Sri Ramanuja Acarya (III)

July 12, 2003

Third Installment

Sripad Ramanujacarya maharaja goswami prabhupad was one hundred and twenty years old. During his life he had established seventy-four centers for the Sri Vaisnavas and had many thousands of followers, including several kings and many wealthy land-owners. Apart from the householders, he num-bered amongst his followers 700 sannyas disciples, 12,000 brahmacari disciples, and 300 ladies who had taken vows of renunciation. Eventually, seeing that his mission on earth was now completed, he decided to give up his frail body and return to the abode of the Lord. At this time Sri Ramanuja's disciples cried very loud and felt very emotionally disturbed.

FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

On hearing their cries, Sri Ramanujacarya came out of his trance and said to his disciples, "My dear children, why do you cry out in lamentation like un-educated people? Do you think this body can endure forever? Am I not fixed in your hearts for all time? Therefore, give up this useless wailing and under-stand the will of the Lord." To this the disciples all replied, "0 master, as al-ways your instructions are perfect. Nonetheless, it is impossible for us to bear the pain of separation, which must surely overwhelm us if you leave us now. Sri Ramanuja showed them mercy and stayed three more days giving discourses on each of the following subjects:

1. Everyday worship all the Vaisnavas and joyfully associate with them as you worship your Guru and with firm faith and remain steady in their service.

2. Study the scriptures with devotion and teach others whom are sincerely Interested.

3. Always chant with devotion the holy name and relish the form and qualities of the supreme lord.

DISAPPEARANCE OF SRIPAD RAMANUJACARYA MAHARAJA

When Sri Ramanuja had finished speaking, Da-sarathi, Govinda, Andhrapurna, and some of the other leading disciples came forward and made this request. ''Your body, which is fore ever engaged in the service of the Lord, can never be a product of matter. Our bodies are certainly temporary, but you exist only on the platform of spiritual life-Therefore, our request is that we never be deprived of the sight of your spiritual form." Taking pity upon them, Sripad Ramanujacarya accepted their request and ordered that expert sculptors be brought there to carve a stone deity in his likeness. After three days the work was complete. Then the deity was bathed with water from the Kaveri and installed upon a newly constructed altar. Yatiraja then came slowly up to the deity and filled it with his potency by breathing into the crown of the head. Turning to the disciples, he said, "This is my second self. When I have cast off this body, you may worship this form instead of me. Then he lay down with his head on Govindas lap. His feet on the lap of Andhrapurna. In this position, with his eyes fixed on the wooden shoes of his own spiritual master, Sripad Ramanujacarya gave up his body and returned to the abode of Lord Visnu. It was noontime on the tenth day of the bright moon fortnight in the month of Magha in the year 1059 of the Saka era (1137 A.D.). A few days later, Govinda, Sri Ramanuja's cousin and lifelong companion, also departed from this world.

The other devotees remained under the leader-ship of Sri Parasara Bhatta, the son of Kuresa, always endeavoring to follow in their master's footsteps by constantly serving Lord Narayana. By se-rious practice of devotional service, they were able to feel Sri Ramanuja's presence within their hearts; thus their intense feelings of separation were mitigated. Parasara continued the mission of Sri Ramanujacarya by strongly preaching the doc-trines of Vaisnavism. In a great debate he over-came Vedantin Madhava dasa, the leader of the impersonalist scholars, and made him into a devo-tee. Years later, after the disappearance of Para-sara, this same Madhava dasa became the acarya of the Sri Vaisnavas.

This is only a drop in an ocean of unlimited transcendental pastimes in relationship to this Great Vaisnava Acarya

Submitted for the pleasure of all sincere Vaisnava devotees of the lord Arijit das.