Page 29 - Bhakthinivedana 2011 September English Magazine.pmd

communication makes travel safe of a river. Similarly, it is not
as well. necessary to focus too much on

the background of a sage. We
The present generation is unaware have to grab the real knowledge
of such dangers, and therefore they provided, and put in efforts to
cannot understand the hardships grasp its essence.

rushis faced. So when we think
about criticizing such great We go to the market, and buy
rushis, we need to take all these many fruits. But do we ever
differences into account. Then consider where the fruit was

we may be able to understand produced, who produced it, the One day, Ra:ma:nuja was
them correctly. We have to judge transportation required to bring returning from his bath in the
their lives in this perspective, the fruit to the market, or who Ka:ve:ri, when Maha:pu:rna
though some incidents may seem the seller is? The fruit’s origin (Acharya of Ra:ma:nuja)

awkward or unnecessary. is immaterial because we care meeting him, did obeisance.
more about the fruit itself. When But Ra:ma:nuja stood erect and
We learned about their lives only that’s the case with perishable lifted up his Guru, instead of
because they recorded their own things, what should our attitude humbly stopping his acharya

histories without any reservations. be towards eternal and sublime from prostrating before him!
No one reveals the bad things knowledge? Ra:ma:nuja’s disciples asked
in one’s life. We tend to hide him to explain his unusual
negative experiences, and only That may be the reason why it conduct. He said, “My Guru

project positive ones. But rushis is said that food should not be wishes to please himself by
took it as their sacred responsibility observed as it is being cooked. honoring me. If that is his
to divulge the facts of their life Because after it is served in a pleasure, it is my pleasure.
without any reservations. They plate, it looks colorful, attractive I should not cross him.” The

never craved any recognition and tempting. disciples next to Maha:pu:rna
or awards. Their goal was to asked their Guru to explain his
pass on the knowledge to future A small stream originates at unusual behavior. He said, “I
generations, rather than spread hilltops and mountain peaks. saw in Ra:ma:nuja my own

their name and fame. They were While its surroundings may not Guru-Ya:muna. After my Guru, I
so compassionate – their aim be too appealing then, the same find all perfections of a Guru in
was to divulge this information so stream becomes a vast expanse of Ra:ma:nuja”.
that future generations would not water, and looks magnificent and The great Pu:rna made his

struggle to realize the truth. fascinating.
own son Pundari:ka:ksha the
disciple of Ra:ma:nuja.
There is a saying that we should
not contemplate on the origin

Sep, Oct 2011• Bhakthinivedana 29