A parting Advice

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Namaste Advaitins,

 

A parting advice

 

This is an incident from the life of Sri Appayya Dikshita, a doyen of

the resplendent parampara of Advaita Acharyas that has contributed

immensely to the Advaitic thought, post Shankara. Sri Dikshita

received all the higher learning from his father, Sri Rangaraja

Adhvarin, a man of very great learning. After a long association

with the King Chinna Bomma, Sri Rangaraja returned to his native

place, Adayapalam. Being a great Vedantin himself, was aware of the

impermanence of the body, and sensing that his end was drawing near,

he called his illustrious sons, Sri Appayya Dikshita and Sri Achan

Dikshita, near him and gave them sound advice:

 

"What we have learnt is only a microscopic part of the great ocean of

learning. Hence it is extremely foolish on the part of anyone to

feel proud of his learning. Pride is the first enemy of all real

learning. Hence be never proud of what little you have learnt.

Also, all our faculties, our body, mind and intellect have been

created only to be of service to others. Hence these have to be kept

pure always, and used solely to the worship of Lord Shiva. The mind

is to be used to meditate on Him, the body to do service to Him, and

the intellect to propagate His greatness among the world. Lord Shiva

is the Supreme Reality. Hence all sages who wear the Vibhuti and

Rudraksha, have to be considered as Lord Shiva Himself. Also, always

try to please Lord Vishnu who is the yajnapati by doing yagas."

 

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The regulated life of Sri Appayya Dikshita:

 

Sri Appayya Dikshita having learnt the Vedas and Vedangas was leading

an austere and disciplined life. He used to get up well before

sunrise in the Brahma Muhurta, finish his ablutions and bath, and

perform Shivapuja after the Sandhya Upasana. He used to spend

considerable time in japa, prayer and meditation. He never failed to

perform the Brahmayajna* before his food. After food he spent

considerable time in discussions and study with other pundits and in

learning mimamsa, tarka, vyakarana, Vedanta etc. In the evening, he

again did his Gayatri, japa etc. after his snana (bath), and then did

Shiva puja again. After food, he used to spend a considerable

portion of time at night in inner meditation and deep philosophical

thinking.

 

* Brahmayajna is one of the nitya karmas enjoined on both grihasthas

and brahmacharins. It consists of (a) offering tarpana to the Devas,

Rishis (including the Vedas, and other scriptures), and the Pitris

and (b) the recitation of a portion of the Vedas that have been

learnt.

 

OM

 

(The above were taken from the book 'Sri Appayya Dikshita' authored

by Dr.N.Ramesan, IAS. My thanks to Sri Sundar ji who provided the

information regarding the Foundation, in Hyderabad, established to

publish and propagate the works of Sri Dikshita.)

 

Pranams,

subbu