Post by saidevo on Sept 26, 2012 10:12:58 GMT 5.5
Pages 142-145
Gurunathan's greatness is to get into any state by just the thought of it. Even then, to a large extent he always takes delight in showing himself in the normal state with human qualities, away from those amAnushya (superhuman) states. He partakes this drama wonderfully because he can effortlessly throw away his apAra shaktis (boundless powers). If the worldly people are to have faith on themselves (for spiritual progress), the Acharyan should also be like them and guide them. If the Acharyan always stays in the amAnushya state so that the others think 'we cannot reach such a state', then how can the disciples get the self confidence that they too can progress? Of all the prasAdams our SriCharaNar gives to his disciples, the most significant is this self confidence that he creates in them by showing himself as one of them and still be able to reach the Turiya state. We can thus say that he takes up the states of niSTai[/] (meditation) and samAdhi in which he seems to have severed all external sensations--which is what Turiyam is as we have understood it--, only to show the people that a person who is like them can reach the state of Turiya and this gives them faith and confidence (in their own abilities).
As he comes out of his niSTai, our Gurunathan would do shravaNa (give ear to) of the Panchangam. In other words, that day's Panchanga details such as Tithi, Va(sa)ra, Yoga, Nakshatra, Karana would be read before him.
Then he would take bhASya pAtam (explanatory lectures) remaining the very 'original' Gurunathan to the pundit disciples who are trained in Veda and Vedanta. That is, he would explain the commentary given by Adi Sankara to Badarayana's Brahma Sutra. The same class would also be a sabha (assembly) for research in philosophy and Shastras. Above all, his svAnubhUti would flash and resolve even the most complicated puzzles in the text.
The vidvat shreSTas (best among the learned) too would speak admiringly about SriCharaNar's vyAkhyAna caturam (ingenuity of explanation).
It is said that some passages would confuse even the mahA vidvAns. They would all put their heads together, even debate with each other and express their differing conclusions. PeriyavargaL who encouraged all their discussions would later lay, "You people have seen the subject with all keenness. Something strikes me too. You think over and tell me if there is any room for making such a meaning out of it", and explain the thought that 'struck him' in clear Sanskrit.
Those pundita siMhas (lions among pundits) on hearing it would simply do AhAkAram (loud appreciation) of what they heard from him and do shASTaaN^ga namaskaram to SriCaraNaaL! And they would say with slithering tongue, "Only what Periyavaa says is the tAtparyam (real meaning). Bhagavat Pada himself has come as Periyavaa and clarified what he has written!"
(It is a scene of unique honour to witness PeriyavaaL surrounded by the vidvat ghoSTi (group of pundits). Is he not the one who showed in action the opinion of Bhagavat Pada that SriMaTham should remain as the ratnakoSa of Shastras? At Tirividaimarudur, when he did pratiSTA (installation) of Bhagavat Pada's sri pAdam (holy feet icons), he did ashtotra arcanA to it in a nUtana (novel) way using a hundred and eight shawls which he later gave in honour to the hundred and eight vidvat shreSTas who were invited for the occasion and took pleasure in doing so. The photography of our VidvanmaNi surrounded by them all would shoot a vidya rasmi (ray of light of knowledge) in our mind.
Gurunathar has taught the Shastric lessons to Sri Jayendra Saraswathi SwamigaL for many years with deep explanations and compassion. Sri Sankara Vijendra Saraswathi SwamigaL too is one who has received this bhAgyam. Apart from his, Gurunathan has also trained these two heirs with other pandita jAmbavats.
Readers might have seen the beautiful portraits (photographs) of the heirs taking lessons from the JnanaVaari (rain of knowledge). We present them here also as plates.
Following this, SriCharaNar would start giving darshan to the bhaktas. He would come and stand pouring coolness over the eyes that would be eagerly waiting with the thought 'eppo varuvAro, endRan kali teera? (when would he come, to mitigate my sufferings)'. Our Chandrasekharar would come and stand before the adiyArs (followers) as a moon that gracefully slipped from the full moon and touched the earthly world tenderly. The moonbeam will be there in his eyes, the moonbeam will be there in his handy gestures, the moonbeam will be there in his smile, and his speech. What will be there with the moon except moonlight? What will be there with Love except love?
Glossary:
nUtana - novel, recent, belonging to "now" or the present day, new, modern, young, fresh.
ratnakoSa - of a lexicon and various works
svAnubhUti - one's own experience, self-enjoyment
tAtparya - the real meaning, scope, or purport of a speech or work.
Gurunathan's greatness is to get into any state by just the thought of it. Even then, to a large extent he always takes delight in showing himself in the normal state with human qualities, away from those amAnushya (superhuman) states. He partakes this drama wonderfully because he can effortlessly throw away his apAra shaktis (boundless powers). If the worldly people are to have faith on themselves (for spiritual progress), the Acharyan should also be like them and guide them. If the Acharyan always stays in the amAnushya state so that the others think 'we cannot reach such a state', then how can the disciples get the self confidence that they too can progress? Of all the prasAdams our SriCharaNar gives to his disciples, the most significant is this self confidence that he creates in them by showing himself as one of them and still be able to reach the Turiya state. We can thus say that he takes up the states of niSTai[/] (meditation) and samAdhi in which he seems to have severed all external sensations--which is what Turiyam is as we have understood it--, only to show the people that a person who is like them can reach the state of Turiya and this gives them faith and confidence (in their own abilities).
As he comes out of his niSTai, our Gurunathan would do shravaNa (give ear to) of the Panchangam. In other words, that day's Panchanga details such as Tithi, Va(sa)ra, Yoga, Nakshatra, Karana would be read before him.
Then he would take bhASya pAtam (explanatory lectures) remaining the very 'original' Gurunathan to the pundit disciples who are trained in Veda and Vedanta. That is, he would explain the commentary given by Adi Sankara to Badarayana's Brahma Sutra. The same class would also be a sabha (assembly) for research in philosophy and Shastras. Above all, his svAnubhUti would flash and resolve even the most complicated puzzles in the text.
The vidvat shreSTas (best among the learned) too would speak admiringly about SriCharaNar's vyAkhyAna caturam (ingenuity of explanation).
It is said that some passages would confuse even the mahA vidvAns. They would all put their heads together, even debate with each other and express their differing conclusions. PeriyavargaL who encouraged all their discussions would later lay, "You people have seen the subject with all keenness. Something strikes me too. You think over and tell me if there is any room for making such a meaning out of it", and explain the thought that 'struck him' in clear Sanskrit.
Those pundita siMhas (lions among pundits) on hearing it would simply do AhAkAram (loud appreciation) of what they heard from him and do shASTaaN^ga namaskaram to SriCaraNaaL! And they would say with slithering tongue, "Only what Periyavaa says is the tAtparyam (real meaning). Bhagavat Pada himself has come as Periyavaa and clarified what he has written!"
(It is a scene of unique honour to witness PeriyavaaL surrounded by the vidvat ghoSTi (group of pundits). Is he not the one who showed in action the opinion of Bhagavat Pada that SriMaTham should remain as the ratnakoSa of Shastras? At Tirividaimarudur, when he did pratiSTA (installation) of Bhagavat Pada's sri pAdam (holy feet icons), he did ashtotra arcanA to it in a nUtana (novel) way using a hundred and eight shawls which he later gave in honour to the hundred and eight vidvat shreSTas who were invited for the occasion and took pleasure in doing so. The photography of our VidvanmaNi surrounded by them all would shoot a vidya rasmi (ray of light of knowledge) in our mind.
Gurunathar has taught the Shastric lessons to Sri Jayendra Saraswathi SwamigaL for many years with deep explanations and compassion. Sri Sankara Vijendra Saraswathi SwamigaL too is one who has received this bhAgyam. Apart from his, Gurunathan has also trained these two heirs with other pandita jAmbavats.
Readers might have seen the beautiful portraits (photographs) of the heirs taking lessons from the JnanaVaari (rain of knowledge). We present them here also as plates.
Following this, SriCharaNar would start giving darshan to the bhaktas. He would come and stand pouring coolness over the eyes that would be eagerly waiting with the thought 'eppo varuvAro, endRan kali teera? (when would he come, to mitigate my sufferings)'. Our Chandrasekharar would come and stand before the adiyArs (followers) as a moon that gracefully slipped from the full moon and touched the earthly world tenderly. The moonbeam will be there in his eyes, the moonbeam will be there in his handy gestures, the moonbeam will be there in his smile, and his speech. What will be there with the moon except moonlight? What will be there with Love except love?
Glossary:
nUtana - novel, recent, belonging to "now" or the present day, new, modern, young, fresh.
ratnakoSa - of a lexicon and various works
svAnubhUti - one's own experience, self-enjoyment
tAtparya - the real meaning, scope, or purport of a speech or work.