English
Speaker: Guru Maharaj H.H Lokanath Maharaj
Date: 19-02-2024
Theme: Glories of Srila Ramanujacharya
Today I will not be giving a japa talk.
All glories to the disappearance day of Rāmānujācārya!
Rāmānuja means Anuja of Rāma, who is Lakshman. Therefore, Rāmānuja is the incarnation of Lakshman. Today Rāmānujācārya disappeared or entombed in Srirangam, which is a dhāma of Rangnātha Ji; but his tomb is not under the ground, but above the ground. The transcendental body of Rāmānujācārya has been kept as it is with care. And many people will have his darshan today. Out of four bonafide sampradāyas or communities, Śrī Rāmānujācārya has been the ācārya of Śrī Sampradāya. Śrī means Lakshmi. The commentary on Vedānta Sutra has been named as Śrī Bhāshya by Rāmānujācārya because the bhāshya manifested in his heart by the mercy of Lakshmi. He was the worshiper of Lakshmi and Narayan.
I do not have much time as I have to leave now for Nagpur. You continue chanting and praying to Rāmānujācārya. You can also pray for vaiśnava seva (service unto devotees). Śrī Krsna Caitanya Mahāprabhu has accepted one of the teachings of Śrī Sampradāya, and that is vaiśnava seva. Vaiśnava seva has been taught by Rāmānujācārya.
vancha-kalpatarubhyash cha
kripa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaishnavebhyo namo namaha
Translation
We should not only greet the vaiśnavās, but also respect them. This quality has been taught by Rāmānujācārya by his behaviour.
dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam
Translation
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another. [NOI 4]
We should learn vaiśnava etiquettes being a Gaudiya vaiśnava which comes under Rupa Goswāmī teachings. These symptoms mentioned above have been accepted by Caitanya Mahāprabhu and make it a part of His sampradāya which were also emphasized by Śrī Rāmānujācārya. Don’t forget this.
I have to go now. Continue your chanting.
Gaura Premanande Hari Hari Bol!
All glories to the disappearance day of Rāmānujācārya!
Japa Talk by HG Vedanta Chaitanya Prabhu
Date: 19-02-2024
Theme: Glories of Srila Ramanujacharya
Srila Ramanujacharya is the Acharya for us also though he comes from Sri Sampradaya. There is commonality as He is Vaishnava Acharya. Lord Buddha appeared around 2500 years ago. And we hear when Lord Buddha appeared, that time people used to kill Animals extensively on the name of Vedic Scriptures.
Thus, to refute this philosophy of Veda Shastrafor killing animals Lord Buddha appeared andpreached Ahmisa Pramo dharma, which was His main preaching guideline.
In Caitanya Caritamrita it is mentioned Veda Namanela is called as Nastik and Astik one who does not believe in Vedas and one who does believe in Vedas.
With help of Ashoka Buddhism was propagated in India. Hence people started not following vedas. In this Situation the Lord Shiva appeared as Shankaracharya to re-establish Veda Sastras and defeat Buddhists philosophy. He forced Buddhists to leave India. Hence Buddhism was spread in other countries. Thus, we cannot see Buddhism much in India. And then Shankaracharyapromoted Mayavad Philosophy. Hence, people concluded that Mayavad is the essence of the Vedic philosophy. Though he lived only for 32 years on this planet still we can see the signs of his Preaching still. He preached so much 1400 years back that traces can still be found in whole of India.But still 90% follow Mayavadi philosophy in India. We were also Mayavadis before joining ISKCON, those we pray demigods and other forms of worship is also part Mayavadi Philosophy.
People are following Mayavadi philosophy but they have no clue that they are followers of Mayavadies. Shrila Ramanuja was the first Acharya from Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya. Who protested against this Mayavad Philosophy. Shankaracharya Prabhupada told Advaita concept
Which says there is no difference between God and Jiva. But Sri Ramanujacharya have Visista Advaita. This means yes there is no difference in quality but quanlity is much different. Four different Vaishnav archayas established the Vaishnava philiosphy.
Sri Ramanujacharya was first Acharya of Ramanuja Sampradaya, he beautifully refuted Mayavad Philosophy and established philosophy of bhakti which follows Visista Advaita.
Sunyavadi Philosophy was established by Buddha
Advaitavadi Philosophy means That Jiva and Paramatma is one they are not two entitiesthis philosophy was established by Shankaracharya
Visistha Advaita Philosophy was established by Ramanujacharya which means, there are different qualities of the lord and He is in Sat Cit Anand form. He is eternal bliss.
Nirveshvadi and shunvadi’s are followers of Shankaracharya.
Ramanujacharyais Ramanuja and is calledyounger brother of Lord Rama, he is Laxman and also Avatar of AnantSehas.
He appeared in Sri Perumbadhur village then we goes to Kachi and Srirangam. He is considered to be the incarnation of Lakshman
When he was Just 16 years old, he got married. And after 4 months his father expired. He was executive in his family responsibilities. Later he got an inspiration to read the Scriptures. He though of going to Kanchipur to read scriptures and finally goes there.
There he joined the school run by Yadavachaya. At that he had to learn Mayavad Philosophy – Sharika Bhash written by Sripada Shankaracharya. And even Yamunacharya learnt the same philosophy in his school. As that was very prevalent during that time and He also had to study the same. After sometime when Madhavacharya appeared He also had to learn the same philosophy of Mayavad. However later both of them condemned this Philosophy.
Sri Ramanujacharya was studying in school of Yadavachaya who was very proficient in teaching Mayavad Philosophy. One day Sri Ramanujacharya had a doubt and he went for a clarification to Yadavachaya about some seventh verse in Upanishad. In that verse of Upanishad, Lord's lips are described. That verse said, Lord's lips are reddish in appearance. Yadavachaya described that this verse says, Lord's lips are reddish like the hips of monkey. When Ramanujacharya heard this, he was hurt. And tears started flowing from his eyes
He was massaging the legs of Yada prakash so those tears fell in him. He understood that something is wrong with Ramanujacharya. When asked Ramanujacharya explained that your explanation of Lord's lips hurt me. Yadava Prakash said if you think I was wrong then explain me what would be the right explanation?
Sri Ramanujacharya replied, Lord's lips are like the colour of blooming Lotus flower. Later on, there was another conflict between them based on the commentary on a verse from Tetraya Upanishad
He opposed Yadav Prakash's explanation in front of entire class. Thus, Yadava Prakash felt insulted and told Ramanujacharya, that if he thinks himself to be so intelligent then he should leave his school and start his own school. Ramanujacharya accepted this idea and began conducting his own school. Very soon his school became very famous. Yadav Prakash heard his news and he was very jealous of Ramanujacharya's success.
He thought if he continued to become famous like this then soon our schools will get shutdown
Thus, he made a plan to kill Ramanujacharya. He organised a pilgrimage to River Ganga and invited Sri Ramanujacharya to join. Ramanujacharya thought of taking his cousin Govinda to also join him.
Very soon Govind became their friend. And Yadav Prakash revealed this secret to Govinda. And Govind gave this news to Sri Ramanujacharya. That these people are planning to kill you the next morning, just run away
Thus, Ramanujacharya left that night itself. Next day morning Govind told Yadav Prakash and his party that Loin has killed Ramanujacharya. They accepted it and proceeded with the pilgrimage
On the other hand, Ramanujacharya lost his way. On his way he met a couple, and asked them about the route which he needed to follow. Those couples were appearing to be very divine. They offered water to Sri Ramanujacharya and as soon as Ramanujacharya drank that water, he lost his consciousness. And had fallen on ground
The next morning when he came back to senses, he found that he was back in Kanchipuram. He understood that that Divine couple was none but Sri Sri Lakshmi Narayan. Ramanujacharya began running the same school. And when Yadav Prakash found that he was alive, he gave up on his plan to kill Ramanujacharya
And later on, Yadav Prakash's disciple and Yadav Prakash himself accepted Ramanujacharya as his spiritual master. And started following Vaishnava philosophy
This is another incident from Ramanujacharya's life. Once he went to a spiritual master to receive a secret mantra from that spiritual master. That spiritual master, told Ramanujacharya to not reveal this mantra as it is a very secret one. And it's very potent, it can deliver the chanter immediately from the clutches of this material world. Ramanujacharya immediately went to the rooftop of the central temple of that village and announced that secret mantra to everyone
As soon as his spiritual master heard this, He went to Ramanujacharya and asked do you know what can happen as the result of this activity, you might have to go to hellish planets for years and years altogether. Ramanujacharya Said, if these people can get delivered, then I am ready to reside in hellish planets eternally. Hearing this even his spiritual master offered his obeisances unto him.
If one wants to hear more about Ramanujacharya one can listen to the series of discussion by Bhakti Rasamirita Swami Maharaj.
Thank you all.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare
All Glories to Guru Maharaj.
