Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.19- How does one get a Sadacharya?

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SRI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all

 

The jeevathman is thus very dear to the Lord. The Lord is a worthy Master

(sEshi) and He is very eager to grant the bliss of His communion to all. The

Supreme Lord is adorning the celestial abode of SrivaikuNtam

 

vaikuNtE tu parElOkE sriyAsArDham jagathpathi: |

aasthE vishNurachinthyAthmA bhakthai: bhAgawathai: saha ||

 

This jeevathman has the qualification by his essential nature to enjoy the

supreme joy of experiencing the Lord eternally in an equal measure along with

the nityasuris but on account of his beginningless karma has been bound by

samsara.

 

Migrating in the cycle of samsara in very many thousands of births and being

weakened on account of the dust of remniscent impressions he is fatigued and

deluded. He is thus in a forlorn state deprived of the true illumination of

tattva, hita and purusharttha, knowledge of the Supreme Reality, the path of

spiritual discipline and the supreme object of attainment.

 

Thus jeevathman, who has not known his true nature and so who considers himself

independent, comes to know that he is subservient to Paramathman (being related

to Him, as His dasa, sishya, prasishya, etc) and yearns to attain the Supreme

Paramathman by performing the necessary spiritual discipline according to the

teachings of the Acharya.

 

But how does one get an Acharya?

 

Desika says:

 

Iswarasya Cha sowhArdham yadrucChAsukrutham thaThA |

vishNO: katAkshamadwEsham aaBhimuKhyam Cha saatvikai: |

samBhAshaNam padEthAni gnAchAryaprApthihEthava: ||

 

These six namely the good will of Paramathman, some good deed done by chethana

casually, the kind merciful glance of Sri MahavishNu, having no hatred towards

the Lord, a turn towards the Lord and conversation with saatvik devoted people,

- are the causes of gaining a SadAchArya.

On account of any of these- a jeevathman will be blessed with the benevolent

glances of Acharya and Sambandham of Acharyan, due to the grace of the Lord and

thus saves himself from further births by performing a spiritual discipline.

 

The benevolent acharya enlightens him on his true nature of self (athman) as

mentioned in the verse:

 

Naayam dEvA na marthyO v Ana thiryaksThAvarO(S)pi vA |

gnAnAnandhamayasthvAthmA SeshO hi paramAthmana: ||

 

This Athman is not a God, a human being, nor an animal not an unmoving object.

He is one of nature of knowledge

 

[From Dr Sri U VE NS Ananthrarangachar Swami's book on Essence of Srimad

Rahasyathrayasaram]

 

Acharyan ThiruVadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

namo narayana

dAsan