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The Divine Disciple

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sadagopan iyengar • August 22, 2002 


             Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika
Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama:

                     The   Divine   Disciple

              Shastras speak volumes about the Lord
being our Prime Preceptor. He is our first and
foremost Acharya, and is at the head of the
Guruparampara (“LakshmInAtha samArambhAm”).”Peetaka
Adai PirAnAr pirama guru Agi vandu” says Sri
Periazwar, acknowledging EmperumanÂ’s invaluable
contribution as an Acharya. He also takes birth in
this mundane world, and guides mortals out of the
morass of sin and ignorance, with the light of
Scriptural knowledge.
”SAkshAth NarayanO dEva: kritva martyamayeem tanoom
  magnAn uddharatE lOkAn kAruNyAt shAstra pANinA”.
Thus the role of the Lord as an Acharya par excellence
is well known. 
  What adiyen would like to mention in this piece is
about the few roles He has played as a disciple.
Normally, a person in authority, used to commanding
others, does not make a good disciple, for he knows
not how to obey his Master. What is the record of the
Lord in this regard?

In Sri Ramavatara, the Lord takes on the character of
an ideal human being, and all the roles He plays (that
of obedient son, faithful and protective husband,
loving brother, a King whose sole care was His
subjectsÂ’ welfare, etc.) set out models of how human
relationships should be. Therefore it is no surprise
that when it comes to being a disciple, He excels
there too. 
    Though a person might have several Acharyas, his
father is the first Acharya, by virtue of
“BrahmOpadEsam” or upadEsa of the Gayatri mantra at
the time of his upanayanam. To Sri Rama too, Sri
Dasarata must have been his Prime Acharya. And Sri
RamaÂ’s obedience to His first Acharya is legendary.
All of us are fond of expecting implicit obedience
from our children: Alas, most of us never have a taste
of it. In Sri DasarataÂ’s case, however, Sri Rama was
all that he could have expected in a son, and much
more too. Sri Rama never waited for His AcharyaÂ’s
spoken command, but used to read His fatherÂ’s wishes
from the minutest of gestures, and carry them out
instantly (“Pitru sushrooshaNE rata:”).
   Sri RaghavaÂ’s unresisting departure to the forest
for a long sojourn of 14 years, especially on the eve
of His coronation, is a case in point. The moment He
is given this news of Sri DasarataÂ’s wish by KaikEyi,
He immediately makes arrangements for leaving Ayodhya,
without even verifying independently whether His
father had indeed wished so. In fact, He remonstrates
with KaikEyi for saying “Your father wants this”. 
Addressing Kaikeyi, Sri Rama continues,” Would I not
carry out Your wishes? Do you have to say that father
said this? I am indeed pained at your lack of
confidence in me. After all, who is inheriting the
mantle? It is my beloved Bharata.”(In the immortal
words of KambanAttAzhwan,”Mannavan paNi endrAgil num
paNi maruppEnO? ILayanan petra selvam adiyEn petradu
andrO?”). Confirming Sri RaghuveerA’s unprotesting
adherence to His AcharyaÂ’s wishes, Sri Valmiki says
“Pitur vachana nirdEsAt na icchat rAjyam mahAbala:”

 Prior to this too, Sri Rama displays endearing
qualities of the Model Disciple. Despite His station
in life, that of the Heir apparent to Sri DasarataÂ’s
vast empire, Sri Rama is all humility and obedience
when it comes to interacting with Acharyas. With all
meekness, He puts not only Himself but his brother too
completely at the disposal of Sri Visvamitra, with
whom He is sent for YAga SamrakshaNam. Sri
Chakravartthi Tirumagan says “imou sma muni shArdoola
kinkarou samupastthitou”. The word “Kinkarou” speaks
volumes, for Sri Rama puts Himself at the beck and
call of Sri Visvamitra, much in the fashion of a lowly
servant. This act is magnificent indeed, considering
that the speaker is none other than the Paramapurusha,
on whom the entire Universe depends for its
subsistence. A moving display of Acharya bhakti
indeed!

            We turn next to the KrishnAvatAra, to
scrutinise the LordÂ’s attitude towards His Gurus.
Nobody would expect in Sri Krishna the model conduct
we see in Sri Rama. In fact, some of the sobriquets He
earned during the KrishnAvatAra are indeed
unflattering-“Dharumam ariyA kurumban”, “Puram pOl
uLLum kariyAn”etc.

 However, we are surprised to see that whatever be His
attitude towards others, Sri Krishna displays a
perfectly obedient demeanour towards His Acharya. He
spends several years in the Gurukula of Acharya
Sandeepini, learning the Vedas. This looks
paradoxical, for the Lord is verily the essence of all
Vedic knowledge, as He Himself declares to Arjuna
later (“Vedaischa sarvam ahamEva vEdya:”). Thus the
Ultimate undergoes instruction at the feet of an
Acharya, perhaps indicating to us mortals how
knowledge should be acquired.
 And at the end of the period of instruction, it is
customary to offer the Acharya Guru dakshina, as a
token of oneÂ’s gratitude for the wisdom imparted.
“Token” is the operative word, for, even the Lord
would not be able to adequately recompense the Acharya
for his immeasurable contribution (“Etri ezhil
viLakkai manatthu…………oru kaimmAru Mayanum kANagillAn”
says Swami Desikan).
 Sri Krishna too offers plentiful wealth to His Guru
at the end of His studies. However, the Acharya is
unsatisfied with the bounty offered, but requires his
son, long dead and gone, swallowed by the ocean, to be
brought back to life. A tall order indeed, for who can
rejuvenate the departed? Further, even if it is
possible, would it not be against the laws of Nature
for the dead to be brought back to life?

Here, Sri Krishna, torn between preserving the balance
of nature and satisfying His GuruÂ’s wishes, chooses
the latter, in a scintillating display of Acharya
bhakti. For, doesn’t the Upanishad say “AchAryAya
priyam dhanam Ahritya” (Give unto the Acharya what is
dear to his heart)?
 
Hence, obediently, the Lord brings back the Acharya
putra and is thrilled at the AcharyaÂ’s delight.
 It is said that only he can command, who knows how to
obey. Thus every Acharya should have been an obedient
disciple, if he were to command respect later as an
Acharya. Perhaps it is to emphasize this concept that
the Lord, whenever the circumstances warrant, displays
the qualities of the Dutiful Disciple.
 Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka
SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya
Nama:
Dasan, sadagopan.




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