Transcription
My salutations to everyone.
In this grand conference to be held in Salem, just as the fragrance accompanies the flower, I too have been given the opportunity to give a discourse. For this, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the members of this assembly, the elders seated on the stage, and the organizers.
They are doing a very small service. Because when I came, I thought, "Will this be delayed by two or three hours?" The fact that they have managed to bring it down to a one-hour delay, for that alone we should be very thankful. Because all the programs here are happening well, but we tend to think that what we are expecting should come soon. That is human mentality.
Now, let's say we are going to watch a cricket match, and football is happening there. We will watch for a while. Even if the football is played very well, will we ask, "Why is football happening here when I came to watch cricket?" Won't we? Similarly, even if excellent programs are happening, people will have a thought in their minds, "I was expecting this next, but it hasn't come yet." To prevent such thoughts from arising, they have managed to bring our discourse to 12:30 PM.
However, I will not delay. Look, we have exactly forty-five minutes. Therefore, I will conclude precisely within forty-five minutes.
The topic assigned to me is "The lineage of Sri Vaishnava Gurus, the tradition of Emperumanar." The glory of the lineage of gurus in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. "Parampara" means a continuous sequence. Starting from Lord Narayana, there is a sequence of gurus up to our Acharya, isn't there? In these forty-five minutes, we are going to witness the glory of that guru lineage.
Indeed, an Acharya, a guru, is very important to everyone. Elders say a beautiful scriptural verse about this. They say:
"Papishta satra bandhu pundarika punya kritu Acharya vartaya muktam tasmat Acharyavan bhavet."
It is a very short verse, but it has a very deep meaning. It says there was a person named Satra Bandhu. He did many deeds. What kind of deeds? Murder, robbery, theft – this person named Satra Bandhu was doing such things very well. He was going through a forest, and a sage fell into a pond in that forest. The sage was struggling in the water. Satra Bandhu saw him. He had never done anything good in his life. Suddenly, a good thought came to him. He jumped into the pond and saved the sage, bringing him out. The sage asked, "Who are you, man? I was struggling in the water, and you saved me. Who are you?" He replied, "I am Satra Bandhu." The sage asked, "What work do you do?" He said, "I am engaged in murder, robbery, theft, and many such good deeds." The sage said, "Is that so? Well, if I tell you something good, will you listen?" He asked, "What is it?" The sage said, "I want you to say Govinda, Govinda." He asked, "Will you say Govinda, Govinda?" He replied, "I myself am doing murder, robbery, theft, and the like. You are asking me to say Govinda in the middle. What is the connection between this murder and Govinda?" The sage said, "You will not reform immediately. Do what you are doing, but do it while saying Govinda."
So, this person continued to commit murder and robbery while saying Govinda, Govinda. But over time, what happened? A sense of guilt, a feeling of remorse, arose in his mind. He began to think, "Should I do wrong while chanting the Lord's name?" His mind changed somewhat. He died. Then he took another birth. In that birth, he was born as a good person. Due to the continuity of chanting the Govinda name, in the next life, he reformed, became good, and chanted Govinda, Govinda, Govinda. That led him to the state of surrender. He submitted himself to a good Acharya. By the grace of that Acharya, Satra Bandhu attained salvation.
So, who was responsible for Satra Bandhu attaining salvation, for attaining Vaikuntha, for attaining liberation? It was that one Acharya, some sage. He saved a sage from the pond, and the sage's instruction to chant the name of Govinda led him to liberation. So, a sinner attained liberation. This is acceptable.
Now, Pundarika, a virtuous doer. There was a great sage named Pundarika. He was learned in Vedic scriptures, lived according to righteousness, and daily served his parents. He was consumed by devotion to God, meditating on God constantly. He was engrossed in meditation. Yet, he did not attain liberation. He thought, "I am engaged in devotional practices, performing rituals, doing public service, taking good care of my parents, and meditating on God with intense devotion. When will I attain liberation?"
While he was contemplating this, the divine sage Narada came to Pundarika. Sage Narada asked, "What is it, Pundarika? You seem troubled." Pundarika said, "I am deeply engaged in devotion, performing rituals, doing public service, taking good care of my parents, and meditating on God with intense devotion. I don't know when I will attain liberation."
Narada said, "There is an eight-letter mantra. Mantras should not generally be revealed openly. Acharyas also do not reveal them. Mantras are always taught to a disciple one-on-one. Therefore, a mantra is something that must be protected secretly. We should chant it within our minds. The Acharya who taught it, his glory should be spoken aloud. Therefore," he whispered the mantra into Pundarika's ear.
The mantra, which contains the name of Narayana, the Ashtakshara, was whispered into Pundarika's ear. He chanted it. Pundarika attained liberation. Now, who was responsible for Pundarika attaining liberation? Narada's grace.
So, Satra Bandhu, who committed sins, attained liberation through an Acharya. And Pundarika, who performed only good deeds, also attained liberation through an Acharya. Therefore, it is not important whether we are superior or inferior by knowledge. It is not important whether we have devotion or not. What is important is whether we submit ourselves to an Acharya. If one has the connection of an Acharya, anyone can attain liberation. This is what we understand from this.
That is why Swami Manavala Mamunigal sang:
"If one attains a guru who possesses knowledge and practice well, O people of this land, the consort of the goddess Lakshmi, who resides in the lotus, will grant Vaikuntha."
Therefore, if one submits to an Acharya, liberation can be attained. Because who is an Acharya? In Sanskrit, it is beautifully explained. Is there a definition for Acharya? "Achino ti shastrarthan, Acharye sthapay svayam. Achirade yesmat, tasmat Acharyate shastram." He who extracts the meaning of the scriptures, he who establishes them himself, from whom one learns the scriptures – that is an Acharya. He will explain what is in the Vedas. He will also make us follow. He will lead by example and show us how to follow. He is called an Acharya. He will act according to it himself and will also teach us and correct us to act accordingly. That is why we call him Acharya, Acharya.
Similarly, we call him Guru. "Gu" means ignorance, and "ru" means one who removes. Guru means one who removes ignorance. So, who removes ignorance and gives us knowledge? It is the Acharya. How does he give it? Let me tell you a small story.
There was a king in a certain town. How do stories begin? There was a king in a certain town. The king's wife, the queen, became pregnant. In due course, she gave birth to a son, the prince. Just then, the king of a neighboring country attacked this king and came for a battle. The king immediately called the minister. "Son, the prince has just been born, and the enemy has come for battle. If the prince is left here, it is dangerous. Therefore, you take the prince and go away," he said, handing over the newborn prince to the minister.
The elderly minister, who took the child, died on the way. The child was left somewhere. A village farmer saw the child, found him, and began to raise him as his own son. Here, the king fought the enemy and won the battle. He looked for the prince. The minister had died, and the child had been handed over. He didn't know where he had gone. The king searched. Twenty years passed like this.
Now, the prince was growing up as the farmer's son. The twenty-year-old youth had gone somewhere and committed some mistake. The king's guards caught him and brought him before the king. They presented him before the king. The king inquired, "Who are you? What is your name?" They said, "This is the farmer's son. He is twenty years old and has committed these mistakes." The king looked at him and said, "Throw him in prison and punish him."
There was a Rajaguru (royal preceptor) next to that king. That Rajaguru said, "Your Majesty, please be patient for a moment. The boy is twenty years old. Looking at him, he resembles you. He is your son, the prince!" The king looked and said, "What? The prince? What are you saying? The prince I have been searching for all these years is the farmer's son?"
The Rajaguru said, "When your child was born, he had a star-shaped mole on his right shoulder. Look at his shoulder." They tore open his shirt and looked. There was a star-shaped mole, just like that. "Ah, the prince!" Now, the king said, "From here, my son!" The other replied, "My father!" "My son, my father!" Both ran towards each other. The family was reunited. Then, punishment? Punishment for what? He had become the prince. So, what punishment?
Now, this prince, after the Rajaguru spoke, the king realized he was his son. Before that, was he the king's son? What are you saying? He was indeed the king's son before. But he didn't know it until then. When the Rajaguru pointed it out, he realized, "Oh, I am the king's son!"
Similarly, this soul (Jivatma) is eternally the child of the Supreme Lord, the servant of the Supreme Lord. But until yesterday, he did not know it. Just as the Rajaguru identified him, our Acharya comes and says, "Do you know who you are? You are the child of God, a servant of God." Then, "Oh, I am a servant of God!" Because this ego, "I," should not be there. Okay, it's fine if it goes away, but is that enough? Do we know our identity as a servant? Don't we have a spiritual identity? What is it? "Adiyen" (I, the servant), "Dasan" (servant), "Gunar dasyam" (service of virtues), "Upagathiyor dasyam" (service of those who have approached), "Upagatha Lakshmanan" (Lakshmana who approached). Nammalvar sang, "Adiyen ullan udal ullan" (I am within, the body is within). That spiritual identity of being a servant of God will never be lost by this soul. But who is the one who told us that identity? It is the Acharya.
Similarly, this king intended to punish him. But the Rajaguru said, "He is your child," and instead of punishment, he embraced him and blessed him. Similarly, the Supreme Lord, who is like a king, is waiting to punish this soul. The Acharya says, "He is our child, accept him." Therefore, just as the king who came to punish embraces him, the Lord accepts us and blesses us. This is what the Acharya does, not what I am saying. Manavala Mamunigal states this in the Aarthi Prabhandham:
"Narayanan, Tirumal, Naramaam, naam ennum uravu, Aaraayil nenje, anaathi andro namakku uravu. Eppothum irukkum, aanaal naam realise pannaamal irukkom. Seeraarum Acharya nale andro naam uyndhendru, koosamal eppothum kooru."
"The relationship of Narayana, Tirumal, and 'we' is eternal, O mind. It has always existed, but we are not realizing it. Is it not because of the glorious Acharya that we are saved? Say it always without hesitation."
But the Lord knows we are His child when the Acharya tells Him. However, the Lord, in His anger, thinks of punishing us. The Acharya intervenes and changes the Lord's mind. On our part, due to ignorance, we make mistakes. The Acharya gives us knowledge. So, who is it that gives us knowledge, makes us live in a way that pleases God, makes us worthy of God's grace, and unites us with God? That great soul is called Acharya, Acharya, Acharya.
So, if he has knowledge, can he give us knowledge? Yes. If you want to light a lamp, you must have another flame, lamp, or diya with you. Only then can you light it. So, where did the Acharya get his knowledge from? He got it from his Acharya. Where did that Acharya get his knowledge from? From his Acharya. Who is the first point of this? Who is the first Acharya who lit this lamp?
Looking at "Lakshminatha samarabham, Narayanamadhyamam, Asmad Acharya paryantham, Vande Guru paramparam," the Lord, the consort of Lakshmi, not only the Supreme Lord, does not give knowledge. He analyzes what mistakes we have made. Narayana, along with Lakshmi, with compassion, thinks, "Ah, let us impart knowledge." He became the first Acharya and began to give knowledge. Thus, through the lineage, starting from Narayana, the consort of Lakshmi, through Acharyas like Nadhamunigal and Aalavandhar, it has come down to our Acharya. "Vande Guru paramparam." That is what we call parampara. Parampara means a continuity, a collection, a group, coming in sequence. That is called parampara.
So, the cluster of Acharyas, coming in sequence, a galaxy of Acharyas, coming through the lineage, isn't it? That is what is called Guru Parampara. So, it starts from the Supreme Lord and comes down to our Acharya. That is the Guru Parampara.
Now, fifteen minutes have already passed. In the remaining half hour, let us look at the glory of the great souls, the Acharyas, in this Guru Parampara.
Now, who is the first Acharya? The Lord, the consort of the Goddess. How can He be an Acharya? The Lord himself became the first Acharya and imparted the Vedas to Brahma. For us, if we need basic knowledge, the Vedas are the root of our Sanatana Dharma. The Vedas have always existed. At the beginning of creation, Lord Narayana revealed the Vedas to Brahma, and by revealing the Vedas, He became an Acharya. Not only that, but He also became an Acharya by imparting the eight-letter mantra for the first time as Narayana Rishi in Badrinath to Nara Rishi. And in that way, He became an Acharya. In His avatars, as Hayagriva, He repeatedly imparted the Vedas to Brahma, becoming a knowledge Acharya. As Matsyamurti, He imparted the Matsya Purana to Satyavrata Pandya, and in that way, He became an Acharya.
The Acharya became the Hamsa Avatar, incarnating as a swan. He taught the path of Yoga to sages and gods, and as a swan, along with sages and immortals, he revealed the great Vedas. Thirumangai Alvar sings thus, "Amman thannai." Thus, the Lord, Bhagavan, taught that Yoga and the essence of the Vedas. Earlier, we saw Hayagriva, as sung by Thirumangai Alvar: "Behold our Lord who, with a horse's face, has bestowed upon these seven worlds, shrouded in darkness, all the arts and the meaning of the four Vedas." That horse-faced one came as Hayagriva. Above all, as the Gita Acharya, Krishna incarnated and imparted the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. In this way, Bhagavan Sriaman Narayanan exists as an Acharya who imparts knowledge in many stages. He is the first Acharya who can directly bestow knowledge, for he is like an eternal lamp, an unquenchable flame. The Alvar sang, "Nanda vilakke." From that lamp, other Acharyas are lit and radiate light, igniting the lamp of knowledge in our minds. It is from him that Acharyas light that lamp of knowledge. He is the first lamp.
The next is the Divine Mother, Mahalakshmi. For she receives instruction from the Lord and attains the status of a disciple to the Lord. Further, Mahalakshmi instructs many great souls. Did Mahalakshmi instruct directly? Yes, she instructs directly. Now, Swami Pillai Lokacharya beautifully explains this. The Divine Mother corrects us through instruction. Not only us, but also the Lord. The Divine Mother instructs the Lord. Who is the disciple who surpasses the Guru? It is the Divine Mother. The Divine Mother tells the Guru, the Lord, "Our child has come, please accept him." The Lord says, "Oh dear, can this be accepted?" The Divine Mother says, "Do not expect all good qualities. Accept him as two out of five flaws." The Lord said, "Do you know how these two out of five are? From a cow, five items should come: milk, curd, ghee, cow urine, and cow dung. Only the last two are present; the first three are missing. This is a case of two out of five flaws. How can I accept this?" But the Divine Mother says, "He is your child. If you abandon him, where will he go? Please accept him a little." The Lord said, "Alright," and began to come around.
Then, our own person becomes stubborn. "I don't want it. I am going into worldly matters. If he doesn't accept me, leave me." The Divine Mother sees this and says, "Where are you going? Come here!" She tells us too, "Look, he is everything to you. If you leave him, you can do nothing." Just as a mother in a house, when the father and son fight, becomes a bridge between the bed and the cradle, and brings them together, so too Mahalakshmi negotiates here. If there is any further obstruction, what will the Divine Mother do? She will correct the Lord with her beauty and the embodied soul with her grace. That is, if this soul does not come to its senses, she will bestow a glance of grace and make it come to the Lord. If he does not accept, she will enchant the Lord with her beauty and make him accept. That is why the Divine Mother is always like water next to the fire of the Lord, ensuring his grace is bestowed upon us.
So, there is instruction. Not only instruction, but did Mahalakshmi Devi herself feed the sage Sevana with the milk of knowledge and bestow knowledge? The history is that she gave him the milk of knowledge. Similarly, in the Ramayana, she instructs even the wicked. She instructed Ravana, telling him to reform. Why did Sita Devi incarnate as Andal Nachiyar and sing Thiruppavai, which is the seed of all Vedas? How great is that knowledge! Not only this, but even in the Arca Avatar, Sri Ranganayaki Devi fed Parasara Bhattar with the milk of knowledge. Kanchi Perundevi Devi fed Nadadur Ammal with the milk of knowledge. In this way, the Divine Mother, who bestows knowledge by feeding the milk of knowledge, is the second Acharya.
So, the first Acharya is the Lord who bestowed the Vedas and instructions. The second Acharya is the Divine Mother. Now, who is the third Acharya? It is Vishvaksena, the leader of the Nitya Suris, who received instruction from the Divine Mother. In temples, we see Senai Mudaliyar enshrined. The Alvar sang, "Senai Mudaliyar, the leader of the immortals." That is, the Nitya Suris are the attendants of the Lord in Vaikuntha. He is the commander-in-chief of the army, Senai Mudaliyar Vishvaksena. That is why we say, "Vignam nignanthi sadhadham Vishvaksenam thamashraye." That Vishvaksena is the third Acharya. They instructed him.
Now, let's come to the fourth Acharya. Here, our elders have explained very carefully. After Vishvaksena, who is the Acharya? It is Nammalvar. This raises the question, "Was this tradition not present before Nammalvar?" Nammalvar incarnated in the Kali Yuga. You go directly from the Lord, the Divine Mother, Vishvaksena, directly to Nammalvar. So, there were Krta Yuga, Treta Yuga, and Dvapara Yuga. Swami Vedanta Desika explains this very clearly. In our Guru Parampara, the Lord, the Divine Mother, and Vishvaksena, after them, the Lord sent many sages to Earth. Through those sages, the Lord spread the path of Visishtadvaita, the path of the Vedas, well on Earth. Who are those sages? Vasishta, Parasara, Valmiki, Sukabrahmam, Vedavyasa, and other such sages. Through them, the Lord spread the path of Visishtadvaita well. In Valmiki Ramayana, we see all the principles of the Lord. Today, we say that Emperumanar showed the relationship between the body and the soul. Ramanuja said that the entire world is the body of the Lord. Yes, of course, Ramanuja explained it. But Ramanuja did not say something new; it is in Valmiki Ramayana. "Jagat sarvam sareeram te." Similarly, in Vishnu Purana, "Thani sarvani tatvabhugu" – everything is the body of the Lord. Thus, through these sages, the Lord made the principle of Visishtadvaita, that the soul is eternally subservient to the Lord, spread on Earth.
Specifically, who were the sages who established this philosophy? Vyasa, Kashakrishnar, Shankar, Pramidar, Bodhayana, Brahmanandi, and other sages had already spread the path of Visishtadvaita and made it spread in the world. But, over time, they taught in Sanskrit. We also do not understand Sanskrit; it is very difficult. Therefore, as the Kali Yuga progressed, we forgot that instruction. So, the Lord, with great compassion, thought that what these sages conveyed in Sanskrit should be sung in simple, beautiful Tamil, our mother tongue, in a way that everyone can understand. Therefore, the Lord caused Nammalvar to incarnate on Earth. On the 43rd day of the Kali Yuga, on Vaikasi Visakam, is there a day comparable to Vaikasi Visakam? Is there anyone comparable to Sadagopar? Is there a place comparable to Thiruvaymoli? In the southern Pandi region, in Thirukkurugur, in the street where chariots run, in Thirukkurugur, under the tamarind tree, he remained in Yoga, mesmerized by the Lord. Thus, blessed by grace, Nammalvar was made a disciple of Vishvaksena by the Lord.
Now, the continuity of the Guru Parampara. See, the Lord, the Divine Mother, Vishvaksena. Then, the Lord sent Vishvaksena to Earth, and through Vishvaksena, he performed Pancha Samskara for Nammalvar, imparted the three secrets: Thirumantra, Thuvayam, and Sarana Slokam, and made Nammalvar the fourth Acharya with great compassion. What did that Nammalvar do? He sang in Tamil what was already in the Vedas through the sages. Pillai Perumal Kavi sings beautifully: "He churned the ocean of the Vedas with the mantra of his tongue, brought forth the sweet nectar of the Tamil Thousand." The Lord churned the ocean of milk with the churning rod of Mount Meru and gave the nectar to the gods. Our Nammalvar, what did he do? He used his tongue as the churning rod. He churned the ocean of the Vedas and extracted the nectar of four Prabhandams. The essence of Rig Veda is Thiruviruttam. The essence of Yajur Veda is Thiruvasiyaram. The essence of Atharva Veda is Periya Thiruvandhadhi. The essence of Sama Veda is Thiruvaymoli. He sang the four Vedas in Tamil, in our mother tongue, Tamil.
He sang Thiruviruttam, Thiruvasiyaram, Periya Thiruvandhadhi, and Thiruvaymoli, making the essence of the four Vedas understandable to us. "The supreme divine state, the true state of the soul, the proper path, the obstacles, the accumulated karma, and the life itself." What is the nature of the Lord? The Lord is very supreme, of excellent qualities. He is also very simple. He has the entire world as his body. "He pervades everywhere, hidden like the soul within the body." Despite all this, the most important symbol of the Lord is that he is the husband of Mahalakshmi. Without the Divine Mother, he has no value. Therefore, "Suvaiyan, Thiruvinmanaalan, Agalagillen iraiyum endru Alar mel Mangai uraimarppar." Thus, he showed the Lord.
He shows the true state of the soul, the soul. Nammalvar says that this soul is a servant of the Lord. To be more precise, it is a servant of the servants of the Lord, and a servant of the servants of the servants of the Lord. He has written seven levels of servitude: "Adiyar endra vaiyam undu, aalila enna vasam seiyum padiyadhu, mel kuzhavippadi enthai piraan thanakku adiyar ennikkonge, adiyar adiyar tham adiyar, thamakku adiyar, adiyar tham adiyar adiyongale." He has written seven levels of servitude. Servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord. This is the nature of the soul. Why should these seven levels of servitude be mentioned? Is there any significance to the number seven? Why mention seven servants? Perhaps it could have been said seven times, eight times, or rounded off. Why should Nammalvar use the number seven?
They asked Nammalvar, "Servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant, they asked." What is the significance of that seven? Nammalvar said, "There is only space for seven servants in the song. So, I stopped there. If there were more space, I would have continued adding servants." The servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord. This is the form of the soul that was revealed.
After that, "the proper path." "To reach the Lord, what is the way?" Nammalvar said, "Don't struggle too much. The Lord himself is the way. Fall directly at his feet." "Agalagillen iraiyum endru Alar mel Mangai uraimarppar, Nigaril pugazhai ulagam munrudaiyai ennai azhvaane, Nigara amarar munikkanangal virumbum Thiruvengadathane, Pugazh ondrilla adiyen un adikkeezh amarnthu pugundhen unakke naan saranagadhin." It is enough to fall at his feet. He is the way to reach him. There is no other way to reach the Lord. If you want to go from Salem to Madurai, you can go by flight, car, train, bus, or even by two-wheeler. But to reach the Lord's feet, you can only reach it through the Lord's feet, not through anything else. This was shown.
Fourth, "obstacles and accumulated karma." "Why have we not reached the Lord all these days? What is the obstacle?" It is our ego, possessiveness, "I," "mine." We hold onto these. We must let them go. "Neer numadhu endrivai ver mudhal maithu irai sermin uyir kadhan ner niraileye vidu min mutravum vidu seidhu ummuyir vidudaiyan idai vidu seivine." Similarly, "You think others will protect you. Though it is a contradiction, I will say it, listen. I give this to no one but my tongue's sweet song. The Lord of Thiruvengadam, where bees hum, is my Lord, my Father, my great Lord, along with me." Thus, he sang.
Finally, "life itself." "What is our goal in life?" It is to reach the Lord and serve him. What will we do in Vaikuntha? We want to attain liberation. You say you want to attain liberation, but what will you do there? We will serve there. "Ozhivil kaalamellam udanaai manni vazhuvilaa adimai seiyya vendum naam." This is the essence of all Vedas. Thus, Narayanan, the husband of the Divine Mother, is great. He is the servant of his servants. Falling at his feet is the way to reach him. Due to our past karma, ego, possessiveness, and connection to other deities, we have been separated. Now, if we fall at his feet and grasp him through the Acharya, we will go to Vaikuntha and serve. The fourth Acharya, who sang the essence of all Vedas, is Nammalvar, who bestowed four Prabhandams. The Acharyas lovingly say that Nammalvar is the four-faced one of the Tamil Vedas. Brahma propagated the Sanskrit Vedas; he had four faces. Nammalvar propagated the Tamil Vedas; did he also have four faces? In no temple do we see Nammalvar with four faces. Look at Thiruvaymoli: he has four faces – his own face, the mother's face, the beloved's face, and the friend's face. Because he sings in his own state, he sings in the mode of the hero, like a beloved. He sings as the mother of the beloved and as the friend of the beloved. He gave the Tamil Vedas as a four-faced being, with his own face, the mother's face, the friend's face, and the beloved's face.
Not only this, but who is Nammalvar? Our Acharyas lovingly say that he is an incarnation of Vishvaksena, or that the Lord himself came as Nammalvar. Because Nammalvar's parents, Kari Maaran and Udaya Nangai, asked the Lord of Thirukkurungudi for a child like him. The Lord said, "Where will I find someone like me? There is no one equal to me. I myself will be born as your son." The Lord came and was born as Vamana Murti in the first caste, the Brahmin caste, in the first Yuga, Krta Yuga. In the second Yuga, Treta Yuga, he was born as Rama in the second caste, the royal caste. In the third Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, he appeared as Krishna in the third caste, the cowherd caste. In the fourth Yuga, Kali Yuga, he incarnated as Nammalvar in the fourth Varna. Thus, showing that he is born in all castes and that everyone is equal to him, the Lord incarnated as Nammalvar in the fourth Varna. He is our fourth Acharya.
Now, Nammalvar gave instructions in Tamil, and we saw if we would reform by listening. We let the verses of Nammalvar fly away in the wind. After the time of the Alvars, these verses became obsolete and were not propagated. Therefore, another Acharya was needed. The Lord, with great compassion, sent the Nitya Suri named Gajanan to Earth. He appeared as the great Mahatma named Nathamuni about 1200 years ago in Kattumannarkoil. Where is that Nathamuni?
The town is Thirukudanthai, where the Lord Aaraamuthaazhvaan, Saragabaani Perumaal, our town's Lord, resides. Ten verses about Him begin with "Aaraamudhe, adiyen udalam ninpaal anbaaye..." (Oh Aaraamudhe, my body is filled with love for you...). The devotees heard these ten verses, which are part of the "Aayirathul Ippathum" (These ten out of a thousand). When asked if the remaining 990 could be found, they replied, "We don't know. Go and ask in Alwar Thirunagari, where Nammalvar was born. Even there, they might not know these ten." This illustrates the saying, "The greatness of a scholar is not known in his hometown." It is said that even in his hometown, Nammalvar's ten verses were not widely known.
However, Nathamunigal met a great person named Parankusha Dasar, who followed the path of Madhurakavi Alvar. He said, "Our elder, Madhurakavi, composed ten verses about Nammalvar called 'Kanninul Siruthambu' (A small rope within the eyes). If you chant this 'Kanninul Siruthambu' 12,000 times, Nammalvar himself will appear before you. You can receive the verses from him." Nathamunigal then received the teaching of 'Kanninul Siruthambu' from Parankusha Dasar and went to the tamarind tree in Alwar Thirunagari.
Parankusha Dasar asked, "How will you count 12,000? How will you keep count?" He questioned, "Why are you going around saying you'll say it 12,000 times? Even for a Gayatri mantra, 108 or 1008 is a lot. Counting 108 is difficult for us. How will you count 'Kanninul Siruthambu' 12,000 times?"
Nathamunigal replied, "Why should I count? If Nammalvar appears before me, it means 12,000 is complete. We need that faith." Nathamunigal, with that faith, recited 'Kanninul Siruthambu' 12,000 times under the tamarind tree. Nammalvar then appeared in yogic meditation, sent by Mahalakshmi. It was Mahalakshmi who sent Nammalvar, saying, "Go and impart the teaching to Nathamunigal." Nammalvar's grace was received by Nathamunigal.
Nathamunigal then received the thousand verses of Thiruvaimozhi, given by Nammalvar. In total, Nammalvar gave 4,000 verses. Nathamunigal also imparted all 4,000 verses of the Alvars. Before that, Nammalvar himself performed Pancha Samskaram for Nathamunigal, initiated him into secret mantras, and made him the fifth Acharya in our tradition, bestowing upon him the 4,000 verses. Therefore, Nathamunigal is our fifth Acharya.
Next, the sixth Acharya is Uyyakondar, who was Nathamunigal's disciple. His actual name was Thamarai Kannan. Uyyakondar was a given name because Nathamunigal called this disciple and said, "I have two great treasures. One is Yoga, Bhakti Yoga. Generally, when we think of Yoga, we consider physical health, or at most, the soul experiencing itself without suffering, and being free from desires. That is the goal of Yoga." Nathamunigal did not mean it that way. This Yoga is meant for meditating on the Lord, engaging in Bhakti Yoga to reach Vaikunta. Nathamunigal, like Nammalvar, believed that there is a direct path called Saranagati (surrender). Then, why Bhakti Yoga? It is for the surrendered soul to engage in that Yoga for the Lord's joy and for the soul to experience the Lord until it reaches salvation. That is a separate discussion and should not be brought up here.
Now, Nathamunigal asked Uyyakondar, "I also know the method of continuously meditating on the Lord, which is Bhakti Yoga. That is a great treasure. If we engage in Bhakti Yoga, the Lord will appear before us, and we can enjoy Him fully. That is one aspect. On the other hand, there is another treasure: the verses of the Alvars and the path of Saranagati. Which of these two do you want?"
Uyyakondar replied, "Please teach me the verses of the Alvars and the path of Saranagati. I do not want Yoga." Nathamunigal asked, "Why not Yoga?"
Then Uyyakondar said, "If a corpse is lying there, will anyone get married and be happy? Similarly, when the souls are lying like corpses in ignorance, almost like spiritual death, is it fair for me alone to enjoy the Lord through Yoga and be happy?" He continued, "Therefore, Yoga is for one person to enjoy the Lord alone. The verses of the Alvars and Saranagati are for a group of devotees to go and reach the Lord's feet. Hence, I do not want that Yoga. One person studying alone is Yoga. Studying as a group is the path of Alvar verses and Saranagati. I will take this path." He then asked, "Did you save us?"
Nathamunigal asked, "Did you come to save us, to elevate us?" That is why he was named Uyyakondar, meaning "one who gave salvation." It has been about forty-five minutes. We still have about fifteen minutes left. We had planned for forty-five minutes. Let's get to the point. Thus, he was named Uyyakondar. He is the sixth Acharya.
Who is the seventh Acharya? It is Manakkal Nambi, who was Uyyakondar's disciple. He is the grandson of Nathamunigal, Alavandar, who was living a royal life of luxury. Now, Uyyakondar's task for Manakkal Nambi was to bring Alavandar back to the tradition and make him an Acharya. However, Manakkal Nambi was just an ordinary, poor Brahmin, and Alavandar was a king. How could he meet the king? How could he convey all these matters?
Therefore, Manakkal Nambi decided to use a messenger. The herb "Thuthuvalai Keerai" (a type of spinach) was the right tool, as its name itself means "messenger." So, he would go to Alavandar's palace kitchen daily and cook Thuthuvalai Keerai to offer it. Alavandar would eat the Thuthuvalai Keerai prepared by him. Manakkal Nambi hoped that Alavandar would eventually inquire, "This Thuthuvalai Keerai is very delicious and I like it very much. Who has been bringing it daily?" With this hope, he kept offering it. Alavandar kept eating without inquiring. Manakkal Nambi became very frustrated and decided not to offer it anymore.
That day, Thuthuvalai was not in the food. Alavandar asked, "Yesterday, you were cooking Thuthuvalai. Why not today?" They replied, "No, some Brahmin used to bring it, and we cooked it. He did not come today." Alavandar said, "Oh, someone has been bringing it for me daily. If he comes next time, tell him to see me."
After some time, Manakkal Nambi thought, "Let me try again." He went with Thuthuvalai. He was directly brought before Alavandar. Manakkal Nambi explained everything to Alavandar. Then Alavandar asked, "For what reason have you come to see me?" Manakkal Nambi replied, "Your grandfather, Nathamunigal, has left a great treasure for you. I have come to give it to you. If you want to know what that treasure is, you must allow me to meet you whenever I wish."
After that, Manakkal Nambi began to impart the Bhagavad Gita to Alavandar, one chapter per day. Once the Gita teaching was complete, Manakkal Nambi told Alavandar, "I told you about the treasure your grandfather left. Come, I will show you." He directly took him to the great temple in Srirangam. Perumal was lying down. "This Perumal is the treasure your grandfather Nathamunigal left for you. Serve this Perumal." He said, "We have a Lord in our town, don't we? He is our treasure." Swami Desikan says, "Asti me hasti shailaagrey vastu paithamakam dhanam" (I have a treasure on the top of the hill, a paternal wealth). The wealth left by our parents and ancestors is our town's Perumal, our family Perumal. He is the treasure.
Showing this, Alavandar became an Acharya of the tradition. So, Alavandar is the eighth Acharya. Perumal is one, Thayyar is two, Vishwaksenar is three, Nammalvar is four, Nathamunigal is five, Uyyakondar is six, Manakkal Nambi is seven, and Alavandar is the eighth Acharya.
Alavandar's greatest service was that he was the first to refute the philosophy of Mayavada in his work, Chithramaya. This is because, during that time, many people were influenced by it, believing that the world is an illusion, everything is false, and knowing this is enough. This philosophy was very prevalent during Alavandar's time. He was the first to condemn it. Not only that, but he also desired that another Acharya should emerge after him in this tradition. He was looking for a person who could embody the spirit of an era and establish this tradition.
When Alavandar visited Kanchipuram, he saw a young man named Ilaiyazhwar in the group of Yadava Prakasar. He was tall, with a reddish-brown complexion, and had arms that reached his knees. He had a strong, well-built physique. Yadava Prakasar was in the fort. Alavandar saw such a young man. At that time, his name was Ilaiyazhwar. Who was he? Ramanujar. He was tall, reddish-brown, strong, and had arms reaching his knees. Alavandar saw him. "This is the first one. This is the person of the era. He is the one who will protect this world. He is the one who will guide everyone as the first." Alavandar saw Ramanujar with his eyes. Today, the world looks up to the 216-foot statue of Ramanujar, the Statue of Equality. What is the reason for Ramanujar reaching such a height? It is the grace of that Acharya's gaze.
"Aam, the first one is he." Alavandar's gaze. Because the Acharya's gaze is so valuable. Swami Desikan states in the Subhashita Niti: "Ekai'va gurudrushtir labhedyatu ashtabhir sakhsrena" (One glance from the Acharya is worth more than the eight eyes of Brahma, three eyes of Paramashiva, and a thousand eyes of Narayana, totaling 1011 eyes). Alavandar's gaze.
After that, Alavandar's disciple was the ninth Acharya, Periya Nambi. It was Periya Nambi who performed Pancha Samskaram for Ramanujar and brought him into the tradition. This is because Alavandar attained Vaikunta before Ramanujar arrived in Srirangam. Therefore, he appointed Periya Nambi. Alavandar had appointed Periya Nambi to perform Pancha Samskaram for Ramanujar in Madurantakam. This is an interesting incident. Ramanujar was going from Kanchipuram to Srirangam, searching for Periya Nambi. Periya Nambi was going from Srirangam to Kanchipuram, searching for Ramanujar. They met on the way in Madurantakam. Immediately, Ramanujar said, "Perform Pancha Samskaram here. We can't go to Kanchi or Srirangam." Why perform it on the way? Because one should not delay seeking the Acharya's feet by looking for auspicious days and times. Otherwise, the desire might fade. Therefore, as soon as one meets the Acharya, one should seek refuge. Pancha Samskaram was performed there. Thus, Periya Nambi is the ninth Acharya.
The tenth Acharya is the central gem in the necklace of our Guru Parampara. It is through this Acharya that the previous Acharyas gained greatness, and the subsequent Acharyas also gained greatness. It is now 1:25, so let's conclude by explaining his greatness. The tenth Acharya, the central gem, is Ramanujar. Ramanujar, as the disciple of Periya Nambi, now...
See how this Guru Parampara has come about. Nathamunigal once said, "If rain falls in a hoof print, a sparrow drinks it. If rain falls in Veeranam, the whole land flourishes." A hoof print is the indentation made by a cow's hoof. If rainwater collects there, only a sparrow can drink it. If rain falls in Veeranam, the whole land will flourish. Nathamunigal kept saying this. He also told Uyyakondar. When asked for the meaning, Uyyakondar told Manakkal Nambi. When asked for the meaning, Manakkal Nambi told Alavandar. When asked for the meaning, Alavandar told Periya Nambi. When asked for the meaning, Periya Nambi told Ramanujar, "If rain falls in a hoof print, a sparrow drinks it. If rain falls in Veeranam, the whole land flourishes." Ramanujar understood the meaning.
What is that meaning? This was something Nathamunigal had said earlier. The Acharyas before Ramanujar are like hoof prints. If they have a certain meaning, it is like a sparrow drinking it, meaning only one or two disciples benefit from that meaning. But Ramanujar is like the Veeranam lake. If that meaning reaches Ramanujar, it will benefit everyone. Ramanujar understood this.
How is this Guru Parampara? Let's count. Lakshmi Natha Samaramdham, Sadari Jaladha Praapkaarunya Neelam, Naathaaram Abiyanjath Thanu Raghuvaraam Bhoja Chakshuraam, Kadvaathaam Yaamunaakkiyam Saritham Padhmakarendram, Sambhooriya Praanisyey Pravagathi Satham Theshikendra Pramokhi. This Guru Parampara is like this: Narayana is a great ocean. Nammalvar is a cloud that collected the grace from that ocean of Narayana. Nathamunigal is a mountain upon which that cloud rained. Nathamunigal, the mountain, absorbed that rainwater and divided it into two streams. One stream is Uyyakondar, and the other is Manakkal Nambi. Both streams merged into the river called Alavandar. That river Alavandar divided into five branches: Periya Nambi, Thirumalai Nambi, Thirkkottiyur Nambi, Thirumalai Andan, and Alvar Thiruvengada Arayar. These five Acharyas. Periya Nambi performed Pancha Samskaram. Thirumalai Nambi taught the Ramayana. Thirkkottiyur Nambi taught the meaning of the secret mantras (actually, Periya Nambi did all that). Thirkkottiyur Nambi taught the meaning of the secret mantras. Thirumalai Andan taught Thiruvaimozhi. Alvar Thiruvengada Arayar taught the other Alvar verses. These five rivers merged into the Veeranam lake, which is Ramanujar.
Now, Ramanujar actually went and saw the Veeranam lake. They had divided the water into 74 channels for irrigation and cultivation. Ramanujar understood. He realized that the Veeranam lake should also be divided into 74 channels. Ramanujar appointed 74 Simhasanadhipathis (throne holders). Through them, this tradition should flourish. The water coming from Perumal, collected by the cloud called Nammalvar, rained on the mountain of Nathamunigal, became two streams, then the river Alavandar, then five branches, then the Veeranam lake of Ramanujar, and Ramanujar appointed the Simhasanadhipathis. Thus, the tradition flows through each Acharya. Now, the water coming from those branches, canals, and drains... what is that water? It is the grace of the Lord.
So, what do we think? This is our Acharya. Our Acharya is... No, not at all. The grace received from that Acharya is the grace coming from Perumal, as in "Lakshmi Natha Samaramdham." It is received through our Acharya. This should happen generation after generation. It should be a tradition. Emperumanar appointed them. To further this, there should always be variety. That is why, in the tradition of Emperumanar, after Ramanujar, there are Embar, Bhattan, Nanjiyar, Nam Pillai, Vadakku Thiruthi Pillai, Vellaloka Acharyar, Thiruvaimozhi Pillai, Manavala Mamunigal, and so on, in one line. In another line, Pillai, Engal Alvar, Nadathur Ammal, Appullar, Swami Vedanta Desikan, and so on. Even though there are many, many Acharyas through these paths, the common identity for all is "Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan" (I am a servant of Ramanuja). There is no disagreement among them. "Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan" is the identity for all.
So, we are all Ramanuja Dasans. Now, the point is, can we directly reach Perumal's feet? We cannot. We know our level. So, what do we do? First, we hold onto our Acharya's feet. Our Acharya holds onto his Acharya's feet. He holds onto his Acharya's feet. Through generations, they all reach Ramanujar's feet. Ramanujar reaches Nammalvar's feet. Nammalvar, through Piratti, reaches Perumal's feet. From there, Perumal bestows grace.
If one touches the switchboard, everyone connected to it will get a shock. Similarly, our Alvar stands at Perumal's feet. Through the Guru Parampara, all of us who are connected will continuously receive the shock of grace. However, touching the plug point directly is dangerous. It is better to go through the Acharya's brain. That is why Pillai Lokacharya achieved it. If you surrender directly to Perumal, He might push you away, like holding your hand and then letting go. But if you approach Perumal through the Acharya, it is like holding his feet and asking for help, and He will not let go. Therefore, the Acharya is Perumal's feet. Why should we say the Acharya is different from Perumal? The sleeping Perumal came as the walking Perumal. He is the Acharya. The Perumal who took the weapon of Shastras came with the Shastras in His hand. He is the Acharya. Therefore, we should never say the Acharya is different from Perumal. Perumal is the Acharya, and the Acharya is Perumal.
So, that grace has come to us through our current Acharya. Then, who is important to us? Our Acharya is first. Because if we didn't have our Acharya, we wouldn't have the connection to all these great souls. What is Guru Parampara? Generally, we think of Ramanujar, Manavala Mamunigal, Pillai Lokacharya, Desikan, Nathamunigal at that level. No, our Acharya is first. It is through our Acharya that we connect to other Acharyas.
Think about it. We wear a necklace. There might be many precious gems on it. To connect them, there is a small hook. We might think the gems are valuable and the hook is useless. Not at all. Without that hook, all the gems would scatter. That hook provides the connection. Similarly, our Acharya is the most important. He is the one who gave us this connection.
Consider this: a worm was on the peak of a mountain. It had to reach the peak of that mountain. Even if it crawled its whole life, it couldn't reach it. Nearby, a lion was waiting to jump from one peak to another. Although there was a deep valley below, the lion would jump. The worm moved slightly and clung to the lion's foot. When the lion jumped from this peak to that peak, the worm clinging to its foot also jumped. This peak is the worldly life, and that peak is Vaikunta. Ramanujar is the lion, and we are the worm. We cannot go to Vaikunta by our own effort. But if we cling to the lion's foot, saying "Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan," "Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan," because He is the "Kalimikkachennal Kalani Kuraiyal Kalai Perumaan Oli Mikka Paadalai Undu Than Ullam Thadithu Adhanaal Vali Mikka Siyam Ramanujan" (meaning Ramanujar, the lion, who, by listening to the songs of the fields, strengthened his heart). In Tamil, "Siyam" means lion. Ramanujar is called a lion. That "Siyam" is respectfully called "Siyar," and later became "Jiyar." The great souls in the lineage of Emperumanar are still called "Jiyar," "Jiyar," see? It came from "Siyam." So, that "Siyam" is different. The "Siyam" I mentioned is the lion. Therefore, no matter what, Emperumanar is our "Siyam" and "Piyam" (meaning everything). Let's consider Ramanujar as everything.
So, we cling to the lion's feet. Ramanujar will take us to Vaikunta. The subsequent Acharyas who came after him are all glorious. It is important to remember that our Acharya is our first. That Acharya is the one who gave us the connection to all these great souls. Think about it. We are wearing a necklace. There are many precious gems on it. To connect them, there is a small hook. We might think the gems are valuable and the hook is useless. Not at all. Without that hook, all the gems would scatter. That hook provides the connection. Similarly, our Acharya is the most important. He is the one who gave us this connection.
So, we have received such a Guru Parampara. Let us sing the glories of the Acharyas. This is a good opportunity. In a place where many Acharyas come together, we have the fortune of singing the Acharya's glory. Those who speak of the Acharya's greatness will gain longevity, wealth, and knowledge. There is a verse in Rahasya Sara. Swami Desikan states: "Gurum prakashayeth deeman mantram yathanai kopayeth, prakasha prakashabhyam sampradhayushiman" (A wise person should reveal the Acharya, but keep the mantra secret. With both revelation and secrecy, one attains the tradition and longevity). Ramanujar also told the meaning of the mantra to the devotees, but he did not say the mantra aloud like that. The mantra should be kept secret within. But the Acharya who taught the mantra, his glory should be spoken of clearly, "Gurum prakashasim." There should be no shame or hesitation. It will not be a sin. One will gain wealth, longevity, and knowledge by speaking of the Acharya's glory. Swami Desikan also states a line: "In the world, you see, those who live long, with great knowledge and wealth, are those who speak well of the Acharya's glory. Those who have less are those who have not honored the Acharya properly." Therefore, let us honor the Acharyas. Let us bless them, saying "Vaazhi Vaazhi" (Long live, long live). To bless them, this kind of gathering, this kind of conference, especially in Salem, where the people are learning how to honor the Acharya. They built a monument for Ramanujar for his thousandth year, honoring the Acharya. Those devotees' work, "Vaazhi Vaazhi," let us bless them.
"Vaazhi Alvars, Vaazhi Arulichcheyal, Vaazhi Thazhvathu Kuravar Thaaam Vaazhi, Ezhbaarum Uyyavargal Uraithavai Thaaam Vaazhi, Seyyamarai Thannudane Serndhu Solli Vaayppalithamaikku Nandri Koori Ithodu Niraivu Seigiren. Nandri Vanakkam."
(Long live the Alvars, long live their divine words, long live the elders, long live what they said for the salvation of the world, long live. Having been given the opportunity to speak along with the sacred Vedas, I offer my thanks and conclude here. Thank you, greetings.)