Sri Ramanuja and Madhva

Compiled by London Swaminathan
Post No. 1085; Dated 4th June 2014.

*How can the Veda be grasped without tutelage
Anaditya gurOragrE pratibhaati katham srutih – Bhaarata Manjari 3-21.938

*A teacher who fosters a bad student due to personal gains demeans himself
Asisya sEvayaa laabhalObhEna syaad gururlaguh

*Consider the teacher your god
Aachaarya dEvO bhava – Taittiriya Upanishad

*The teacher is censured for the defects of the disciple.
Aachaaryamaagacchati sisyadOsah – Panca Tantra

*Question not the preceptor’s precepts
Aajnaa guruunaam hyavicaaraniiyaa — Raghuvamasa 14-46

*For the children, the teacher indeed is God
guravO hi daivatam baalaanaam

*One can engage in harmless jest with the tutor
Gurunaapi samam haasyam kartavyam kutilam vinaa – Granthastha gathegaaku

*The preceptor’s words should not be transgressed
Guruvachanam alanghaniiyam — Granthastha gathegaaku

*Even amongst the many learned, the wealthy tower
Gururhi dhanavaanagrE sarvavidyaavataamapi — Bhaarata Manjari 2.2.18

*The teacher is like a lamp that lights up the path
Gurustu diipavan maarga darsakah

*Follow the Guru’s words implivitly.
Guruuktam avicaaritam kuryaat – Satopadesa prabandha

*What is learnt from the preceptor should be submitted at his feet
gurOradhitam guravE samarpitam –Kahaavat ratnaakar

*Rare indeed are those preceptors who can steal the hearts of pupils.
Durlabhassa hururlOkE sisyacitta apahaarakah — – Subhasita Ratnakhanda Manjuusaa

*Blessings of one’s preceptors fructify as bonds with the noble.
Mahaajananisca sambandhah phalam gurujanaasisaam – Ramayana Manjari 1-12-525

*Go not empty handed to meet the ruler, God and teacher.
Riktapaanirna pasyEtu rajaanaam dEvataam gurum – Subhasita Ratnakhanda Manjuusaa

*Unbearable is the curse of the preceptor which acts like an axe on the creeper of prosperity.
LakshmiilataakuthaaarO hi gurusaapah suduh sahah –Brhat Kathaa Manjari

*How can total success be yours without the guidance of the teacher?
Vinaa hi gurvaadEsEna sampuurnaah siddhayah kutah –Kathaa Sarit Sagar

*All the knowledge of the preceptor is naturally imbibed by the devoted.
Sarvaam gurugataam vidyaam susruusur adhigacchati –Kahaavat ratnaakar

Source: Suktisudha, Chinmaya International Foundation.

Lotus Feet of the Guru: Adi Sankara

*One’s body may be handsome, wife beautiful, fame, excellent and varied, and wealth like unto Mount Meru; but if one’s mind not be attached to the lotus feet of the Guru, what thence, what thence, what thence, what thence?

Sariiram suruupam tathaa vaa kalatram
Yasascaaru citram dhanam mErutulyam
ManascEnna lagnam gurOranghripadmE
Tatah kim Tatah kim Tatah kim Tatah kim – Guruvastakam by Adi Sankara

*Wife, wealth, sons, grandsons, etc., all these; home, relations – the host of all these there may be; but if one’s mind not be attached to the lotus feet of the Guru, what thence, what thence, what thence, what thence?
Kalatram dhanam putrapautraadi sarvam
Grham baandhavaah sarvametaddhi jaatam
ManascEnna lagnam gurOranghripadmE
Tatah kim Tatah kim Tatah kim Tatah kim – Guruvastakam by Adi Sankara
Source: Guru Ashtakam by Adi Sankara

Human Guru and Divine Guru
*He who considers his Guru to be merely human, what good can he derive from his prayers and devotion? We should not consider our Guru to be a mere man. Before the disciple sees the deity, he sees Guru in the first vision of Divine illumination. – Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

*The human Guru whispers the sacred formula (mantra) in the ear; the Divine guru breathes the spirit into the soul. . – Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

*The Guru is a mediator. He brings man and God together, even as a match-maker brings together the lover and the beloved. – Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

*The Guru is like the mighty Ganges. Men throw all filth and refuse into the Ganges, but the holiness of that river is not diminished thereby. So is the Guru above all petty insult and censure. – Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Source: Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna Math, Madras 600 004

Sri Ramanuja, Sri Sankara and Sri Madhva

Who is a Guru?
*As soon as one thinks about the Garuda (eagle) the snake poison is nullified; as soon as one thinks about the Guru, all the bad things (Trimalas) vanish – Tirumular Tirumantiram in Tamil ( Garudan uruvam karuthum aLavil…….)

*One should see his Guru, listen to him, think about him and recite his name; that is the essence wisdom – Tirumular Tirumantiram in Tamil (TeLivu Guruvin tirumeni kaandal……)

*Like the philosopher stone changes everything that it touches into gold, Guru’s touch will change people into God – Tirumular Tirumantiram in Tamil (Parisanavethi parisiththa thellaam…….)

*A good teacher (Guru) is one who knows the inner meaning/secret of the Mantras, Yoga, Rules laid in the scriptures, wisdom and the power of discriminating attachment and non attachment; one who hasn’t these virtues, but live for eating he is blind. –Tirumular Tirumantiram in Tamil (Manthira thanthira maayOga njaanamum……..)

Source: Tirumantiram in Tamil

Greek Philosophers with beards: Socrates and Plato

‘ It is not the Beard that makes the Philosopher ’

*Can all those disguise themselves as Gurus become real Gurus?—Tamil Proverb (Guru vesham koNdaar ellaarumE guruvaay viduvaarkaLaa?)
Equivalent English proverbs: you can’t judge a horse by its harness (German);You can’t judge of the horse by the harness.
It is not the beard that makes the Philosopher

*Those who haven’t got a Guru, learn nothing; those who have not invested money gains nothing. – Tamil Proverb (Guruvillaarkku Viddhaiyum Illai; muthal illaarkku laabhamum ilai)
Equivalent English proverbs: he that is only his own pupil, shall have a fool to his tutor.
He that teaches himself has a fool for his master.
Source: Tamil Proverbs by South India Saiva Siddhanta Publishing Society

George Bernard Shaw
Guru Gita
*All harmful desires and past deeds will be completely washed away by service at the feet of the Guru — Guru Gita

*Any place where the Guru dwells is the holy place Varanasi/Kasi; the water that washes his feet is the Ganges – Guru Gita

*Gu is the symbol for darkness; Ru is the remover of darkness. The Guru is supreme knowledge indeed, the swallower of darkness. – Guru Gita

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