Acharyans  

H.H 45th Azghiya Singar of Ahobila Matam

The Greatness of Utthama AchAryans
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Let us celebrate on this occasion the importance of such MahAnubhAvAs in our life along the lines in which the ancient Vedams in general and Saama vedam in particular point out to us.

Rig Rk celebrating AchAryan
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One of the Rg rk states that the AchAryAs use the power of their Tapas and Jn~Anam to overcome all the handicaps and serve as chakravarthis for the human assembly :

utha svarAjO adhithirabhdhasya vrathasya mE
mahO rAjaana IsathE
--Rg Vedam: 8.12.4

(meaning): Those noble persons of blemishless character through their soul force and by the strict observance of the Lord's inviolate laws (SaasthrAs) become fit to rule over others (lead others) by their supremacy.

They have severe nishtai and through their power of intellect (mEdhA vilAsam) spread their benevolent Jn~Anam all over the world like the rays of the Sun.

AchAryAs' UpAsana and Kaimkaryams to the Lord
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The power of Jn~Anam of these austere learned persons is celebrated in the three VedAms by the following Veda Manthram:

kaNvA iva bhrugava: iva SooryA: iva
visvam id dhItam aasata , Indhram sthOmEbhir
mahayanta aayava: priyamEdhAsO asvaran

( UtharArchika Saaman : 1363, Rg Vedam: VIII.3.16
and Atharva Vedam:10.2,59.2).

This veda manthram points out that the Bhrugus and the descendants of the family of KaNva have attained the Supreme Being as the Sun pervades the Universe by his rays (Bhrugava: Bhrugu kula jAthA:, KaNva Kula jAthA: iva taTA Soorya: iva visvam id dhItam aasata).

This manthram also points out the tight relationship between these powerful AchAryAs and their SishyAs. It is not only these learned wise sages keep themselves busy in singing the praise of the Supreme being through Yaaga, yaj~na AarAdhanams and sthuthis but also their pious sishyAs keep themselves fully occupied with the eulogy of the Lord and the performance of sacred rituals to please their AchAryan and the Supreme being. The importance of Bhagavd AaarAdhanam and BhAgavatha AarAdhanam is hinted here.

AchAryA's unbroken kaimkaryam to the Lord
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These MahAnubhAvaas pray for the welfare of mankind and approach Him through reverentail thoughts, noble deeds and blemishless homage:

upa thvAgnE dhivE-dhivE dOshAvastardh dhiyA vayam
namO bharantha emasi
--PoorvArchika Saaman: 14 and Yajur Vedam: III.22)

JarAbhOdha tadh vividDhi visE-visE yaj~niyAya
SthOmagum rudrAya drusIkam

--PoorvArchika Saama: 15, UttharArchika Saaman 1663 and Rg Vedam I.27.10

(Combined meaning of both the manthrams): Oh Lord ! We approach You day and night with reverential homage enriched by sublime thoughts about You and noble deeds commanded by Your SaasthrAs. Oh Matchless Lord! (OppilA appanE!) May Thou listen earnestly to our prayers and accept our offerings! May Thou enter in to the spirit of our eulogies for the purpose of the completion of our sacrifices (Yaj~nams) for the benefit of all mankind!

Here the Lord's anupravEsam in to all of the sthuthis and Yaj~nAs of the learned sages (JarAbhOdha/ one with mature experience and Tapas) is invoked for the good of all people (visE-visE).

Our Lord's pervasive presence through AchAryAs
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There is a series of 32 UtharArchika Saamans praising Soma rasam, which start with the word "yEsha:" to salute the anantha KalyANa guNams of the Lord . One of them is the following Saaman (UttharArchikam 1281 and Rg Vedam IX.28.2):

yEsha pavithrE aksharAth sOmO dEvEbhya Sutha:
visvA dhAmAnyAvisan

(meaning): This Supreme Being manifests Himself to the wise learned persons (AchAryAs)and is realized in various beautiful forms. He pervades all places.

Prayer to that Supreme Lord by our AchAryAs
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Saama Veda manthram (uttharArchika Saaman 1358 and Rg Veda Rk IX.97.38) describes the relationship of our AchAryAs to the Supreme Lord as follows:

"sa punAn upa dhadhAna ObhE aprA rOdasI vee sha: aava
priyA chidh yasya priyAsAsa UthI sathO dhana kAriNE
na pra yagumsath"

(Meaning at one level): The learned person purifying himself thru profound meditation of the Lord and is empowered by his Jn~Ana VairAgya anushtAnam. That tapasvi fills both the literate and illeterate with the glow of learning and discloses various vidhyAs. The pure and noble wishes of the learned persons are meant to protect us against fears (samsAra bheethi) and obstacles (vignams in UpAya anushtAnam). May that Lord grant us the excellent wealth of spiritual knowledge as (he does) to the AchAryAs (learned persons/MahAthmAs)!

This Saaman refers to those paramaikAnthis, who do not seek chillundi swAmis (" siRu dhaivam sErEn") and hold firmly to the sacred feet of SrIman NaarAyanan. These are MahAthmAs with theevra tapas and noble conduct and serve as light houses on the shore, who are being buffeted by the fierce waves of SamsAric ocean. They are mArga darsees , who have superior aathma GuNams like ahimsai, Sathyam , asthEyam , aparigruham , Soucham , Indhriya nigraham et al.

These Brahma Vidhs are saluted by Swamy NammAzhwAr in his ThiruvAimozhi paasuram (8.3.10):

kalakamilla naltava munivar karai kaNDOr
tulakkimilaa vAnavar yellAm ThozhuvArkaL
malakkamyetha maakadal tannaik-kadainthAnai
ulakka nAmm puhazhkirpathu yenn seyvathu urayeerE

(Meaning): AchAryAs with unmuddled knowledge/Jn~Anam known for their authentic penance/tapas perform MangaLAsAsanam to the Lord, who churned once the milky ocean with great energy to produce amrutham. AchAryAs on a par with the nithya sooris and muktha jeevans serve the Lord on this earth with joy .Please tell me how to eulogize that Lord to His full satisfaction and gain freedom from all of my samsAric afflictions.

A concluding prayer for AchAryan's Veda prAyam
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Vedam refers to one hundred autumns as the life span for humans:

sataminnu saradhO anthidEvA nascchakrA jarasam tanUnAm
putrAsO yathra pitarO bhavanthi maa nou madhyA rIrishathAyurganthO
--Rg Vedam I.89.9

(meaning): Hundred autumns are given to us by the Supreme Being for life on His earth although the body is subject to old age and decay. Those who are sons today will grow to become fathers tomorrow and hence may we have no afflictions or infirmities in the midst of our life span.

Bhadram karNEbhi: sruNuyAma dEvA bhadram pasyEmAkshibhir yajathrA:
sTirair angais tushtuvAmsas tanubhir vyasEmahi dEvahitam yadhAyu:
--Rig vEdam: I.89.8, Yajur Vedam 25.21, UttharArchika sAman: 1874

O AchAryAs! May we pray for our ears to listen to what is auspicious and good! Oh AachAryAs and learned persons worthy of sacred deeds! Bless us to see with our eyes all that is auspicous and subahakaram! Oh AchAryAs! May we be blessed to engage in Your eulogy, enjoy with firm limbs and healthy bodies a full term of life (one hundred years) dedicated to serving You (AchArya Kaimkaryam) and Your Lord (Bhagavath Kaimkaryam)!

Oppliappan Koil Varadachari SadagOpan

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