliver me from the

miseries of this material world. I take shelter of you alone."

 

Yatiraja then raised Yadavaprakasa to his feet and embraced him with

warm affection. With his mother's blessings, that same day Yadavaprakasa

accepted sannyasa from Ramanuja and considered himself greatly fortunate. He

was given the name Govinda dasa, and from that day on he was like a

different person. He now fully embraced the Vaisnava philosophy and gave up

all pride in his scholarship. Tears of humility now decorated his eyes as he

engaged in acts of devotion to the Supreme Lord. On hearing of this

extraordinary transformation, everyone praised the influence of Ramanuja,

and his fame spread far and wide.

 

Seeing the devotional sentiments in his former guru, Yatiraja once

addressed him, saying, "Now your mind has become free from all

contamination. To remove the sins of the past, you should write a book

delineating the duties of a true Vaisnava. By rendering this service you

will attain full perfection."

 

Accordingly Yadavaprakasa wrote a wonderful book called

Yati-dharma-samuccaya, which he offered at the feet of his guru. At this

time Yadavaprakasa, or Govinda dasa as he was now known, was over eighty

years old. A short time after the completion of the book, he passed from

this world.