A Great Teacher!

[Guest guest]

Jai Srimannarayana to you all,

 

Yesterday we all were blessed to listen to our HH in the Gopalopayana function about Gopalacharya Swamy. It was an amazing sight to have the darshan of three jeeyars at a time on the dias – our Swamiji, Sri Ahobila jeeyar swamy and Vrathadhar jeeyar swami.

The recipient of the puraskar is Sriman Kaviraj Devaraj Acharya Swamy from Nepal who is a simple dedicated devotee working to wipe off misconceptions regarding our sampradayam whenever they are raised, with a sound clarification through his papers and books. He spoke in chaste Hindi regarding his experiences.

The function was in Hindi and all were awe struck listening to the life of Sri Gopalacharya swamy, the moving details as explained by HH, - how untiringly he strived to prepare many scholars to propagate our philosophy.

Gopalacharya Swamy and our Pedda Jeeyar Swamy were two facets of the same coin of the task of propagating Ramanuja darsanam, who were responsible to see our dharma take deep roots in the hearts of millions all over the world.

Swamiji narrated the usual routine in Gopalacharya swamy's day:

 

In Nadigaddi Palem, Gopalacharya swamy's classes of Sanskrit and Scriptures started at 6am. He used to finish his sandhyavandanam and aradhana by that time and sit ready for the class. The class would continue till 12:30pm, with a short break of 15mts. Afternoon after lunch he used to teach from 1:30 till late evening. Again in the night one more recapitulation class would be held. He had a strange knack of recognizing how much was understood by his students. He was tireless to explain the lessons again and again but in a different version. He provided them boarding and lodging and taught them. Such was his devotion to prepare the students. He spent his time till his last breath either writing something or teaching his students or learning some thing. He remained a learner till a very ripe age as he believed a teacher should be seeker always.

All this he did with his drastic health. He suffered from Asthma, cough, Tuberculosis, severe head ache etc. He used to tie a cloth round his head and continue but never stopped his class.

When the pupils insisted to take some rest, he used to joke- that all those diseases were also his devotees who came to serve him all his life. Nothing deterred him from his routine.

He had a quick wit and a great skill of silencing the opponents with valid explanations.

Many great scholars from north and south bowed before him and accepted him as acharya par excellence.

He motivated many to learn the Dravida scriptures and taught them whenever their time permitted.

These should be the true qualities of a good dedicated teacher.

 

It is really heartening to know with which fervor he prepared scholars who can change and enlighten the society. We are all indebted to him.

 

Let us all prostrate before him to bless us with knowledge and sincerity in our efforts.

 

Jaisrimannarayana!