Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.2- Guru Parampara and its extraordinary greatness

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

LakshmI nAtha samArambhAm nAtha yAmuna madhyamAm |

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE guruparam parAm ||

 

I worship the entire guruparamparaa that starts with Emperumaan, Sriya:

Pathi Sriman Narayanan; which has SrI NAthamuni (in between) upto my AchArya

(Sri Ramanuja).

 

This thaniyan is composed by Sri KooratthAzhwAn (Sri Ramanujacharya¡¦s most

ardent disciple); This Thaniyan describes the paramapara of our Acharyas which

starts with Sriman Narayanan. Sri AzhwAn pays his obeisance to the paramapara

upto his Acharya. He does not mention the name of his Acharya (upto my Acharya -

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm .. It fits in so well for every one of us when we

recite this upto my Acharyan, I pay my obeisance to the Gurupamarapara: AzhwAn

is known for his intellect and scholarship.

 

For the novices: (let me list the Guruparamapa upto Sri Ramanuja..

 

Sriman Narayanan

Sri Mahalakshmi

Sri Vishvaksenar

Sri NammAzhwAr

Sri NAthamuni

Sri UyyakkoNdaar (Sri PundareekAkshar)

Sri MaNakkaal nambhi (Sri Ramamisrar)

Sri Alavandhar (Sri Yamunacharya)

Sri Periya Nambhi (Sri MahapoorNar)

Sri RAMANUJACHARYA

 

The word Guru (Gu + ru) means one who removes ignorance (agnjAnam) of spiritual

knowledge. In Prapanna pArijAtham by SrI NadAdhoor AmmAL Guru is described very

beautifully:

 

A great Guru should be sought after by a person (disciple), immersed in

samsaaric afflictions; who is afraid of the transitory life; the sorrows due to

internal and external factors (AdhyAthmikam- soul dependent;

Adhiboudhikam- extermal world dependednt; and Adhideivikam- pertaining to

Supreme Lord). That Guru will teach and initiate the disciple with the

necessary manthrAs and impart jnAnam.

 

This Guru is the Supreme Highest; he is verily Brahman (Lord); He is the

highest of highs; He is the highest desire; He is the Highest God Himself.

Guru is the Ultimate wealth; Guru is the knowledge; Guru is our treasure;

Guru himself is means; Guru is the end. He needs to be worshipped at all

times, under all circumstances; His name shall always be uttered by the

disciple at all times.

 

gururEva parambrahma gururEva param dhanam;

gururEva paraa vidyA gururEva parAyaNam;

gururEva para: kAma: gururEva parAgathi:

tasmAth sathupadEshTasou thasmAth guruthamO guru:

(48 Chapter 4- Guru paddhathi)

 

It may please be noted that though there are two sects (namely Vadakalai and

thenkalai) in srivaishnavam, they both follow strictly AchArya YathirAjar-

Bhagavath Ramanuja - Srivaishnava sampradayam in all respects with fullest

sincerity and are only different on very few subtle issues.

 

Let us begin our journey through our acharya parampara, wonderful life and

glories of Yathiraja, and his unparalleled works at a high level with a view to

understanding why our Srivaishnava sampradaya is parama vaidika and is in full

compliance with vedantha saastras.

 

Acharyan ThiruvaDigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan