Acharya Devo Bhava ……………….

Swamy Nampillai was the disciple of Sri Nanjeeyar and the acharya of Sri Vadakku Thiruveethipillai and Sri Periyavaccan Pillai. Once , Swamy Nampillai  went to Thiruvellarai for Lord Pundarikakshan darshanam  .

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Swamy along with his disciples were returning  to  Srirangam .

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It was raining heavily past few days . Once they reached  river Kaveri , they were shocked to see the flow of the river.  The  uprooted  trees  and  the fury of the floods created confusion  in the disciples mind .

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To cross the river they had to board into  a strong boat but  were worried about the  dangerous water flow .   It was getting darker and the disciples were perplexed  .  They managed to get a small boat   quickly for crossing the small stretch of the river .

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Swamy Nampillai  also joined the disciples  and was contemplating on Lord’s  kalyana gunas mentally . They boarded the small boat and the moment they came at the middle of the river ,the scene changed .  Suddenly there were dark clouds all of  all over .They were confused which direction the boat should be navigated.

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. The small boat due to the torrent breeze was shaking terribly .Due to the excess weight of the crew  the boat was about to sink.  The boat man  with the sudden turn of events , screamed loudly  , holy sires !!  the boat would  sink  due to its weight.

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..Please .. can some of you jump out from the boat   so that our revered seer Swami Nampillai can be safely taken to srirangam  .

No one took a chance to speak due to the fear of drowning .  A  religious old woman  also a disciple of Swamy Nampillai got up and submitted ,

my dear son… …………………………………

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Please ensure our  Acharyar  Swami nampillai  our very life of humanity reaches srirangam safely ,saying this she jumps into the river ..

.Due to this act the boats weight reduces and  manages to reach  the shore .

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Swamy Nampillai became very distressed for the sudden happenings . The sacrifice of the old woman touched him deeply and he was at loss of words for her . He was lamenting  and moaning  internally about her loss . All of a sudden he heard the old woman’s voice..

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  Oh ! My respected Acharyaa , I am alive and  safe very near to the bank .Please do not lament about my act .

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Swamy Nampillai  immediately advised the boatman to go and fetch  his disciple who was  waiting on a sandy mold very near to the shore .She returned back in the boat and prostrated at the lotus feet of Swamy Nampillai .  As she was not aware of any other protector  except her Acharyar  Swamy Nampillai  , she  submitted …………..

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Oh swamy….  I suppose that you have appeared  there in the river bed as a huge sandy mound in order to save me from the grave danger . 

Swamy Nampillai replied ,If that is your strong faith I have nothing to say .

.Let it be so ….

If a man wishes sincerely to save his Acharyar by sacrificing his body , wealth and life , he will be saved by LORD SRIMANNARAYANA himself ……………………..

Acharya Devo Bhava ………….

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

Pics courtesy : Google images

Association with elders, scholars and pious people will result in brahmanubhava. The Parrot’s story………….

At Tirumala,  Ananthalvan,  disciples were  planning to return to their native place in view of rainy season as per gurukulam curriculum. 

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Swamy Anathazhwan blessed them  and  spoke to them about the need for Satsanga.

As their Acharya , he hinted them about satsangha .

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He said , Evil company takes you away from  Satsanga, as explained by the sruthi” sada pasyanti will produce the experience of Para Brahman.

Evil company will produce disaster .

One disciple was eager to know

How that would be possible ?

Ananthazhvan gave the disciples a small pep talk.

Swamy  quoted the story of Saunaka and other sages.

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Once , due to unexpected rains ,the ascetics  who were on a pilgrimage had to spend a rainy night  amidst  a forest in  a hunters  hamlet.

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The hunters were away from the place. A parrot who was on a branch , spoke to them  harshly thus  insulting  the seven ascetics .

The Parrot questioned   how they  could dare to enter the hamlet when there was nobody in. The parrot admonished them and asked them to get out. 

The repeated abuses made the saints  leave  the hamlet and  due to rain  they took shelter under a banyan tree.

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The parrot followed them and again insulted them asking them to leave that  place too .

 It called them by name and abused them as thieves….

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Unable to bear the insult, the seven mystics walked at dead of night in the rain and reached the hermitage of another Rishi. Here too , the hamlet was without any one inside . 

The Rishis had gone out for a bath, since it was about to dawn.

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 Here they  could hear another parrot with a pleasing voice .

The parrot spoke to them with kindness  and inquired about  their welfare. It directed  them to have  fruits, sacred water and place to rest comfortably,

It also received them with Vedic honours by chanting the Vedic hymns .

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 Amazed with the brought up of the Parrot by the saints , Saunaka told the parrot about their miserable experience at the hunter’s hamlet  last night in comparison to the   treatment  given just now . 

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They  wondered how two parrots belonging to the same kind, behaved in a totally diametrical fashion. The parrot told him that both were born to the same parents.

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But some how , I grew among these revered saints and my brother preferred to stay with the hunters . The parrot brought up by the Rishis knew how to receive guests and was always listening to the Vedas and Upanisads and the debates about their inner meaning. The parrot in  the hunter’s hamlet knew only about killing, dividing and eating.

It is the association that cultivates the good or bad qualities in the character.

Saunaka was supremely happy and blessed the Parrot. Ananthazhvan narrated  the story from the Upanisads to  know  the need for  Satsanga.

Association with elders, scholars and pious people will result in brahmanubhava.

It is Satsangha that we should aspire for in our life.

The disciples took his word as gospel and pledged to abide by his command.

Adiyen Ramanuja dasan

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Pictures : Courtesy Google images uploaded by several devotees in social media

Videos :  Thanks to SVBC