anthimOpAya nishtai – 2 – AchArya lakshaNam/vaibhavam

In the previous article (https://granthams.koyil.org/2013/06/anthimopaya-nishtai-1/), we observed many pramANams that brings about AchArya vaibhavam and sishya lakshaNam.

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:” (புண்யாம்போஜ விகாஸாய பாபத்வாந்த க்ஷயாய ச; ஸ்ரீமான் ஆவிரபூத்பூமௌ ராமாநுஜ திவாகர:) – 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 – ஆதித்ய ராம திவாகர அச்யுத பாநுக்களுக்குப் போகாத உள்ளிருள் நீங்கி, சோஷியாத பிறவிக்கடல் வற்றி, விகஸியாத போதில் கமல மலர்ந்தது வகுள பூஷண பாஸ்கரோதயத்திலே) – 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).

Arthi prabhandham – 45

srIvachana bhUshaNam – sUthrams 408 and 409.



unNdapOthoru
vArththaiyum unNnNAthapOthoru vArththaiyum cholluvAr paththuppErunNdirE,
avargaL pAsuram konNdanRu ivvarththam aRuthiyiduvathu (உண்டபோதொரு வார்த்தையும் உண்ணாதபோதொரு வார்த்தையும் சொல்லுவார் பத்துப்பேருண்டிரே, அவர்கள் பாஸுரம் கொண்டன்று இவ்வர்த்தம் அறுதியிடுவது).




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 (அவர்களைச் சிரித்திருப்பார் ஒருவருண்டிறே; அவர் பாஸுரம் கொண்டு இவ்வர்த்தம் அறுதியிடக்கடவோம்).


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).

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	srI madhurakavi AzhwAr‘s words
appozhuthaikkappozhuthu en ArAvamutham (அப்பொழுதைக்கப்பொழுது என் ஆராவமுதம்) – moment after moment, bhagavAn is my divine nectar	thenkurukUr nambi enRakkAl aNNikkum amuthUrum en nAvukkE (தென்குருகூர் நம்பி என்றக்கால் அண்ணிக்கும் அமுதூரும் என் நாவுக்கே) – the moment I say the names of nammAzhwAr, it tastes nectarean to me
malakku nAvudaiyEn (மலக்கு நாவுடையேன்) – I have a very delighted tongue (on singing the glories of emperumAn)	nAvinAl naviRRu inbameythinEn (நாவினால் நவிற்று இன்பமெய்தினேன்) – Spoke the glories of nammAzhwAr and became blissful
adikkIzh amarnthu pugunthEn (அடிக்கீழ் அமர்ந்து புகுந்தேன்) – Took shelter under the lotus feet of thiruvEnkatamudaiyAn	mEvinEn avan ponnadi meymmaiyE (மேவினேன் அவன் பொன்னடி மெய்ம்மையே) – Truly surrendered at the nammAzhwAr’s golden feet
kaNNanallAl dheyvamillai (கண்ணனல்லால் தெய்வமில்லை) – there is no other God than kaNNan emperumAn	dhEvu maRRaRiyEn (தேவு மற்றறியேன்) – I dont know any God other than nammAzhwAr
pAdi iLaippilam (பாடி இளைப்பிலம்) – I will never give up singing bhagavAn‘s divine glories	pAdith thirivanE (பாடித் திரிவனே) – I will wander around singing nammAzhwAr’s glories always
inGE thirinthErkkizhukkuRREn (இங்கே திரிந்தேர்க்கிழுக்குற்றேன்) – What is the loss for the people of this world in worshipping bhagavAn in this world itself?	thirithanthAgilum dhEva pirAnudaik kariyakOlath thiruvuruk kANban nAn (திரிதந்தாகிலும் தேவ பிரானுடைக் கரியகோலத் திருவுருக் காண்பன் நான்) – Again, I will see (worship) the divine form of the leader of nithyasUris here in this world – madhurakavi AzhwAr who is an AchArya nishtar himself worships emperumAn since that is pleasing to his AchAryan.
uriya thoNdan (உரிய தொண்டன்) – A proper servant of servants of bhagavAn	nambikkALuriyan (நம்பிக்காளுரியன்) – A proper servant of nammAzhwAr (who is a servant of bhagavAn)
thAyAyth thanthaiyAy (தாயாய்த் தந்தையாய்) – bhagavAn is my mother and father (filled with love and affection towards me)	annaiyAy aththanAy (அன்னையாய் அத்தனாய்) – nammAzhwAr is my mother and father (filled with love and affection towards me)
ALginRAn AzhiyAn (ஆள்கின்றான் ஆழியான்) – bhagavAn who is the holder of divine chakkram is my controller	ennaiyANdidum thanmaiyAn (என்னையாண்டிடும் தன்மையான்) – nammAzhwAr is the one who controls me
kadiyanAyk kanjanaik konRa pirAn (கடியனாய்க் கஞ்சனைக் கொன்ற பிரான்) – bhagavAn is the one who killed kamsan and did me great favours (AzhwAr shows here that bhAgavathas should consider any favours done by bhagavAn to other bhAgavathas as favours done to themselves)	sadagOpan (சடகோபன்) – nammAzhwAr who drove out the ignorance named “sadam” which covers us during our birth.
yAnE enthanathE enRirunthEn (யானே என்தனதே என்றிருந்தேன்) – I was filled with ahankAram and mamakAram	nambinEn piRar nan poruL thannaiyum nambinEn madavAraiyum munbelAm (நம்பினேன் பிறர் நன் பொருள் தன்னையும் நம்பினேன் மடவாரையும் முன்பெலாம்) – 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 (எமரேழெழுபிறப்பும் மாசதிரிதுபெற்று) – I have been blessed by bhagavAn with the biggest benediction for several births	inRu thottum ezhumaiyum empirAn (இன்று தொட்டும் எழுமையும் எம்பிரான்) – nammAzhwAr is my lord for many many births from now onwards
ennAl thannai inthamizh pAdiya Isan (என்னால் தன்னை இன்தமிழ் பாடிய ஈசன்) – bhagavAn glorified himself through my words	ninRu than pugazh ERRa aruLinAn (நின்று தன் புகழ் ஏற்ற அருளினான்) – nammAzhwAr blessed me so that I can glorify him
ottumO ini ennai negizhkkavE (ஒட்டுமோ இனி என்னை நெகிழ்க்கவே) -Will bhagavAn allow me to fall down from my nishtai? (No)	enRumennai igazhvilan kANminE (என்றுமென்னை இகழ்விலன் காண்மினே) – nammAzhwAr will never let me fall down from my nishtai.
mayarvaRa mathinalam aruLinan (மயர்வற மதிநலம் அருளினன்) – bhagavAn blessed me with divine blemishless knowledge	eNdisaiyum aRiya iyambukEn oNthamizhch chatagOpan aruLaiyE (எண்டிசையும் அறிய இயம்புகேன் ஒண்தமிழ்ச் சடகோபன் அருளையே) – I propagate the divine mercy of nammAzhwAr (to have blessed me with blemishless knowledge) in all directions
aruLudaiyavan (அருளுடையவன்) – bhagavAn is Merciful	aruLkaNdIr ivvulaginil mikkathE (அருள்கண்டீர் இவ்வுலகினில் மிக்கதே) – nammAzhwAr‘s mercy is greater than the whole of the material world
pErEnenRu en nenju niRaiyap pugunthAn (பேரேனென்று என் நெஞ்சு நிறையப் புகுந்தான்) – bhagavAn entered my heart and declared that he will never leave	niRkappAdi ennenjuL niRuththinAn (நிற்கப்பாடி என்னெஞ்சுள் நிறுத்தினான்) – by explaining the essence of sAsthram (bhAgavatha sEshathvam – serving bhAgavathas) firmly, he occupied my heart forever
vazhuvilA adimai cheyya vENdum nAm (வழுவிலா அடிமை செய்ய வேண்டும் நாம்) – We shoud serve bhagavAn faultlessly forever in all different possibilities	Atpukka kAthal adimaip payananRE (ஆட்புக்க காதல் அடிமைப் பயனன்றே) – the love/affections arised out of servitorship leads to eternal servitorship to nammAzhwAr
poruLallAtha ennaip poruLAkki adimai koNdAy (பொருளல்லாத என்னைப் பொருளாக்கி அடிமை கொண்டாய்) – bhagavAn transferred me from the state of ignorance to knowledge and engaged me in his service	payananRAgilum pAngallarAgilum cheyal nanRAgath thiruththip paNi koLvAn (பயனன்றாகிலும் பாங்கல்லராகிலும் செயல் நன்றாகத் திருத்திப் பணி கொள்வான்) – Even though I am not fit for any thing, nammAzhwAr purifies me and engages me in his service
ArAtha kAthal (ஆராத காதல்) – never ending love towards bhagavAn	muyalginREn unthan moykazharkkanbaiyE (முயல்கின்றேன் உன்தன் மொய்கழர்க்கன்பையே) – I am trying to develop love/attachment towards your lotus feet
kOlamalarppAvaikkanbAgiya en anbEyO (கோலமலர்ப்பாவைக்கன்பாகிய என் அன்பேயோ) – I am dear to bhagavAn (who is dear to srI mahAlakshmi)	thenkurugUrnagar nambikkanbanAi (தென்குருகூர்நகர் நம்பிக்கன்பனாய்) – I am dear to nammAzhwAr who is the controller of AzhwAr thirunagari
ulagam padaiththAn kavi (உலகம் படைத்தான் கவி) – the great poet	madhurakavi (மதுரகவி) – the sweet poet
uraikkavallArkku vaikunthamAgum thammUrellAm (உரைக்கவல்லார்க்கு வைகுந்தமாகும் தம்மூரெல்லாம்) – For the ones who recite thiruvAimozhi, where they are, that place will be transformed to vaikuntam (paramapadham)	nambuvArpathi vaikunthamkANminE (நம்புவார்பதி வைகுந்தம்காண்மினே) – the one who believes/follows my words of AchArya nishtai, will ascend to 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.

• sUthram 308 – When an AchAryan gives instructions which are focussed on the well-being 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.

• 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 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

• • 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 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.

• • 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.

• 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 well-being 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.


Next section discusses the true nature of a sishyan.


To be continued…


Full series can be viewed at: https://granthams.koyil.org/anthimopaya-nishtai-english/.


adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan


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