Q & A: Need For Spirituality And Acharyas

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Q & A: NEED FOR SPIRITUALITY AND ACHARYAS

Question 1: What is Spiritual Knowledge, and what is the need for it? Who is a bonafide Acharya (spiritual teacher)? (With so many available)

Any developed, civilized society seeks to find out the purpose of life, Why am I here, Who am I, Who created this universe, these questions will lead us to seek out the Truth.

There has to be a greater purpose than eating, sleeping and reproducing. This leads us to think further and more questions come, am I more than this flesh and blood, am I "jeevatma"? (Spiritual Being)

The very important question of "who am I and what is my purpose", makes us seek "True Knowledge" (Spiritual Knowledge).This spiritual knowledge is gained through the study of spiritual science.

This deals with

1. Chit - Jivathmas (Soul) :- has Knowledge

2. Achit - Time, Matter etc.

3. Ishwara - Paramathma (Supreme soul) :- God, Sriman Narayana

In order to gain a proper understanding of this knowledge such that it can be to our benefit, as well as of benefit to the world, we need to seek an Acharya who has this type of knowledge, and is willing to share it readily with those who sincerely desire to learn it.

Question 2: How do we know the Acharya is true? How do we find THE Acharya?

God out of his Kripa (mercy), reveals the true knowledge to us, via a Acharya parampara (lineage of Spiritual Teachers).

Lord, Sriman Narayana (a.k.a, Vishnu, Sri Hari) is the first Acharya. He revealed this true knowledge to: "Sri" (Maha Lakshmi, the Divine Mother). The Divine Mother revealed the true knowledge to Vishvaksena (Commander in Chief in Vaikhunta), who in turn taught it to Satakopa Muni (Nammazhwar). The lineage of teachers continued on through Nathamuni, Pundarikaksha, Ramamisra, Yamunucharya, Goshti Purna, to Sri Ramanuja, the foremost and most magnanimous of all of the Spiritual Teachers (Time on Earth: 1017 to 1137 AD).

Due to his unparalleled wisdom and compassion, Sri Ramanuja is regarded to be the foremost example of what it means to be a Spiritual Teacher. Thus all other teachers after him, have had their teachings validated because of their connection to Sri Ramanuja.

Consequently, All Acharyas following in this lineage of Acharyas after his time are named with suffixes/prefixes of Ramanuja, they represent Ramanuja and his teachings as they are.

All these Acharyas passed down the knowledge as it is, without any

adulteration to the original as given by Lord Narayana to MahaLakshmi.

You may approach any of the Acharyas in this lineage.

Question 3: Is this Acharya Lineage based on Birth. Are there any caste restrictions on who can be in this lineage?

No this lineage is not based on birth. We have Acharyas from all walks

of life and all castes. SwamiSatagopan (Nammazhwar) the first Acharya

in Earth was born in 4<SUP>th</SUP> Caste. He is the most important acharya who

brought the teachings to all the Sri Vaishnavas. There is a lot of

misconceptions regarding Caste System, let us discuss that in another

session.

Question 4: Is the Spiritual knowledge we get today is same as was given by LORD?

In Sri Vaishnavite Sampradaya, this knowledge is being handed down from Teacher to Student (who then takes over the role of teacher for the next generation)

Such a lineage can be regarded to be like” a clean pipe”, with all the Acharyas being regarded as smaller clean pipes connecting through a main “junction box”, Bhagavad Sri Ramanuja.

Since the water coming in is pure, and all the pipes are clean and untainted by false ego or false knowledge, the water coming at the end of the pipe is exactly the same as it at was at its source (Sriman Naryana). Spiritual Knowledge revealed by the Lord, is given to us by our Acharya, as taught through the Lineage of Acharyas. This knowledge is thus flawless and true spiritual Knowledge.

 

 

So any one interested in learning the True knowledge will approach an

Acharya of this lineage (RamanujaAcharyas, some call them as

Sadacharyas) as they are all representing Acharya Ramanuja (and will pass the message AS IS to their devotees)

Question 5: How to approach Acharya?

Due to, Lord SrimanNarayana's grace and benevolence we get accepted by our Acharya, the Acharya accepts us (it is never the other way). One should be extremely grateful and fortunate to be accepted by a qualified RamanujaAcharya of this lineage.

Question 6: What do we need to get accepted by such an Acharya?

Genuine Interest is all that you need to have. If you are a true devotee seeking the Truth and are willing to understand and follow it respectfully, Ramanujacharyas will never turn you down.

It is our great fortune that Acharyas accept us and impart the True knowledge to us in appropriate doses based on our individual capacity. In Sastras, Acharya is Described as Equivalent to GOD, If needed we can explain reasons later.

So all the true devotees treat their Acharya as GOD himself.

Question 7: Like GOD, is that not stroking some Ego? Is this needed?

True devotees treat their Acharya as GOD himself, But the True Acharya NEVER says "I am God" never behaves with EGO or Anger,

Never entertains any caste, community, regional or language barriers.

Question 8: How to know the True Acharyas from Fake Sadhus?

There are so many others claiming to be the Perfect Acharya and that they are GOD. If you see such people go ask them if they are the SUPREME GOD (The Creator of this universe). Nobody is greater than or equal to the SUPREME GOD.

Ask such people if they can even create a grain of rice without the help of Lord, Sriman Narayana. Ask if anyone can create or bring life to an otherwise life-less object. No-one can create anything, only GOD can. Still we find fake ones claiming to be GOD etc.

True Acharya NEVER says "I am God"

 

You can be assured that an Acharya representing Bhagavad Ramanuja

and his message is passing on the message as revealed by LORD and is a Bonafide True Acharya, capable of delivering us to GOD.

In some sense it depends on what you are seeking, if you are seeking true spiritual knowledge, GOD will allow you to come under the guidance of an Acharya of the Lineage Started by HIM, with the LORD as the First Acharya.

HIS grace is always upon you; let us pray for all of us, to fall in love with HIM more and more and not to resist/block his Grace with our false ego.

 

 

Gopuram at Srirangam. Lord Ranganatha (main deity), The three great teachers

- NammAzhvAr, Ramanuja and MaNavALa mAmuni