anthimOpAya Nishtai English

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan
mAmunigaLs eedu kAlakshEpa gOshti and namperumAL honouring mAmunigaL
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Preface
sAsthram establishes that un-interrupted kainkaryam (service) to bhagavAn is the ultimate goal for a jIvAthmA. But when it comes to the means to attain that kainkarya prApthi, there are various paths defined. bhakthi and prapathi are considered as the most important means to attain the kainkarya prApthi. But even beyond bhakthi and prapathi, total dependence on AchAryan is considered as the ultimate and easiest path to get the ultimate benediction. AchinOthi ya: sAsthrArtham AcharE sthApayathi api svayam Acharathe yasmAdh AchAryas thEna kIrththitha:
: :
Simple translation: An AchArya is one who understands the sAsthram fully, establishes the principles as given in the sAsthram and he himself practices the same. It is also explained by our pUrvAchAryas based on sAsthram that, an AchArya must be totally faithful to srIman nArAyaNa and fully accept his supremacy. An AchArya must be purely situated in gyAnam (knowledge), bhakthi (loving devotion) and vairAgyam (detachment) and must be abstaining from upAyAntharams (any other means other than srIman nArAyaNan), upEyAntharams (any other goal other than service to srIman nArAyaNan and his devotees) and dhEvathAntharams (having any attachment to other dhEvathas). All our pUrvAchAryas were shining examples for such qualities in them.
piLLai lOkAchAryar, maNavALa mAmunigaL, paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar
piLLai lOkAchAryar brings out the essence of sAsthram as taught by the pUrvAchAryas in srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram. Here, he finally establishes that "AchArya abhimAnamE uththArakam", meaning AchArya's mercy towards the sishya is the ultimate path for the sishya to achieve the ultimate benediction of kainkarya prApthi. This principle is beautifully explained with many examples by paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar (one of the prime disciples of maNavALa mAmunigaL) in his divine grantham named "anthima upAya nishtai". anthima = ultimate/end, upAya = path and nishtai = firm faith/dependence. This means "total dependence on AchAryan (the ultimate path)". paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar himself says that, this whole grantham is based on mAmunigaL's direct instructions and he is just like pen/palm leaf which are used to document his AchAryan's words. This is very similar to nampiLLai's eedu which was lectured by nampiLLai himself but documented by vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai. So, these are to be considered as mAmunigaL's direct instructions according to the author. This AchArya nishtai was specifically manifested in the likes of madhurakavi AzhwAr towards nammAzhwAr, ANdAL towards periyAzhwAr, dheivavAri ANdAn towards ALavandhAr, vaduka nambi towards emperumAnAr, etc., to name a few. This nishtai is also called as charama parva nishtai (ultimate level in faith). While total dependence on bhagavAn is called as prathama parva nishtai (initial level in faith), the same on AchAryan is called charama parva nishtai. Our AzhwArs and AchAryas have given many valuable instructions on charama parva nishtai in their many dhivya prabhandhams and srI sUkthis. This grantham is in maNipravALa style (a mixture of tamizh and samskritha words) and as in many other pUrvAchArya granthams, has long sentences, phrases that are difficult to translate directly, etc. adiyen will attempt to present the essence of each section/paragraph as close as possible to the original text. Very special co-incidence - By the divine will of emperumAn this translation effort went into 18 articles similar to bhagavadh gIthai's 18 chapters. In the 18th chapter emperumAn reveals the glories of surrender, here also in the last article, glories of surrender to AchArya is revealed. Even more special is that this series is concluding in time for ALavandhAr's annual thirunakshathram day. ALavandhAr was fully situated in AchArya nishtai and revealed his divine emotions towards nAthamunigaL in his sthOthra rathanam - its an apt day for us to remember and relish this divine grantham "anthimOpAya nishtai". adiyen is very thankful to many srivaishnavas who encouraged me and continues to encourage me in writing such articles. With the blessings of such srivaishnavas, our pUrvAchAryas, AzhwArs and sri-bhUmi-nILa samEtha emperumAn, adiyen is presenting this book to the larger srivaishnava community. adiyen is grateful to sriya:pathi, AzhwArs and AchAryas for letting adiyen do this small kainkaryam as a samarpaNai at the lotus feet of asmadhAchAryan srImath paramamhamsa ithyAdhi vAnamAmalai pattarpirAn rAmAnuja jIyar swamy (29th pattam). adiyen is indebted to srI ranganAthan swamy (bangalore - editor of http://antaryami.net
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan website) for graciously providing timely and beautiful translations for some of the samskritha slOkams and pramANams. Full series can be viewed at: http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/p/anthimopaya-nishtai.html. adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan Email: sarathy.thothathri@gmail.com Web: http://ponnadi.blogspot.com , http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com, http://sriperumbuthur.blogspot.com vijaya - Adi - uthrAdam, ALavandhAr (July 22nd, 2013) - - ,
asmadhAchAryan
srImath paramhamsa ithyAdhi pattarpirAn rAmAnuja jeeyar (29th pattam, vAnamAmalai mutt)
varthamAna swAmy
srImath paramhamsa ithyAdhi kaliyan rAmAnuja jeeyar (30th pattam, vAnamAmalai mutt)
Table of Contents
1. AchArya/sishya lakshaNam ..................................................................................................................... 7 2. AchArya lakshaNam/vaibhavam .............................................................................................................22 3. sishya lakshaNam...................................................................................................................................32 4. emperumAnAr's mercy ..........................................................................................................................46 5. bhattar, nanjIyar and nampiLLai .............................................................................................................51 6. AchAryan's higher position.....................................................................................................................57 7. nampiLLai vaibhavam 1 ..........................................................................................................................64 8. Ani thirumUlam - ramyajAmAthru and ramyajAmAthrumuni .................................................................70 9. nampiLLai vaibhavam 2 ..........................................................................................................................74 10. srI rAmAnuja's sishyas............................................................................................................................79 11. embAr and other sishyas........................................................................................................................83 12. AchAryan is bhagavath avathAram.........................................................................................................87 13. ill effects of AchArya apchAram .............................................................................................................99 14. bhAgavatha apachAram .......................................................................................................................108 15. AchArya/bhAgavatha prasAdham and srIpAdha thIrtham ....................................................................119 16. AchArya/bhAgavatha glories irrespective of birth ................................................................................129 17. Causeless mercy of bhAgavathas..........................................................................................................145 18. Conclusion - Glories of AchArya nishtai ................................................................................................159
AchArya/sishya lakshaNam
maNavALa mAmunigaL's thanian (by periya perumAL)
srIsailEsa dhayA pAthram dhIbhakthyAdhi guNArNavam yathIndhra pravaNam vandhE ramya jAmAtharam munim

ponnadikkAl jIyar's thanian (by dhoddayangAr appai)
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan ramya jAmAthru yOghIndhra pAdharEkhA mayam sadhA thathA yaththAthma saththAdhim rAmAnuja munim bhajE

paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar's thanians
ramya jAmAthru yOgIndhra pAdha sEvaika dhArakam bhattanAtha munim vandhE vAthsalyAdhi guNArNavam

kAnthOpayanthruyamina: karuNAmrudhAbdhE: kAruNyasIthala katAksha sudhAnidhAnam
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan thannAma manthra krutha sarvahithOpadhEsam srIbhattanAthamuni dhEsikam AsrayAmi
: :
upanishadhamrudhbdhErudhdhrudhAm sAravidhbi: madhurakavimukaisthAm anthimOpAya nishtAm upadhisathi janEbyO yO dhayApUrNadhrushti: bajahrudhaya sadhA thvam battanAtham munIndhram
: :
ruchira varamunIndhrENAtharENOpathishtAm akrutha kruthivarishtAm anthimOpAya nishtAm thamiha nikila janthu uththaraNOthyukthachiththam prathidhinam abivandhE battanAtham munIndhram

namOsthu battanAthAya munayE mukthidhAyinE yEnaivam anthimOpAyanishtA lOkE prathishtithA

thAthonRum thArbuyaththAn maNavALa muni thanathu pAdham paravum pattarpirAn muni palkalaiyum vEdhangaLum chila purANangaLum thamizh vEdhiyarum Odhum poruL anthimOpAya nishtai uraiththavanE!
!
***************************************************** Translator's note: Grantham starts here. anthimOpAya nishtAyA vakthA saumyavarO muni: lEkakasyAnvayO mE athra lEkanIthAlapathravath
:
This anthimOpAya nishtai is spoken by maNavALa mAmunigaL. My part in this grantham is like being paper and pen which are used for documenting those words. enthai maNavALa yOgi enakkuraiththa anthimOpAya nishtaiyAmathanaich chinthai cheythu ingellArum vAzha ezhuthi vaiththEn ippuviyil nallaRivonRillAtha nAn

After contemplating on the divine instructions on anthimOpAya nishtai given by my spiritual father maNavALa mAmunigaL, I, who is not so learned, have documented this for the benefit of the entire people of this world. (paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar quoting mAmunigaL's upadhEsa rathina mAlai 2nd pAsuram) kaRROrgaL thAmugappar kalvi thannil AchaiyuLLOr peRROm ena ugaNthu pinbu kaRpar maRROrgaL mAchcharyaththAl igazhil vanthathen nenjE igazhgai AchcharyamO thAn avarkku
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The learned scholars will be pleased to see this work, the one who is interested in learning will be pleased and learn this subject matter. Others, out of jealousy, may insult this work, but is it so surprising that they insult this work? (It is not, since they are not matured enough to understand the glories of this subject matter). In this samsAram (material world) which is full of miseries, everyone goes around in the cycle of birth and death. It is said that the effects of our small momentary action cannot be consumed by us even in many many thousands of births (we may be killing many invisible entities in a moment - and we have to consume the effects of all those pApa karmA in many thousands of births). Also this samsAram is a very cruel place where samsAris (materially focussed people) cannot stabilize themselves to be able to remove the troubles in samsAram and free themselves. Also, they are always bewildered about the unbreakable cycle of birth and death and the effects of their karmAs. AchAryas mercifully bless such beings, remove their fear and uplift them from this samsAram. These AchAryas transform such beings who are totally devoid of any knowledge about the self (and keep thinking that they are not different from their body) and make them realize their true nature through their causeless mercy. The AchAryan identifies what is to be pursued and what is to be given up clearly and protects the sishyan truly. Such sishyas who are truly blessed have to accept the lotus feet of their AchAryan as the best path to relieve them from samsAram. This prabhandham explains that, the following are the most essential aspects to do always for such sishyas who are situated in anthimOpAya nishtai.

To constantly meditate upon and glorify their AchAryan's divine names, knowledge, affection, etc and his birth and actions To constantly meditate upon and glorify the dhivya dhEsam where the AchAryan lives To accept that the AchAryan's lotus feet are the path for the ultimate benediction To constantly meditate upon and glorify the AchAryan's divine form and service to his AchAryan's bodily needs - these are considered as upEyam (ultimate benediction) for an anthimOpAya nishtan (one who is in AchArya nishtai/charama parva nishtai). To serve the divine form of AchAryan by thoughts, words and action constantly and to enjoy such valuable kainkaryams to the AchAryan always To be pleased by seeing the pleasure of AchAryan after accepting the sishyan's kainkaryam and the benediction we get as a result of AchAryan's pleasure To constantly perform mangaLAsAsanam (pray for well-being) of AchAryan
Translator's note: The next section in this grantham lists out many pramANams to support the greatness of AchArya's mercy followed by how a sishya should be. The images of these 8 pages are attached here. A brief explanation on this section will follow the images (pramANams listed).
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Translator's note: Since adiyen's samskritham knowledge is limited, adiyen is just translating the pramANams which are commonly referred and explained. Summary and some salient points from AchArya vaibhavam section:
We have very little time in our life but there are so many hurdles while trying to learn true knowledge about the self. We should be like a swan which separates milk from water and just consumes the milk. sAsthram is an ocean filled with valuable gems - but it also contains unwanted weeds, misleading entities, etc. The most valuable gem is thirumanthram and its meanings that are hidden in sAsthram. True seeker of self should focus on the thirumanthram and its meanings and ignore the sections which are less important. That knowledge which leads to mOksham is true knowledge and any other knowledge that is just useful for bodily comforts are useless. Understanding the essence of sAsthram ourselves by going through various pramANams is very difficult and challenging. Hearing the essence from a learned scholar and leading our life based on those instructions is very easy to do. The whole universe is under the control of bhagavAn, bhagavAn mercifully allows him to be controlled by thirumanthram and thirumanthram is at the disposal of an AchAryan thus the AchAryan is the same as bhagavAn himself. Everyone should approach an AchArya since both the abominable sinner kshathrabandhu and the pious puNdarikascha were liberated by AchAryas. AchArya is bhagavAn srIhari himself. Unlike bhagavAn who stays in the temple on his own will without any movement, AchArya is walking God. Thus, one should have complete faith on the AchArya. bhagavAn srIman nArAyaNan himself accepts a human form as AchArya to uplift the people of entire universe out of his divine mercy. When he appears as AchArya he holds the sAsthram in his hands (while he appears as himself (srI rAma, krishNa, etc) he holds asthram (weapons) in his hands). Thus, ones who are fearful of samsAram should have total devotion towards their AchAryan. An animal, human or bird, once taken shelter of a vaishNava, they are sure to attain the divine universe of srI mahAvishNu (paramapadham). Child, deaf, dumb, blind, lame, etc., when taken shelter of a true AchArya, they are sure to reach the ultimate destination of paramapadham. Even plants and trees when becoming the target of a vaishNava's katAksham (merciful vision) or touch, they are guaranteed to get mOksham - what to speak of humans? (they are sure to be relieved from samsAram). "gu" indicates ignorance, "ru" indicates the removal of such. Thus guru means one who removes our ignorance. AchArya means one who learns the sAsthram fully, explains them firmly to others and himself practises it properly. and many more pramANams are present.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Summary and some salient points from sishya lakshaNam section:
A sishya should glorify his AchArya in public and should give the valuable teachings in private to the ones who are interested to learn. If he/she did the reverse (glorifying AchArya in private and distributing the teachings in public without due respect to AchArya), his/her wealth, etc will diminish. A sishya must be faithful towards sAsthram, must follow his proper dharmam as instructed by bhagavAn, must be fully focussed on the goal of kainkaryam, must be surrendered to srIman nArAyaNa, must be pure, grave, intelligent and strong-hearted. Such sishyas are considered as true sishyas of an AchAryan. A sishya should offer his/her body, wealth, knowledge, dwelling place, actions, etc to the AchArya and simply live for the will of AchArya. One should give up unnecessary discussions, pride, etc in front of the AchArya. A sishya must be devoted to the manthram (that was instructed by the AchArya), the dhEvathA (the object of the manthram - bhagavAn) and the AchArya who instructed the manthram. The first (lowest) category of sishyas will be more attached to the dhEvathA (bhagavAn); next (middle) category of sishyas will be more attached to the manthram; the third (top most) category of sishyas will be more attached to the AchArya who gave the manthram to medidate on bhagavAn. sishya should offer to his AchArya, that which is dear to his AchArya (not what just he wants to give). sishya should always focus on the AchArya and nothing else. The guru's words are to be discussed/followed and guru's names should always be recited/chanted. sishya should glorify the AchArya; he should offer his prayers to AchArya; sishya should always meditate and sing about his AchArya. sishya should consider his AchArya as both the means (path) and the goal - this is fully compatible with the views of sAsthram (vEdham). and many more pramANams are present.
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AchArya lakshaNam/vaibhavam
More on AchArya vaibhavam - All the time immemorial before taking shelter of a true AchAryan is like an endless dark night and the day when taking shelter of a true AchAryan is the true dawn. This can be understood from
"puNyAmbOja vikAsAya pApadhvAntha kshayAya cha; srImAn AvirabUthbUmau rAmAnuja dhivAkara:" ( ;
:) - Just like a lotus will bloom on

seeing the sun, Our sins and all darkness are cleared on the auspiscious appearance of the glorious sun "rAmAnuja".
"Adhithya rAma dhivAkara achyutha bAnukkaLukkup pOgAtha uLLiruL nIngi, sOshiyAtha piRavikkadal vaRRi, vikasiyAtha pOthil kamala malarnthathu vakuLa bUshaNa bAskarOdhayaththilE" (Acharya hrudhayam -
, , ) - The darkness/ignorance in the material world which was

not removed by the appearance of srI rAma and krishNAvathArams are removed by the appearance of nammAzhwAr (vakuLAbharaNan). Thus the appearance of Acharyan is cited as the cause for the removal of endless darkness in the samsAram (material world). It is said that as soon as a bhAgavatha's merciful vision falls on some one, it will remove all obstacles/hurdles in reaching the ultimate goal and will require no other effort from individuals to relieve themselves from samsAram. Those individuals who are the object of the mercy of an AchAryan, even though might have been great sinners, all their karmAs will fully be destroyed at the moment of taking shelter of the AchAryan and will become completely purified and subsequently will reach the divine abode of srIman nArAyaNan - paramapadham. This can be further understood from the following references. Arthi prabhandham - 45 nArAyaNan thirumAl nAram nAm ennum muRai ArAyil nenjE anAdhi anRO sIrArum AchAriyanAlE anRO nAm uyndhadhu enRu kUchAmal eppozhudhum kURu
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Oh mind! the relationship with srIman nArAyaNan and us (jIvAthmAs) are eternal - but we realized that only by the divine instructions of our Acharyan and thus became enlightened. So, we should always proclaim that with gratitude towards the AchAryan without fear. srIvachana bhUshaNam - sUthrams 408 and 409. unNdapOthoru vArththaiyum unNnNAthapOthoru vArththaiyum cholluvAr paththuppErunNdirE, avargaL pAsuram konNdanRu ivvarththam aRuthiyiduvathu (
, ).
There are 10 AzhwArs who glorify bhAgavathas when there is bhagavath anubhavam but chastise them when there is no bhagavath anubhavam (out of extreme sorrow due to separation). AchArya vaibhavam is not established through the words of those AzhwArs. avargaLaich chiriththiruppAr oruvarunNdiRE; avar pAsuram konNdu ivvarththam aRuthiyidakkadavOm ( ;
).
There is madhurakavi AzhwAr who laughs at other AzhwArs since he is always situated in glorifying nammAzhwAr. We are establishing AchArya vaibhavam using his words. Translator's note: madhurakavi AzhwAr, in the last pAsuram of kaNNinuN chiruththAmbu, declares that the ones who believe in his words and follow nammAzhwAr with devotion, they are guaranteed to see srIvaikuntam (paramapadham).
nammAzhwAr, madhurakavi AzhwAr, nAthamunigaL - kAnchipuram
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nammAzhwAr and emperumAnAr - AzhwAr thirunagari Translator's note: In the next (lengthy) paragraph, the author compares nammAzhwAr's words on emperumAn and equivalent words of madhurakavi AzhwAr on nammAzhwAr. We can easily understand the glories of AchAryan which is even greater than bhagavAn himself from this comparison. In the published grantham, this paragraph is not complete and is identified that the remaining portion of the paragraph is missing in the original copy itself.
paramAchAryar nammAzhwAr's words appozhuthaikkappozhuthu en ArAvamutham ( ) - moment after moment, bhagavAn is my divine nectar malakku nAvudaiyEn (
srI madhurakavi AzhwAr's words thenkurukUr nambi enRakkAl aNNikkum amuthUrum en nAvukkE ( ) - the moment I say the names of nammAzhwAr, it tastes nectarean to me nAvinAl naviRRu inbameythinEn (
) - I have a very delighted ) - Spoke the tongue (on singing the glories of emperumAn) glories of nammAzhwAr and became blissful adikkIzh amarnthu pugunthEn ( mEvinEn avan ponnadi meymmaiyE (
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan ) - Took shelter under the lotus feet of thiruvEnkatamudaiyAn kaNNanallAl dheyvamillai ( ) there is no other God than kaNNan emperumAn ) - Truly surrendered at the nammAzhwAr's golden feet dhEvu maRRaRiyEn ( ) I dont know any God other than nammAzhwAr
pAdi iLaippilam ( ) - I will pAdith thirivanE ( ) - I will never give up singing bhagavAn's divine wander around singing nammAzhwAr's glories glories always thirithanthAgilum dhEva pirAnudaik kariyakOlath thiruvuruk kANban nAn (
inGE thirinthErkkizhukkuRREn (
) ) - What is the - Again, I will see (worship) the divine form of loss for the people of this world in worshipping the leader of nithyasUris here in this world bhagavAn in this world itself? madhurakavi AzhwAr who is an AchArya nishtar himself worships emperumAn since that is pleasing to his AchAryan. uriya thoNdan ( ) - A proper servant of servants of bhagavAn thAyAyth thanthaiyAy ( ) - bhagavAn is my mother and father (filled with love and affection towards me) ALginRAn AzhiyAn ( ) - bhagavAn who is the holder of divine chakkram is my controller kadiyanAyk kanjanaik konRa pirAn ( nambikkALuriyan ( ) - A proper servant of nammAzhwAr (who is a servant of bhagavAn) annaiyAy aththanAy ( ) - nammAzhwAr is my mother and father (filled with love and affection towards me) ennaiyANdidum thanmaiyAn ( ) nammAzhwAr is the one who controls me
sadagOpan () - nammAzhwAr ) - bhagavAn is the one who killed who drove out the ignorance named "sadam" kamsan and did me great favours (AzhwAr shows here that bhAgavathas should consider which covers us during our birth. any favours done by bhagavAn to other bhAgavathas as favours done to themselves) yAnE enthanathE enRirunthEn ( ) - I was filled nambinEn piRar nan poruL thannaiyum nambinEn madavAraiyum munbelAm (
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan with ahankAram and mamakAram ) - I was thinking that the AthmA is mine (instead of understanding it is the property of bhagavAn) and thinking that women are there for me to be enjoyed emarEzhezhupiRappum mAsathirithupeRRu ( ) - I have been blessed by bhagavAn with the biggest benediction for several births ennAl thannai inthamizh pAdiya Isan ( ) - bhagavAn glorified himself through my words ottumO ini ennai negizhkkavE ( ) -Will bhagavAn allow me to fall down from my nishtai? (No) inRu thottum ezhumaiyum empirAn ( ) nammAzhwAr is my lord for many many births from now onwards ninRu than pugazh ERRa aruLinAn ( ) nammAzhwAr blessed me so that I can glorify him enRumennai igazhvilan kANminE ( ) - nammAzhwAr will never let me fall down from my nishtai. eNdisaiyum aRiya iyambukEn oNthamizhch chatagOpan aruLaiyE (
mayarvaRa mathinalam aruLinan (
) - bhagavAn blessed ) - I propagate the me with divine blemishless knowledge divine mercy of nammAzhwAr (to have blessed me with blemishless knowledge) in all directions aruLudaiyavan () bhagavAn is Merciful aruLkaNdIr ivvulaginil mikkathE ( ) - nammAzhwAr's mercy is greater than the whole of the material world niRkappAdi ennenjuL niRuththinAn (
pErEnenRu en nenju niRaiyap pugunthAn (
) - by explaining the essence of ) - bhagavAn entered my heart and sAsthram (bhAgavatha sEshathvam - serving declared that he will never leave bhAgavathas) firmly, he occupied my heart forever vazhuvilA adimai cheyya vENdum nAm ( Atpukka kAthal adimaip payananRE ( ) ) - We shoud serve bhagavAn faultlessly - the love/affections arised out of servitorship
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan forever in all different possibilities leads to eternal servitorship to nammAzhwAr
payananRAgilum pAngallarAgilum cheyal poruLallAtha ennaip poruLAkki adimai koNdAy nanRAgath thiruththip paNi koLvAn ( ( ) bhagavAn transferred me from the state of ) - Even though I am not fit for ignorance to knowledge and engaged me in any thing, nammAzhwAr purifies me and his service engages me in his service muyalginREn unthan moykazharkkanbaiyE (
ArAtha kAthal ( ) - never ending ) - I am trying to love towards bhagavAn develop love/attachment towards your lotus feet kOlamalarppAvaikkanbAgiya en anbEyO ( ) - I am dear to bhagavAn (who is dear to srI mahAlakshmi) ulagam padaiththAn kavi ( ) - the great poet uraikkavallArkku vaikunthamAgum thammUrellAm ( thenkurugUrnagar nambikkanbanAi ( ) - I am dear to nammAzhwAr who is the controller of AzhwAr thirunagari madhurakavi () - the sweet poet
nambuvArpathi vaikunthamkANminE ( ) ) - For the one who believes/follows my words of the ones who recite thiruvAimozhi, where they AchArya nishtai, will ascend to vaikuntam are, that place will be transformed to (paramapadham) vaikuntam (paramapadham) Translator's note: The following paragraph brings out the qualities and greatness of AchAryan through piLLai lOkAchAryar's srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram which is best understood with maNavALa mAmunigaL's vyAkyAnam.
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piLLai lOkAchAryar, mAmunigaL - srIperumbUdhUr
sUthram 308 - When an AchAryan gives instructions which are focussed on the wellbeing of the sishya, he should not misunderstand the nature of himself, the sishyan and the result. Such misunderstanding will lead to total failure for the AchAryan. sUthram 309 - Misunderstanding self means thinking that "I am the AchAryan" (He should think he is the sishyan of his AchAryan). Misunderstanding sishyan means "He is my sishyan" (He should think that the sishyan is his own AchAryan's sishyan). Misunderstanding the result means thinking that the result is materialistic, upliftment of the sishyan, engaging the sishyan in bhagavath kainkaryam and having good company for himself while being in this samsAram. sUthram 310 - While the AchAryan should not consider the result as explained above, it will naturally happen. By the desire of sishyan (who must work for the material needs of the AchAryan) material/body needs will be fulfilled. By the desire of bhagavAn, sishyan will be uplifted. By the desire of AchAryan, bhagavath kainkaryam will happen through the sishyan. By the gratitude of the sishyan, he will constantly engage in the company of AchAryan while being in this samsAram. sUthram 311 - The real result (sishyan engaging in mangaLAsAsanam - looking out for the well-being of bhagavAn) will happen by the desire of the AchAryan himself. AchAryathvam (AchAryan's position) will be established by him focussing on the real goal of engaging others in mangaLAsAsanam and by the desire of bhagavAn. sUthram 312 - Unless the AchArya-sishya relationship follows the above conditions, both the AchAryan and sishyan dont qualify to be called as such. sUthram 313 - AchAryan should have mercy towards his sishyan and total dependence towards his own AchAryan. sUthram 314 - sishyan's true nature will be established by receiving the mercy from the AchAryan and AchAryan's true nature will be established by showing total dependence on his AchAryan.
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sUthram 315 - True AchAryan is the one who instructs the thirumanthram (dhvyam and charama slOkam) with the meanings. sUthram 316 - Others who instruct manthrams that are glorifying bhagavAn, yet are focussed on material benefits dont qualify to be AchAryan. (Translator's note: Subsequent sUthrams explain that bhagavath manthrams other than thirumanthram are not complete and are not fully focussed on ultimate benediction of bhagavath kainkaryam - this is explained in mumukshuppadi also very clearly). sUthram 328 - AchAryan should focus on the upliftment of the sishyan. sUthram 333 - AchAryan should nurture the sishyan's svarUpam (AthmA). sUthram 335 - Nurturing the sishyan's bodily needs is against the nature of a true AchAryan. sUthram 337 - AchAryan should take care of his bodily needs using his own wealth (i.e., a sishyan should submit all his wealth to is AchAryan considering they belong to his AchAryan). sUthram 338 - AchAryan should not accept sishya's wealth (i.e., if the sishyan does not voluntarily/wilfull submits his wealth and thinks it still belongs to him, the AchAryan should not accept that). sUthram 339 - If accepts such wealth (as explained in previous sUthram), he will be considered as a needy/beggar. sUthram 340 - Since a true AchAryan is already content with great spiritual wealth, he will not accept such wealth. sUthram 341 - It is because of his content nature, his true quality of being an AchAryan manifests in him. sUthram 427 - Surrendering to bhagavAn is like holding his hands and requesting him to help; Surrendering to an AchAryan is like holding on to bhagavAn's lotus feet and requesting him to help. (i.e., the latter is better). sUthram 430 - bhagavAn himself likes to be an AchAryan. sUthram 431 - that is why he became the prathamAchAryan (first AchAryan) in our guru paramparai and instructed bhagavath gIthai and accepted vibhishaNan's sharaNAgathi. sUthram 432 - To be able to repay the AchAryan, we need another bhagavAn and another set of spiritual/material worlds. (Since bhagavAn and his wealth (the two worlds) are under the disposal of AchAryan and as the AchAryan blesses us with the
29
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan same, to be able to repay him, we need the equivalent of those two - this means, we can never truly repay for the favours done by AchAryan).
sUthram 433 - Relationship with bhagavAn is the cause for both bandham (our continuous journey in samsAram in various births) and mOksham (salvation). Relationship with AchAryan is the cause for mOksham only. sUthram 437 - When the sishyan's relationship with the AchAryan breaks, even if the sishyan is full of knowledge and detachment, there is no use in the end. sUthram 438 - When a woman has mAngalyasUthram (husband is alive), she can wear any ornaments, but when she loses the mAngalyasUthram (after husband passes away), those ornaments will only cause anxiety (since she cant wear them any more). sUthram 439 - Without AchArya sambandham, there is no bhagavath sambandham. sUthram 443 - vadakku thiruvIdhip piLLai often quotes "For the jIvAthmAs who have been thinking "I am the controller" since time immemorial and thus lost the favour of bhagavAn, the mercy of AchAryan is the only refuge for salvation". sUthram 447 - Mercy of AchAryan is the only way for upliftment for the sishyan. sUthram 460 - We should meditate on the following pramANams which focus on AchArya abhimAnam
o
nAchiyAr thirumozhi 10.10 - nallaven thOzhi ( ) - Here ANdAL declares that kaNNan is periyAzhwAr's God and if he bring kaNNan she will accept him nAnmugan thiruvanthAdhi 18 - mARAya dhAnavanai ( ) Here thirumazhisai AzhwAr glorifies the ones who are totally surrendered to narasimhan and declares that it is best to be surrendered to those devotees and look out for their mercy. sthOthra rathnam - akruthrima thva charaNAravindha (
) - Here ALavandhAr declares that bhagavAn should accept him

not for his own knowledge/bhakthi but for him being related to nAthamunigaL who is extremely dear/attached to emperumAn.
o
purANa slOkam - pasur manushya pakshIvA ( ) - An animal, human or bird - irrespective of the birth (whether that qualifies for pursuance of knowledge through sAsthram or not), the connection with a vaishNava will deliver to parampadham easily.
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sUthram 461 - AchArya's mercy is similar to prapathi - that it acts both as an independent upAyam (process) as well as supporting other upAyams. sUthram 462 - For the one who is incapable to do bhakthi, prapathi is there; For the one who is incapable to do prapathi, AchAryan's mercy is there. sUthram 463 - AchArya's mercy will first establish the true understanding of the nature of the self (i.e., we are servants of bhAgavathas); then it will nurture the true understanding of us accepting only bhagavAn/bhAgavathas as the refuge; finally it will engage us in true kainkaryam for bhagavAn/bhAgavathas.
Translator's note: The above section is a simple translation of the quoted sUthram's from srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram. It is highly recommended that these are heard from a proper AchAryan to grasp the full and in-depth meaning of the various sUthrams. periyavAchAn piLLai says "The one who tolerates is not AchAryan, the one who accepts (material benefits) is not AchAryan, but the one instructs/controls the sishyan (for the wellbeing of the sishyan) is the true AchAryan". An AchAryan who has misconstrued interests should be given up. Such AchAryan will explain/discuss unnecessary/materialistic aspects. AchAryan should be focussed on the upliftment of jIvAthmA. AchAryan is not the one who himself is drowning in the ocean of samsAram - instead he is the one who is safe himself due to full knowledge in bhagavath vishayam (with proper anushtAnam - practice) and helps others to be rescued. For a sishyan, just meditating on a true AchAryan's divine form itself is sufficient - he does not even need to get knowledge/instructions from the AchAryan. Just like meditating on garuda manthram will relieve the poison of snake bite, meditating on the AchAryan's form will relieve the sishyan from the poison of samsAram. AchAryan should be a well-respected person who is not attached to material wealth, lust, etc and the one who nurtures true knowledge in the sishyan.
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sishya lakshaNam
thiruvarangathu amudhanAr, AzhwAn, emperumAnAr More on sishya lakshaNam:
upadhEsa rathina mAlai 72 - iruL tharumA gyAlaththE inbamuRRu vAzhum theruL tharumA dhEsikanaich chErnthu (
) - In this world full of darkness, one should

surrender unto an AchAryan who is living blissfully with full knowledge by serving dhivya dhEsa emperumAns and bhAgavathas.
periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.4.2 - kuRRaminRi guNam perukki gurukkaLukku anukUlarAi ( ) - Sishya should be without any defects and should always be favourable towards the AchAryan nAnmugan thiruvanthAdhi 18 - vERAga EththiyiruppArai vellumE maRRavaraich chArththiyiruppAr thavam (
) - The penance of ones who are worshipping the

bhAgavathas is greater than the penance of ones who are worshipping bhagavAn
nAchiyAr thirumozhi 10.10 - vittuchiththar thangaL dhEvarai vallaparisu varuvipparEl athu kANdumE (
) - ANdAL says - If periyAzhwAr invites kaNNan and makes him

come some how, I will see him at that time
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kaNNinunchiruthAmbu thanian - vERonRum nAnaRiyEn (
) - I dont know anything (anyone) other than nammAzhwAr
kaNNinunchiruthAmbu 2 - dhEvumaRRaRiyEn () - I dont know any other God than nammAzhwAr srI rAmAyaNam - sathrugnO nithyasathrugna: ( :) sathrugnAzhwAn is devoted to bharathAzhwAn and he serves bharathAzhwAn always by overcoming the desire to serve srI rAman. srIvachana bhUshaNam 411 - vaduga nambi AzhwAnaiyum ANdAnaiyum irukaRaiyarenbar (
) - vaduga nambi (who is totally surrendered to emperumAnAr)

used to say kUrathAzhwAn and mudhaliyANdAn are dependent on both emperumAn and emperumAnAr (while he himself is fully dependent on emperumAnAr only)
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 1 - irAmAnusan charaNAravindham nAm manni vAzha nenjE solluvOm avan nAmangaLE (
) - we should constantly recite the

names of srI rAmAnuja to develop unflinching faith towards the lotus feet of emperumAnAr
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 28 - irAmAnusan pugazh anRi en vAy konjip paravakillAthu, enna vAzhvinRu kUdiyathE (
, ) - My life now is so glorious, since I

only glorify the divine/auspicious qualities of srI rAmAnuja
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 45 - pERonRu maRRillai nin charaNanRi, appEraLiththaRku ARonRum illai maRRach charaNanRi ( ,
) - amudhanAr
towards emperumAnAr - My goal of life is to serve your lotus feet and to have that accomplished your lotus feet are the only path
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 48 - nigarInRi ninRa en nIchathaikku ninnaruLin kaN anRip pughal onRumillai artkum akhthE pugal (
) - My defects are uncountable,

For my defects, only your grace will purify me. To kindle your grace, I dont need to do anything, that will flow automatically as you see me.
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rAmunusa nURRanthAdhi 56 - irAmAnusanai adainthapin envAkkuraiyAthu en manam ninaiyAthu ini maRRonRaiyE (
) - after
taking shelter of srI rAmAnuja, my words will not sing any one else's glories and my mind will not think about anything else
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 79 - irAmAnusan niRka vERu nammai uyyakkoLLavalla dheyvam ingu yAthenRularnthu avamE aiyappadA niRpar vaiyaththuLLOr nallaRivizhanthE (
) - When emperumAnAr is waiting to give the

true knowledge and uplift every one, I am so worried for the people of this world who are ignorantly trying hard on their own to find a God who will uplift them
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 104 - kaiyil kaniyanna kaNNanaik kAttith tharilum unRan meyyil piRangiya chIranRi vENdilan yAn (
) Even if you show me kaNNan emperumAn (who is well known for his beauty and accessibility for his devotees), I will only focus on your divine form and qualities and need nothing else
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 106 - iruppidam vaikuntham vEnkatam mAlirunchOlaiyennum poruppidam mAyanukkenbar nallOr, avai thannodum vandhiruppidam mAyanirAmAnusan manaththu inRavan vandhiruppidam endhan idhayaththuLLE thanakkinbuRavE (
, ) - Great souls
proclaim that the residing places of srIman nArAyaNan are srI vaikuntam, thriuvEnkatam (thirumalai), thirumAlirunchOlai, etc. That bhagavAn with all his parivAr resides in the beautiful heart of srI rAmAnuja. That rAmAnuja resides in my heart with eternal bliss
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 108 - nanthalaimisaiyE pongiya kIrththi irAmAnusanadip pUmannavE ( ) - Let those glorious lotus feet of srI rAmAnuja decorate my head
Translators's Note: Through the above pAsurams, it is established how a sishyan should constantly meditate on the AchAryan, crave for serving him and pleasing him always. In the next paragraph, several pAsurams from aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr's gyAna sAram are
34
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan quoted.
aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr
gyAna sAram 30 mAdum manaiyum maRai munivar thEdum uyar vIdum senneRiyum - pIdudaiya ettezhuththum thandhavanE enRirAdhAr uRavai vittidugai kaNdIr vidhi
-
According to sAsthram, one should give up the relationship with the persons who dont consider all wealth (wealth of this world (land, wife/husband, etc) and the divine wealth of kainkaryam) as their AchAryan who instructed the meanings of ashtAkshara mahAmanthram.
35
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan gyAna sAram 31 vEdhamoru nAngin utpodhindha meypporuLum kOdhil manu mudhal nUl kURuvadhum - thIdhil sharaNAgathi thandha than iRaivan thALE araNAgum ennum adhu
-
The ashtAkshara mahAmanthram (which is the essence of vEdhas) and smruthis (given by manu, etc) proclaim assertively that the AchAryan who showed us the path of sharaNAgathi is the refuge for the sishyan. gyAna sAram 36 villAr maNi kozhikkum vEngadap poR kunRu mudhal sollAr pozhil sUzh thiruppathigaL - ellAm maruLAm iruLOda maththagaththuth than thAL aruLAlE vaiththa avar
-
For a true sishyan, all residing places of bhagavAn starting with thiruvEnkatam (and also paramapadham, kshIrAbdhi, etc) are to be seen in his own AchAryan who removed the ignorance of the sishyan by his causeless mercy. gyAna sAram 37 poruLum uyirum udambum pugalum theruLum guNamum seyalum - aruL purindha than Ariyan poruttAch sangkaRpam seybavar nenjchu ennALum mAlukkidam
36
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan sarvEsvaran will eternally/blissfully reside in the hearts of the sishyas who leave all their wealth, relations, knowledge, actions, etc at the disposal of their AchAryan. gyAna sAram 38 thEnAr kamalath thirumAmagaL kozhunan thAnE guruvAgith than aruLAl - mAnidarkkA innilaththE thOnRudhalAl yArkkum avan thALiNaiyai unnuvadhE sAla uRum
-
Since srIman nArAyaNan who is the divine husband of srI mahAlakshmi himself appears as the AchAryan out of his causeless mercy to uplift the jIvAthmas, to take full shelter of his lotus feet is the best choice. A sishya should be filled with love/affection towards his AchAryan. Translator's note: This is followed by sishya lakshaNam as explained in a detailed manner by piLLai lOkAchAryar in srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram. sUthram 243
First we have to understand that since we are in this samsAram, we should think about
o
ourselves (our body mainly) as the AthmA's main enemy - since this is the cause of our ahankAram (sva svAthanthriyam) and interest in materialistic aspirations samsAris (materialistic people) as snakes that we should fear - since they will develop our materialistic aspirations and keep us in the samsAram longer srivaishnavas as real relatives - since they will help us to come out of materialistic aspirations and have spiritual aspirations/interest in bhagavadh vishayam emperumAn as father - since he is always thinking/doing hitham for the AthmA AchAryan as how a hungry person will think about food - since we are starved of spiritual food (knowledge) and AchAryan is the provider of that
o o
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o
sishyan as some one whom we love very much - since with sishyan we can share bhagavadh anubhavam and he will relish it, enjoy it and make us enjoy bhagavadh vishayam as well
With this mind set, we should think that:

o
ahankAram will lead to detachment towards our real well wishers (srivaishnavas) - well wishers of the AthmA. artham (material wealth) will lead to attachment towards avaishnavas - the moment we start going behind wealth, we will have to start saluting everyone and start looking for favours from avaishnavas. In such cases, we will develop admiration towards such avaishnavas (who may be good in whatever they are doing) - but this admiration is very dangerous since it is not about bhagavadh vishayam and it will lead us also towards such deeds. kAmam (lust) will lead to attachment towards opposite sex (even when they ignore us) - Kannan emperumAn says in gIthai - from attachment we get lust, from lust we get desires, from that we become mad and our intelligence diminishes, by that we will fall down to the bottom of samsAram.
With this in mind, we should develop full confidence that Athma guNams (samam, dhamam, sathvam, etc) cannot be created by ones own efforts but we get them by the grace/mercy of emperumAn through our own AchAryan and so we should:
o o o o
give up attachment towards materialistic aspirations develop attachment towards bhagavadh vishayam start understanding that worldly/materialistic things are not truly enjoyable consume prasAdham as much to sustain our body or to consider that we consume prasAdham since it is the final part of thiruvArAdhanam (once we prepare food and offer to emperumAn it becomes prasAdham and we as the offerer needs to also consume some part of it). think that if we get sorrows/difficulties in our life we should accept that with pleasure thinking it is our karma palam - since we have done so many punya/pApam so far and we have to bear the outcome of that, and by bearing them we are only reducing our own karma emperumAn's krupA palam - because we have surrendered to emperumAn, he has already forgiven all our sanchitha karma (the big baggage of karma) and he is only giving us a little bit of sorrow so that we
38
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan will dislike this samsAram and crave to reach paramapadham - if we just get a good life here, we may become too attached to samsAram. So emperumAn out of his causeless mercy makes us suffer a little bit according to our karma and develops attachment to paramapadham.
o
give up the thinking that our anushtAnam is the upAyam to attain emperumAn. We should understand the favours done by emperumAn and do everything as kainkaryam to him. have attachment towards the jnAnam and anushtAnam of pUrvAchAryas and great srivaishnavas have great attachment towards divyadhEsams - since they were occupied by emperumAn out of boundless love towards jIvAthmAs do mangalAsAsanam - praying that nothing happens to emperumAn in this dangerous samsAram - as we can relate these days many archA vigrahams are stolen, attacked/malformed, etc., - and we should always pray that emperumAn is safe. This is the highest level of bhakthi towards emperumAn as shown by periyAzhwAr, ANdAL, emperumAnAr, etc. have detachment in material things have real desire to reach paramapadham - everyday we should be crying like nammAzhwAr asking emperumAn when he is going to give us mOksham and kainkaryam in paramapadham for eternity ensure that we practice humility in front of srivaishnavas and avoiding any service to avaishnavas follow AhAra niyathi - regulated food habits (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/07/srivaishnava-AhAra-niyamam_28.html) aspire for association with srivaishnavas avoiding association with avaishnavas
o o
o o
sUthram 274 - true qualities of a sishya This sUthram identifies several aspects for a sath sishya (true sishya) who is utterly dependant on his AchAryan. They are:
39
vasthavyam AchArya sannidhiyum bhagavadh sannidhiyum ( ) - living place is where his AchAryan resides and (if that is not possible) where emperumAn resides vakthavyam AchArya vaibhavamum sva Nikarshamum ( ) - topic of speech is his AchArya's glories and his own faults japthavyam guru paramparaiyum dhvayamum ( ) - chanting/anusandhAnam is vAkya guru paramparai and dhvaya mahA mantram parigrAhyam pUrvAchArya vachanamum anushtAnamum ( ) - accept the instructions and history of the pUrvAchAryas parithyAjyam avaishnNava sahavAsamum abhimAnamum ( ) - give up any relationship with avaishnavas and should not perform any activity which will make an avaishnava consider us part of his group. karththavyam AchArya kainGkaryamum bhagavath kainGkaryamum ( ) - to serve the AchAryan, emperumAn and his adiyArs
More sUthrams which explain the expected behaviour of a true sishya
sUthram 275 - sishya should depend on the sAsthram and AchArya's instructions to learn how to serve the AchAryan sUthram 298 - Object of sishya's knowledge is AchArya's divine qualities; Object of sishya's ignorance is AchArya's defects; Object of sishya's ability is to serve the AchAryan; Object of sishya's inability is to avoid indulging in actions that are rejected by sAsthram. sUthram 321 - A true sishya means
o o
one who is completely detached to another goal than serving the AchAryan one who serves the AchAryan to please him always and acquire knowledge from him one who wants to be rid of this samsAram; also unable to bear even a moment in separation from AchAryan
40

o
one who has great attachment in bhagavath vishayam taught by the AchAryan and service to AchAryan one who is free of jealousy when hearing the glories of bhagavAn and bhAgavathas (including AchAryan himself and his fellow-srivaishNavas)
sUthram 322 - A sishyan should develop great attachment towards AchAryan so that he thinks that the AchAryan is thirumanthram, bhagavAn who is the object of thirumanthram, kainkaryam which is the result, removal of ignorance, material pleasures, etc. sUthram 323 - paramAchAryar ALavandhAr explained this principle in the "mAthA pithA yuva thaya:" slOkam towards nammAzhwAr. He established that nammAzhwAr is the vaishNava kula pathi (leader of the vaishNavas) and nammAzhwAr is everything for him. sUthrm 327 - sishyan does what is pleasing to the AchAryan sUthram 328 - sishyan should be focussed on the joy of AchAryan sUthram 329 - Thus the sishyan should focus on the joy of AchAryan and will not have any time to think about his own pride sUthram 330/331 - Even if the sishya becomes the receiver of AchAryan's anger, it is only for the well-being of the sishyan. So, sishyan should not worry about why the AchAryan became angry on him. sUthram 333 - sishyan should focus on AchArya's bodily/material needs. sUthram 349 - sishyan should always be grateful towards the AchAryan until the end of his life. He should constantly think that "AchAryan reformed my heart" and "He purified my mind so I can worship bhagavAn". sUthram 450 - sishya should consider the five different forms of emperumAn (para, vyUha, vibhava, antharyAmi and archAvathAram http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/10/archavathara-anubhavam-parathvadhi.html) as his own AchAryan and always tend to his AchAryan's needs.
Thus the sishyan should always be considering his AchAryan's lotus feet as the ultimate goal in both this samsAram and paramapadham. There is nothing higher than this principle for the sishya.
sishya should consider his AchAryan's bodily needs as his own and fulfill them. If the sishya thinks he is giving his own wealth (he should think that its already his AchArya's wealth), that will destroy his knowledge. Just by becoming the object of AchArya's mercy is not sufficient -
41
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan one should be fully at the disposal of his AchArya - only then he will have full knowledge about bhagavAn. If the sishya constantly meditates on the favours done by the AchArya, he will understand that he is still ignorant and there is lot more to learn from his AchArya. He will be at utmost anxiety for the opportunities that were missed by him to serve his AchArya. sishya must accept AchArya's pleasure and anger equally and behave in an exemplified manner in either case. srI sabhari who is most intelligent welcomed the most beautiful srI rAma, offered him some fruits and asked for his permission to leave and serve his AchArya (in paramapadham!) even at the cost of serving srI rAma himself. Our jIyar (maNavALa mAmunigaL) also demonstrated his own AchArya nishtai and the glories of such AchArya nishtai through various prabhandhams such as upadhEsa rathina mAlai, yathirAja vimsathi and Arthi prabhandham.
bhavishyadhAchAryan, thiruvAimozhi piLLai, mAmunigaL upadhEsa rathina mAlai 61 gyAnam anuttAnam ivai nanRAgavE udaiyan Ana guruvai adaindhakkAl mAnilaththIr! thEnAr kamalath thirumAmagaL kozhunan thAnE vaikundham tharum
!
After taking shelter of a true AchArya who is well situated in knowledge and practice, Oh
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan people of this world! srIman nArAyaNan himself will bless such sishyas with divine kainkaryam in paramapadham easily. upadhEsa rathina mAlai 62 uyya ninaivuNdAgil um gurukkaL tham padhaththE vaiyum anbu thannai indha mAnilaththIr! mey uraikkEn paiyaravil mAyan paramapadham ungkaLukkAm kaiyilangu nellik kani
!
Oh people of this world! If you want to be uplifted, you develop total attachment towards your AchAryan. paramapadham which is the residing place of bhagavAn (who is on the serpent bed) will be accessible for you easily as a fruit in your hand. upadhEsa rathina mAlai 64 than Ariyanukkuth thAn adimai seyvadhu avan innAdu thannil irukkum nAL annEr aRindhum adhil Asai inRi AchAriyanaip pirindhiruppAr Ar manamE! pEsu
!
A sishya should serve his AchAryan while he is learning the essential meanings from. He should never think about getting separated from his AchAryan. upadhEsa rathina mAlai 65 AchAriyan sichchan Aruyiraip pENumavan thEsArum sichchanavan sIr vadivai Asaiyudan nOkkumavan ennum nuNNaRivaik kEttu vaiththum Arkkum annEr niRkai aridhAm
43

AchAryan should focus on the sishyan's spiritual well-being (jIvAthmA). sishyan should focus on th AchAryan's divine form (material well-being). Even after knowing this deep principle, it is very difficult to practise it. upadhEsa rathina mAlai 66 pinbazhagarAm perumAL sIyar perunthivaththil anbadhuvumaRRu mikka AsaiyinAl nampiLLaikkAna adimaigaL sey annilaiyai nannenjchE! UnamaRa eppozhudhum Or
!
Oh dear mind! pinbazhagarAm perumAL jIyar had no interest in going to paramapadham since he was blissfully serving his AchAryan nampiLLai. You should constantly meditate on such dedication and dedicated sishyas. In his yathirAja vimsathi, mAmunigaL starts with "rAmAnujam yathipathim praNamAmi mUrdhnA" (I prostrate at the lotus feet of srI rAmAnuja) and ends with "thasmAth ananya saraNO bhavathi ithi mathvA" (I have no other refuge than srI rAmAnuja). Throughout the twenty most divine slOkams, he prays for the mercy of srI rAmAnuja and longs to serve him since that was the divine order of his own AchAryan thiruvAimozhi piLLai (mAmunigaL was given the honor of performing daily worship at bhavishyadhAchAryan sannidhi in AzhwAr thirunagari by thiruvAimozhi piLLai seeing mAmunigaL's great attachment towards srI rAmAnuja). Finally in Arthi prabhandham 55, mAmunigaL feels totally blissful thinking about his own nature. thennarangar sIraruLukku ilakkAgap peRROm thiruvarangam thiruppathiyE iruppAgap peRROm manniya sIr mARan kalai uNavAgap peRROm madhurakavi solpadiyE nilaiyAgap peRROm munnavarAm nam kuravar mozhigaL uLLap peRROm muzhuthum namakkavai pozhuthu pOkkAgap peRROm pinnai onRu thanil nenju pErAmal peRROm piRar minukkam poRAmai illAp perumaiyum peRROmE
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I have the full blessings of srI ranganAthan (mAmunigaL was greatly honoured by namperumAL where he heard full eedu kAlakshEpam from mAmunigaL for a whole year and subsequently accepted mAmunigaL as his AchAryan by offering the "srIsailEsa dhayA pAthram" thaniyan to him). I have been ordained by namperumAL to stay in srIrangam. I am blessed to be able to constantly enjoy nammAzhwAr's pAsurams for sustainance. I am blessed to be able to follow in the footsteps of madhurakavi AzhwAr's AchArya nishtai. I am blessed to constantly meditate on the great works of AzhwArs/AchAryas. I am blessed to be spending my time fully in their works only. I am blessed to have my mind not focussing on anything else other than AzhwAr/AchArya works. I am blessed to have not jealousy whatsoever on seeing the glories of other srIvaishNavas. Translator's note: Starting now, we will see various incidents from the lives of our pUrvAchAryas practically demonstrating the total dependence on AchAryan as explained in the first 3 articles.
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emperumAnAr's mercy
Once, vaduga nambi was boiling milk for emperumAnAr. At that time, during uthsavam, namperumAL being decorated nicely, arrived at the entrance of the mutt as part of the procession. udayavar went out and performed his mangaLAsAsanam to namperumAL and called out for vaduga nambi - "vaduga! please come out and take dharshan of emperumAn". It is famous that, vaduga nambi replied "dasan, if I come out to take dharshan of your God, the milk will over-boil for my God. So, I cannot come out now". Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) prayed for vaduga nambi's nishtai in Arthi prabhandham 11th pAsuram as follows: unnai ozhiya oru dheyvam maRRaRiyA mannupugazhsEr vaduganambi thannilaiyai enRanakku nI thanthu ethirAsA ennALum unRanakkE AtkoL uganthu
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yathirAja! Please bless me with the same nishtai of the glorious vaduga nambi who did not know any other God than yourself and let me fully engage in your service happily. Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) often quotes these 3 principles/incidents. Of these, the 2nd incident should be properly heard from an AchAryan and understood.
One who is materially focussed will stay close to a good doctor (to ensure his body is well cared for). One who is spiritually focussed will stay close to a good AchAryan (to ensure the AthmA is well cared for), Once, nampiLLai instructed his dear sishya vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai to assist his wife in a particular task. After some time, nampiLLai asks "krishNa! What did you think about my action (of engaging you in assisting my wife in a task)?". vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai replies "I always think I am at the disposal of both of you (you and your wife)?" (Translator's note: similar to how we are at the disposal of thAyAr and emperumAn). nampiLLai becomes much pleased and mentions that true sishyan will behave exactly like this. (Translator's note: Unlike other sampradhAyams we always worship srI mahAlakshmi and sriman nArAyaNan together - its a very important principle for us). Once, piLLai lOkAchAryar asks one his disciples (who is very pure minded lady) to fan him since it was sultry. She asks "Will your divine body be affected by this and will you sweat?". piLLai lOkAchAryar says "Yes - it will sweat. Even bhagavAn sweats as identified in nAchiyAr thirumozhi 12.6 by ANdAL 'vErththup pasiththu vayiRachainthu' ( )". Thus, he aptly explains using ANdAL's words so that her faith does not get shattered (Translator's note: We should consider our AchAryan's body as divine even when he is alive in this world - not just material. At the same time it sweats like bhagavAn's divine body as part of leelA. piLLai lOkAchAryar beautifully explains this principle by quoting an appropriate pramANam).
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During udayavar's times, there was a great adhvaitha scholar named yagya mUrthi (who becomes aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr eventually). He had very many disciples and had learnt many parts of sAsthram. He pridefully arrives at srIrangam with his disciples carrying his many literary works. He challenges udayavar for a debate and the debate begins. The debate goes on for 17 days and on the 18th day yagya mUrthi was gaining great leads in the debate. They stop the debate for the day and yagya mUrthi leaves happily. udayavar returns to his mutt, performs thiruvArAdhanam to pEraruLALan and becomes upset with him. He says to emperumAn "all along, you have established that your svarUpam, form, qualities, wealth, etc are true according to sAsthram; But now during my time, if you want to destroy those through a liar (who declares everything is mAyA-false), go ahead and do it". He then goes to yOgam (sleep) with out accepting prasAdham. In his dream, emperumAn appears and says "I have arranged for a qualified disciple for you; You explain the principles to him (as done by ALavandhAr) and he will accept that and become your sishya". udayavar wakes up and wonders about the divine dream. He becomes very pleased and meditates on the various pramANams. rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 88 "valimikka chIyamirAmAnusan maRai vAdhiyarAm pulimikkathenRu ippuvanaththil vandhamai"
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan (
) - when the forest becomes filled with evil tigers, and if a powerful lion appears at
that time, the lion will destroy the evil tigers, Similarly when the world is filled with evil minded preachers who spread the wrong principles, srI rAmAnuja appeared and destroyed (purified) them. Next morning, udayavar walks in to the debate hall like a victorious lion. Seeing the blissful form of udayavar, yagya mUrthy becomes confused and thinks that "yesterday when he left, he was sulking and now he is very effulgent - this is no humanly act. there must be a divine intervention in this" and falls at the lotus feed of udayavar. udayavar asks "What is this? Dont you want to debate any further?". yagya mUrthi replies "When periya perumAL himself appears to you and guides you, I think that there no difference between periya perumAL and your highness. So, I am no longer qualified to open my mouth in your presence. Please accept me as your disciple and bless me". udayavar becomes very pleased and names him "aruLALA perumAL emperumAnAr" (a combination of pEraruLALan's name and his own name), blesses him (with srIvaishNava sannyAsa Ashramam) and gives him a big mutt to stay as well. udayavar says "You already know all the sAsthram. Give up all attachments fully and behold the lotus feet of srIman nArAyaNan. I dont have to explain you much; You and your sishyas can spend your time blissfully by discussing the visishtAdhvaitha philosophy". aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr was grateful and started living in his mutt thereafter.
emperumAnAr - srIperumbUthUr, aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr - thiruppAdagam Subsequently, a couple srIvaishNavas from else where arrives at srIrangam and in the street they enquire the local folks "where is emperumAnAr's mutt?" and the local folks ask them back
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan "Which emperumAnAr?". The srIvaishNavas become perplexed and asks "We thought there was only one emperumAnAr in our sampradhAyam. Are there two?". The local folks say "Yes, there is emperumAnAr and there is aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr too". The visiting srIvaishNavas say "Oh! We have not heard about the other one, we are enquiring about srI bhAshyakArar". The local folks guide the visiting srIvaishNavas to emperumAnAr mutt and they go there. Incidentally, aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr hears this conversation and starts thinking "Oh! because we live in a separate mutt away from udayavar, people consider me as an equal to emperumAnAr himself. I have committed a grave mistake now" and becomes very worried. He, at once, orders his mutt to be destroyed, goes to emperumAnAr's mutt, holds on to his lotus feet and asks him "For time immemorial, I was filled with ahankAram and did not take shelter of you. But after taking shelter of your lotus feet, you still kept me away in a separate mutt. Is this what you are planning to do forever?". udayavar wonders what happened and aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr explains the whole incident. emperumAnAr asks "What should I do for you now?". aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr says "From today onwards, you should keep me with you like your shadow, lines in your lotus feet and engage me in constant service to you". emperumAnAr obliges and gives him a place in his mutt and explains him all the intricate principles of our sampradhAyam. He also happily stays there without thinking about anything other than service to emperumAnAr. Based on what is learnt from emperumAnAr, he writes two beautiful prabandhams named gyAna sAram and pramEya sAram which can be understood by any one. He establishes through that prabandham that AchAryan is the ultimate worshippable deity for the sishyan and his lotus feet are the only refuge by saying "the AchAryan who showed the path of sharaNAgathi is the total refuge for the sishyan", "srIman nArAyaNan himself appears as one's AchAryan", etc. These principles as given by the most knowledgable aruLALA perumAL emperumAnAr are explained by our jIyar (mAmunigaL). Translator's note: Thus we have seen the divine mercy of emperumAnAr in purifying the hearts of vaduga nambi and aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr and in turn their total dependence and submission towards emperumAnAr.
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bhattar, nanjIyar and nampiLLai
AzhwAn, bhattar, nAchiyAr and namperumAL bhattar who was born as the son of kUrathAzhwAn and who was adopted by periya perumAL as his own dear son and raised by periya perumAL (and periya pirAttiyAr herself) was leading our sampradhAyam. Once, a travelling brAhmaNa visits srIrangam and goes to bhattar's assembly. He says "bhattar! In western part (in/near mElkOte/thirunArAyaNapuram), there is a vidhwAn named vEdhAnthi. His knowledge and disciples are a good match for yours". bhattar, hearing the words of that brAhmaNa responds "Oh! Is there such vidhwAn?" and the brAhmaNa replies "Yes". He then leaves srIrangam and reaches vEdhAnthis town and goes to the assembly of vEdhAnthi. He says "vEdhAnthi! In between the two rivers (srIrangam), there is a vidhwAn named bhattar who matches your knowledge and disciples". vEdhAnthi responds "Is bhattar a match for me?". The brAhmaNa replies "Yes. He is masterful in all scriptures starting from shabdha, tharkka, pUrva mImAmsa, uththara mImAmsa, etc". vEdhAnthi becomes worried and thinks "I thought there was no match for me since I have already won many scholars and am seating on 6 planks, each one representing one of shad dharshanam (the six philosophical schools - nyAya, vaisEshika, sAnkya, yOga, pUrva mImAmsa, uththara mImAmsa). But this brAmANa is saying that bhattar is even more well versed than me in all of these". The brAhmaNa returns to srIrangam and informs bhattar that he explained the greatness of bhattar to vEdhAnthi. bhattar asks the brAhmaNa "What did you say about my knowledge?" and the brAhmaNa replies "I told that bhattar is masterful in shabdham, tharkkam and all of vEdhAntham". bhattar responds "Oh brAhmaNa! you travel to many places and have become aware of various scholars and their knowledge. But even after knowing my full knowledge, you have only informed about my knowledge in vEdhAntham". The brAhmaNa asks "What else can I say to the vEdhAnthi other than your control over the most established
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan sAsthram - vEdhAntham?" and bhattar says "You should tell him that I am an expert in thirunedunthANdagam (Translator's note: a divine work of thirumangai AzhwAr which beautifully explains the essence of vEdhAntham and all important aspects of our sampradhAyam)". Then bhattar starts contemplating on bringing vEdhAnthi into the srIvaishNava fold (Translator's note: As identified in 6000 padi guru paramparA prabhAvam, emperumAnAr himself desires to reform vEdhAnthi but due to his old age he is unable to travel and so instructs bhattar to do the same). He goes to periya perumAL and tells him "There is a great scholar named vEdhAnthi in the western part. I am requesting your permission to go and reform him. Please bless me that I am able to reform him and make him a leader in our rAmAnuja sidhAntham". perumAL acknowledges bhattar's request and considering his parental relationship with bhattar, perumAL instructs his own kainkaryaparas to accompany him through the journey.
bhattar, nanjIyar bhattar reaches the vicinity of the place where vEdhAnthi lives along with many srIvaishNavas. The kainkaryaparas who accompanied him were hailing bhattar's glories and were constantly saying "parAsara bhattar has arrived, vEdhAchArya bhattar has arrived, etc" and many musical instruments were played in front of him in pomp. He was wearing many divine ornaments and very beautiful clothes (all belonging to periya perumAL himself since he was the son of periya perumAL). At that time a couple of local brAhmaNas notice them and ask him "Who are you? Where are you coming from? You look dazzling and there is so much festivity here. Where are you going now?". bhattar responds "I am bhattar. I am going to debate with vEdhAnthi". The brAhmaNas say "If you go with so much zeal and excitement, you will be unable to meet vEdhAnthi. He will stay inside his palace and his sishyas will keep debating with you one by one for many months and will just procastinate and you will finally give up". bhattar then asks "What is the best way to meet him directly and engage him in a debate?" and the brAhmaNas says "Since vEdhAnthi is a wealthy person, he constantly feed the brAhmaNas in his palace. You dress like a poor brAhmaNa and enter along with them. So, you
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan leave all your people/pomp behind and just go alone". bhattar gracefully agrees to their proposal, wears a kAshAya cloth on top of his clothes, picks up a kamaNdalam (small water pot) and goes along with the poor brAhmaNas to the maNdapam (hall) where the brAhmaNas are fed. In the hall, vEdhAnthi, seated on a raised platform, was happily watching the brAhmaNas arriving to accept the food. Of all, bhattar alone, goes straight to vEdhAnthi instead of going to accept the food. vEdhAnthi asks "Son! Why are you coming here?" and bhattar responds "I am here for a bikshai (alms)". vEdhAnthi says "Please go to where they are distributing food". bhattar says "I dont want food as bikshai". vEdhAnthi thinks, even though he looks poor, this man may be learned and so asks "What bikshA?". bhattar at once says "tharkka bikshA" (I want a debate). vEdhAnthi realises the words of the travelling brAhmaNa who mentioned about bhattar and thinks none other than bhattar would have the guts to come in front of him and ask for a debate. He thinks even though the looks are deceiving, it must be bhattar and asks "Who can ask for a debate with me? Are you bhattar?". bhattar responds "Yes, I am" and throws the kamaNdalam and the kAshAya cloth away. He starts furiously explaining the essence of sAsthram and vEdhAnthi immediately steps down from the seat and falls at the lotus feet of bhattar. He asks bhattar to accept him and purify him. bhattar, being very pleased that his objective was fulfilled quickly, acknowledges vEdhAnthi and performs pancha samskAram to him. bhattar tells him "Dear vEdhAnthi! You are already well aware of sAsthram. I am not going to explain everything in detail now. visishtAdhvaitham is the true principle. You give up mAyAvAdham completely, accept srIman nArAyaNan as the supreme and start being a leader in our rAmAnuja dharsanam". bhattar then decides to leave and all the kainkaryaparas (who were made to wait outside) arrive at that time with great pomp. bhattar was again decorated beautifully with divine clothes and ornaments and boards the palanquin. With many serving him with chAmaram, fan, etc., he starts leaving. vEdhAnthi observing the wealth, disciples and pomp, starts crying out loud saying "You are such a great personality. I am so fallen (more fallen than materialists since I was preaching mAyAvAdham). But you have crossed many forests, mountains, etc and mercifully arrived here and accepted me looking at my ill-fate. You are so merciful" and again falls at the lotus feet of bhattar. vEdhAnthi then says "You are none other than periya perumAL himself who has arrived here to manifest his beauty, tenderness, etc. For time immemorial, I have escaped the merciful hands of bhagavAn and considering there is no other way to help me, you have accepted a very poor brAhmaNa's form and accepted me who was filled with so much pride and ego. I cannot imagine and behold that form you accepted for me out of great mercy" and starts crying again. bhattar then lifts vEdhAnthi up and consoles him saying "You continue to live here happily" and leaves to srIrangam. After some time, vEdhAnthi, unable to bear the separation from his AchArya, decides to go to srIrangam. His wives stop him from going and he decides to divide his wealth and settle his wives before leaving. He divides his unlimited wealth in to 3 parts, gives one part each to both of his wives and carries the remaining part to offer to his AchAryan (bhattar) and leaves to srIrangam. He then reaches srIrangam, offers all the wealth to bhattar without any pride and leaves them at bhattar's disposal. He stands there with gratitude towards bhattar and bhattar being very pleased with vEdhAnthi's dedication declares "nam jIyar vandhAr" (
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- our jIyar has arrived) and embraces him. bhattar always keeps nanjIyar in his
company and blesses him with all the essential teachings. jIyar fully accepts/worships bhattar and does not look for any other worshippable deity. From that time, bhattar called vEdhAnthi as nanjIyar, he became to be known as nanjIyar. Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) says that "nanjIyar lived for 100 years and lectured the meanings of thiruvAimozhi 100 times and performed sathAbishEkam (celebration commemorating the 100 times lecturing of thiruvAimozhi)". nanjIyar serves bhattar constantly and with his permission writes a vyAkyAnam (commentary) for thiruvAimozhi named 9000 padi. He asks his disciples if there is any one who can make a nice/clean copy of that commentary. The sishyas say "There is one varadharAjan who has been attending lectures here for a while. He writes very well". nanjIyar invites varadharAjar and asks him to show a sample of his hand-writing and he obliges. nanjIyar thinks "His hand-writing is beautiful. But since this is commentary for thiruvAimozhi, we should have this written by a very qualified srIvaishNava, not some one who just has pancha samskAram done and having the physical appearance of a srIvaishNava". varadharAjan understanding the divine thoughts of nanjIyar, at once submits in front of him and says "Please purify me to your satisfaction. I am at your service".
nanjIyar, nampiLLai Hearing this, nanjIyar becomes very pleased. He acknowledges varadharAjan and gives his full blessing. He explains the 9000 padi vyAkyAnam fully to varadharAjan and asks him to make a copy of the same. varadharAjan accepts that and says that he will go to his place, complete the task and return to nanjIyar. nanjIyar accepts the proposal. varadharAjan then, having to cross the cauvery river to go to his village, starts swimming across the river. He wraps the original grantham in a cloth and keeps it on his head while swimming. A big wave arises and suddenly carries the original grantham and goes along the river. varadharAjan becomes very anguished for the loss of the grantham and starts thinking what to do. He then, starts writing the original grantham which was blessed (taught) to him by nanjIyar. Since
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan varadharAjan is an expert in thamizh, he also adds appropriate explanations in the commentary with in-depth meanings. He then goes to nanjIyar and submits the new copy at the lotus feet of nanjIyar. nanjIyar, observes that its the same as he first wrote and explained, but also, there were special meanings and elaborations at various places and becomes extremely pleased. He asks "This is very beautiful, but slightly different than what I explained to you. What happened?". varadharAjan stays silent out of fear and nanjIyar encourages him "Dont worry, just reveal the truth". varadharAjan then explains "Since there was good water flow in cauvery, I kept the original grantham on my head and started swimming. But when a big wave came, that took away the original grantham. I wrote this based on your mercy from my memory". nanjIyar hails varadharAjan's memory and intelligence and embraces him. He declares that varadharAjan is "nammudaiya piLLai thirukkalikanRidhAsar" (
- Our dear piLLai thirukkalikanRi) and keeps him in his

company always and explains all in-depth meanings to him. Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) says that "From the day, nanjIyar called varadharAjan "nampiLLai", he becomes to be known as nampiLLai". Our jIyar explains these incidents in upadhEsa rathina mAlai 50th pAsuram. namperumAL nammAzhvAr nanjIyar nampiLLai enbar avaravar tham ERRaththAl anbudaiyOr sARRu thirunAmangaL thAn enRu nannenjE! Eththadhanaich solli nI inRu
!
Simple translation: namperumAL, nammAzhwAr, nanjIyar and nampiLLai were named with the "nam - our" prefix, due to the special glories they had. (Also explained as - namperumAL hailed satagOpan as nammAzhwAr. nanjIyar hailed varadharAjan as nampiLLai). They were given these dear names by the ones who are very dear to them. Oh dear mind! you also glorify those incidents by reciting these names now. nampiLLai's glories are such that "No one will learn the words of indhran, brahmA, rudhran, skandhan, etc any more in this world. Every one will be so wealthy if the just pick up a few words (which are like pearls) from the palace of nambhUr varadhar (nampiLLai)". Translator's note: This can be related easily with the charithram of naduvil thiruvIdhi piLLai bhattar's life where we has greatly honoured by the king with lots of wealth for explaining a rAmAyaNa slOkam based on nampiLLai's lectures. The whole incident can be viewed at http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/naduvil-thiruvidhi-pillai-bhattar/ .
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Translator's note: Thus we have seen the divine mercy of bhattar in purifying the heart of nanjIyar and in turn nanjIyar's total dependence and submission towards bhattar. We have also seen the interactions between nanjIyar and nampiLLai which demonstrates AchArya/sishya lakshaNam beautifully.
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AchAryan's higher position
thirukkOshtiyUr nambi once visits srIrangam during an uthsavam and stays there for the whole time. emperumAnAr serves nambi throughout the uthsavam. While nambi was leaving, emperumAnAr asks him "Please give me a few good instructions that I can take refuge on". nambi closes his eyes for some time and says "We were undergoing training under ALavandhAr. At that time, when he bathes in the river and takes a dip facing down, his upper back will resemble a beautiful shining copper pot. I always take refuge in that divine vision. You also consider the same as your refuge" - this incident is very popular (Translator's note: The same incident is explained in 6000 padi guru paramparA prabhAvam also. This incident indicates that the sishya's focus should be on meditating on the AchArya's divine form). It is said that, nambi used to stay on the upper level of the main gOpuram in thirukkOshtiyUr temple meditating on ALavandhAr and always reciting the manthram "yamunaithuraivar" (yAmunAchAryar).
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Our jIyar explains this following incident. Once udayavar, wanting to shower his causeless mercy on a dumb (mute) person, took him into his room, showed that his own divine form and lotus feet are the total refuge for the mute person through sign language. The mute person becomes ecstatic and bows down before udayavar. udayavar keeps his lotus feet on the head of the mute person and fully blesses him. kUrathAzhwAn, at that time happens to notice this and says "Oh! If I was born as a mute person, I could have also been shown the true path (which is accepting emperumAnAr's divine form as total refuge). Instead, I was born as AzhwAn and learnt sAsthram fully. But due to this, udayavar showed me the path of prapathi and thus I have become unfit to take full shelter of emperumAnAr's divine form!" and became upset with himself.
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udayavar once wanted to perform mangaLAsAsanam to nammAzhwAr and starts his journey towards AzhwAr thirunagari. On the way, he reaches thiruppuLingudi dhivya dhEsam. He sees a little brAhmaNa girl in the street and asks her "Oh little girl! How far is AzhwAr thirunagari from here?" and the girl responds "Oh learned person! Have you not learnt thiruvAimozhi?". udayavar, being shocked, asks the girl "How would we know the distance from here to AzhwAr thirunagari by learning thiruvAimozhi?". The girl responds "Since AzhwAr says thiruppuLingudiyAy! vadiviNaiyillA malarmagaL maRRai nilamagaL pidikkum melladiyaik koduvinaiyEnum pidikka nI orunAL kUvuthal varuthal cheyyAyE (thiruvAimozhi 9.2.10 !
- Oh the one who resides in thiruppuLingudi! Why dont you call me or come to
me so I can attend your most tender lotus feet which are attended by the most beautiful srIdhEvi and bhUdhEvi nAchiyArs) - would you not know that the distance must be very short (since if emperumAn calls out from there, AzhwAr will be able to hear in AzhwAr thirunagari)?".
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Hearing this udayavar becomes most blissful and very pleased with that little girl's intelligence and faith in AzhwAr's words. He then breaks the earthen pots which he was carrying along for his cooking and asks where the girl lives. The girl brings udayavar to her house and udayavar accepts her parents and the girl and their relatives as his sishyas, instructs the parents and the girl to prepare a feast (offers to emperumAn) and accepts the prasAdham from them. Then he leaves from there and reaches AzhwAr thirunagari. From that day onwards, the little girl and all her relatives considered udayavar as their worshippable deity and lived a glorious life - this is explained by our elders. From the above incidents, we can understand that child, dumb (mute), the fallen, etc., who are not qualified to study sAsthram will still reach the ultimate destination/goal through the connection with a true AchArya. As we can see, the little girl and the dumb (mute) person attained the most glorious benediction simply by the most merciful acts of udayavar. The following 2 incidents (among others) are identified in periyAzhwAr thirumozhi 4.4.1 nAva kAriyam pAsura vyAkyAnam by mAmunigaL. (Translator's note: These 2 incidents the highlight importance of total faith on AchAryas and giving up the association of persons who simply glorify bhagavAn without giving equal or more importance to AchAryan).
Once thirukkurugaippirAn piLLAn was travelling to kongu region (coimbatore, etc). He arrives at a srIvaishNava's place where he decides to prepare his own prasAdham. But he observes that everyone in that home is just reciting bhagavAn's nAma sankIrthanam (without any rememberance of AchAryan). Since it did not please him, he simply left that home. Once, in the assembly of emperumAnAr, a vaishNava arrives and recites thirumanthram. vaduga nambi observes this and since thirumanthram was recited without reciting the guru paramparA manthram before, nambi declares that this is something unfit for the tongue to say and leaves that place. (Translator's note: piLLai lOkAchAryar declares that a sath sishyan should always be reciting guru paramparai and dhvayam in srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram).
As well known from vArthA mAlai, thirumAlai ANdAn said "If I want to teach bhagavath vishayam there are not many in this materialistic world to hear and learn that. If we sowed an areca nut, feed some fertilizer until it sprouts, build a small hut and stay there watching it for many years, finally we will see a few areca nuts. Unlike all such sufferings to get something very insignicant, here in bhagavath vishayam, we will be relieved from this material world which is filled with sufferings and we will achieve paramapadham which is all auspicious. All we need to have is a little bit of gratitude towards the AchAryan who made it all possible - but for materialistic people who cannot even fulfill this small requirement, how can I explain bhagavath vishayam?" and becomes very sad. As said in "gOgnE chaiva surApE cha chOrE bhagnavrathE thathA; nishkruthir vihithA sadhbhi: kruthaghnE nAsthi nishkruthi:" (
; : :) (Translator's note: This slOkam lists out the most abominable sins such as killing
a cow, drinking liquour, stealing, etc which have no prescribed atonement - and the ungrateful
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan ones who commit such sins will be relieved of them by performing certain pious deeds during puNya kAlams/auspicious times) - if the acts which involve being ungrateful in material (bodily) acts like killing the cow, stealing, etc. are very abominable, what to speak of being ungrateful to an AchAryan who transformed the jIvAthmA from being in the state of just matter (bodily thinking) to spirit soul (spiritual thinking) by giving divine knowledge to the sishya - ofcourse this is the most abominable sin which has no atonement. Just like when water mixed with sand is taken in a container and purified with thEththAm seed (a type of seed), the sand will be subdued in the bottom and clean water will stay at the top, When the most merciful AchAryan takes the jIvAthmA (clean water) in the body (container) which is the source for ignorance (sand) and purifies it with thirumanthram (seed), ignorance will be subdued and knowledge will shine. But just like until the purified water is transferred into another clean container, the sand will come up whenever the water is touched with something else, the jIvAthmA will also be bewildered in this body until he is transferred into another pure body in paramapadham. To avoid such bewilderment it is essential for the sishyas to stay in the vicinity of AchAryan and other srIvaishNavas who are as good as the AchAryan. This principle is explained by our pUrvAchAryas. ALavandhAr, while leaving to thiruvananthapuram, instructs his dear sishya dheivavAriyANdAn to serve the emperumAn by making garlands and also to take care off the mutt in srIrangam. ANdAn, becomes too worried and stops accepting thIrtham and prasAdham and day by day, becomes thinner. perumAL asks him "Why are you becoming like this?" and ANdAn responds "Even though I have dhEvarir's kainkaryam and sEvai (dharshan), I am unable to bear the separation from my AchAryan, that is why my body is becoming thinner". perumAL then says "If that is the case, you just go to ALavandhAr". ANdAn happily leaves and meets ALavandhAr (who was returning from thiruvananthapuram) just outside thiruvananthapuram on the banks of a river. ANdAn goes there, meets his AchAryan and becomes blissful and healthy on seeing him. At that time, ALavandhAr says "You can see the gardens around thiruvananthapuram. You go there along with the srIvaishNavas to worship anantha sayanan emperumAn". ANdAn replies "That is your thiruvanathapuram; I have already met my thiruvananthapuram" (Translator's note: AchAryan's divine form is where emperumAn stays - so that itself is a dhivyadhEsam for the sishya). ALavandhAr says "What a great conviction! It is difficult to find sishyas with such conviction" and becomes very pleased with ANdAn. When pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar was ill, he asks other srIvaishNavas "Please pray to emperumAn that he does not give me paramapadham at present and let me stay here in srIrangam for some more time" and asks them to recite Azhiyezha (thiruvAimozhi 7.4), Ezhai Ethalan (periya thirumozhi 5.8) padhigams and make such request to emperumAn (Translator's note: this is considered as improper per srIvaishNava etiquette one should not pray to emperumAn for anything even for recovering from illness). They do that and he recovers quickly and becomes normal. Seeing this, sishyas of nampiLLai go to him and enquire him "He is most knowledgable and elderly; but is this act of praying for bodily recovery fit for his svarUpam?". nampiLLai says "We dont know what his thoughts are". nampiLLai then says, go and ask piLLai engaLAzhwAn. engaLAzhwAn replies He may be attached to the glorious kainkaryasrI of srIrangam and he wants to stay here for some more time as it is also said that "One has to fully consume once karma in this samsAram". nampiLLai then asks his
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan sishyas to go and ask thirunArAyaNapurathu arayar arayar says may be he has some unfinished tasks which he wants to complete, so he is praying to prolonging his life here. nampiLLai then asks his sishyas to ammangi ammAL who says who would want to leave nampiLLais kAlakshEpa gOshti, he may be praying so he is here for some more time to listen to nampiLLais kAlakshEpam. nampiLLai then asks his sishyas to go to ammangi periya mudhaliyAr and when they go to him, he says bhattar said if he does not see the same divine form of namperumAL in parampadham, he will make a hole and jump back in to srIrangam. Similarly he may be too attached to namperumAL that he does not want to leave from here. After hearing all these views, nampiLLai finally asks jIyar himself if any of these views are in line with what he himself is thinking. jIyar replies None of these match my thinking". nampiLLai asks to reveal his mind then. jIyar says "You know everything. But out of your mercy, you want to reveal this through me. Let me say why I want to continue living here. Everyday, after you taking bath, you would wear new clothes and walk around with a bit of sweat on your divine face and I would start fanning you at that time. How can I give up that vision of such divine form and the service I do at that time and go to parampadham just yet?. nampiLLai and his sishyas were blissful hearing that and amazed to see such dedication in this samsAram. Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) also was overwhlemed with this dedication and instructed his own mind to develop such dedication in upadhEsa rathina mAlai 66th pAsuram as follows. pinbazhagarAm perumAL jIyar perunthivaththil anbadhuvumaRRu mikka AsaiyinAl nampiLLaikkAna adimaigaL sey annilaiyai nannenjE! UnamaRa eppozhudhum Or
!
Simple translation: pinbhazhagarAm perumAL jIyar, without having attachment to paramapadham, stayed in srIrangam out of great love to serve nampiLLai's divine form. Oh dear mind! always meditate on such state of dedication. Once periya nambi, thirukkOshtiyUr nambi and thirumAlai ANdAn were assembed under the punnai tree on the banks of chandhra pushkariNi in srIrangam. They were recollecting fond memories of their AchAryan (ALavandhAr) and were discussing/enjoying the wonderful instructions that were given by him. At that time, selvar (Tranlator's note: selvar is the form (vigraham) of emperumAn who watches over the process of distributing prasAdham to parivAra dhEvathas) starts his procession and arrives there along with the kainkaryaparas distributing srIbali (prasAdham). Since they had to break their discussion, stand up and bow before the emperumAn, they say "here comes the crowd-breaker; From this day onwards let us take a vow to be in a temple where selvar does not accompany the kainkaryaparas distributing srIbali". (Translator's note: To fulfill their vow, emperumAn took a vow not to accompany the kainkaryaparas since it will disturb the divine discussions of his devotees in srIrangam and follows that until today).
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan When ananthAzhwAn met nanjIyar (vEdhAnthi who was reformed by bhattar) who took sannyAsam and was planning to reach srIrangam and tells him "You accepted sannyAsAshramam which will interfere your kainkaryAms to your AchArya. Will they push you out of paramapadham if you took bath when you sweat, ate when you were hungry and always took refuge unto bhattar's lotus feet? Now you have to just stay in a corner without being able to serve bhattar". A sishya of thoNdanUr nambi who was a saiva before visits thirumalai and meets ananthAzhwAn. He notices that ananthAzhwAn is plucking flowers and planting seeds in his garden to make garlands for thiruvEnkatamudaiyAn. He says "ananthAzhwAn! many nithyasUris assume the form of these flowers in thiruvEnkatam to serve emperumAn. You are crumpling them unnecessarily. My kainkaryam in my AchAryan thoNdanUr nambi's residence is at the backyard where they empty the banana leaves on which srIvaishNavas consume prasAdham to ensure that everything is maintained clean and proper. I will share some of my kainkaryam with you. By engaging in that bhAgavatha kainkaryam we can live our life as per payilum chudarOLi (thiruvAimozhi 2.7) and nedumArkkadimai (thiruvAimozhi 8.10) (Translator's note: Both these padhigams highlight the importance of being sub-servient to bhAgavathas). Why dont you avoid disturbing these divine flower bearing trees?". Subsequently, that srIvaishNava becomes ill and lies down having his head on ananthAzhwAn's lap. ananthAzhwAn asks "What are you contemplating on at the moment?". That srIvaishNava replies "thoNdanUr nambi accepted me and reformed me without considering my previous bad association. I am meditating on the backyard of his residence where I used to do kainkaryam" and immediately ascends to paramapadham. The essence of this incident is - Even though this srIvaishNava had the great fortune of being in front of thiruvEnkatamudaiyAn, he had no great interest in that and was fully focussed on the place where his AchAryan accepted him and engaged him in kainkaryam. Translator's note: Thus, through the above incidents, we can understand the greater importance given to AchArya kainkaryam/anubhavam even over bhagavath kainkaryam/anubhavam by our pUrvAchAryas.
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nampiLLai vaibhavam 1
nampiLLai - thiruvallikkENi Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) recollects the following incident quite often. Once, nampiLLai along with his sishyas, visits thiruveLLarai to perform mangaLAsAsanam to the nAchiyAr there and is returning back to srIrangam. At that time, cauvery starts flooding. Wanting to cross the river, since there was no proper boat, they all boarded on a small raft to cross the river. The sun sets leading to darkness and it starts to rain as well - so it becomes difficult for the raft man to control the raft as it starts sinking. The raft man says "At this stage, if a few people jump off the raft, we can safely reach the destination. Otherwise, every one including nampiLLai will drown in the river". Due to fear of getting drowned, no one was willing to jump off the raft. Though, one lady (who is well situated in bhAgavatha nishtai) blesses the raft man for that suggestion and says "Oh raft man! Let you long live! Please ensure that nampiLLai, who is the life of whole world, safely reaches the banks" and jumps off the raft inspite of the darkness saying "nampiLLai thiruvadigaLE sharaNam". The raft momentarily reaches the srIrangam side safely. nampiLLai feels very upset with the unexpected demise of the lady. But, when the lady jumps off the raft, she ends up landing on a small island. Hearing nampiLLai's sad words she shouts from the island "swamy! Dont worry. I am still alive here". nampiLLai, considering she should be rescued, sends the raft man to bring her to the banks. She safely arrives and bows down at the lotus feet of nampiLLai. Since she is totally situated in AchArya nishtai, she asks "When I was drowning, did you take the form of the island and saved me?". piLLai responds "If thats your faith, let that be the case".
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan A vaishNava king, once observed a big crowd of srIvaishNavas and asked "Are they coming out after worshipping namperumAL or after listening to nampiLLai's lecture?". Such was the glorious srIvaishNavasrI (divine wealth) of nampiLLai. Once, a lady who is a sishyai of nampiLLai acquired a house next to nampiLLai's thirumALigai (residence). Another srIvaishNava (a sishya and class-mate of this lady in nampiLLai's kAlakshEpa gOshti) who was living (renting?) in the same house. He suggests to the lady "nampiLLai's residence is a bit small. It would be nice if your offered your house to our AchAryan" many times. She keeps saying "Who will get such a nice house in srIrangam, I will keep this till the end of my life". This srIvaishNava goes and informs this to nampiLLai. nampiLLai tells her "All you need is a good place to stay? Please give your house to me so all the srIvaishNavas can comfortably stay there". She replies "OK, I will do that. But you have to give me a place in paramapadham". nampiLLai says "Given". She says "I am very tender-hearted lady. I cannot just trust your words. Please give me something in writing". nampiLLai being very pleased with the lady's Acharya nishtai, writes in a palm leaf that "On this year/month/day, thirukkalikanRi dhAsan gives a place in paramapadham to this lady. Let srIvaikuntanAthan fulfill this transaction by his mercy". She accepts that document, happily consumes thIrtham and prasAdham. She keeps worshipping nampiLLai for the next couple of days and on the third days ascends to parampadham. Thus, our jIyar says, that "Both nithya vibhUthi (paramapadham - spiritual world) and leelA vibhUthi (samsAram - material world) are at the disposal of AchAryan". kUrathAzhwAn's grand son naduvil thiruvIdhi piLLai bhattar did not appreciate nampiLLai's gyAnam, bhakthi, vairAgyam, abundance of sishyas and bhAgavathas in his gOshti, acceptance of everyone, etc. He was always behaving harshly with nampiLLai. Once he has going to the king's assembly and meets pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar on his way. He invites jIyar to join him to the sassembly and jIyar obliges. When they reach the king's palace, the king welcomes them and offers them respects and seats them in his big assembly. As he is an intelligent king with good knowledge in sAsthram and as he wanted to test the knowledge of bhattar, he asks bhattar "bhattar! srI rAman declares that he is just the son of dhasarathan and a human being (fully hiding his parathvam - supremacy), but how does give benedict jatAyu with mOksham?". While bhattar is contemplating the best answer for this, the king gets disturbed with some administrative tasks. bhattar asks jIyar "jIyar! How would thirukkalikanRi dhAsar explain perumAL (srI rAman) giving mOksham to jatAyu?" and jIyar replies "nampiLLai explains this principle per 'sathyEna lOkAn jayathi' (the truthful person can win all worlds)". bhattar then contemplates that and accepts that as the best explanation. The king returns and asks "bhattar! you still have not given the answer" and bhattar replies "You were looking at other things. Please pay close attention and I will explain it to you". The king obliges and bhattar explains the full rAmAyaNa slOkam which explains that truthful person will control all worlds and srI rAman being the epitome of truthfulness he was able benedict jatAyu with paramapadham. The king becomes ecstatic hearing the explanation and says "I accept that you know everything". He then gives great honours to bhattar and a lot of valuable clothes, jewels and wealth. The king bows down to bhattar and gives a grand farewell to him. bhattar accepts all the wealth and tells jIyar with great desire "jIyar! Please bring me to nampiLLai as I want to offer myself and all these wealth at the lotus feet of nampiLLai". jIyar brings bhattar to nampiLLai. nampiLLai, seeing naduvil thiruvIdhi piLLai who comes in the lineage of his paramAchArya (AchArya's AchArya parAsara bhattar) welcomes him happily. Seeing all the wealth submitted in front of him, he asks "What are these?" and bhattar responds "This is the
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan reward for a few words of your thousands and thousands of divine words - so you have to accept me and these wealth and acknowledge me as your sishya". nampiLLai says "This is not correct. You being the grand son of AzhwAn (coming in such great lineage), cannot accept me as AchArya". bhattar bows down at nampiLLai's lotus feet, starts crying and responds "The king, who is a nithya samsAri, was able to offer so much wealth for your few divine words. If that is the case, how much wealth should I submit to you coming in the lineage of AzhwAn? Not only, I have been ignoring you for so long, even being next door to you but I was also feeling jealous about you. So, I can do nothing other than offering myself to you now to show my gratitude. So, please accept me". nampiLLai pulls bhattar up with great affection, embraces him and blesses him. He then starts teaching everything to bhattar and bhattar with great gratitude stays with nampiLLai all the time and lives blissfully.
nampiLLai kAlakshEpa gOshti Then, nampiLLai explains thiruvAimozhi fully to bhattar in a detailed manner. bhattar listens to them carefully and documents everything and submits the palm leaves at the lotus feet of nampiLLai. nampiLLai asks "What is this?" and bhattar responds "This is the meanings of thiruvAimozhi as explained by you". nampiLLai opens the bundle and starts seeing that its huge in size of mahAbhAratham - 125000 granthams . He becomes very worried and asks bhattar "Why did you write this without my permission and in such great detail independently revealing the inner meanings of thiruvAimozhi?" and bhattar responds "Everything is documented as explained by you only, I have not even added my own punctuation - please see for yourself". nampiLLai says "You may have written whatever I have explained about thiruvAimozhi - but how can you write what I am thinking about? During udayavar's times, piLLAn tried very hard to get the blessings and permission of udayavar to write 6000 padi itself. But here, you have written 125000 padi without my permission and such detailed
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan vyAkyAnam which will discourage sishyas from learning under the lotus feet of their AchAryas". He then pours water on the palm leaves and feeds them to termites and eventually they get destroyed. Subsequently, nampiLLai instructs periyavAchAn piLLai who is a dear sishya of him and who learnt everything from him, to write vyAkyAnam for thiruvAimozhi and he writes 24000 padi in the size of srIrAmAyaNam. After that, vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai who is another close confidante of nampiLLai, once heard thiruvAimozhi kAlakshEpam from nampiLLai in the morning and documented the same in the night and submits that at the lotus feet of nampiLLai. nampiLLai asks "What is this?" and vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai replies "this is thiruvAimozhi vyAkyAnam as heard from you this time". nampiLLai starts going through them and observes that its neither too detailed nor too brief and very beautifully documented in the size of srutha prakAsikai (vyAkyAnam for srI bhAshyam) - 36000 padi. With great joy, nampiLLai says "You have documented this very nicely; Yet since this was written without my permission, you hand it over to me" and keeps the same with him. He then hands over the vyAkyAnam to eeyuNNi mAdhava perumAL who is his dear sishya. This incident is explained by our jIyar in upadhEsa rathina mAlai 48th pAsuram. sIrAr vadakkuth thiruvIdhip piLLai ezhuthErAr thamizh vEdhaththu Idu thanaith thArum ena vAngki mun nampiLLai IyuNNi mAdhavarkkuth thAm koduththAr pin adhanaith thAn

Simple Translation: vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai who is filled with auspicious qualities wrote 36000 padi eedu vyAkyAnam as heard from nampiLLai. nampiLLai took that from him and gave that eeyuNNi mAdhava perumAL Further, all vyAkyAnams for thiruvAimozhi and their glories are clearly identified by mAmunigaL. Thus, nampiLLai appeared in this world and uplifted many jIvAthmAs for a long time and finally ascends to paramapadham. As part of the charama kainkaryam, all his sishyas shave their heads. naduvil thiruvIdhi piLLai bhattar's brother asks him "Is it not shameful for our kUra kulam (AzhwAn's family lineage) since you have shaved your head for thirukkalikanRi dhAsar's ascending to paramapadham?". bhattar responds "Oh! I have brought shame to your family now!". His brother asks "Why are being sarcastic?". bhattar replies "When nampiLLai ascends to paramapadham, since I have taken shelter at his lotus feet, since I am born in kUra kulam, considering AzhwAn's great quality of sEshathvam (total servitude towards his AchAryan), I should have shaved my face and body as servants do. But I have only done what sishyas do shaving heads - that is indeed shameful for not fulfilling AzhwAn's nature of servitude". Then
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan his brother asks bhattar "Now that your thirukkalikanRi dhAsar has left you, how long will you have gratitude towards him?" and bhattar replies "I will have gratitude towards nampiLLai forever - until this AthmA exists". His brother then realises the meaning of those words since he already was a great scholar and being born in an exhalted family. Our jIyar says "He then submits himself to bhattar and learns all the essential principles from bhattar". When some srIvaishNavas asked others "how would srI bhAshyam look like?" and they responded "In naduvil thiruvIdhi (middle street - one of the streets in srIrangam), there is one person named kUrathAzhwAn who wears beautiful vEshti (bottom cloth) and uththariyam (upper cloth). If you go to that street, you will see srI bhAshyam walking around". Some some srivaishNavas ask "Where can we hear bhagavath vishayam?" and they responded "There is a very sweet tree with most ripen fruits in naduvil thiruvIdhi named bhattar. If you go there, and stay under the tree instead of throwing stones, the ripen fruits of bhagavath vishayam will naturally fall on you". When parAsara bhattar was very young and was playing in the streets, a scholar named "sarvagyan" arrives on his palanquin with much pomp. bhattar stops him and asks him "Do you know everything?" and he says "Yes, I know everything". bhattar picks up handful of dust from the ground, shows that to him and asks "How much is this?". He was lost for words and just hangs his head down out of shame. bhattar then says "Give up all your titles and medals" and he obliges and admits his defeat. bhattar then says "You could have just said this is a 'handful' of dust and preserved your titles and medals! but you have now lost them all - so you can leave" and pushes him aside. bAshaNdi (mAyavAdha) scholars go to a (vaishNava) king and declares that there is no proof for shanka/chakra lAnchanam (marking of one's shoulder with heated conch/chakram which is done as part of pancha samskAram). The king being most intelligent, invites bhattar over and asks him "Is there proof for shanka/chakra lAnchanam)?" and bhattar says "Sure, there is". The king asks "Can you show it to me?" and bhattar shows his own beautiful shoulders and says "See here, I have them in both of my shoulders". The king accepts that with great joy and declares that "bhattar who is all-knowing has this shanka/chakra lAnchanam, that itself is sufficient proof" and drives away the bAshaNdis. The above incidents are explained by our elders. Thus sruthi vAkyams (relating to shanka/chakra lAnchanam) and the following two pAsurams/slOkams written by bhattar became very popular. mattavizhumpozhil kUraththil vandhuthiththu ivvaiyamellAm ettumiraNdum aRiviththa emperumAn ilangu chittar thozhum thennarangEsar tham kaiyil Azhiyai nAnettana ninRa mozhi EzhupArum ezhuthiyathE
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Simple translation: Since I have the imprints of shankam (and chakram) of srIranganAthan who was worshipped by AzhwAn who appeared in kUram and explained the meanings of thirumanthram and dhvayam, it became a proof for the whole world to accept and follow. vidhAnathO dhadhAna: svayamEnAm abi thapthachakramudhrAm bujayEvamamaiva bUsurANAm bagavallAnYchana dhAraNE pramANam
:
Simple translation: The fact that I have these shanka/chakra on my shoulders is itself a proof for srIvaishNavas to accept and follow that. From these incidents, we can understand that since all our pUrvAchAryas took shelter of their AchArya's grace, whether ignorant or scholarly, one has to depend on their AchArya for their upliftment.
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Ani thirumUlam - ramyajAmAthru and ramyajAmAthrumuni

malai kuniya ninRa perumAL (AzhwAn/bhattar lineage) is the leader of our sampradhAyam and is living in srIrangam now. His father had great attachment towards our jIyar (mAmunigaL) as he observed that mAmunigaL had memorized the whole of eedu 36000 padi vyAkyAnam of thiruvAiozhi and other vyAkyAnams. He used to affectionately call our jIyar as "36000 perukkar" (one who nurtures eedu 36000 padi vyAkyAnam", and joyfully cherish his moments with mAmunigaL. At that time, on parIthApi year, AvaNi month, namperumAL arrives in the thiruppavithrOthsava mandapam. In front of the big assembly, namperumAL himself invites our jIyar (mAmunigaL) separately and blesses him with srI satagOpam and his garlands, thIrtham, prasAdham, etc. He then instructs mAmunigaL as follows "From tomorrow onwards, in our periya thiru maNdapam (in front of the periya perumAL sannidhi), explain the divine meanings of thiruvAimozhi with the help of nampiLLai's eedu 36000 padi vyAkyAnam". On the following day, namperumAL along with his nAchiyArs, sEnai mudhaliyAr, nammAzhwAr, yathirAjar (and all other AzhwArs, AchAryas) arrives at the maNdapam and periya jIyar formally starts listening to the kAlapkshEpam in the maNdapam amidst a great assembly of srIvaishNavas. This incident is explained in the following pAsuram: nallathOr parIthApi varudanthannil nalamAna AvaNiyin muppaththonRil chollariya chOthiyudan viLangu veLLikkizhamai vaLarpakkam nAlAmnALil chelvamigu periya thirumaNdapaththil chezhum thiruvAymozhipporuLaich cheppumenRu valliyudai maNavALar arangar nangaL maNavALa munikku vazhanginArE
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Thus, namperumAL and others heard thiruvAimozhi kAlapkshEpam (with 36000 padi and all the other 4 vyAkyAnams) for a whole year (10 months), without any interruption. Again, on the final day - on Ani mUlam day, namperumAL arrived with everyone in the maNdapam and hears jIyar performing the most grandeur and wonderful sARRumuRai. It is world-renown that After that, namperumAL, being very pleased with jIyar, he gave great honors to mAmunigaL (Translator's note: by offering him his own sEsha paryankam and srIsailEsa dhayApAthram thanian - thus accepting mAmunigaL as his AchAryan and immediately propagating this thanian to all the dhivyadhEsams). This is why jIyar says with great humility and gratitude reflecting on the divine/special blessing which was given to him by namperumAL for engaging him in this great kainkaryam. nAmAr! periya thirumaNdapamAr! namperumAL thAmAga nammaith thaniththazhaiththu nI mARan chenthamizh vEdhaththin chezhum poruLai nALumingE vanthurai enREvuvathE vAynthu
! !
Who am I? What are the glories of this periya thirumaNdapam? It is a great blessing for
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan namperumAL himself, with great affection, to ordain me to explain the divine meanings of dhrAvida vEdham (thiruvAimozhi through 36000 padi) every day (for the whole year). Similarly, the great AchAryas/srIvaishNavas of those days who were greatly attached to mAmunigaL declared as follows. valampuriyAyiram chUzhtharavAzhi marungoLuru chelamchelaninRu muzhunguga pOl thanathu thoNdar kulam pala chUzh maNavALa mAmuni kOyilil vAzha nalangadal vaNNan munnE thamizh vEdham naviRRananE. thArAr arangar munnAL thanthAmaLiththAr chIrAr periya thirumaNdapaththuch chiRanthAi en ArAvamuthanaiyAn maNavALa mAmuniyaiyazhaiththu ErAr thamizh maRai ingEyirunthu chol enRananE
.
mAmunigaL who was surrounded by many thousands of his disciples lived in srIrangam and explained the meanings of thamizh vEdham in front of emperumAn. To do this, first, the beautiful srIranganAthan, invited maNavALa mAmunigaL into his periya thirumaNdapam and benedicted him to reveal the most beautiful meanings of thiruvAimozhi there. Thus, his sishyas showed their gratitude towards mAmunigaL and also cherished the divine act of namperumAL where he did great favours that were not done to any one other than our jIyar (mAmunigaL). Now, I (paravasthu pattarpriAn jIyar) started speaking the glories of my own AchAryan (inbetween nampiLLai vaibhavam) since it is said that
gurum prakAsayEn nithyam ( ) - One should glorify his/her AchArya/guru always kaNNinuN chiru thAmbu - eNdisaiyum aRiya iyambukEn oNtamizhch chatagOpan aruLaiyE (
) - I (mathurakvai AzhwAr) reveal and glorify the mercy of nammAzhwAr

in all directions (everywhere)
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srIvachana bhUshaNam - vakthavyam AchArya vaibhavam (
) - It is ones duty to speak about the glories of AchAryan

Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the divine incident of namperumAL's glorification/honoring of periya jIyar on Ani thirumUlam day by submitting unto him, accepting him as his AchAryan, offering him his own sEsha paryankam and more than anything else offering the most glorious thanian "srIsailEsa dhayApAthram dhIbhakthyAdhi guNArNavam, yathIndhra pravaNam vandhE ramya jAmAtharam munim" ( , ) and propagating the same to all the dhivyadhEsams, etc. namperumAL himself practically demonstrating his anthimOpAya nishtai towards his AchAryan (mAmunigaL) for the whole world to see and follow the same.
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nampiLLai vaibhavam 2
nampiLLai with pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar at his lotus feet - srIrangam One day, after nampiLLai completes bhagavath vishaya kAlakshEpam and every one leaves, pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar bows in front of nampiLLai and asks him "Please explain to me the true nature of me (jIvAthmA), the means and the ultimate goal". nampiLLai replies "emperumAn's/emperumAnAr's desire to uplift the jIvAthmA is that which sustains the jIvAthmA, their mercy is the means and the blissful service to them is the ultimate goal". jIyar responds "I dont think like that". nampiLLai says "Do you have a separate route? Please reveal your mind". jIyar says "My nature is to be surrendered to the srIvaishNavas who are surrendered unto your lotus feet, their mercy is my means and the happiness in their divine face is my ultimate goal". nampiLLai becomes very pleased with jIyar's words. During nampiLLai's days, mudhaliyANdAn's grand son kanthAdai thOzhappar was jealous seeing nampiLLai's glories. Once when thOzhappar was in the temple worshipping periya perumAL, nampiLLai arrives there at the same time with many of his disciples. Without any reason and purely out of his jealousy, thOzhappar shouts at nampiLLai and insults him. Hearing that nampiLLai becomes afraid of the consequences, quickly worships periya perumAL and returns to his thirumALigai (residence). Hearing this incident, thOzhappar's wife who is very knowledgable, becomes very worried about her husband's offenses towards nampiLLai and stops all her kainkaryams at home and waits for her husband. When thOzhappar arrives and observes that his wife does not welcome him and serve him as she
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan does usually when returning home from outside, he asks her "Since the day I married you, you considered me as your AchAryan and served me well. But today you are ignoring me completely. What is the reason?" and she responds "dear swamy! You have insulted nampiLLai who is re-incarnation of thirumangai AzhwAr himself and who is most dear to periya perumAL in front of periya perumAL himself. You are not even feeling sorry for your actions. I have no relationship with you anymore. If you hate me and want to punish me, you can continue to punish my body which was given to you by my parents. I have already been uplifted when I took shelter of my AchAryan. Thus, I will have no relationship with you who have committed the greatest offense even after knowing bhagavAn's own words 'Even after many crores of births I wont forgive the ones who commit bhAgavatha apachAram'. So, I will lead my life on my own". Hearing this, thOzhappar becomes astonished for a while. But after contemplating her words, he realises his mistake since he was a great scholar and also being born in the great vamsam of mudhaliyANdAn. He says "Whatever you have said is correct. I have committed a big blunder. What can I do now?". She says "Dont search for something in the pond, when you lost it in the river". He asks "What do you mean?" and she responds "Since you have committed the offense against nampiLLai, go and fall at the lotus feet of the most merciful nampiLLai and ask for forgiveness from him. He will certainly forgive you and you will be relieved of your miseries". He then says "Since I have committed the greatest offense of insulting him right in front of periya perumAL, I feel so ashamed to go in front of him. Please accompany me and lead me to ask for forgiveness". She accepts and they both start leaving their place. In the mean time, nampiLLai who left the temple, reached his thirumALigai, sent all his disciples home and observes a fast until the sun-set. After sun-set, he covers his head with a cloth and alone walks towards thOzhappar's residence and waits in the veranda. At that time, thOzhappar and his wife, opens the door with the lamp to go to nampiLLai's residence. They notice some one lying down there covered with a cloth and ask who that is. nampiLLai identifies himself as thirukkalikanRi dhAsar. thOzhappar was shocked to see nampiLLai there and asks him (out of his ego again) "You did not shout back at me and insult me in front of periya perumAL because I am quite famous here. So, you must now have come to insult me privately". nampiLLai responds "No, I have not come here for that". thOzhappar being surprised, asks him "So, why have you come here?" and nampiLLai responds "I am such a great sinner that I behaved in a manner that angered mudhaliyANdAn's grandson in front of periya perumAL. I have come here to ask for forgiveness and hope you will forgive me". Hearing this, thOzhappar becomes totally purified and embraces nampiLLai. He then says "All along, I have thought that you are the AchAryan for a few disciples. But now I have understood that you are qualified to be the AchAryan for the entire world. So, from this days onwards, you will be called 'lOkAchAryar'". He then invites nampiLLai into his residence, serves him greatly along with his wife and pleases nampiLLai very much. He learns all the divine meanings at the lotus feet of nampiLLai. This incident is explained by our jIyar in upadhEsa rathina mAlai 51st pAsuram as follows: thunnu pugazhk kandhAdaith thOzhappar tham ugappAl enna ulagAriyanO enRuraikka pinnai ulagAriyan ennum pEr nampiLLaikku Ongi vilagAmal ninRadhenRum mEl
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Simple translation: kandhAdai thOzhappar who was very famous in srIrangam, out of great affection declared nampiLLai as lOkAchAryan. Since then, nampiLLai becomes famously known as lOkAchAryar and that name and fame stayed forever. nampiLLai's glories are boundless and can be understood from the following pAsuram and slOkams. Part of iyal sARRuRai - rendered by piLLai azhagiya maNavALa dhAsar nenjaththirunthu nirantharamAga nirayaththuykkum vanjakkuRumbin vagaiyaRuththEn mAyavAdhiyar thAm anjappiranthavan chImAdhavanadikkanbucheyyum thanjaththoruvan charaNAmbuyam en thalaikkaNinthE

Simple translation: By surrendering unto the lotus feet of nampiLLai who is the dear sishya of nanjIyar (who was feared by the mAyAvAdhis), I removed all the defects of my mind which will push me eternally into the hellish regions. namAmi thau mAdhava sishya pAdhau yath sannidhim sUkthimayIm pravishtA: thathraiva nithyam sthithimAdhriyanthE vaikuNta samsAra viraktha chiththA:
: :
Simple translation: I worship nanjIyar's sishya - nampiLLai's lotus feet . After hearing his glorious words, we will be purely situated in this glorious bhagavath anubhavam and will develop detachment towards both samsAram and srIvaikuNtam. sruthvApi vArththAncha yadhIyagOshtyAm gOshtyantharANAm prathamA bhavanthi srImathkalidhvamsana dhAsa nAmnE thasmai namas sUkthimahArNavAya
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Simple Translation: I worship sUkthi mahArNava (great ocean of divine words - nampiLLai) who is known as srImath kalidhvamsana dhAsar. After hearing his words in his lectures, we will consider his assembly is the best over any other assembly. vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai and his wife (both of them are sishyas and close confidantes of nampiLLai) were totally detached from materialistic life and were serving nampiLLai everywhere, at all times and in all possible ways. One such day, nampiLLai visits vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai's thirumALigai (residence) and everyone bows down at his lotus feet. At that time, vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai's wife offers obeisances to nampiLLai, wearing a wet saree. nampiLLai asks the other ladies why she is wearing a wet saree. They reply that she has just purified herself after going through the menstrual cycle and accepting his blessings after such state. Being very pleased, nampiLLai invites her close, touches her stomach with his divine hands and blesses her "You will beget a son who is as glorious as myself". Seeing this, vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai understands that begetting a child will be pleasing to his AchAryan and acts accordingly with his wife. Subsequently, she becomes pregnant and in a year she gives birth to a divine child. vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai names him with nampiLLai's divine name "lOkAchAryar" (who becomes to be famously known as piLLai lOkAchAryar) and shows his gratitude towards his AchAryan.
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nampiLLai, vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai, piLLai lOkAchAryar, azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr Thus, vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai's son piLLai lOkAchAryar was born out of the divine blessings of nampiLLai. piLLai lOkAchArayar, out of his divine and causeless mercy, to uplift the jIvAthmAs, wrote many divine granthams such as thathva thrayam (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/p/thathva-thrayam.html), rahasya thrayam (mumukshuppadi, etc), srIvachana bhUshaNam, etc., and taught the most confidential messages in a very simple manner. A year after piLLai lOkAchAryar's birth, vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai's wife begets another beautiful child (by the divine mercy of srIranganAthan himself) and is named azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr (in memory of srIranganAthan). He blessed us with a divine grantham named AchArya hrudhayam (which reveals the divine heart of nammAzhwAr). Thus, lOkAchAryar (nampiLLai) who was a special incarnation (of thirumangai AzhwAr) lived a glorious life. My AchAryan (mAmunigaL) said that his father thigazhakkidanthAn thirunAvIRudaiyapirAn thAtharaNNar became the sishya of nampiLLai when he was 5 years old under the guidance of his elders. Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the divine glories of nampiLLai and enjoyed the same thoroughly. It is imperative from these incidents that AchArya's mercy will ensure safe passage to paramapadham and while being here in the samsAram, sishya can be engaged in the most apt kainkaryam that is fitting his/her true identity as well.
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srI rAmAnuja's sishyas
Once during the times of udayavar, aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr was ill. kUrathAzhwAn did not go and enquire about his illness immediately and goes to meet him after 4 days and asks him "How did you manage when you were ill?" and aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr responds "For the level of our friendship between yourself and me, I thought you would come and meet me and bless me as soon as you heard about my illness. But you have ignored me and I am deeply hurt. This will not heal until I go and worship the lotus feet of ALavandhAr". This incident is explained in ponnaulAgALIrO (thiruvAimozhi 6.8.1) pAsuram vyAkyAnam clearly. (Translator's note: The context here is, in ponnulagALIrO padhigam, nammAzhwAr sends a bird as the messenger to emperumAn and he has utmost confidence that the bird is fully capable of even having emperumAn at his disposal. But the bird is not helping AzhwAr immediately. Similarly, aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr knowing that AzhwAn has emperumAn at his disposal and could even have got him paramapadham immediately but he showed up after a long delay. So, he is saying, that feeling will heal only when/if he reaches paramapadham and bow down at ALavandhAr who is already in paramapadham).
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan vaduga nambi was alive for some time after udayavar's ascending to paramapadham. But, eventually he also ascends to paramapadham. One srIvaishNava goes to bhattar and tells him "vaduga nambi ascended to paramapadham". bhattar responds "You should not say like that for vaduga nambi". The srIvaishNava asks "Why not? Cant we say that he ascended to paramapadham?". bhattar beautifully explains that paramapadham is common for prapannas and upAsakas (ones who undergoes bhakthi yOgam and achieves paramapadham by their self effort) - vaduga nambi's focus is not that. Then, the srIvaishNava asks "So, does he have some other place in his mind?" and bhattar explains "Yes. You should say vaduga nambi reached the lotus feet of emperumAnAr" - this is explained by my AchAryan (mAmunigaL). ALavandhAr declares in the beginning of sthOthra rathnam "athra parathrachApi nithyam yadhIya charaNau sharaNam madhIyam" (
- Both in samsAram and paramapadham I always want to serve

nAthamunigaL's lotus feet). thiruvarangathu amudhanAr says in rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 95th pAsuram "viNNin thalai ninRu vIdaLippAn emmirAmAnusan maNNin thalaththudhiththu maRai nAlum vaLarththananE" (
- From
paramapadham our rAmAnuja will will bless the jIvAthmas with the ultimate goal of kainkaryam in paramapadham and while he took birth in this samsAram, without being touched by the defects of this samsAram, he would establish the vEdha sAsthram properly). The all knowing aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr, bhattar who is the son of kUrathAzhwAn, paramAchAryar ALavandhAr, thiruvarangathu amudhanAr who fully brought out the divine glories of udayavar, kUrathAzhwAn, etc., have all clearly explained the glories of AchArya nishtai. Thus it is established that total dependence on the lotus feet of AchArya who is uncomparable master for the sishya in both samsAram and paramapadham is far greater than total dependence on the lotus feet of bhagavAn which are said to be equal to all as said in jithanthE sthOthram as "dhEvAnAm dhAnavAncha sAmAnyam adhidhaivatham" (
- bhagavAn is common to all beings). This is

why mAmunigaL also prayed towards emperumAnAr as in "When will I attain your lotus feet?", "yathirAja! please always engage me with pleasure in your service". Our jIyar explains the following incident. Once a srIvaishNava was eating prasAdham and kidAmbi AchAn was serving him water. But instead of serving it straight from the opposite side, he was doing it from the sides and because of that the srIvaishNava had to bend his neck a bit to accept the water. udayavar observed that, and pushes kidAmbi AchAn on his spine (back) and tells him "we must serve srIvaishNavas with utmost care". Hearing that kidAmbi AchAn becomes ecstatic and says "You are clearing my defects and engaging me more in service and I am very grateful for such mercy" and shows his gratitude. In mAnikka mAlai, periyavAchAn piLLai identifies the following incident. Once, udayavar becomes upset with AzhwAn. A few who were present there asks AzhwAn "Now that udayavar has pushed you away, What are you thinking now?" and AzhwAn responds "Since I am completely subservient to srI bhAshyakArar, I will accept whatever he does - nothing to worry".
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan The following incident is identified in vArthA mAlai. piLLai uRangA villi dhAsar once goes to mudhaliyANdAn, bows at his lotus feet and asks "How should a sishya be towards his AchArya?" and ANdAn says "For the AchAryan, sishya should be like a wife, the body and an attribute - i.e., a wife will do whatever the husband tells her, a body will do whatever the AthmA wants and will be borne by the object". piLLai uRangA villi dhAsar then goes to AzhwAn and asks him "How should a AchArya be towards his sishya?" and AzhwAn responds "For the sishyan, AchArya should like the husband, the AthmA and the object - i.e., like a husband who properly instructs the wife, like the AthmA who control the body as he feels and as the object which bears the attribute". Once, kUrathAzhwAn and mudhaliyANdAn were have a discussion on divine matters and a topic comes up "Are we blessed the ultimate goal of mOksham by svAnuvruthi prasannAchAryan (an AchArya who puts through the sishya several stringent tests before blessing him with divine knowledge) or krupAmAthra prasannAchArya (an AchAray who blesses the sishya with divine knowledge based on the pure desire in the sishya)?". ANdAn says "mOksham is through svAnuvruthi prasannAchArya only" and AzhwAn says "mOksham is through krupAmAthra prasannAchAryan only". ANdAn says since periyAzhwAr says "kuRRaminRi guNam perukki gurukkaLukku anukUlarAy" (
- One should remove the defects and act favourable towards

their AchArya), we should also do that. AzhwAn say "Its not like that", as madhurakavi AzhwAr says "payananRAgilum pAngallarAgilum seyal nanRAgath thiruththip paNikoLvAn kuyil ninRAr pozhil sUzh kurugUr nambi" (
- Even if we
are not qualified and matured enough, nammAzhwAr who lives in AzhwAr thirunagari which is surrounded by gardens, will purify us and engage us in his service) we should not try to do it on our own and instead we should depend on the mercy of the AchArya to achieve the highest goal of mOksham. Hearing that ANdAn was very pleased. This incident was narrated by my AchAryan (mAmunigaL). udayavar out of his divine mercy, travelled to thirunArAyaNapuram citing kirumikaNdan (saiva king) as a reason. Since the temple kainkaryaparars were suffering due to that, thinking "We are facing these problems due to udayavar only, so any one who is related to udayavar should not enter the temple", an order was placed to such effect. kUrathAzhwAn went to the kirumi kaNdan's court to establish our sidhAntham and lost his eyes and finally returns to srIrangam. Without knowing the situation at the temple, he goes to worship periya perumAL and one of the gate keepers stops AzhwAn. But at the same time another gate keeper asks AzhwAn to enter the temple. AzhwAn was surprised to hear the two different views of the gate keepers and asks them "What is happening here?". They reply "There is an order which says we should not allow any one related to emperumAnAr inside the temple". AzhwAn asks "But why are you allowing me then?". They reply "AzhwAn! Unlike others you are very good hearted with Athma guNams, so we allowed you to enter the temple". Hearing this AzhwAn becomes shocked and starts shivering like a moon in the water (which constantly shakes). He steps back a few steps and says "sAsthram says one develops Athma guNams lead to AchArya sambandham (relationship); But here in my case, Athma guNams are leading to give up my
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan relationship with emperumAnAr" with deep sorrow. He further says "For me, emperumAnAr's lotus feet is sufficient to achieve the ultimate goal; I dont need to worship perumAL giving up emperumAnAr's relationship" and returns to his thirumALigai (residence) without worshipping emperumAn. This incident is narrated by our jIyar. It is explained in thiruvirutham vyAkyAnam that ALavandhAr identifies that emperumAn out of his mercy, himself appeared as nammAzhwAr. azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr in his AchArya hrudhayam also wonders if nammAzhwAr is the avathAram for kali yugam in chathurtha varNam after being born as the son of athri, jamadhagni, dasaratha and vasudhEvan/nandhagOpAlan in brAmaNa/kshathriya/vaishya varNams in previous yugams (sath, trEtha, dhvApara yugams). (Translator's note: AzhwAr's glories makes everyone wonder if he is emperumAn's avathAram, but he is really not as explained by our pUrvAchAryas clearly. The context here is to show that emperumAn himself wants to take the position of AchAryan since that is the highest position one can depend on). Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the nishtai of various sishyas of srI rAmAnuja and how they manifested total dependence on srI rAmAnuja.
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embAr and other sishyas
emperumAnAr - embAr embAr (gOvindhar) was born in vattamaNi kulam (a particular family lineage) and was most knowledgable, very detached and was following anushtAnams properly even at a young age. At that time, he became a devotee of shiva, entered in to saiva Agamam, wore rudhrAksha mAlai and went to kALahasthi. There he became the chief priest and controller of the shiva temple. He was having sticks/leafs in hands (which are pleasing to shiva) and was constantly singing the glories of shiva being an expert in thamizh language. At that time, periya thirumalai nambi (srI saila pUrNar) arrives at kALahasthi for a particular reason (to reform gOvindhar) from thirumalai. He sits along with his sishyas in a wooded area (forest) and starts discussing with his sishyas. At the same time, embAr arrives into the same area to pluck flowers for rudhran and he starts climbing on a tree near where thirumalai nambi was sitting. Seeing embAr's state, thirumalai nambi feels very sorry for him and thinks "Since this jIvAthmA (embAr) is a great vidhwAn and very detached person, if he gives up his devotion for what is not meant for the jIvAthmA and that is very lowly and becomes a devotee of srIman nArAyaNa who is the most apt master for the jIvAthmA, it will be most beneficial for the whole world". He then goes right close to the tree where embAr was picking flowers and starts explaining vEdhAntha verses which establishes the supremacy of srIman nArAyaNa and discusses the same with his sishyas. embAr, forgetting his services at the temple and the plucking of flowers, starts listening the divine words of thirumalai nambi and becomes very ecstatic and stays there for a long time. Seeing embAr's favourable attitude, nambi thinks "Let us explain a pAsuram from the divine srIsUkthis of nammAzhwAr to purify his mind" and starts explaining the following pAsuram from thiruvAimozhi (2.2.4) in great detail.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan thEvum epporuLum padaikka pUvil nAnmuganaip padaiththa thEvan emperumAnukku allAl pUvum pUsanaiyum thagumE?
?
Simple translation: emperumAn created brahmA to perform vyashti srushti, i.e., to create all beings and variety of aspects (bhagavAn first does samashti srushti himself directly - where he creates upto pancha bhUthams and performs vyashti srushti indirectly through brahmA). Apart from emperumAn, is any one else qualified to accept flowers and prayers? (No one else is qualified). Hearing this, since embAr is an expert in thamizh, he at once drops the flower basket and climbs down the tree claiming "No! No!" and says "I have wasted so much time in my life serving this dhEvathai who is filled with thamO guNam by regularly bring water for his bathing, etc" and falls at the lotus feet of thirumalai nambi. nambi, being pleased that his objective was fulfilled, instructs embAr to purify himself by bathing. embAr throws his rudhrAkhsha mAlais and remvoves off his pAshaNdi vEsham, bathes and returns with the wet cloth with great desire to accept nambi as his AchArya. nambi becomes very pleased with him and at once performs pancha samskAram to him, explains him clearly thyAjyam (what is to be given up) and upAdhEyam (what is to be accepted) and instructs "give up all attachments to every thing other than bhagavAn, hold on to srIman nArAyaNan and stay faithful towards our dharisanam". embAr accepts that with gratitude and starts leaving to thirumalai with nambi. At that time, many pAshaNdis of kALahasthi arrives there and says to embAr "You are our chief so you cannot leave us" and embAr replies from a distance "Hold on to your sticks and leaves; I wont be in this graveyard any more". Just like sIthA pirAtti left lankA without any attachment towards that place and like mukthAthmAs travel in archirAdhi gathi towards paramapadham with the guidance of hArdhan (a form of emperumAn), embAr goes to thirumalai which is considered as bhUlOka vaikuntam with the guidance of thirumalai nambi, stays there as a close confidante of thirumalai nambi and serves him always. udayavar arrives to thirumalai (thiruppathi) and learns the essential principles of srIrAmAyaNam from thirumalai nambi and plans to return to srIrangam. Considering srI rAmAnuja as a special incarnation and seeing him as ALavandhAr himself, thirumalai nambi asks his sons to take shelter of udayavar and tells him "I still want to offer you something valuable". udayavar, seeing embAr's devotion towards his AchArya, requests nambi to bless him by sending embAr with him to srIrangam. nambi happily accepts the request and hands over embAr through the process of udhagadhArA (using holy water to donate so that the transaction is complete). embAr leaves with udayavar and travels for 4/5 days and starts
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan sulking due to separation from nambi (his AchArya). udayavar asks embAr "Why are you so sad?" and says "If you are unable to deal with separation from your AchArya, you return to thiruvEngadam". embAr happily travels back 4/5 days and reaches the thirumALigai (residence) of thirumalai nambi and falls at his lotus feet. nambi says to embAr "I have given you to udayavar by the udhagadhArA process. Why did you return here now?" and embAr explains that he was unable to bear the separation from him. nambi says "We cannot feed a cow that was sold to some one else. Now you should be totally surrendered to udayavar and serve him" and pushes him out without even offering some prasAdham to embAr. Realising his AchArya's intentions, embAr decides that udayavar's lotus feet are the only refuge and returns to srIrangam. He serves udayavar happily and stays there since then. Once in an assembly where udayavar and his sishyas were present, udayavar's sishyas start glorifying embAr's gyAnam, bhakthi, vairAgyam, etc. embAr nods his head in acceptance saying "Yes! that is correct" and glorifies himself more than others. Seeing that, udayavar says "If others glorify you, you should be very humble and say that you are not worthy of their praise. Instead you are glorifying yourself. Is this proper etiquette?" and embAr replies "swamy! if these srIvaishNavas glorify me - I am truly worthy of being glorified only for staying in kALahasthi with the lowly form of stick and pot in hand, rudhrAksha mAlai on my neck, etc. But, your highness have done so much favours in purifying me as said in 'pIthagavAdaippirAnAr biramaguruvAy vanthu' (
- bhagavAn himself appears as the first guru). I was so fallen - more fallen than a nithya
samsAri - but you have changed me such that these srIvaishNavas glorify me. So, everytime I or some one glorifies me, that really means your highness is being glorified". udayavar says "Dear gOvindha perumAL! fantastic! fantastic!" and becomes very pleased seeing embAr's nishtai. An AchArya explains to his sishya clearly what is to be accepted and what is to be rejected. The sishya is unable to follow the principles. The AchArya then corrects him wherever he commits mistake (as said in 'skAlithyE sAsithAram'). The sishya meets a learned person who sees that the sishya is not ready to be instructed by the AchArya and the learned person becomes upset and says "The AchArya should only instruct sishyas who are ready to act fully based on AchArya's instructions. Why did your AchArya instruct you?" - this was explained by my AchAryan (mAmunigaL). Thus it is established that

the AchArya should instruct/direct sishyas who are completely surrendered instructions/directions of a true AchArya is part of the ultimate goal for a true sishya
A sishya of nanjIyar who lives in a different place visits nanjIyar and serves him for some time. He then decides to return back to his town. A close confidante (sishya) of nanIyar notices this srIvaishNava returning back and tells him with sorrow "Oh! its unfortunate that you have to leave jIyar's lotus feet and return to your residence" and that srIvaishNava replies "Wherever I am, I still have the mercy of my AchArya" and consoles himself. A srIvaihNavi (close confidante sishyai of nanjIyar) hears this conversation, observes that the srIvaishNava who is returning home is not anguished about the separation from his AchAryan and says "Enaththu
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan uruvAy ulagidandha UzhiyAn pAdham maruvAdhArkku uNdAmO vAn?" (
? - mudhal
thiruvanthAdhi 91 - If one does not worship the lotus feet of varAha perumAL who rescued earth, how will he reach paramapadham? - The context is - if this is said about emperumAn's lotus feet itself, what to speak of not worshipping AchArya's lotus feet every day). This incident is narrated by my AchAryan (mAmunigaL). From this, we can understand that if the sishya moves away from his sadhAchArya, he will not know what it is to be accepted and what is to be rejected. Then, ignorance will consume him and will not accomplish the ultimate result of reaching paramapadham. When kongunAdu (coimbatore region) was affected by drought, a brAhmaNa and his wife comes to srIrangam to live there. Those days, emperumAnAr would perform mAdhukaram (beg for food) in 7 houses. When he walks on the streets, near agaLanganAttAzhwAn prAkAram (one of the seven layers around the temple), all the srIvaishNavas would bow down at the lotus feet of emperumAnAr. The brAhmaNa and his wife would watch that from their house upstairs in that neighbourhood. One day, emperumAnAr visits their house and the woman steps down from upstairs. She asks emperumAnAr "All the kings are bowing down at your lotus feet; But here you are begging for food. What is the reason for this?" and emperumAnAr responds "Since I give them good instructions they are worshipping me". She bows down at his lotus feet and asks "Please give those good instructions to me as well". emperumAnAr out of his divine grace instructs her (the dhvaya mahA manthram) at once. Subsequently, normalcy returns to their native land and they prepare to leave srIrangam. The lady becomes worried that she may not be able to meet emperumAnAr again before leaving. At that time, emperumAnAr arrives there for mAdhukaram and she tells him "We are returning to our native place; Please repeat those divine instructions again to me so that it stays deeprooted in my heart". emperumAnAr mercifully gives her those same instructions once more. She again asks "Please bless me something more to protect myself always". udayavar immediately removes his pAdhukAs (sandals) gives them to that lady who is named periya pirAttiyAr. From that day onwards, she kept those pAdhukAs in her thiruvArAdhanam and worshipped them with love. This incident is well known from vArthAmAlai. From this we understand that, In this samsAram people will even ignore emperumAn - in such case it is rare to develop total devotion towards AchAryan and accepting something related to that AchAryan (like the pAdhukAs in this case) as total refuge. Such people who have developed faith in AchArya should be like periypirAttiyAr of kongu dhEsam. We can also remember the lives of ponnAchiyAr (wife of piLLai uRangA villi dhAsar), thumbiyUrk koNdi, Ekalavyan, vikramAdhityhyan who were all AchArya nishtars. Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the nishtai of embAr and other sishyas of udayavar how they manifested total dependence on srI rAmAnuja.
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AchAryan is bhagavath avathAram

purushArtham (utlimate goal for a jIvAthmA) is of four types. 1. sAkshAthkAram - divine vision of bhagavAn (in the mind) - this is a special kind of knowledge where we understand who bhagavAn is 2. vibhUthi sAkshAthkAram - divine vision of bhagavAn with his material manifestation this is the state where we understand the true hurdle (this material body and the material world) through the special kind of knowledge 3. ubhaya vibhUthi sAkshAthkAram - divine vision of bhagavAn with his spiritual and material manifestations - this is the state where we understand the real goal of kainkaryam through the special kind of knowledge 4. prathyaksha sAkshAthkAram - divine vision of bhagavAn right through our eyes - this is the state where we realize that
o o o
the process and goal are the same, i.e., both are emperumAn only kainkaryam (doing loving service) to bhagavAn is the ultimate goal and whatever we do as upAyam (process) is also kainkaryam only
Even though the first 3 are considered to be part of purushArtham (ultimate goal), unless we achieve prathyaksha sAkshAthkAram, the other 3 are of not any real use. Only we directly see the ultimate goal, the other 3 are not accomplished. Direct vision can be accomplished in the following 6 forms of bhagavAn: 1. parathvam - bhagavAn's divine form in paramapadham - this is for nithyas and mukthas 2. vyUham - bhagavAn's divine form in kshIrAbdhi - this is for sanaka, etc (4 sons of brahmA who wer born out of his mind), dhEvas, etc 3. vibhavam - bhagavAn's avathArams like srI rAma, krishNa, etc - they are for the ones who lived during those times of srI rAma, krishNa, etc like dhasaratha, vasudhEva, nandha gOpAlan, etc 4. antharyAmithvam - bhagavAn's in-dwelling form in every entity - this form is for yOgis and upAsakas 5. archAvathAram - bhagavAn's form in temples, mutts and homes - this is for every one 6. AchAryathvam - bhagavAn's form as knowledge-bestowing AchArya - this is for the ones who have no other refuge
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Of these, the first 4 are not reachable due to limitations by

dhEsa - place - paramapadham, kshIrAbdhi not in everyone's reach kAla - time - vibhavAvathArams happen in different yugas - the ones who are not part of those times will miss out karaNa - senses - antharyAmithvam is not visible for our gross senses - only yOgis who have great control over their senses can see antharyAmi emperumAn through the knowledge
Of the last 2, since archAvathAra emperumAns dont interact personally with everyone, archAvathAram is also to be compared to other forms of emperumAn. After going through all sAsthrams, it is clearly determined that, for a jIvAthmA to become a muktha, only an AchAryan can make that happen by bestowing him the divine knowledge. So, that which bestows gyAnam must be the ultimate goal also. And that which is the ultimate goal must also be the upAyam (means). So, kainkaryam for AchAryan is the ultimate goal. Since, nammAzhwAr who was blessed with blemishless knowledge by bhagavAn himself declares that bhagavAn who blessed him blemishless knowledge is his ultimate object of worship, AchAryan who blesses the sishya with divine knowledge is the only means for him. All other upAyams are like
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan upAyAntharams (other means which are to be given up). nanjIyar explains this to nampiLLai in thirumudikkuRai rahasyam - since without this prathyaksha sAkshAthkAram (direct divine vision of AchAryan) there is no possibility of bestowing mOksham, AchAryathvam is the ultimate upAyam. piLLai lOkAchAryar clealry explains the greatness of AchArya abhimAnam (AchArya's mercy) in his artha panchakam (rahasya grantham) as follows: AchArya abimAnamAvathu ivaiyonRukkum sakthananRikkE iruppAnoruuvanaik kuRiththu ivanudaiya izhavaiyum, ivanaippeRRAl Iswaranukku uNdAna prIthiyaiyum anusandhiththu, sthanandhayaprajaikku vyAthi uNdAnAl than kuRaiyAga ninaiththuth thAn aushadha sEvai paNNi rakshikkum mAthAvaippOlE ivanukkuththAn upAyAnushtAnam paNNi rakshikka valla paramadhayALuvAna mahAbAgavatha abhimAnaththilE odhungi, "vallaparisu varuvipparEl athu kANdumE" engiRapadiyE sakala nivruththi pravruththigaLum avanitta vazhakkAy.
, , , " " ...
ANdAL thirukkalyANam Simple translation: AchArya abhimAnam means - For a jIvAthmA who has no ability to
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan perform any other upAyam (karma, gyAna, bhakthi, prapathi), the AchAryan looking at the great loss for the jIvAthmA (due to the jIvAthmA not realizing the connection with emperumAn) and looking at the joy of Ishwaran when he gets the jIvAthmA (as his pure servitor), just like a mother will consume medicine when the breast-fed child becomes ill thinking that she herself has become ill, AchArya himself performs sharaNAgathi on behalf of the sishya to emperumAn. A sishya should fully keep himself at the disposal of such pure bhAgavatha who is most merciful and wait for the benediction of bhagavAn thinking that "if bhagavAn feels committed to the AchAryan (which he will) let him come and bless me" (As identified by ANdAL nAchiyAr in nAchiyAr thirumozhi). It is very clear that piLLai lOkAchAryar is an incarnation of our pEraruLALan (kAnchi dhEva perumAL) as directly seen by maNaRppAkkathu nambi. This incident (of piLLai lOkAchAryar being an incarnation of dhEva perumAL) is explained clearly by jIyar (mAmunigaL) in his vyAkyAnam (avathArikai) for srIvachana bhUshaNam. Further, there are so many more beautiful explanations relating to sadhAchArya-sathsishya lakshaNam that are explained by our jIyar (mAmunigaL). I am not elaborating on these fearing about this grantham becoming too big. Thus, it is loudly claimed that "srIman nArAyaNan (the husband of srImahAlakshmi) appears mercifully as AchAryan" in one single voice by

all vEdhams those which explain the vEdhams - smruthi, ithihAsams, purANams the rishis such parAsara, pArAsarya (vyAsa), bhOdhAyana, suka, etc - who have seen the essence of vEdham, vEdhAntham, etc AzhwArs such as prapanna jana kUtasthar parAngusa (nammAzhwAr), parakAla (thirumangai AzhwAr), bhattanAtha (periyAzhwAr), etc., who are able to visualize both spiritual and material worlds of bhagavAn perfectly, who revealed the essence of all the vEdhams/vEdhAnthams through their dhrAvida brahmavidhyai and made them available for everyone irrespective of birth, age, etc. All knowing AchAryas such nAthamunigaL, yAmunAchAryar, yathirAjar, etc., who follow the footsteps of AzhwArs promptly
As explained by piLLai lOkAchAryar in the beginning of mumukshuppadi - the jIvAthmAs are in this samsAram (material worlds) since time immemorial without knowing the true nature of self, the true nature of bhagavAn and the relationship between jIvAthmA and paramAthmA and on top of that not even knowing that they are missing out on the glorious opportunity to engage in kainkaryam to emperumAn. Instead the samsAris are suffering in this ocean of samsAram since time immemorial. bhagavAn who has five different categories of forms (parathvAdhi panchakam - http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/10/archavathara-anubhavam-parathvadhi.html) most mercifully wants to purify these samsAris through thirumanthram, to carry/guide them through the archirAdhi gathi (the journey in the path to mOksham) breaking through the sun
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan planet, help cross the virajA river, by the touch of amAnavan (a form of emperumAn himself) blesses a spiritual body and engage the jIvAthmA in eternal kainkaryam. To accomplish that, just like he appeared as nara and nArAyaNa in badrikAshramam, now also he is appearing in samsAram to help the jIvAthmAs to be relieved of this samsAram. Thus, we have to accept that bhagavAn himself (prathama parvam - initial stage) appears as AchAryan (charama parvam - ultimate stage). This is explained in this slOkam: sAkshAn nArAyaNO dhEva: kruthvAmarthyamayIm thanum magnAnudhdharathE lOkAn kAruNyAchchAsthra pANinA
:
Simple translation: srIman nArAyaNan himself who is the supreme god, out of his divine mercy takes up a humanly form to uplift the jIvAthmAs of this world with the help of sAsthram in his hands (as AchAryan). So far, we have seen that a true sishya should worship his true AchArya who is a special incarnation of emperumAn through many pramANams (proofs). Now, we will see some pramANams to establish that we should not treat the AchAryan like a common man. With these two, it is established that, the ones who treat their AchArya as a common man will fall into hellish regions and the one who worships the AchAryan as bhagavAn himself will be uplifted to paramapadham. Since aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr says in gyAna sAram 32 "ekkAlum naNNiduvar kIzhAm naragu" ( - one who considers his AchArya as a simple mortal human being, will fall down into the hellish planets eternally) such thoughts should be completely given up and we should think that "pIthakavAdaip pirAnAr biramaguruvAgivandhu" (
- bhagavan has himself appeared as the AchAryan) as said by

periyAzhwAr. This principle will be deep rooted in the hearts of the ones who are most faithful to sAsthram and act according to pramANams always. Thus, as is it is said in "yathsAra bhUtham thadhupAsithavyam" (
- One should worship/follow that which is the essence), "bhajEth sAra

thamam sAsthram" ( - one should follow the part of sAsthram that is of ultimate essence), etc., instead of depending on AchAryan (and AchArya abhimAnam) who's only focus is to bestow mOksham for the jIvAthmA as said in "upAya upEya bhAvEna thamEva sharaNam vrajEth" (
- Surrender unto the lotus feet of AchAryan as upAyam/means and upEyam/goal)

and "pERonRu maRRillai nin charaNanRi" ( - I have no other goal than your lotus feet - amudhanAr in rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 45), etc. This AchAryathvam (AchAryan) is
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the essence of all of sAsthram taught by our pUrvAchAryas in our guru paramparai starting with srI madhurakavigaL, nAthamunigaL, etc the direct natural worshippable object most merciful and never mixed with an svAthanthriyam most easily accessible and reachable
But instead of depending on AchAryan as the total refuge who will uplift us, if we hold on to bhagavAn who is a totally independent supreme person as the upAyam (means) and upEyam (goal) if one gives up the AchAryan who is visible to the plain eyes and try to hold on to bhagavAn it is considered very foolish (it is like dropping the water in hands and looking up the sky for rain when one is really thirsty). bhagavAn is explained as:
thaithriya upanishadh - yathO vAchO nivarththanthE aprApya manasA saha (
) - bhagavAn's one guNam itself is

not understandable by the mind and explainable by words even for the most intelligent person imaginable.
sulabham svagurum thyakthvA dhurlabham ya upAsathE (
) - giving up one's guru who is easily accessible

and performing difficult worship to emperumAn is foolish
sthOthra rathnam - vidhi siva sanakAdhyair dhyAthum athyantha dhUram (
) - Serving you is beyond comprehension

even for geat yOgis like brahmA, siva, sanaka kumAras
thirumAlai 44 - peNNulAm chadaiyinAnum biramunum unnaik kANbAn eNNilAvUzhiyUzhith thavam cheythAr veLgi niRpa (
) - rudhran who has ganga in his matted hair and

brahmA who have performed penance for so many years to see you, but are unable to see you so they are hanging their heads in shame
sidhdhir bhavathi vA nEthi samsayOchyutha sEvinAm (
) - Even for those who serve achyuthan it is doubtful

whether they achieve him or not
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thiruchantha virutham 85 - vaiththa sinthai vAnguviththu nInguvikka (
) - You are totally independent and capable to remove my

mind from you and divert it into other material things
kshipAmi, na kshamAmi - I will punish them, I wont forgive them - these are usually highlighted to show that emperumAn is not as merciful as AchAryan who always wants to forgive and direct jIvAthmAs towards mOksham
He is explained as most difficult to achieve, common for both binding the jIvAthmA in samsAram and liberating the jIvAthmA from samsAram, is cruel at times that he pushed bharathan who was totally surrendered and sIthA pirAtti who is inseparable from perumAL like fish and water, into forest to live in separation, he explains prapathi to arjunan, etc., but still engages them in his leelai, etc.
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madhurakavi AzhwAr being totally surrendered to nammAzhwAr So, sishya should accept ones own AchAryan as the upAyam (means) and upEyam (goal) as explained in "uththArayathi samsArAth thadhupAyaplavEna thu; gurumUrththy sthithas sAkshAth bhagavAn purushOththama:" ( ;
: - bhagavAn accepts the
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan form of AchAryan to uplift the jIvAthmAs from samsAram through appropriate means) and ALavandhAr in sthOthra rathnam "sarvam yadhEva niyamEna" ( - AzhwAr's lotus feet is everything for me always). He should accept the AchAryan as the master, refuge and most enjoyable object to be attained. Instead of doing that, if some one just accepts their AchAryan as simply upakAraka (helping to lead to emperumAn), as said in "munnOr mozhintha muRai thappAmal kEttup pinnOrnthu thAmathanaip pEsAthE thannenjil thORRinathE solli ithu sudhdha upadhEsa varavARRathenbar mUrkkarAvAr" (
- updadhEsa rathina mAlai 71), as heard from pUrvAchAryas and knowing

their divine conclusions and the words that reveal their inner heart, but not following them and instructing what they think as the philosophy and say "this principle is coming from our pUrvAchAryas" is done by people who consider themselves as independent and the unfortunate ones who are not totally dedicated to their own AchAryas and are dry hearted. Since they dont know the deep principles of our sampradhAyam, their instructions will not stay and vanish like fake decorations. My AchAryan (mAmunigaL) have explained that one should be totally faithful towards their own AchArya based on many pramANams such as
AchAryAyAharEdharththAn AthmAnancha nivEdhayEth; thadhadhInascha varththEtha sAkshAn nArAyaNO hi sa: (
; :) - By
fulling surrendering ones wealth, self, etc to AchAryan and living fully at his disposal, one is sure to reach the abode of srIman nArAyaNa
yasya sAkshAth bhagavathi gyAnadhIpapradhE gurau (
) - Since AchArya enlightens the sishya with the torch of

knowledge, he should be considered as bhagavAn himself
AchAryassa harissAkshAch chararUpI na samsaya: (
:) - AchArya is the same as srI hari himself

- there is no doubt - but he walks around unlike bhagavAn (who stays put in one place in temple, etc)
gururEva parambrahma ( ) - Guru himself is parabrahma gurumUrththy sthithas sAkshAth bhagavAn purushOththama:" (
:) - bhagavAn himself accepts the

form of the guru, etc piLLai lOkAchAryar also explains this principle in srIvachana bhUsaNam sUthram 443:
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan svAbimAnaththAlE IswarAbhimAnaththaik kulaiththukkoNda ivanukku AchAryAbimAnamozhiya gathiyillai enRu piLLai palakAlum aruLichcheyyak kEttirukkaiyAyirukkum.
.
Simple translation: I have heard from vadakku thiruvIdhip piLLai very often that, for the jIvAthmA who out of his independence lost the mercy of Iswaran, AchAryan's mercy is the only refuge. Since this principle (of accepting AchArya's mercy as upAyam) is the conclusion of our sath sampradhAyam, one should
consider ones own AchAryan as srIman nArAyaNan (who is the husband of srI mahAlakshmi), consider his lotus feet as the means and goal consider service to his lotus feet as the ultimate goal consider his pleasure as the ultimate aim and focus consider his residence (or where he is present) as the ultimate place to be consider serving his divine form as that which sustains, nourishes and gives pleasure, as explained by nammAzhwAr in uNNum chORu ( ) pAsuram consider him as the uplifter as explained in uththArayathi samsArAth (
) slokam (previously explained)
pray to him constantly like mAmunigaL prayed in Arthi prabhandham "ethirAsA ennai inik kaduka ippavaththininRum eduththaruLE" (
) - yathirAja! please lift me up from this cruel

samsAram immediately
consider "AchAryAbhimAnamE uththArakam" ( srIvachana bhUshaNam 447) - AchArya's mercy is the only refuge for upliftment Consider that AchArya has removed all our previous sins as said in rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 93 "en peruvinaiyaik kittik kizhangodu thannaruLennum oLvALuruvi vettik kaLaintha irAmAnusan" (
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) and
kaNNinuN chiruthAmbu 7 "kaNdukoNdennaik kArimARappirAn paNdai valvinai pARRi aruLinAn" (
)
Thus, for the sishyas who are situated in charama parvam (ultimate state) and consider their AchAryan as the one who bestows the desirable result and the one removes the hurdles in achieving that goal and are faithful towards their AchAryan as the uplifter, both svagatha svIkAram (sishyan pursuing the AchAryan) and paragatha svIkAram (AchAryan pursuing the sishyan by his divine mercy) will bestow the ultimate result. Yet, for the sishya, even approaching/pursuing the AchAryan is filled with independent/prideful attitude and it is like wearing a ring that is blessed by kAlan (our own killer), svagatha svIkAram is not fit for the nature of the jIvAthmA. So, the sishya should give that up and fully depend on AchAryan's causeless mercy (paragatha svIkAram) and live happily considering
samsArAvarththa vEga prasamana subadhruk dhEsika prEkshi - thOham ( - ) - I am well because I look to my AchAryan to quell the might of the effects of samsAra. nirbhayO nirbharOsmi ( ) - stay fearless and burdenless in samsAram AchAryasya prasAdhEna mama sarvamabIpsitham; prApnuyAmIthi visvAsO yasyAsthi sa sukI bhavEth ( ;
) - One who has

the confidence/faith that he will attain all his desires by the grace of his AchAryan, shall be happy thiruvAimozhi thaniyan - dhanaththAlum Ethum kuRaivilEn enthai sadagOpan pAdhangaL yAmudaiya paRRu (
) - I am content with my wealth (material

and spiritual) since I am surrendered to my spiritual father nammAzhwAr Further, by being detached from both puNyam and pApam, it is OK to live happily in this samsAram itself without any barriers between nithya vibhUthi (paramapadham) and leelA vibhUthi (samsAram) as explained in:
pramEya sAram 1 - ...ivvARu kEttiruppArkku ALenRu kaNdiruppAr mItchiyilA nAttiruppAr enRiruppan nAn (...
) - Ones who
heard the meanings of thirumanthram and understood bhAgavatha sEshathvam from an AchAryan and serve him, will surely reach paramapadham which is the ultimate destination of no return.
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pramEya sAram 9 - thaththam iRaiyin vadivenRu thALiNaiyai vaiththavarai... (
...) - One who considers

their AchAryan as bhagavath avathAram and worships accordingly is sure to reach paramapadham upadhEsa rathina mAlai 72 - ...iruL tharumA gyAlaththE inbamuRRu vAzhum theruL tharumA dhEsikanaich chErnthu (...
) - By listening and following the

divine instructions of pUrvAchAryas and their lives and accepting an AchAryan who blesses divine knowledge to the sishyan, the sishyan can live happily even in this samsAram which is filled with darkness.
It is due to this reason, periyavAchAn piLLai clearly concludes that there is nothing greater than considering AchArya's lotus feet as both material/spirtiual worlds and accepting him as visible/invisible goal. But does it mean that for such sishyas (who have total faith in their AchArya) samsAram itself becomes paramapadham? Once, nambi thiruvazhudhi vaLanAdu dhAsar recites kaNNinuN chiruthAmbu and concludes with "madhurakavi sonnasol nambuvAr pathi vaikuntham kANminE" (
- One who believes in the divine words of madhurakavi AzhwAr, wherever they
stay that place becomes vaikutham). At that time, the srIvaishNavas there ask him "If a srIvaishNava in this samsAram (leelA vibhUthi) faithfully recites, how does that place become vaikuntham (nithya vibhUthi)?" and he replies "Listen to me - I will explain how. After the appearance of the divine son of kUrathAzhwAn (bhattar), the barrier in between the two worlds was destroyed and both became one" - this incident is explained in kaNNinuN chiruthAmbu vyAkyAnam. Translator's note: Thus, we have seen how AchAryan is the most merciful incarnation of bhagavAn himself and serving him is the most important aspect for a sishya.
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ill effects of AchArya apchAram
emperumAnAr - AzhwAn, kUram (AzhwAn avathAra sthalam) - ideal AchArya and sishya parAsara maharishi blessed us with these words: artha panchaka thathvagyA: panchasamskArasamskruthA: AkArathraya sampannA: mahAbhagavathAssmruthA: mahAbhAgavathA yathrAvasanthi vimalAssubhA: thadhdhEsam mangaLam prOktham thaththIrththam thaththu pAvanam yathA vishNupadham subham
: : : : :
Simple translation: One should undergo panchasamksAram and learn artha panchakam from the AchAryan. Realizing the 3 attributes of AchAryan (ananyArhathvam, ananya sEshathvam, ananya bhOgyathvam), one should meditate on a pure bhAgavatha. One should live close to the mahA bhAgavatha to purify fully. It is said that, that place is most sacred and the water (source) nearby is fully pure (to purify us) and that is the auspicious abode of srIman nArAyaNa. The same principle is most clearly explained by piLLai lOkAchAryar in srIvachana bhUshaNam sUthram 450:
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan pAttuk kEtkumidamum, kUppIdu kEtkumidamum, guthiththavidamum, vaLaiththavidamum, Uttumidamum ellAm vaguththavidamE enRirukkakkadavan.
, , , , .
Simple translation: A sisyha should consider all the 5 different forms of emperumAn as his AchAryan (most apt refuge). The five forms and their nature are explained in sequence as

where he blissfully listens to divine music (sAma gAnam) - paramapadham where he listens to the complaints of dhEvas - vyUham where he jumped into samsAram for rescue acts - vibhavam where he encircled every one by his presence - archAvathAram where he feeds/nourishes by being the in-dwelling super-soul - antharyAmi
Thus, a sishya should consider the AchAryan as the lord of both paramapadham and samsAram and also should consider that the AchAryan is the greatest wealth to be attained in both worlds. AchArya nishtar's (like amudhanAr) were thus always considering as follows:
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 20 - irAmAnusan enthan mAnidhiyE (
) - srI rAmAnuja is my inexhaustible wealth
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 22 - irAmAnusan enthan sEmavaippE (
) - srI rAmAnuja is my wealth which will help me during

disasters
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 5 - enakkuRRa selvam irAmAnusan ( ) - srI rAmAnuja is the most apt wealth for my true nature
As said in "sAkshAn nArAyaNO dhEva: kruthvAmarthyamayIm thanum" (
: ), without understanding that bhagavAn

himself has accepted a human form to uplift them, seeing that he is also eating, sleeping, etc and considering AchAryan as humans like us as said in "mAnidavanennum guruvai" ( - gyAna sAram 32), "gyAnadhIpapradhE gurau
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan marthyabudhdhi srutham thasya" ( ), "yO gurau mAnusham bhAvam" ( ), "gurushu naramathi:" ( :) is severely condemned. We will see the ill-effects of considering AchAryan as a mortal being just once, in the next sections. vishNOrarchchAvathArEshU lOhabhAvam karOthiya: yO gurau mAnusham bhAvam ubau narakapAthinau
:
Simple translation: Both valuing the divine archai form of vishNu based on the metal (rawmaterial) the form is made off and considering ones own AchAryan as mere mortal being will surely lead one to the hellish planets. nArAyaNOpi vikruthim yAthi gurO: prachyuthasya dhurbudhdhE: jalAtha bhEtham kamalam sOshayathi ravirna pOshayathi
: :
Simple translation: Just like the sun which nourishes the lotus will itself scorch the flower when the flower comes out of water, for the ones who give up the attachment from their guru, srIman nArAyaNan (who helps everyone) himself will lead to their suffering. EkAkshara pradhAram AchAryam yOvamanyathE svAnayOnisatham prApya chaNdAlEshvapi jAyathE

Simple translation: The one who ignores his AchArya who blessed him with knowledge, he is to take birth as chaNdALa (dog-eater) for 100 times. guruthyAgI bhavEnmruthyu: manthrathyAgI dharithradhA gurumanthraparithyAgI rauravam narakam vrajEth
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Simple translation: One who gives up his guru is as good as a dead body; one who gives up the manthram (learnt from guru) is penniless. One who gives up both the guru and the manthram is sure to reach the rauravam hell. gyAna sAram 30 mAdum manaiyum maRai munivar thEdum uyar vIdum senneRiyum - pIdudaiya ettezhuththum thandhavanE enRirAdhAr uRavai vittidugai kaNdIr vidhi
-
(equivalent samskritha pramANam identified by mAmunigaL) aihikam Amushmikam sarvam gururashtAkshara pradha: ithyEvam yE na manyanthE thyakthavyAsthE manIshipi:
: :
Simple translation: One should give up the association/relationship with such persons who dont consider their wealth, lands, salvation and dharmam, etc as their AchAryan who instructed the ashtAkshara mahAmanthram. gyAna sAram - 32 mAnidavan enRum guruvai malar magaL kOn thAn ugandha kOlam ulOgam enRum - InamadhA eNNuginRa nIsar iruvarumE ekkAlum naNNiduvar kIzhAm naragu
-
Simple translation: The one considers the AchAryan as a mere mortal human and the divine archA form which is cherished by the husband of srI mahAlakshmi based on the metal (raw-
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan material) that is made off - both are destined to the lowest of hellish regions. Eka grAmanivAsassan yassishyO nArchchayEth gurum thath prasAdham vinA kuryAth sa vai vidsUkarO bhavEth

Simple translation: The sishya who lives in his village not worshipping the AchAryan and engaging in activities without taking AchArya prasAdham is indeed an animal. gyAna sAram - 33 etta irundha guruvai ivai anRenRu vittOr paranai viruppuRudhal - pottaneththan kaN sempaLiththirundhu kaiththuruththi nIr thUvi amputhaththaip pArththiruppAnaRRu
-
Simple translation: One who gives up the guru who is easily accessible but approaches bhagavAn, is like a thirsty person dropping the water in the hand and looking up for rain in the sky. gyAna sAram 34 paRRu guruvaip paran anRena igazhndhu maRROr paranai vazhippadudhal - eRRE than kaipporuL vittArEnum Asiniyil thAm pudhaiththa apporuL thEdith thirivAnaRRu
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Simple translation: Worshipping bhagavAn directly instead of accepting the AchAryan (who is easily accessible to us) himself as bhagavathavathAram is like giving up the wealth which is right with us and searching for treasure buried by some one else under the ground. gyAna sAram 35 enRum anaiththuyirkkum Iram sey nAraNanum anRum than Ariyan pAl anbozhiyil - ninRa punal pirindha pangayaththaip pongu sudar veyyOn anal umizhndhu thAn ularththiyaRRu
-
Simple translation: bhagavAn who is most merciful and favourable towards everyone himself will give up on a jIvAthmA when the jIvAthmA does not show love/attachment towards his/her AchAryan. This is like Sun that nourishes the lotus flower itself will dry it when the lotus flower gives up the connection with water. pramEya sAram 9 thaththam iRaiyin vadivenRu thALiNaiyai vaiththavarai vaNangiyirA - piththarAy nindhippArkku uNdERA nINirayam nIdhiyAl vandhippArkku uNdizhiyAvAn
-
Simple translation: AchAryan is the one who blesses us the lotus feet of bhagavAn. The ones who worship such AchAryan as bhagavAn himself will surely attain the glorious life in paramapadham. The others who does not accept and worship their AchAryan will eternally suffer in this world. upadhEsa rathina mAlai 60 than guruvin thALiNaigaL thannil anbu onRillAdhAr anbu than pAl seydhAlum ambuyaikOn inba migu viNNAdu thAn aLikka vEndiyirAn AdhalAl
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan naNNAr avargaL thirunAdu

Simple translation: The ones who does not serve the lotus feet of their own AchAryan, even if they show great attachment towards emperumAn, srIman nArAyaNan will not bless them with the blissful life in paramapadham, so they are not going to reach paramapadham. prathihanthA gurOrapasmAri vAkyEna vAkyasya prathigAtham AchAryasya varjayEth
Simple translation: One who stays away from his AchAryan deserves to be abandoned. brahmANda purANam archAvishNau silAdhIr gurushU naramathir vaishNavE jAthi budhdhir vishNOvA vaishNavAnAm kalimalamatha nEpAdha thIrththE ambu budhdhi: sidhdhE thannAma mandhirE sakala kalushahE sapdha sAmAnya budhdhi: srIsE sarvEsvarE chEth thathithara (surajana) samathIr yasyavA nAraki sa:
: : () :
Simple translation: Considering the archA form of vishNu as just a statue, considering a guru as a mortal human, analysing the birth of vaishNava, Considering the srI pAdha thIrtham of vishNu and vaishNavas which can remove all ills of kali as just plain water, considering the words that glorify their (vishNu and vaishNavas) names, temples, etc as ordinary words and considering srIman nArAyaNan equal to other dhEvathas will surely lead one to hellish regions. Insulting guru includes the following aspects.

Not following the instructions given by the guru Instructing this valuable information to the ones who are not qualified
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Giving up the association of AchAryan - as said in srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram 439 "thAmaraiyai alarththakkadava Adhithyan thAnE nIraip pirinthAl aththai ularththumApOlE, svarUpa vikAsaththaip paNNum Isvaran thAnE AchArya sambandham kulainthAl aththai vAdap paNNum" (
, ) - Just like the sun which

nourishes/blooms the lotus will itself dry it when the flower gets separated from water, bhagavAn who nourishes the knowledge of the jIvAthmA will diminish that knowledge when the jIvAthmA gives up the association of the AchAryan.
gurOrapahnuthAth thyAgAth asmaraNAdhApi; lObAmOhAdhipischAnyair apachArair vinasyathi ((?) ;
) - He, who abandons

his AchAryan, stays away from him and does not think about him, is destroyed by the sins arising out of greed and delusion.
gurOranruthAbisamsanam pAdhakasamAnam kalu gurvarththE sapthapurushAn ithascha parathascha hanthi; manasApi gurOrnAnrutham vadhEth; alpEshvapyarththEshu (
; ; ) - Approaching an AchArya
with lies is akin to causing him injury. By stealing the property of AchArya, seven generations before and after are destroyed. Thus, never be a hypocrite to your AchArya even in your mind. Do not steal even a small part of of his property.
speaking lies to him, arguing with him, speaking what is not taught by him, complaining about him when he is mercifully giving instructions, abstaining from glorifying him, using harsh words at him, speaking forcefully to him, rejecting his instructions, lying down in front of him, being at a higher platform than him, stretching/showing feet in front of him, obstructing his actions, hesitating/feeling shy to worship him by performing anjali, not removing hurdles on his way while he is walking, speaking without properly understanding his mind, kAyilE vAykkiduthal ( ) - dealing with him through others indirectly?, shaking in front of him, stepping on his shadow, allowing ones own shadow fall on AchAryan - these acts must be given up in front of an AchAryan
yasya sAkshAth bhagavathi gyAnadhIpapradhE gurau marthya budhdhi srutham thasya sarvam kunjarasauchavath
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Simple translation: Since AchArya enlightens the sishya with the torch of knowledge, he should be considered as bhagavAn himself. For the ones who considers the guru as a mortal being, the knowledge gained from sAsthram is similar to elephant taking a bath (to only pick up the dirt and place it on its head again).
sulabham svagurum thyakthvA dhurlabham ya upAsathE labdham thyakthvA dhanam mUdO gupthamanvEshathi kshithau

Simple translation: who leaves the easily accessible AchArya and practises difficult upAsanas, is like an idiot who throws away the money already available to him and digs the earth in search of treasure.
chakshur gamyam gurum thyakthvA sAsthra gamyam thu yassmarEth hasthastham udhagam thyakthvA ganasthamabivAnchathi
Simple translation: One who gives up the guru who is near by but approaches bhagavAn, is like a thirsty person dropping the water in the hand and looking up for rain in the sky. gurum thvangkruthya hUngkruthya vipram nirjithya vAdhatha: araNyE nirjalE dhEsE bhavanthi brahmarAkshasA:
: :
Simple translation: Those who address their AchArya by improper language or in a manner to subdue him, become brahmarAkshasAs in a forest without water. Thus, with the above pramANams, AchArya apachAram is fully explained. Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the ill-effects of committing AchArya apachAram. In the next section we will see more pramANams for bhAgavatha apachAram.
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bhAgavatha apachAram
Next we shall see bhAgavatha apachAram. srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram 307 ivai onRukkonRu krUrangaLumAy upAya virOthigaLumAy, upEya virOthigaLumAy irukkum.
, .
Simple translation: These (akruthya karaNam - indulging in what is rejected in sAsthram, bhagavath apachAram - committing offense against bhagavAn, bhAgavatha apachAram committing offense against bhAgavathas, asahya apachAram - committing bhagavath/bhAgavatha apachAram without any specific reason) are more cruel than the preceeding ones (i.e., bhagavath apachAram is more cruel than akruthya karaNam, bhAgavatha apachAram is more cruel than bhagavath apachAram and asahya apachAram is more cruel than bhAgavatha apachAram) and are hurdles in our means and the attainment of the ultimate goal. vIra sundhara brahma rAyan (a local king) who is a sishya of kUrathAzhwAn once developed enemity towards AzhwAn's son parAsara bhattar. He troubled bhattar to the extent that bhattar was so disturbed and left srIrangam and reached thirukkOshtiyUr. bhattar himself reveals this in his srIrangarAja sthOthram 5th slOkam as follows: pUgI gaNta dhvayasa sarasa snigdha nIrOpagaNtAm AvirmOdha sthimitha sagunAnUthitha brahmagOshAm mArgE mArgE pathika nivahai: unjyamAna apavargAm pasyEyam thAm punarapi purIm srImathIm rangadhAmna:
: :
Simple translation: When am I going to again see that srIrangam which is filled with divine wealth and beauty? The dhivyadhEsam is located close to water sources which have huge trees inside them and that are very pleasing to the mind. The birds are constantly making beautiful sounds which resemble the recitation of vEdham. The path to the dhivyadhEsam is filled with crowds of devotees who are looking out for salvation.
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bhattar in thirukkOshtiyUr with nanjIyar at the lotus feet of sowmya nArAyaNan emperumAn his heart still in srIrangam though Through this slOkam, bhattar reveals his divine suffering in separation from srIranganAthan and srIrangam. At that time, a srIvaishNava approaches bhattar, serves him and requests him to explain thiruviruththam once fully. bhattar turns to his sishya nanjIyar and tells him "jIya! In separation from srIraganAthan and srIrangam, I am unable to talk about anything. You explain the meanings of thiruviruththam to this srIvaishNava" and guides the srIvaishNava to the lotus feet of nanjIyar. As time goes by, vIra sundhara brahma rAyan who offended bhattar eventually dies. Some srIvaishNavas who were taking care of bhattar's mother ANdAL and accepting her guidance, heard this news and started celebrating by throwing their upper cloth up in the air. Seeing this, ANdAL immediately entered her thirumALigai (residence), closed the doors and started crying out loud. The srIvaishNavas who are greatly celebrating turned to ANdAL and asked her "Are you not happy that bhattar's enemy is gone, bhattar will be back here and we will all have great sathsangam?". ANdAL responds "You dont know. vIra sundhara brahma rAyan is a direct sishya of AzhwAn. But he troubled bhattar so much and has committed the greatest of offenses. Not only that, he did not even go back to bhattar and begged for forgiveness saying 'I have done this great mistake. Please forgive me' and bowed at the lotus feet of bhattar. Now he has died too. As soon as he left his body, the servants of yama dharma rAjan have caught him. I am unable to bear that sight of him suffering at the hands of them. None of you can understand this feeling". Thus, my AchAryan (mAmunigaL) says that the result of bhAgavatha apachAram is very cruel. kadakkaththup piLLai who is a sishya of bhattar who lived in chOLa maNdalam (region) hears about sOmAsiyANdAn who was fully trained by udayavar. sOmAsiyANdAn was living in thirunArAyaNapuram and was training many in srIbhAshyam. piLLai goes to
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan thirunArAyaNapuram and seeing him sOmAsiyANdAn becomes very pleased and offers him a place to stay in his own thirumALigai. piLLai then hears srIbhAshyam, bhagavath vishayam, etc for a whole year under the guidance of ANdAn. After the sARRumuRai (final session), piLLai starts his return journey. ANdAn accompanies piLLai to the border of thirunArAyaNapuram (Translator's note: It is customary for srIvaishNavas to give a worthy farewell to visiting srIvaishNavas by accompanying them until they reach the end of the town or so - mainly a water source) and says "I am honoured that you stayed here for a whole year; I am feeling very sad about the separation now; Please bless me with a valuable instruction that I can take refuge on". piLLai responds "sOmAsiyAndAn! You are very knowledgable and have great command over both srIbhAshyam and bhagavath vishayam. Yet, you tie a knot in your upper cloth to constantly remind you about avoid bhAgavatha apachAram". This incident was revealed by my AchAryan (mAmunigaL). (Translator's note: It is customary to tie a knot in the upper cloth - seeing which we will be reminded of something which we may forget). prAthurbhAvaissuranarasamO dhEvadhEvasthadhIyA: jAthyA vruththair api cha guNatha: thAdhrusO nAthra garhA kinthu srImadhbuvanabavana thrANathOnyEshu vidhyAvruththaprAyO bhavathi vidhavAkalpakalpa:prakarsha:
: : : :
Simple translation: The devotees of the Lord, who seem to resemble humans or devas due to their birth, clan, actions or qualities are indeed equal to the Lord Himself. They must not be abused. They carefully protect the divine lands and temples of the Lord. They are excellent in jnAnam and anuShTAnam. They shine brilliantly as ornaments of the learned. archAvathArOpAdhAnam vaishNavOthpaththi chinthanam mAthruyOni parIkshayAsthulyamAhUr manIshiNa:
:
Simple translation: As identified by the learned men, qualifying the divine archA form of emperumAn based on the raw-material and qualifying a vaishNava based on his birth is considered as doubting the chastity of ones own mother. archAyAmEva mAm pasyan madhbhakthEshu cha mAm dhruhan vishadhagdhair agnidhagdhair AyudhairhanthimAmasau
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Simple translation: Those who recognize me in archAvathAra but not in my devotees, hurt me with the might of poison, fire and weapons. yA prIthirmayi samvruththA madhbhakthEshu sadhAsthu thE avamAnakriyA thEshAm samharathi akilam jagath

Simple translation: My love for My devotees is ever increasing, so much so that it would go to the extent of destroying the whole world if they are disrespected. madh bhaktham svapachamvApi nindhAm kurvanthi yE narA: padhmakOti sathEnApi na kshamAmi kathAchana
:
Simple translation: Those men who censure my devotee, even a chaNdAla, are never forgiven by me even after the passage of several millions of years. chandAlamapi madhbhaktham nAvamanyEtha budhdhimAn avamAnAth padhathyEva rauravE narakE nara:
:
Simple translation: An intelligent man shall not humiliate my devotee even if he is a chaNdAla, for he will certainly fall into the hell of raurava for humiliating my devotee. asvamEdha sahasrANi vAjapEya sathAni cha nishkruthir nAsthi nAsthyEva vaishNava dhvEshiNAm nruNAm

Simple translation: They, who have hatred towards vaishNavas, are certainly not redeemed even by a thousand asvamEdha yAgams or a hundred vAjapEya yAgams.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan sUdhram vA bhagavath bhaktham nishAdham svapacham thathA IshathE jAthi sAmAnyAn sa yAthi narakam dhruvam

Simple translation: He, who sees the devotee of bhagavAn by the discrimination of birth such as shUdra, nishAdha or svapacha, attains the treacherous hell. anAchArAn dhurAchArAn agyAthrUn hInajanmana: madhbhakthAn srOthriyO nindhan sathyas chaNdAlathAm vrajEth
:
Simple translation: The one who is well versed in vEdhams, who censures my devotees as being without discipline, righteousness or knowledge, verily attains the character of a chaNdAla. apichEth sudhurAchArO bhajathE mAmananyabAk sAdhurEva sa manthavya: samyakvyavasithO hi sa:
: :
Simple translation: Even if one commits the most improper deeds, if he is my devotee, he is to be considered saintly. sarvaischa lakshaNair yukthO niyathascha svakarmasu yasthu bhAgavathAn dhvEshti sudhUram prachyuthO hi sa:
:
Simple translation: He, who is possessed of all good qualities and is disciplined in all acts of righteousness, is still banished to the far lands if he is a hater of the devotees of bhagavAn. thirumAlai 43 amaravOrangam ARum vEthamOr nAngumOthi thamargaLil thalaivarAya sAthi aNthaNargaLElum numargaLaip pazhipparAgil nodippathOraLavil
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan AngE avargaLthAm pulaiyar pOlum arangamAnagaruLAnE

Simple translation: Dear srIranganAtha! Even brAhmaNas who are leaders among vaishNavas and expert in 4 vEdhams and their 6 angams (supplements), when they offend your devotee, immediately, right there, they will become very lowly. srIvachana bhUshaNam 192 Iswaran avathariththup paNNina Anaith thozhilgaLellAm bhAgavathapachAram poRAmai enRu jIyar aruLichcheyvar

Simple translation: nanjIyar highlights that bhagavAn appeared and performed so many difficult tasks because he was unable to bear bhAgavathas being offended. srIvachana bhUshaNam 194 - 197 bhAgavatha apachAram thAn anEka vidham; athilEyonRu avargaL pakkal janma nirUpaNam. ithuthAn archchAvathAraththil upAdhAnasmruthiyilum kAttil krUram. aththai mAthru yOni parIkshaiyOdokkum enRu sAsthram sollum
; . .
Simple translation: bhAgavatha apachAram is of many types. Qualifying them by their birth is one of them. This is more cruel than qualifying the divine archA form of emperumAn based on the raw-material that is made of. According to sAsthram, qualifying the divine archA form of emperumAn is compared to doubting the chastity ones own mother. srIvachana bhUshaNam 198 thrisanguvaippOlE karma chaNdAlanAy, mArvilitta yagyOpavItham thAnE vArAyvidum
113
,
Simple translation: For one who commits bhAgavatha apachAram, just like thrisangu who became karma chaNdAlan (a person becoming chaNdAla due to their action right in this birth), the yagyOpavItham itself will become the rope that tightens the neck and chokes him. srIvachana bhUshaNam 199-200 jAthi chaNdAlanukkuk kAlAntharaththilE bhAgavathanAgaikku yOgyathai uNdu; athuvumillai ivanukku; ArUda pathithanAkaiyAlE.
; ; .
Simple translation: For a chaNdAla who is born in that birth, at some point, there is a possibility to become a bhAgavatha. But for karma chaNdAla, there is no such hope since he fell from a very high position. Since AzhwArs who are the leaders of our society, glorify srIvaishNavas greatly, for a srIvaishNava, just considering another srIvaishNava equal to them itself is a bhAgavatha apachAram.
AzhwArs glorify srIvaishNavas in many ways:
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thiruvudaimannar ( ) - persons (kings) with abundant kainkaryasrI chezhumAmaNigaL () - beautiful and big pearls nilaththEvar ( ) - Gods of this world perumakkaL () - exhalted persons theLLiyAr ( ) - most intelligent perunthavaththar ( ) - most austere uruvudaiyAr ( ) - beautiful iLaiyAr ( ) - young (and beautiful) vallAr ( ) - knowledgable OththuvallAr ( ) - expert in vEdham thakkAr ( ) - Most apt (to be glorified) mikkAr ( ) - better than us vEdhavimalar ( ) - pure vaidhihas siRumAmanisar ( ) - small in form but great in qualities empirAnthana chinnangaL ( ) - representatives of my lord
More pramANams are shown that highlights the ill-effects of bhAgavatha apachAram. thasya brahmavidhAgasa:
:
Simple translation: glorifying the one who is situated in knowledge about brahmam (Meaning is not completely clear).
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan nAham visangE surarAjavajrAntha thryakshasUlAn na yamasya dhaNdAth nAgnyarkkasOmAnilaviththahasthAth sangE brusam bhAgavathapachArAth

Simple translation: I do not fear of the wrath of Indhra's vajra or the servants of Yama or the fury of fire, moon, fire and other dhEvathas. But I greatly fear bhAgavatha apachAram. brahmavidhOpamAnAth
Simple translation: Comparison of the one situated in knowledge about brahmam (Meaning is not completely clear). Ayussriyam yasO dharmam lOkAnAsisha Eva cha hanthi srEyAmsi sarvANi pumsO mahadhathikrama:
:
Simple translation: The longevity, wealth, merit, honour, property, goodness and everything favourable to him are destroyed of the man who commits the greatest transgression (of bhAgavatha apachAram). nindhanthiyE bhagavathascharaNAravindha chinthAvadhUtha sakalAkilakalmashaukAn thEshAm yasOdhanasukAyurapathyabandhumithrANi cha sthiratharANyapi yAnthi nAsam

Simple translation:The people, who condemn the devotees who always think of bhagavAn's lotus feet as the repository of all blemishes, lose their fame, wealth, longevity, children, relatives, friends and possessions. apyarchchayithvA gOvindham thadhIyAn nArchchaynthi yE na thE vishNO: prasAdhasya bhAjanam dAmbikAjanA:
: :
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Simple translation: Those hypocrites shall not receive bhagavAn's grace who worship Govinda but not his devotees. srIvachana bhUshaNam 204 ...izhavukku avargaL pakkal apachAramE pOrum ... Just like, relationship with a pure bhAgavatha itself is sufficient (even without gyAnamknowledge and anushtAnam-practice on our part) to attain the most blissful result, just committing apachAram towards such bhAgavathas itself is sufficient to give up the same even if we had full gyAnam and anushtAnam. vaishNavAnAm parIvAdham yO mahAn sruNuthE nara: sangupisthasya nArAchai: kuryAth karNasya pUraNam
: :
Simple translation: He, who listens to the censure of vaishNavas, has his ears filled with spears and arrows. srIvachana bhUshaNam 203 ivvidaththilE vainathEya vruththAnthaththaiyum, piLLaippiLLaiyAzhwAnukku AzhwAn paNiththa vArththaiyaiyum smarippathu
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garudAzhwAr's wings catching fire after committing apachAram Simple translation: To understand this (the cruelty of bhAgavathapachAram), meditate on the vainadhEya incident (where garudan just thinks why chANdili is living in a remote place instead of a dhivyadhEsam and immediately his wings got burnt) and AzhwAn's instructions to piLLaippiLLai AzhwAn on giving up bhAgavatha apachAram. Thus, the most cruel nature of AchArya apachAram and bhAgavatha apachAram is explained by vEdha sAsthram, purANam, etc., and the all-knowing AzhwArs who have understood the essence of those sAsthram and our AchAryas several times in the same way. Understanding that, an Asthika (one who is faithful to sAthram) who is focussed on being relieved from this samsAram should never indulge in any committing apachArams any where (not even in their dreams) towards bhAgavathas who are the most apt masters and the ones who can give full protection at all times for him. Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) often says, if one forgets these matters and commit even a small apachAram it is irrepairable just like, if the land splits it cannot be joined, if the sea enters land no one can stop that and if a mountain falls on the head we cannot bear it - bhAgavatha apachAram is such irresponsible deed which has no act of reversal for the offense. Thus, one should carefully deal with bhAgavathas who are as good as their own sadhAchAryan, without forgetting these principles, avoid any apachArams. Not only that, the attitude of such sathsishyas towards their AchAryan and those bhAgavathas are explained further. Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the ill-effects of committing bhAgavatha apachAram. In the next section we will see what is to be done/pursued by a true sishya with respect to AchAryan and such great bhAgavathas.
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AchArya/bhAgavatha prasAdham and srIpAdha thIrtham

yOsau manthravaram prAdhAth samsArOchchEdha sAdhanam yadhi chEthguruvaryasya thasya uchchishtam supAvanam

Simple translation: If the AchArya who graces one with Thirumantram in order to uplift him/her from samsAram grants the remnants of his partaken food, it must be accepted for it is pure. gurOryasya yathOchchishtam bhOjyam thathputhrasishyayO:
:
Simple translation: It is apt for a sishya and sons to accept the remnants of the guru. gurOr uchchishtam bhunjItha

Simple translation: One must accept the remnants of the AchArya. Per the above pramANams and previously quoted many pramANams, for the sishyas (who are situated in ultimate AchArya nishtai and) who are fully faithful that their AchAryan is an avathAram of sarvEsvaran himself, the prasAdham (food) remnants of such AchAryan and his srIpAdha thIrtham (prakshAlya charaNau pAthrE praNipathyOpayujya cha; nithyam vidhivadhargyAthyair AvthruthObyarchchayEth gurum -
; - The AchArya's lotus feet must be washed and one must bow down in front of them.
His lotus feet must be worshipped everyday by offering arghyam etc;.) are considered as most purifying and that which sustains/pleases him like mother's milk for a breast-feeding child. This will be the sishya's most enjoyable aspect throughout his life. Further pramANams for sishya's attitude towards AchArya.
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vaduga nambi accepting srIpAdha thIrtham of srI rAmAnuja thus becoming totally pure gangAsEthusarasvathyA: prayAgAn naimisAdhapi pAvanam vishNubhakthAnAm pAdhaprakshAlanOdhakam
:
Simple translation: The srIpAdha thIrtham of a devotee of vishNu, gangA, sEthu samudhram, sarasvathi, prayAg, naimisAraNyam are all very pure (and capable of purifying others)
120
A crooked minded merchant becomes purified by accepting srIpAdha thIrtham of srI rAmAnuja yath thathsamasthapApAnAm prAyaschiththam manIshibi: nirNItham bhagavadhbhakthapAdhOdhaka nishEvaNam
:
Simple translation: Learned men have concluded that consuming the srIpAdha thIrtham of the devotees of bhagavAn is the atonement for all types of sins.
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villagers being purified by mudhaliyANdAn's srIpAdha thIrtham thisra: kOtyarthdhakOtI cha thIrththAni bhuvanathrayE vaishNavAngri jalAth puNyAth kOti bhAgEna nO sama:
: :
Simple translation: Even after considering all the holy rivers in the 3 worlds (upper, middle, lower layers of a universe), there is nothing even slightly comparable to the srIpAdha thIrtham of a vaishNava. prAyaschiththam idham guhyam mahApAthakinAmapi vaishNavAngri jalam subram bhakthyA samprApyathE yadhi
Simple translation: The most confidential atonement for even the most abominable sinners is to accept the blemishless srIpAdha thIrtham of a devotee of vishNu. nAradhasyAthithE: pAdhau sarvAsAm mandhirE svayam krushNa prakshAlya pANibhyAm papau pAdhOdhagam munE:
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan : : Simple translation: He (krishNa) himself washed the feet of sages like nAradha and athithi, and consumed the same. perumAL thirumozhi 2.3 thoNdarchEvadich chezhum chERu en chennikkaNivanE

Simple translation: Let the mud that was stomped by the lotus feet of the devotees decorate my head. perumAL thirumozhi 2.2 thoNdaradippodi Ada nAm peRil gangai nIr kudainthAdum vEtkai ennAvathE

Simple translation: After having the relationship with the lotus feet of srIvaishNavas who are purest due to their constant remembrance of srIman nArAyaNan, going to gangA to take a holy dip does not have any attraction. thath pAdhAmbvadhUlam thIrththam thadhuchchishtam supAvanam thadhukthimAthram manthrAgryam thathsprushtam akilam suchi

Simple translation: The water that cleansed his lotus feet is holy; his remnants are pure; words spoken by him make up the best manthram; all that is touched by him are clean (defectless).. kOtijanmArjitham pApam gyAnathOgyAnatha: krutha: sathya: pradhahyathE nruNAm vaishNava uchchishta bhOjanAth
: : :
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Simple translation: Sins accumulated over many many births arising out of intentional/unintentional acts are truly burnt down by simply consuming the food remnants of a vaishNava. thirumAlai 41 pOnagam cheytha chEtam tharuvarEl punidhamanRE

If only the most saintly devotees of bhagavAn bless us with their most purifying remnants! (i.e., its very difficult to acquire) Thus, from the above pramANams and more, we understand that we should long for and consume the most purifying food remnants and srI pAdha thIrtham of the great bhAgavathas who are most purely situated in sathva guNam, who are most knowledgable, most devoted and most detached from worldkly matters and are as good as our own AchAryas. While consuming their prasAdham and srIpAdha thIrtham, it must be accepted with great love instead of just accepting it as instructed in sAsthram because this is the ultimate position of the jIvAthmA's servitude towards srIvaishNavas and it is that which sustains the jIvAthmA. This is explained further. Apasthamba rishi instructed "sarIramEva mAthApitharaujanayatha:" ( : - the body is given by the mother and father) and "pithu: jyEshtasya brAthuruchchishtam bhOkthavyam" (: - One must accept the food remnants of ones father and elder brothers) saying that for sishyas/sons the food remnants of father is to be consumed. The same rishi also instructed that "sa hi vidhyAthastham janayathi; thachchrEshtam janma:" ( ; : - He indeed gives birth to knowledge. This is the greater birth.) meaning since the AchAryan is the bestower of true knowledge he is also considered as a special (spiritual) father. If it is said that the bodily father's remnants should be accepted, it is obvious that the spiritual father's (great bhAgavathas who are as good as ones own AchAryan) remnants and srIpAdha thIrtham are to be accepted and consumed. Here sadhAchArya thulyar (the bhAgavathas who are considered at par with ones own AchAryan) means as said in "AchAryavadh dhaivavan mAthruvath pithruvath" (
- srIvaishNavas are like AchArya, bhagavAn, mother,

father), srIvaishNavas are to be treated at par with ones own AchAryan. Further, as per the divine words of piLLai lOkAchAryar in srIvachana bhUshaNam they are pure bhAgavathas who are explained as follows: sUthram 259 anukUlarAgirAr gyAnabhakthivairAgyangaL ittu mARinAppOlE vadivilE thodai koLLalAmpadiyirukkum paramArththar
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Simple translation: The favourable persons are the ones who are filled with abundance of gyAnam (true knowledge), bhakthi (devotion), vairAgyam (detachment from materialistic aspirations) and are totally longing to ascend to paramapadham. As soon as they are seen, everyone will be inspired to have their association - they will have so much attachment towards bhagavAn which can be observed by the over-flowing emotions all the time. sUthram 223 athAvathu, AchAryathulyar enRum samsArigaLilum, thannilum, Isvaranilum adhikar enRum ninaikkai
, , ,
That is, srIvaishNavas are at par with AchAryan, and is more respectable than the samsAris (the materialistic people), self and bhagavAn himself. sUthram 451 ...anukUlar AchArya parathanthrar... ... ... For a sishya who is fully faithful towards his AchArya, his most favourable persons are the ones who are totally dependent on their AchArya. thiruvarangathu amudhanAr also identifies the same principle in rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi pAsurams. pAsuram 85 ...irAmAnusanaith thozhum periyOr pAdhamallAl enRan Aruyirkku yAdhonRum paRRillaiyE ...

The only refuge for my heart is the lotus feet of the great bhAgavathas who worship srI rAmAnuja - nothing else.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan pAsuram 105 ...irAmAnusanaith thozhum periyOr ezhunthiraiththAdum idam adiyEnukkiruppidamE ...
My place of residence is where the great bhAgavathas who worship srI rAmAnuja sing and dance his glories. So, bhAgavathas are the ones who are devoid of any love for materialistic aspirations, are subservient to the ones who are surrendered to their AchAryas and constantly engage in serving such AchArya nishtars. This principle is explained with absolute clarity with adequate pramANams by our AchAryas who are all-knowing. Others have also explained the same. This can be seen in as explained by piLLai amudhanAr in rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi:
srI rAmAnuja surrounded by many parama sAthvikas pAsuram 80 nallAr paravum irAmAnusan thiru nAmam namba vallAr thiRaththai maRavAthavargaL evar avarkkE ellA vitaththilum enRum eppOthilum eththozhumbum chollAl manaththAl karumaththinAl cheyvan chOrvinRiyE
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Simple translation: I will serve the bhAgavathas who are parama sAthvikas and are fully surrendered to srI rAmAnuja and are constantly remembering his divine name. For them, I will serve at all places, at all times, in all ways eternally through my words, minds and deeds without any laziness. pAsuram 107 inbuRRa sIlaththirAmAnusa, enRum evvitaththum enbuRRa nOyudal thORum piRanthiRanthu eNNariya thunbuRRu vIyinum solluvathonRuNdu un thoNdarkatkE anbuRRirukkum padi, ennai Akki angAtpaduththE
, ,
Simple translation: dear rAmAnuja! You are the most merciful who have arrived in my heart yourself and consider that as a great benediction even though I am most lowly. I have a request for you. You ensure that I am totally surrendered to your dear servants even If I am born in many lowly births, with whatever diseases and wherever I am born in whatever state. When kUrathAzhwAn's dear son parAsara bhattar was lecturing bhagavadh vishayam (thiruvAimozhi kAlakshEpam) in front of a big assembly, AzhwAn's wife ANdAL (bhattar's mother) arrives there, bows in front of his son and accepts srIpAdha thIrtham. Seeing this, one srIvaishNava in the gOshti says "How can a mother bow down in front of her own son and accept srIpAdha thIrtham from him?" and ANdAL responds to him and the assembly "Dear sons! If some one says 'we can accept thIrtham and prasAdham of bhagavAn who is established by others for others, but how can I accept the same from emperumAn who was installed by me?', such persons are dry hearted and have not acquired true knowledge - isnt it?". This incident is explained by azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr in thiruppAvai vyAkyAnam. Why did ANdAL accept thIrtham from her own son? Because it is said that:
na parIkshya vayO vandhyA: nArAyaNaparAyaNA: ( :
:) - A devotee of srIman nArAyaNa must not be qualified based

on his age, capabilities and
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perumAL thirumozhi - 7.6 - ...vaNNach chenchiRu kaiviralanaiththum vAri vAykkoNda adisilin michchal uNNap peRRilEn O koduvinaiyEn... (... ...) - kulasEkara AzhwAr singing in dhEvaki bhAvam - I was so unfortunate that I could not eat the morsels that are falling from krishNan's mouth after him eating a handful of rice which were picked up by his beautiful reddish fingers
Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the proper etiquette of dealing with AchAryas and srIvaishNavas and the glories of AchArya/bhAgavatha prasAdham and srIpAdha thIrtham. In the next section we will see in detail about greatness of srIvaishNavas irrespective of their birth.
128
AchArya/bhAgavatha glories irrespective of birth
piLLai lOkAchAryar, azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr, maNavALa mAmunigaL azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr who is the divine younger brother of piLLai lOkAchAryar, blesses with deep and beautiful meanings in AchArya hrudhayam. In chUrNikai 85, he first highlights that, the ones who understand the following incidents only will truly know the nature of a srIvaishNava's birth - high or low (Translator's note: the following section clearly demonstrates that ones greatness is not judged by birth but by their devotion to bhagavAn and bhAgavathas. In this day and age, where everything is appreciated purely based on bodily conception, our pUrvAchAryas literature and their life are ideal examples for us to understand and follow and live a life which rises above the bodily conception. The beauty is - our pUrvAchAryas were parama Asthikas (strictly following varNAsrama dharmam) who knew how to respect bhAgavathas of all varNams based on their devotion).
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mlEchchanum bhakthanAnAl chathurvEdhigaL anuvarththikka aRivukoduththuk kuladheyvaththodokka pUjai koNdu pAvana thIrththaprasAdhanAm engiRa thirumugappadiyum (
) emperumAn himself says that eight qualities are expected in his real bhakthas and even if a mlEchan (one who is not part of varNAsrama dharmam) has these eight qualities expert in 4 vEdhas, accept him and treat him at least equal to emperumAn himself (infact we should respect/treat them higher than emperumAn) - i.e., share bhagavadh vishayam with him, worship him, accept his sri pAdha thIrtham and sEsha prasAdham since those will purify them. The eight qualities are: 1) unconditional love for bhakthas of emperumAn, 2) enjoying (others) worship of emperumAn, 3) worshipping emperumAn him/herself, 4) being without any pride, 5) having attachment in listening about emperumAn, 6) having bodily changes (like goose bumps, etc) when hearing/thinking/speaking about emperumAn, 7) always thinking about emperumAn, 8) not asking material benefits in return for worshipping emperumAn.
viswAmithra - vishNuchiththa - thuLasIbruthyarOdE uLkalanthu thozhukulamAnavan nilaiyAr pAdalAlE brAhmaNa vELvikkuRai mudiththamaiyum ( -
) nampAduvAn (who sung kaisika rAgam for malai nambi in thirukkurungudi and was thus compared to viswAmithra rishi, periyAzhwAr and thoNdaradipodi AzhwAr who all sung thiruppaLLiyezhuchi (awakening song) for emperumAn) who is not born in high birth, removed the curse of the brahma rakshas (a brAhmana due to his improper chanting of mantrams during a yAgam became a rAkshasa) by the fruits of his songs.
kIzhmagan thalaimaganukku samasakAvAi, thambikku mun piRanthu vElum villum koNdu pin piRanthArai sOdhiththu thamaiyOn iLaiyOn sathbhAvam sollumpadi EkakulamAnamaiyum ( ,
)
- guhan who was born in hunter family but became a dear friend and brother of perumAL (srI rAma), doubted iLaya perumAL (lakshmaNa) when perumAL was sleeping in the night. So guha kept awake and watched lakshmaNa all night. Also, when bharatha (who is well aware of srI rAma/lakshmaNa's qualities) comes to meet guha, guha explains the greatness of lakshmaNa to bharatha as if he does not know about it but bharatha hearing this feels so happy to hear this from guha - thus all 5 (srI rAma, guha, bharatha, lakshmaNa, shathrugna) becoming a single family.
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thUthumozhinthu vandhavargaLudaiya samyaksaguNasaha bhOjanamum ( ) srI rAma accepting and eating fruits from sabhari (who is born in a hunter's family); kannan emperumAn eating at sri vidhurar's home instead of bhIshma, dhrOna, etc; srI rAma embracing hanumAn (who is an animal) after hearing his meeting with sIthA pirAtti orupiRaviyilE irupiRaviyAnAriruvarkku dharmasUnuswAmigaL agrapUjai koduththamaiyum (
) - yudhishtra giving the

first mariyAdhai to kannan emperumAn (who is not born in a brAhmana family), perumbuliyUr adigaL giving the first mariyAdhai to thirumazhisai AzhwAr who was raised by a wood cutter - both krishNan and thiruamzhisai AzhwAr had two births in the same life - krishNan was born to kshathriya parents and moved to .vaishya family and AzhwAr was born to brAhmaNa parents and moved to wood cutter family.
aivaril nAlvaril mUvaril muRpattavargaL sandhEhiyAmal sahajarOdE purOtAsamAgach cheytha puthra kruthyamum (
) -yudhishtra the leader among five performing charama kainkaryam for

srI vidhura (born of a servant-maid), srI rAma the leader among four performing charama kainkaryam for jatAyu (bird) and periya nambi the leader among three nambis (periya nambi, thirukkOshtiyUr nambi, thirumalai nambi) performing charama kainkaryam for mARanEri nambi.
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pushpa thyAga bhOga maNdapangaLil paNippUvum Alavattamum vINaiyum kaiyumAna antharangarai mudimannavanum vaidhigOththamarum mahAmuniyum anuvarththiththa kramamum (
)
o
In pushpa maNdapam (thirumalai) thiruvEnkatmuduyAn accepted clay flowers from kurumbaruththa nambi who was worshipped by thoNdaimAn chakkaravarthi
In thyAga maNdapam (kanchipuram) pEraruLALan accepted fan kainkaryam from thirukkachi nambi who was worshipped by emperumAnAr
132

o
In bhOga maNdapam (srirangam) periya perumAL accepted vINai kainkaryam from thiruppAnAzhwAr who was worshipped by lOkasAranga munivar
yAga anuyAga uththara vIdhigaLil kAya anna sthala sudhdhi paNNina vruththAchAramum (
) - emperumAnAr touches piLLai uRangAvilli dhAsar

during thiruvArAdhanam to have purity; nampiLLai asks piLLai ERu thiruvudaiyAr dhAsar to touch the prasAdham before consuming that; naduvil thiruvIdhi piLLai bhattar asks piLLai vAnamAmalai dhAsar to walk around his newly constructed home to purify that aRivArkkirE janma uthkarsha apakarshangaL therivathu (
) - only those who know and understand the above incidents will
understand the real high and low births. In the beautiful vyAkyAnam, mAmunigaL concludes that nAyanAr has explained this principle in the most effective way so that even dumb-headed persons can understand the glories of bhAgavathas (irrespective of their birth) easily. In the 86th chUrNikai, it is further explained that: agyar bramikkiRa varNAsrama vidhyA vruththangaLai karthaba janmam, chvapachAdhamam, chilpanaipuNyam, bhasmAhuthi, savavidhavAlankAram enRu kazhippargaL
, , , ,
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Simple translation:
Mere birth in brAhmaNa varNam (without devotion to emperumAn and his devotees) is explained as donkey which carries saffron (but does not understand the true value of it) Mere sannyAsa Asramam (without devotion to emperumAn and his devotees) is considered as most fallen amongst chaNdAlas (dog eaters) Mere knowledge in vEdham (without devotion to emperumAn and his devotees) is considered as just learning some skill which is as good as stitching chappals (which does not do anything but feeding ones belly) Mere anushtAnam of karmams (without devotion to emperumAn and his devotees) is explained as burnt ashes which are of no use, Any words which are not in glorification of bhagavAn and any actions of one who is not devoted to bhagavAn are like decorations to a dead body Any of the above without devotion to emperumAn are like beautiful ornaments for a widow which are of no use since she does not have mangaLasUthram (without which she cannot use all the ornaments). Similarly, mere varNam, Asramam, gyAnam and words (that are not drenched in devotion for bhagavAn) fascinates the ignorants, but learned scholars will simply ignore them and will not attach any value to those.
In the next section, several sUthrams from piLLai lOkAchAryar's srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram is quoted, where the glories of srIvaishNavas irrespective of their birth is explained. In the sUthrams leading upto sUthram 212, the glories of being a vaishNava is highlighted.
sUthram 212 - uthkrushtamAga bramiththa janmam bramsa sambhAvanaiyAlE "sarIrE cha" engiRapadiyE bhaya janakam (
" " ) - The birth that is

mistaken to be high birth is the cause for fear since
o
out of bewilderment people of such birth could take up to upAyAntharams (as they have the opportunity/eligibility to perform karma, gyAna, bhakthi yOgam being born in the first 3 varNams) As said in jithanthE sthOthram 1.9 "sarIrE cha", while explaining the various things one have to fear for, the body which provides the eligiblity to perform our varNAsrama dharmam is highlighted as one of the primary causes for fear.
sUthram 213 - athukku svarUpa prApthamAna naichyam bAvikka vENum (
) - For people of such high

birth, they have to practice humility which is natural to the jIvAthmA, by looking at others who are properly practising the same.
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sUthram 214 - apakrushtamAga bramiththa uthkrushta janmaththukku iraNdu dhOshamum illai (
) - For the people of the real high birth (which is mistaken as

low birth), these 2 defects does not exist. The defects are
o
having to fear for bodily actions arising out of bewilderment about ones responsibilities based on the varNam having to practise humility by observing others do it instead of having it naturally
sUthram 215 - naichyam janma sidhdham ( ) - humility is natural for the people of high birth (which is mistaken as low birth) sUthram 216 - AgaiyAlE uthkrushta janmamE srEshtam (
) - Thus the real high birth is the best
sUthram 217 - svapachOpi mahIpAla ( ) - As said in this slOkam by bhagavAn himself, even a chaNdAla, if he is my bhaktha, know his as greater than a twice-born. On the other hand, one who is not my bhaktha, even if is a sannyAsi he is lower than a chaNdAla. sUthram 218 - nikrushta janmaththAl vandha dhOsham samippathu vilakshaNa sambandhaththAlE (
) - For the people who are born in (real) low birth

which is filled with possibility of indulging in upAyAntharam, etc., their defects gets removed by establishing a relationship with srIvaishNavas who are fully free of such blemishes.
sUthram 219 - sambhandhaththukku yOgyadhai uNdAmpOthu janmakkoththai pOgavENum (
) - While becoming eligible to establish such relationship with a

blemishless srIvaishNava, one should give up all misunderstandings (pride, etc) about his mistaken high birth
sUthram 220 - janmaththukku koththaiyum athukkup parihAramum "pazhuthilA ozhugal" engiRa pAttilE aruLich cheythAr (
" " ) the misunderstandings based on ones birth and the remedy for such misunderstandings are explained mercifully by thoNdaradippodi AzhwAr in "pazhuthilA ozhugal" ( - thirumAlai 42) pAsuram. In this pAsuram, AzhwAr explains "The ones who come in uninterrupted brAhmaNa lineage and who has mastered all four
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan vEdhas, to relieve them from their pride, etc., should worship devotees of srIman nArAyaNan who are devoid of such pride, etc., and accept/give knowledge from them to purify oneself".
sUthram 221 - vEdhagapponpOlE ivargaLOttai sambandham ( ) - relationship with such glorious devotees is like being in contact with a touchstone (which transforms iron to gold) sUthram 222 - ivargaL pakkal sAmya budhdhiyum Adhikya budhdhiyum nadakka vENum (
) - Such srIvaishNavas should be considered as equal and higher.
sUthram 223 - athAvathu AchArya thulyarenRum samsArigaLilum thannilum Isvaranilum adhikarenRum ninaikkai (
) To be precise, they should be considered equal (at par) with ones own AchAryan and should be considered/treated higher than samsAris (materially focussed people), ones own self and Ishwaran himself.
sUthram 224 - AchArya sAmyaththukkadi AchArya vachanam (
) - Considering srIvaishNavas at par with ones

own AchAryan is due to the instruction of the AchAryan himself at the time of taking shelter at his lotus feet.
sUthram 225 - ippadi ninaiyAthozhigaiyum apachAram (
) - just like analysing a srIvaishNava's birth is a

great offense, not giving them due respects to srIvaishNavas (along the lines of previously stated principles) is also a great offense/mistake.
sUthram 226 - ivvarththam ithihAsa purANangaLilum, payilum chudaroLi nedumARkadimaiyilum kaNsOra venguruthiyilum naNNAtha vALavuNarilum thEttarum thiRalthEnilum, mEmporuLukku mElil pAttukkaLilum vichathamAgak kANalAm ( ,
, ) - this principle (of glories of

bhAgavathas irrespective of their birth) is explained in detail in the following places:
o
ithihAsams (srI rAmAyaNam and mahAbhAratham) and purANams
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o o o o o o
payilum chudarOLi padhigam - thiruvAimozhi 3.7 nedumARkkadimai padhigam - thiruvAimozhi 8.10 naNNAtha vALavuNar padhigam - periya thirumozhi 2.6 kaNsOra venguruthi padhigam - periya thirumozhi 7.4 thEttarum thiRal thEn padhigam - perumAL thirumozhi 2 thirumAlai - 39 - 43 pAsurams
sUthram 227 - kshathriyanAna visvAmithran brahmarishi AnAn (
) - visvAmithram who was born in a

kshathriya family became a brahma rishi (which is only generally applicable for brAhmaNa).
sUthram 228 - srIvibhIshaNanai rAvaNan kulapAmsanam enRAn; perumAL ikshvAku vamsyanAga ninaiththu vArththai aruLichcheythAr (
; ) - rAvaNan declared that srIvibhIshaNan is a traitor; srI

rAman (perumAL) considered srIvibhIshaNan (who was born in rAkshasa lineage) as his own brother coming in the lineage of ikshvAku and spoke to him affectionately.
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sUthram 229 - periya udaiyArukku perumAL brahmamEdha samskAram paNNiyaruLinAr (
) - srI rAman affectionately performed charama

kainkaryams (last rites) for jatAyu mahAraja (who was born as a bird) which is generally done by sons/sishyas to their father/AchArya.
sUthram 230 - dharmaputhrar asarIri vAkyaththaiyum, gyAnAdhikyaththaiyum koNdu srIvidhurarai brahmamEdhaththAlE samskariththAr (
, ) - Per the instructions from the divine

voice and understanding the most knowledgable nature of srIvidhura, yudhishtra (who was perfectly situated in varNAsrama dharmam) performed the last rites for him (even though he was born to a servant-maid).
sUthram 231 - rushigaL dharmavyAdhan vAsalilE thuvaNdu dharmasandhEhangaLai samippiththuk koNdArgaL (
) - Learned saints waited at

the gates of dharmavyAdhan (who was a butcher) for him to complete his service to his parents and clarified their doubts in dharmam.
sUthram 232 - krshNan bhIshma dhrONAdhigaLai vittu srIvidhurar thirumALigaiyilE amudhu seythAn (
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) - kaNNan emperumAn ignored bhIshma,

dhrONa, dhuryOdhana, etc and happily accepted food from srIvidhura's residence.
sUthram 233 - perumAL srIsabari kaiyAlE amudhuseytharuLinAr (
) - srI rAman accepted fruits from srI
sabari who is born in a hunter family but most devoted to her AchAryan.
sUthram 234 - mARanEri nambi vishayamAga periyanambi udaiyavarkkaruLichcheytha vArthaiyai smarippathu (
) - Remember the
explanation given by periya nambi to srI rAmAnuja after performing the final rites for mARanEri nambi (saying that its a srIvaishNava's responsibilty to serve personally another srIvaishNava in need citing many examples). The same principle is explained by our jIyar (mAmunigaL) in yathirAja vimsathi slOkam 16: shabdhAdhibhOga vishayA ruchirasmadhIyA nashtA bhavathviha bhavadhdhayayA yathIndhra! thvadhdhAsadhAsagaNanAcharamAvadhau ya: thadhdhAsathaikarasathAvirathA mamAsthu
139
! :
Oh yathIndhra (king of yathis - srI rAmAnuja)! Let your sweet mercy destroy my desire for sensual pleasures and develop my affection to become the last servant in the hierarchy of servants of you. In thiruvahindhrapuram, there lived a sannyAsi named srIvillipuththUr pagavar. He was used to bathe and perform his anushtAnams in one side while others performed their anushtAnams in another side. Once, when he was returning after his anushtAnams, one brAhmaNa asked "Why are you performing your anushtAnams in a separate place instead of mingling with us?" and he replies "You all are brAhmaNas who are merely focussed on varNAsramam. But we are dhAsas, kainkaryaparars (with servitude towards bhagavAn and bhAgavathas) - so we have no reason to mix with you" and left the place. This incident is explained clearly in AchArya hrudhaya vyAkyAnam by thirunArAyaNapurathu Ay. srIvilluputhUr pagavar quotes the following purANa slOkam to justify his position: vishNudhAsA vayam yUyam brAhmaNA varNadharmina: asmAkam dhAsa vruththInAm yushmAkam nAsthi sangathi:
: :
Simple transation: We are servants of vishNu and you are brAhmaNas merely following varNAsrama dharma. We are in the mode of servitude so we have not reason to mix with you. aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr mercifully establishes the same principle in his gyAna sAram through the following pAsruams. He clearly explains that simply holding on to varNAsrama dharmam is of no use and says that for every one, srIman nArAyaNan's lotus feet is the ultimate goal. pAsuram 14 bUthangaL aindhum porundhudalinARpiRandha sAdhangaL nAnginOdum sangathamAm bEthangoNdu enna payan peRuvIr evvuyirkkum indhirai kOn thannadiyE kANum saraN
140

Simple translation: What is the use of distinguishing a person based on their varNam which is based on the body that is made of the five elements? For everyone, srIman nArAyaNan's lotus feet are the only refuge. pAsuram 15 kudiyum kulamum ellAm kOkanagaik kELvan adiyArkku avan adiyE Agum padiyin mEl nIr kezhuvumARugaLin pErum niRamum ellAm Ar kaliyaich sErndhida mAyndhaRRu

Simple translation: Just like the name, color, form, etc of rivers disappear when they reach the ocean, the native village, the family lineage, etc of a devotee of srIman nArAyaNan will disappear and he will be simply identified by his attachment towards the lotus feet of bhagavAn. dhEhAthma gyAna kAryENa varNabhEdhEna kim palam gathissarvAthmanAm srImannArAyaNa padhadhvayam

Simple translation: What is the use of distinguishing a person based on their varNam after having understood the difference between body and soul? For everyone, srIman nArAyaNan's lotus feet are the only refuge. EkAnthI vyapathEshtavaya: naiva grAmakulAdhipi: vishNunA vyapathEshtavyas thasya sarvam sa eva hi
: :
Simple translation: A pure devotee of vishNu is not identified by his native village, family lineage, etc. For such bhaktha, bhagavAn himself is everything. srI suka brahmarishi is so great that, his father vEdha vyAsa (who himself is great due to his
141
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan organisation of 4 vEdhams, 18 purANams, etc) is identified as sukathAthar (father of suka). Due to his perfect knowledge in sAsthram (bhagavath vishayam) he declares his knowledge/affection towards bhagavAn and the samsAris knowledge/affection towards sensual pleasures and severes his ties with everyone. He says: adhya prabhruthi hE lOkA! yUyam yUyam vayam vayam arththa kAma parA yUyam nArAyaNaparA vayam nAsthi sangati: asmAkam yushmAkam cha parasparam vayam thu kinkarA vishnO: yUyum indhriya kinkara: !
: : :
Simple translation: Oh residents of this world! You are craving for material wealth and lust; we are craving for service to srIman nArAyaNan. As you are servants of your senses and we are servants of srIman nArAyaNa, there is no reason for us to mix together. He also declares that his true identify is based on his AthmA and not his varNam or Asramam. nAham viprO na cha narapathir nApi vaisyO na sUdhrO nO vA varNI cha gruhapathirnO vanasthO yathirvA kinthu srImadhbuvanabavanasthithyapAyaika hEthOr lakshmIbarththur naraharithanOr dhAsadhAsasya dhAsa:
:
Simple translation: I am not a brAhmaNa, not kshathriya, not a vaisya and not a sUdhra. I am not a brahmachAri, not a gruhastha, not a vAnaprastha and not a sannyAsi. I am a servant of the servant of srI narasimha who is the husband of srI mahAlakshmi. suka brahmarishi say "My identity is not based on varNAsrama dharmam. Nor it is based on the jIvAthmA which is identified based on knowledge and bliss. But it is purely based on my servitude towards the devotees of srI lakshmi narasimhan. After having such understanding, we can see that there are only 2 types of people - bhAgavathas (devotees) and abhAgavathas (non-devotees) - there can be no other classification". Thus he serves his ties with all materialistic people and simply associated with the devotees of srI lakshmI narasimhan emperumAn. This charithram (incident) is well-known and popular.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan Further, svarUpam of such bhAgavathas are explained: panchAsthrAngA: panchasamskArayukthA: panchArththagyA: panchamOpAyanishtA: thEvarNAnAm panchamAschAsrmANAm vishNOrbakthA: panchakAla prapannA:
: : : : : :
Simple translation: Those who have five type of weapons (inherited from bhagavAn - sankam, chakram, etc), who have undergone panchasamskAram, who are fully situated in AchArya nishtai and are practising panchakAla parAyaNam (day divided into five parts abhigamanam/waking up, upAdhAnam/collecting materials for thiruvArAdhanam, ijjA/thiruvArAdhanam, svAdhyAnam/study from sAsthram, and yOgam/meditation on bhagavAn - for serving emperumAn) - they are called vishNu bhakthas irrespective of their varNam and Asramam. dhEvarshi bhUthAptha nruNAm pithruNAm na kinkarO nAyam ruNI cha rAjan sarvAthmanA yassaraNam saraNyam nArAyaNam lOkagurum prapanna:
:
Simple translation: One who is completely surrendered to srIman nArAyaNan who is the guru for the whole universe, is not indebted to rishis, dhEvathas, worldly men, forefathers or anyone. So, learned scholars consider mere varNam, Asramam, knowledge and anushtAnam (without devotion to emperumAn and that are looked-up by ignorant people) as donkey which carries saffron, lower than chaNdAla, useless such as burnt ashes, beautiful decorations on dead body/widows, respectively. For such scholars, their refuge will be based on their own nishtai/qualification, i.e.,
either Ishwaran who is common for both bandham/mOksham or AchAryan who is only looking at mOksham either the ones who are totally surrendered to Ishwaran or the ones who are most favourable due to their extreme attachment towards their own AchAryan
That is why, AzhwAn said "na chEth rAmAnujEth yEshA chathurA chathuraksharI; kAmavasthAm prapadhyanthE janthavO hantha mAdhrusa:" (
; :) where he
clearly distinguishes the terms "nArAyaNa" and "rAmAnuja" - where nArAyaNa is common for
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan both bandham and mOksham but rAmAnuja is only focussed on mOksham. That is why rAmAnuja has the special adjective "chathurA chathuraksharI" ( ) meaning "the most prudent four lettered word".
Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the divine glories of srIvaishNavas irrespective of their birth.
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Causeless mercy of bhAgavathas

bhagavAn himself highlights the glories of srIvaishNavas in many occassions. lOkE kEchana madhbakthAs sadhdharmAmruthavarshiNa: samayanthyagamathyugram mEgA iva thavAnalam
:
Simple translation: It is those some devotees of mine who ward off the upcoming danger like rain clouds quelling the heat of fire.
krishNa attending his childhood friend sudhAma gyAni thvAthmaiva mE matham

Simple translation: A gyAni who is fully devoted to me is my soul - this is my opinion. priyOhi gyAninOthyarththam aham sa cha mama priya:
:
Simple translation: A gyAni who is devoted to me has so much attachment towards me - me too has the same (actually more) attachment towards him.
145
krishNa being the charioteer for arjuna in the mahAbhAratham battle mama prANA hi pANdavA:
:
Simple translation: pANdavas are like my life breath. nirapEksham munim sAntham nirvairam samadharsanam anuvrajAmyaham nithyam pUyEyEthyangrirENupi:
:
Simple translation: I follow forever and accept the dust of the sage's lotus feet, who is without desire of selfish benefit, who is peaceful, who is without enemies, who has the vision of equality towards all souls.
146
srIranganAthan accepting mAmunigaL as his AchAryan - revealing his deep attachment/reverence towards periya jIyar mama madhbhakthEshu prIthirabhyadhikA nrupa thasmAn madh bhakthabhakthAscha pUjanIyA visEshatha:
:
Simple translation: My love for my devotees is too great, so it is very special and dear to me when my devotees are worshipped.
krishNa and nammAzhwAr - divine revelation of loving attachment for each other
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan annAdhyam purathO nyastham dharsanAdhgruhyathE mayA rasAn dhAsasya jihvAyAmasnAmi kamalOdhbhava

Simple translation: O kamalOdbhava (brahma - born in a lotus flower)! I first partake the food offered to me by sight and then enjoy it through the tongue of my devotees. madh bhaktha jana vAthsalyam pUjAyAm cha anumOdhanam svayamabyarchchanam chaiva madharththE dambavarjanam mathkathAsravaNE bhakthissvaranEthrAngavikriyA mamAnusmaraNam nithyam yachcha mAm nOpajIvathi bhakthirashtavidhA hyEshA yasmin mlEchchEpi varththathE sa viprEndhrO munissrImAn sa yathissa cha paNditha: thasmai dhEyam thathO grAhyam sa cha pUjyO yathA hyaham
:
Simple translation: My bhakthas essentially have the following eight qualities - 1) unconditional love for bhakthas of emperumAn, 2) enjoying (others) worship of emperumAn, 3) worshipping emperumAn him/herself, 4) being without any pride, 5) having attachment in listening about emperumAn, 6) having bodily changes (like goose bumps, etc) when hearing/thinking/speaking about emperumAn, 7) always thinking about emperumAn, 8) not asking material benefits in return for worshipping emperumAn. Such bhakthas even if they are mlEchchas, they are worshippable at par with my own self by leaders of brAhmaNas, the meditators, the ones involved in kainkaryam and even sannyAsis and scholars. They are also eligible to give and accept knowledge from such scholars. Thus, bhagavAn himself proclaims about his devotees, that

they are capable of purifying the entire world they are like my own soul
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they are like my life breath I myself follow them and desire to have the dust of their lotus feet Any one honouring/serving them is very dear to me I relish the taste of food, etc through the dealings with them Even if they are born as mlEchchas they are as worshippable as myself
bhUmi pirAtti (bhUdhEvi thAyar) declares that her ultimate goal is to see, touch and discuss with mahAbhAgavathas; She also says that she is not fully capable of spelling out their divine and auspicious qualities and she cannot fully explain the glories of them. This is explained in the following slOkams: akshNO: palam thAdhrusadharsanam hi thanvA: palam thAdhrusagAthrasangam jihvApalam thAdhrusakIrththanancha sudhurlabA bhAgavathA hi lOkE
: :
Simple translation: The aim of eyes is to see great bhAgavathas; the aim of our body is to be touched by great bhAgavathas; the aim of our tongue is to glorify great bhAgavathas; Such bhAgavathas are rare to find in this world. nAham samarththO bhagavath priyANAm vakthum guNAn padhma bhuvOpyagaNyAn bhavathrabhAvam bhagavAn hi vEththi thathA bhavanthO bhagavath prabhAvam

Simple translation: I am incapable of speaking of the greatness of those who are devoted to bhagavAn. The Lord alone knows their greatness and they alone know His. AzhwArs also glorified the bhAgavathas and identified that yamabhatars (servants of yama dharma rAjan) has no control over them.
149
vishNu dhUthas protect ajAmiLa from the hands of yamabhatars thirumazhisai AzhwAr - nAnmugan thiruvanthAdhi 68 thiRambEnmin kaNdIr thiruvadi than nAmam maRandhum puRanthozhA mAndhar iRainchiyum sAdhuvarAyp pOdhumingaL enRAn namanum than thUdhuvaraik kUvich chevikku

Simple translation: yaman to his servants "Dont ignore this instruction. When you see srIvaishNavas who could even forget bhagavAn's names but never worship other dhEvathAs, you worship them, treat them with get respect and become purified". (Translator's note: Typical example given is - when there is disagreement between husband and wife, if the wife does not speak to the husband that is even accepted, but if she looks out for another man, that is totally unacceptable). poigai AzhwAr - mudhal thiruvanthAdhi 55
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan avan thamar evvinaiyarAgilum engOn avan thamarE enRozhivadhu allAl naman thamarAl ArAyappattu aRiyAr kaNdIr aravaNai mEl pErAyaRku AtpattAr pEr

Simple translation: Whatever may be their actions, srIvaishNavas are my masters since they are devoted to srIman nArAyaNan. Even yamabhatars are not qualified to analyse the defects of srIvaishNavas who are totally surrendered to bhagavAn who is lying on AdhisEshan and appeared as a cow-herd boy. nammAzhwAr - thiruvAimozhi 5.2.1
emperumAnAr's grand procession - his appearance brought all auspiciousness for the entire world
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan poliga poliga poliga pOyiRRu valluyirch sAbam naliyum naragamum naindha namanukku ingu yAdhonRum illai kaliyum kedum kaNdu koNmin kadalvaNNan bUdhangaL maN mEl maliyap pugundhu isai pAdi Adi uzhi tharak kaNdOm

Simple translation: I have witnessed the singing and dancing of abundance of bhAgavathas who are totally surrendered to bhagavAn who is most potent like the sea (which is filled with pearls, etc) and is most beautiful in sea-like bluish hue. Because of these bhAgavathas, the ignorance in the mind of people is vanquished. Since the ignorance is gone, there is no work for yama and his servants who punish the ignorants at hellish regions. The underlying reason which is the defects of kali yugam is also gone. Let this auspiciousness stay for ever. thirumangai AzhwAr - periya thirumozhi 8.10.7 veLLai nIr veLLaththu aNaindha aravaNai mEl thuLLu nIr meLLath thuyinRa perumAnE! vaLLalE! un thamarkku enRum naman thamar kaLLar pOl kaNNapuraththuRai ammAnE!
! ! !
Simple translation: Oh my lord who is lying on AdhisEshan in kshIrAbdhi (milk ocean)! Oh the master of thirukkaNNapuram (right in front of me)! When yamabhatars see your devotees, they go in hiding just life robbers would hide from others. AzhwArs (thoNdaradippodi AzhwAr) declare that "nAvalittu uzhitharuginROm namanthamar thalaigaL mIthE" ( - We make a victorious sound and walk over the heads of yamabhatars). Thus AzhwArs establish that not only yamabhatars can look at srIvaishNavas to control them, they will also suffer severely if they try to engage in such acts. Such are the glories of srIvaishNavas.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan "na kalu bhAgavathA yamavishayam gachchanthi" (
- bhAgavathas and yama have nothing to do with each other) also explains the
glories of bhAgavathas. In this matter, the following slOkam explains the dealings of yama, etc with bhAgavathas. sva purusham api vIkshya pAchahastham vathathi yama: kila thasya karNamUlE parihara madhusUdhana prapannAn prabhuraham anyanruNAm na vaishNavAnAm kamalanayana vAsudhEva vishNO dharaNidharAchyudha sangachakrapANE bhava saraNamithIrayanthi yE vai thyaja bhatadhUratharENa dhAnapApAn
:
Simple translation: yama invites his sevants closer and secretly explains to them that he is not the master of srIvaishNavas who are surrendered madhusUdhanan but others are under his control. He also tells them to be neutral towards srIvaishNavas and stay away from them since they are surrendered to bhagavAn who is known as lotus eyed (kamalanayana), vAsudhEva, visNu, dharNidharan (who holds the world) and the holder of sankam (conch) and chakram (disc) in his hands. Thus yama dharma rAjan instructs his servants that they cannot control srIvaishNavas and asks them to stay away from srIvaishNavas to protect themselves from the anger of bhagavAn. All these glories about bhAgavathas are explained in srIvishNu purANam, etc. Mixing with abhAgavathas will lead to separation from bhAgavathas and bhagavAn. Mixing with bhAgavathas will lead to union with bhagavAn, separation from abhAgavathas and will ultimately lead one to salvation. For the ones who stay under the supervision of a true AchAryan, they will never be bewildered about samsAram. But when the sishya moves out of such supervision, he will be eternally suffering in this samsAram. This is explained by AchAn piLLai in mANikka mAlai. Thus, for a sishya, everything should be under the disposal of his AchArya. Instead, out of bewilderment, if he forgets the relationship with AchArya and out of his own accord if he indulges in akruthya karaNam (engaging in activities that are rejected in sAsthram), bhagavathapachAram (offending bhagavAn), bhAgavatha apachAram (offending bhAgavathas), asahya apachAram (reasonless offense towards bhagavAn-bhAgavatha) and as a result will become eligible to suffer in hellish regions such as raurava hell, etc. True AchArya, out of his causeless mercy, contemplating on the sufferings they have to go through, will purify even such fallen sishyas as identified in "payananRAgilum pAngallarAgilum cheyal
153
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan nanRAgath thiruththip paNi koLvAn" (
- kaNNinuN chiruthAmbu 10 - madhurakavi

AzhwAr says Even when I was of no use and totally immature, nammAzhwAr reformed me and engaged me in his service) - this is the quality of a true AchArya. This principle of causeless mercy of AchAryas is explained through a few incidents in the lives of our pUrvAchAryas.
AzwAn singing varadharAja sthavam per instructions of emperumAnAr and in the end requesting dhEva perumAL to bless nAlUrAn with paramapadham as well
154
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan It is due to this causeless mercy, when kUrathAzhwAn's sishyan nAlUrAn joined with kirumigaNtan in committing the biggest offense towards AzhwAn (who is nAlUrAn's AchAryan), perumAL becomes very upset with him and says "na kshamAmi" (I will never forgive you). But AzhwAn disagrees with perumAL and requests him that "nAlUrAn should get the same lOkam (paramapadham) like myself". When one of the sishyas of bhattar becomes bewildered due to undesirable friendship, becomes very materialistically attached tells bhattar "bhattar! we have no relationship anymore" and tries to leave the lotus feet of bhattar. bhattar tells him "dear son! you may think like that. Even if you give up my relationship, I will not" and reforms him again. nanjIyar the vEdhAnthi had a sishyar who was very dear to him, was very detached and was totally filled with auspicious nature. But due to consuming defective food, his ego, etc., raises and picks up the spear which he had before taking shelter of nanjIyar and goes back to serving the king. nanjIyar some how catches hold of him and brings him into a room in privacy and shuts the door to give him good instructions. srIvaishNavas who are attached to the lotus feet of nanIyar becomes worried and say "Oh! this is bad; nanjIyar should immediately leave the room where the man is with a spear in his hand which could be used to attack him". nanjIyar replies "I will not leave until he becomes purified; Either he should understand his spiritual position and be uplifted or I die at the hands of him by his spear".
piLLai lOkAchAryar - epitome of all auspicious qualities piLLai lOkAchAryar says in srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram that towards the ones who commit offenses against oneself, one should have poRai (compassion), krupai (mercy), chirippu (smile), ugappu (joy) and upakArasmruthi (gratitude). Not only that, he also personally conducts himself in the most dignified way and is the ultimate example of how a srIvaishNava
155
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan should be. svIkarOthi sadhAchAryas sarvAnapya visEshatha: yathpunasthEshu vaishamyam thEshAm chingyAnavruththayO:
: :
Simple translation: A good AchArya accepts everyone even those with no goodness. The blemishes of the accepted souls after that are removed by teaching them the knowledge of the AthmA and corresponding anushtAnam (practical implementation with discipline). thEshAmEva hi dhOshOyam na chAsyEthi vinischitham apakva padhmakOsAnAm avikAsO ravEryathA

Simple translation: Just as the whorls of an immature lotus do not blossom by the rays of the sun, so also the acharya considers that the defects of the sishya are because of the shortcomings in maturity and not because of him (Considering that the sishya has to mature in knowledge, discipline, etc., the AchArya reforms him instead of rejecting him as bad). As identified in the above slOkams, even if a sishya is surrendered to an AchArya, due to his lack of knowledge/conviction, again engages in undesirable activities to destroy ones own self, AchAryas would reform them and protect them out of their instructions as said in "skAlithyE sAsithAram" ( - correct the sishya by giving good instructions when he is committing mistakes) and their overwhelming mercy as said in "dhEsikO mE dhayAlu:" ( : - AchAryan is most merciful to me). vAsudhEvam prapannAnAm yAnyEva charithAni vai thAnyEva dharmasAsthrANIthyEvam vEdha vidhO vidhu:
:
Simple translation: Those who are well versed in the vedhas regard the very life of prapannas (totally surrendered devotees) of vAsudhEva as the dharma sAsthram. All these special qualities of our pUrvAchAryas are fully manifested by our AchAryan (mAmunigaL). When he was resting in the OlamEchchAn mutt (a thatched hut) in AzhwAr thirunagari, evil hearted persons (like those chaNdAlas who poisoned the food given to emperumAnAr himself) who are jealous on mAmunigaL, in the middle of the night, sets fire to
156
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan the mutt (Translator's note: mAmunigaL sneaks out in his AdhisEsha form from the burning mutt and stands outside eventually watching the burning mutt). The local administrators search out for the miscreants to punish them severely for their most henious crime. But, mAmunigaL as identified in the following pramANams, disagree with the administrators, forgive the miscreants and set them free (Translator's note: mAmunigaL is compared to sIthA pirAtti here who was most gracious and kindest towards the ones who harmed her - similarly mAmunigaL also showered his mercy towards the ones who tried to kill him and ultimately reformed them as well).
Most merciful nature of sIthA pirAtti and mAmunigaL (AzhwAr thirunagari) pApAnAm vA subhAnAm vA vadhArhANAm plavangama kAryam karuNamAryENa na kaschith na aparAdhyathi

Simple translation: sIthA pirAtti to hanuman - Oh hanuman! Kindness is to be shown by a noble person either towards a sinner or to a virtuous person or even to a person who deserves death, for, there is none who never commits a wrong. bhavEyam saraNam hi va:
:
Simple translation: sIthA pirAtti to rAkshasis - I will protect you in any case ka: kupyEdh vAnarOththama:
157
: :
Simple translation: sIthA pirAtti to hanuman - Who will be angry with servant-maids who are just performing per their master's orders? Thus, mAmunigaL the most merciful AchArya, ensured that even those most fallen souls are not punished by the administrators - this incident is well known everywhere. Further our AchArya's most merciful nature and his avathAra visEsham (special nature of him being the incarnation of AdhisEsha and the second coming of srI rAmAnuja) could be understood by the incidents involving mangoose and parrot, vruksham (mAmunigaL blessing a tamarind tree with mOksham) and the many svapnams (dreams) of great personalities (like kOilaNNan, sAdhu srIvaishNavas in thiruppathi , etc - where many fore-see the greatness of mAmunigaL). Translator's note: Thus, we have seen the divine glories of srIvaishNavas as identified by emperumAn, pirAtti, AzhwArs and AchAryas and some incidents which reflect the same. We also observed the unconditional kindness shown by sIthA pirAtti and mAmunigaL towards the ones who troubled them. We will now see the concluding section of this divine grantham.
158
Conclusion - Glories of AchArya nishtai

Thus, as said in "sthAvarANyapi muchyanthE" ( - Even plants are liberated by the touch of vaishNava) and "pasur manushya: pakshI vA" ( :
- animals, humans and birds - all are liberated by establishing a connection with a
vaishNava) our pUrvAchAryas surrendered to their AchAryas who are focussed on uplifting the entire world and are most merciful. Our pUrvAchAryas are all knowing, the leaders among the scholars who can distinguish between the essence and the extraneous principles, the ones who have completed all their responsibilities (by taking shelter of sadhAchAryas) and always focussed on mangaLAsAsanam (praying for the well-being of bhagavAn and bhAgavathas). As said (by ANdAL in nAchiyAr thirumozhi) "nAnum piRanthamai poyyanRE" (
- nAchiyAr thirumozhi 10.4 - If emperumAn does not come and

see me, me being the daughter of periyAzhwAr is not worth it) and "vallaparisu varuvipparEl athu kANdumE ( - nAchiyAr thirumozhi 10.10 - if periyAzhwAr makes emperumAn come, I will see him) they have learnt the blemishless path of surrendering unto srIvaishNavas who are always glorifying emperumAn. Then, with full knowledge without any doubt, they will focus on such AchAryas as the most apt object of worship/service and feel that they are burdenless and are resting in cool breeze in hot summer. They are free from anxiety about the ultimate goal as said in "siRRa vENdA" (
- thiruvAimozhi 9.1.7 - no need to worry) and by holding on to the guru paramparai

and stay as said in dhEvu maRRaRiyEn ( - kaNNinuN chiruthAmbu 2 - I know no other god than nammAzhwAr). Such noble qualities are seen in:
periyAzhwAr's divine daughter ANdAL towards his father/AchArya
159
madhurakavi AzhwAr at the lotus feet of nammAzhwAr
kurugai kAvalappan at the lotus feet of nAthamunigaL
dheivavAriyANdAn at the lotus feet of ALavandhAr
160
vaduga nambi at the lotus feet of emperumAnAr
pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar at the lotus feet of nampiLLai
nampiLLai with pinbhazhagiya perumAL jIyar at his lotus feet - srIrangam
161
kUra kulOththama dhAsar at the lotus feet of vadakku thiruvIdhi piLLai and piLLai lOkAchAryar
Our jIyar (mAmunigaL) at the lotus feet of thiruvAimozhi piLLai and maNalpAkkathu nambi
srI rAmAnuja (AzhwAr thirunagari), thiruvAimozhi piLLai (konthagai), mAmunigaL (AzhwAr thirunagari) Please note that there are many more such noble souls who are surrendered to our pUrvAchAryas. There are many srIvaishNavas with such great AchArya nishtai at the lotus feet of our jIyar (mAmunigaL). Even today (in the times of paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar) we can observe these amongst the relationships where both AchAryas and sishyas are fully qualified. Even in the
162
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan future, as long as rAmAnuja sidhAntham is blossoming, as said in "kaliyum kedum kaNdu koNmin" ( - ill-effects of kali will be destroyed), there will be qualified personalities forever. For such personalities, even if they casually speak some words, those will become most auspicious. All their divine words will reveal the meanings of thirumanthram which is the essence of all of vEdhAntham. vEdha sAsthrArUdA: gyAnakadgatharAdhvijA: krIdArththamapi yadh brUyussa dharma: paramO matha:
: : : :
Simple translation: What is said even playfully by the twice born, who are reposed in the principles of the Vedic scriptures and are experts in disseminating the knowledge of the same, becomes the righteous and exalted opinion. adhiganthavyAssanthO yadhyapi kurvanthi naikamupadhEsam yAsthEshAm svairakathAsthA Eva bhavanthi sAsthrArththA:
:
Simple translation: Not only the teachings of noble men, but also their actions are to be studied carefully. (This is because) What constitutes their personal discipline is verily the purport of the scriptures. gyAna sAram 40 alli malar pAvaikkanbar adikkanbar sollum avidu suruthiyAm nalla padiyAm manu nURkavar saridhai pArvai sediyAr vinaith thogaikkuth thI

Simple translation: Those who are attached to the lotus feet of husband of srI mahAlakshmi, their words are as good as vEdham itself, their life is the source for manu smruthi and their vision is the destroyer of all the sins.
163
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan thadhukthimAthram manthrAgryam

Simple translation: Words spoken by him make up the best manthram Since such devotees are known to not speak anything useless even forgetfully, all their divine words will reflect the meanings of thirumanthram which is the essence of all of vEdhAntham. As said in the following slOkam, thirumanthram contains all the essential principles of all pramANams and all that is to be known. ruchO yajumshi sAmAni thathaivatharvaNAni cha sarvamashtAksharAnthastham yachchAnyadhapi vAngmayam

Simple translation: The meanings of rig, yajur, sAma, atharvaNa vEdhams, vEdhAntham, ithihAsams, purANams, smruthis, etc., are all contained in this ashtAkshara mahAmanthram. Such glorious thirumanthram explains 3 important principles through the 3 padhams (words) aum (sEshathvam - servitorship), nama: (pArathanthriyam - total dependence) and nArAyaNAya (kainkaryam - uninterrupted service to the sole pleasure of bhagavAn alone). These principles applies towards bhagavAn partially and towards bhAgavathas fully. This is why, our pUrvAchAryas, understanding this epitome of essential principles, explained the same in samskrutha, dhrAvida, maNipravALa texts in unison (unanimously). A sishsya should constantly mediate and be situated in the ultimate nishtai of AchArya abhimAnam (mercy/affection of AchArya) and always consider his AchAryan as the master, refuge, object of enjoyment and all types of relation to oneself (ALavandhAr's sthOthra rathnam 5: mAthA pithA yuvathaya: [ :] - nammAzhwAr is mother, father, wife, children, etc., for us, madhurakavi AzhwAr's kaNNinuN chiru thAmbu 4: annaiyAy aththanAy [ ] - nammAzhwAr is my mother and father, mAmunigaL's Arthi prabhandham 3: thanthai naRRAy thAram thanayar perumchelvam enRanakku nIyE ethirAsA [ ] yathirAja! my dear father! you are my father, mother, wife, wealth, etc) as identified in:
kaNNinuN chiru thAmbu 1 - thenkurugUr nambi ennakkAl aNNikkumamudhURum en nAvukkE (
) - madhurakavi AzhwAr - I taste the nectar in my tongue as soon as I say

the divine names of nammAzhwAr
164
kaNNinuN chiru thAmbu 2 - nAvinAl naviRRu inbameythinEn (
) - just by speaking nammAzhwAr's name/fame I derive great

pleasure
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 102 - en nAvirunthu emmaiyan irAmAnusan enRazhaikkum ( ) - My tongue will steadily call out your causeless divine relationship with me and your divine names rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 1 - irAmAnusan charaNAravintham nAm manni vAzha nenjE solluvOm avan nAmangaLE (
) - Dear heart! Let us recite the

many divine names of srI rAmAnuja to live a life that is situated fully at his lotus feet
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi thanian - un nAmamellAm enRan nAvinuLLE allum pagalum amarumpadi nalgu aRusamaya vellum parama irAmAnusa (
) - Oh rAmAnuja who won over six philosophical

systems and established vEdhAntha principles! You ensure that your divine names are situated in my tongue always
gurOrvArthAscha kathayEth - gurOr nAma sadhA jabEth (
- ) - Always discuss the words/instructions of

AchAryan, always recite the names of AchArya In such relationship with the true AchArya, the sishya should have the following attitude:
should constantly meditate on the first surrender to AchArya and have that "nama:" as the manthram (Translator's note: japthavyam guruparamparaiyum dhvayamum says piLLai lOkAchAryar - here asmadh gurubhyO nama: ... srIdharAya nama: is considered as the first manthram to recite before reciting dhvaya mahA manthram) should consider AchArya as the Supreme Lord himself as mentioned in:
o
gururEva param brahma ( ) - guru is the Supreme Lord gyAna sAram 38 - thEnAr kamalath thirumAmagaL kozhunan thAnE guruvAgi ( ) - The husband of srI mahAlakshmi himself becomes the AchAryan
165

o
yasya sAkshAth bhagavathi gyAnadhIpapradhE gurau (
) - Since AchArya enlightens the sishya with

the torch of knowledge, he should be considered as bhagavAn himself
o
pIthagavAdaippirAnAr biramaguruvAy vanthu (
) - bhagavAn himself appears as the first guru
should consider AchArya's residence as the ultimate abode - paramapadham itself as stated in
o
yEnaiva guruNA yasya nyAsavidhyA pradhIyathE; thasya vaikuNtadhugdhAbdhi dhvArakAs sarva Eva sa: (
; :) Wherever that AchAryan who imbibed the knowledge about sharaNAgathi lives, for the sishya, that place itself is srIvaikuntam, kshIrAbdhi and all other divine abodes of bhagavAn.
o
gyAna sAram 36 - villAr maNi kozhikkum vEngadap poR kunRu mudhal sollAr pozhil sUzh thiruppathigaL ellAm maruLAm iruLOda maththagaththuth than thAL aruLAlE vaiththa avar (
) - For a true sishyan, all residing places of bhagavAn starting with

thiruvEnkatam (and also paramapadham, kshIrAbdhi, etc) are to be seen in his own AchAryan who removed the ignorance of the sishyan by his causeless mercy.
o
kaNNinuN chiru thAmbu 11 - nambuvAr pathi vaikuntham kANminE (
) - One who believes in the divine words of madhurakavi

AzhwAr, wherever they stay that place becomes vaikutham
should consider AchAryan's lotus feet as the means and end as said in:
o
AzhwAn's slOkam glorifying emperumAnAr - yOnithyam ... rAmAnujasya charaNau sharaNam prapadhyE ( ...
) - Always consider srI rAmAnuja's lotus feet as our only

refuge
o
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 45 - pERonRu maRRillai nin charaNanRi, appEraLiththaRku ARonRum illai maRRach charaNanRi (
166
, ) - amudhanAr towards emperumAnAr - My goal

of life is to serve your lotus feet and to have that accomplished your lotus feet are the only path
o
upAya upEya bhAvEna thamEva sharaNam vrajEth (
) - Surrender unto the lotus feet of AchAryan as

upAyam/means and upEyam/goal
should consider service to AchAryan's lotus feet by mind, speech and hands as the ultimate goal as stated in:
o
sundharabAhu sthavam 129 - rAmAnujArya vachaka: parivarththishIya ( : ) - AzhwAn requesting sundhara bAhu emperumAn to reunite him with his AchAryan to serve him in srIrangam yathirAja vimsathi 4 - nithyam yathIndhra thava dhivya vapusmruthaumE saktham manObavathu vAk guNakIrthanEsau; kruthyancha dhAsyakaraNanthu karadhvayasya vruththyantharEsthu vimukam karaNa thrayam cha (
; ) - mAmunigaL to srI
rAmAnuja - Oh yathIndhra! Let my mind be fixated on your beautiful form; let my mouth sing your name and glories; let my hands serve you; let these not think of anything else.
o
srIvachana bhUshaNam 299 - sakthikkilakku AchArya kainkaryam ( ) - sishyas capabilities should be focussed/spent on performing service to AchAryan
should consider the happiness on AchAryan's face on seeing sishya's kainkarya as the biggest result as stated in:
o
srIvachana bhUshaNam 321 - sishyan enbathu sAdhyAnthara nivruththiyum pala sAdhana susrushaiyum (
) - True sishya means one who considers only

AchAryan as the ultimate goal and performing service to AchAryan to please him always. Such adhikAris (qualified sishyas) who are fully situated in AchArya nishtai, can give up all sensual pleasures and materialistic aspirations. They can relish the divine auspicious form of
167
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan AchAryan as said in "sadhA pasyanthi" ( - In paramapadham jIvAthmAs are blissful by constantly having the vision of bhagavAn). Further, they can serve their AchAryan in both this world and paramapadham as said in "athra parathra chApi" ( sthOthra rathnam 2) along with like minded devotees in paramapadham (which is the abode of endless bliss) and be submerged in an ocean of nectarean joy and perform mangaLAsAsanam forever.
nAthamuni - ALavandhAr, kAttu mannAr kOil (avathAra sthalam) We can constantly remember the following divine srIsUkthis as pramANam (valid proof) for anthimOpAya (AchArya) nishtai.
168
rAmAnusa nURRanthAdhi 104 - kaiyil kaniyanna kaNNanaik kAttith tharilum unRan meyyil piRangiya chIranRi vENdilan yAn (
) Even if you show me kaNNan emperumAn (who is well known for his beauty and accessibility for his devotees), I will only focus on your divine form and qualities and need nothing else
kaNNinuN chiru thAmbu 2 - nAvinAl naviRRu inbameythinEn (
) - Spoke the glories of nammAzhwAr and became blissful
nAchiyAr thirumozhi 10.10 - nallaven thOzhi ... vittuchiththar thangaL dhEvarai vallaparisu varuvipparEl athu kANdumE ( ...
) - ANdAL says If periyAzhwAr invites kaNNan and makes him come some how, I will see him at that time
paramAchAryar ALavandhAr explained this principle in the "mAthA pithA yuva thaya:" ( :) slOkam towards nammAzhwAr. He established that nammAzhwAr is the vaishNava kula pathi (leader of the vaishNavas) and nammAzhwAr is everything for him pasur manushya pakshIvA ( ) slOkam - An animal, human or bird - irrespective of the birth (whether that qualifies for pursuance of knowledge through sAsthram or not), the connection with a vaishNava will deliver to parampadham easily bAla mUka jata anthAscha ( ) slOkam - Child, deaf, dumb, blind, lame, etc., when taken shelter of a true AchArya, they are sure to reach the ultimate destination of paramapadham AchAryasya prasAdhEna mama sarvamabIpsitham; prApnuyAmIthi visvAsO yasyAsthi sa sukI bhavEth ( ;
) - One who has

the confidence/faith that he will attain all his desires by the grace of his AchAryan, shall be happy
periyavAchAn piLLai's divine words in mANikkamAlai - ihalOkaparalOkangaLiraNdum AchAryan thiruvadigaLE enRum, dhrushtAdhrushtangaLiraNdum avanE enRum visvasiththirukkiRathukku mElillai (
, ) - There is nothing higher than
169
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan considering everything in this world and paramapadham as the lotus feet of AchArya and considering the visible benefits and invisible benefits as AchAryan himself.
piLLai lOkAchAryar's divine srIsUkthi in srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram 322 manthramum, dhEvathaiyum, palamum, palAnubandhigaLum, palasAdhanamum, aihikabOgamum ellAm AchAryanE enRu ninaikkak kadavan (,
, , , , ) - A
sishya should consider his own AchAryan as
o
manthram - that which he recites and that which relieves him from the misery of samsAram para dhEvathai - bhagavAn - who is the object of that manthram palam - result in the form of kainkaryam which is blessed by bhagavAn palAnubandhi - ancillary benefits such as full self realisation and living in paramapadham, etc. pala sAdhanam - the means by which the benefits are accomplished aihikabOgam - any other sensual pleasures one may aspire for in this world before leaving to paramapadham
o o o
o o
piLLai lOkAchAryar, mAmunigaL, paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar
170
anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan srI saumyajAmAthrumunE: prasAdhapbAva sAkshAthkrutha sarvathathvam agyAnathAmisra sahasrabAnum srIbattanAtham munimAsrayAmi
:
Simple translation: I take refuge in srI bhattanAtha muni, who saw the truths as they are by the grace of srI saumyajAmathru muni and who is the Sun of thousand rays that dispels the darkness of ignorance. Translator's notes:
Thus we have seen the full glories of AchArya nishtai in this concluding section.
Thus ends the translation of paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar's anthimOpAya nishtai by sarathy ramanuja dasan.
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anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

mAmunigaLs eedu kAlakshEpa gOshti and namperumAL honouring mAmunigaL

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

piLLai lOkAchAryar, maNavALa mAmunigaL, paravasthu pattarpirAn jIyar

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

"puNyAmbOja vikAsAya pApadhvAntha kshayAya cha; srImAn AvirabUthbUmau rAmAnuja dhivAkara:" ( ;

:) - Just like a lotus will bloom on

, , ) - The darkness/ignorance in the material world which was

nammAzhwAr, madhurakavi AzhwAr, nAthamunigaL - kAnchipuram

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

mayarvaRa mathinalam aruLinan (

pErEnenRu en nenju niRaiyap pugunthAn (

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

piLLai lOkAchAryar, mAmunigaL - srIperumbUdhUr

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

) - Here ALavandhAr declares that bhagavAn should accept him

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

thiruvarangathu amudhanAr, AzhwAn, emperumAnAr More on sishya lakshaNam:

) - In this world full of darkness, one should

) - The penance of ones who are worshipping the

) - ANdAL says - If periyAzhwAr invites kaNNan and makes him

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

kaNNinunchiruthAmbu thanian - vERonRum nAnaRiyEn (

) - I dont know anything (anyone) other than nammAzhwAr

) - vaduga nambi (who is totally surrendered to emperumAnAr)

) - we should constantly recite the

, ) - My life now is so glorious, since I

) - My defects are uncountable,

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

rAmunusa nURRanthAdhi 56 - irAmAnusanai adainthapin envAkkuraiyAthu en manam ninaiyAthu ini maRRonRaiyE (

) - When emperumAnAr is waiting to give the

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan quoted.

aruLALa perumAL emperumAnAr

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

With this mind set, we should think that:

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

More sUthrams which explain the expected behaviour of a true sishya

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan (

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan

bhattar, nanjIyar and nampiLLai

anthimOpAya nishtai total dependence on AchAryan