A Tribute to an Exalted Acharya

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

Today, Friday the 11th September, 2009 is observed as the Aradhana Day of a

Great Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji, the 35th Pontiff

of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham. It was in 1989 this Saptami day that the

Acharya attained Mahasamadhi.

 

He was a living testimony to the scriptural declarations regarding a

Self-realized soul, a jivanmukta and, above all, an ideal Guru. He was a

nonpareil yogin and had been frequently abiding in nirvikalpa-samadhi, the

pinnacle of yoga, even since His teens.

 

Various classes of people came to Acharyal for guidance and succour. Acharyal

graced them in myriad ways. His numerous benedictory addresses in multiple

languages, parables conceived by Him on the spot, teachings and personal

interactions with devotees were all characterized by lucidity, cogency,

practicality, humor and accurate exposition of the intricacies of the Veda-s,

Itihasa-s, Purana-s and other scriptural texts. His very life was a teaching

for all. This book, 'Exalting Elucidations' primarily features the dialogues

between Acharyal and disciples. Incidents from Acharyal's life, His discourses,

His parables and experiences of devotees with Him have been included in the

various chapters as supplements to the dialogues.

 

[The above is reproduced from the blurb of the book mentioned]

 

Here is an excerpt from the Chapter ' Desire ' p.128 :

 

Sannyasa and vairagya go hand-in-hand. Vairagya is the essence of spirituality.

Acharyal never failed to stress the need to cultivate vairagya. He himself led

a life of supreme contentment and dispassion. His life is a great lesson on the

practice of vairagya.

 

Late one night, Acharyal woke up from sleep, ate a small, shrivelled plantain

that was kept on a windowsill, drank some water and went back to bed. I, who

was watching the scene, felt very bad that He ate the banana, which was fit to

be thrown away. When I had the opportunity to talk to Him next morning, I gave

went to my feelings and said, 'Why did Acharyal choose to eat the fruit that was

in such a bad state?' 'Why not?', asked Acharyal. 'There are boxes full of

luscious grapes from Australia that were submitted to Acharyal. Why did

Acharyal have to eat 'that' banana?', I queried. Acharyal said, 'It is advised

that one has to eat something when he feels pain due to peptic ulcers. The

banana served the purpose adequately. Just because better quality fruits are

available today, do I have to eat that? Do you know what 'virakti' is? It is

not the dispassion that you have towards an object in its absence. Even when

the object of desire is in front of you and is also rightfully yours, you should

not enjoy it. Even the thought 'I want it' should not be there in your mind.

That alone is true virakti'. Acharyal continued, 'Even though I may not attempt

to procure the object, if I were to entertain a desire for it, the very longing

will remain in My mind as a residual samskara. On a different occasion, such a

samskara may impel Me to act even without My being conscious of it. For

instance, let us suppose someone comes and places a delicious fruit in front of

Me and I too am in need of it. Let us also suppose that I had earlier

entertained a desire for it. In such a situation, I may at once consume the

fruit without a second thought. So, 'true mind control' is a state of mind,

where you do not even entertain the thought that you need something.'

[Contributed by Sri Rajagopala Sarma]

 

Humble Pranams to the Acharya.

 

Om Tat Sat

[Guest guest]

Pranams Dear Subbuji

 

Thank you for posting that excerpt - wonderfully sublime words!

a koti namaskarams to the Jagadguru.

 

The explanation of virakti was so nice...i am curious if the term occurs in any

particular work of Adi Shankara.

 

Introspection on these ideals is true sadhana.

 

Here is a related video so everyone can get a darshana and pay their obeisance

 

 

Hari OM

Shyam

 

--- On Fri, 9/11/09, subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v wrote:

 

 

subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v

A Tribute to an Exalted Acharya

advaitin

Friday, September 11, 2009, 7:59 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Namaste.

 

Today, Friday the 11th September, 2009 is observed as the Aradhana Day of a

Great Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji, the 35th Pontiff

of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham. It was in 1989 this Saptami day that the

Acharya attained Mahasamadhi.

 

 

[The above is reproduced from the blurb of the book mentioned]

 

Here is an excerpt from the Chapter ' Desire ' p.128 :

 

Sannyasa and vairagya go hand-in-hand. Vairagya is the essence of spirituality.

Acharyal never failed to stress the need to cultivate vairagya. He himself led a

life of supreme contentment and dispassion. His life is a great lesson on the

practice of vairagya.

 

today, do I have to eat that? Do you know what 'virakti' is? It is not the

dispassion that you have towards an object in its absence. Even when the object

of desire is in front of you and is also rightfully yours, you should not enjoy

it. Even the thought 'I want it' should not be there in your mind. That alone is

true virakti'. Acharyal continued, 'Even though I may not attempt to procure the

object, if I were to entertain a desire for it, the very longing will remain in

My mind as a residual samskara.

 

 

 

Recent Activity

 

 

 6

New Members

 

 1

New FilesVisit Your Group

 

 

 

Finance

It's Now Personal

Guides, news,

advice & more.

 

 

Mental Health Zone

Mental Health

Learn More

 

Celebrity kids

and families

Surviving in

the spotlight

..