[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - An Ideal Guru-Shishya Relationship

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted on the advaita-l list,
as on the Chaturamnaya list: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
 
http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/ramanathapuram-may-16-2012/
 
Ramanathapuram: MAY 16, 2012
 
An Ideal Guru-Shishya Relationship
 
 
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji arrived at Ramanathapuram on 16th May evening to a royal
reception with Poornakumbha offered by Maharani Rajarajeshwari and Sri Kumaran Sethupathy of the Ramanathapuram Samsthanam.
The Jagadguru was received at the centuries-old royal hall, Sri Ramalinga Vilasam. 
 
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru spoke about the Guru-Shishya relationship between Sringeri Sharada Peetham and the
Ramnad Samsthanam. 
 
More than a century ago, the 33rd Acharya of Sringeri, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji
was received at Ramanathapuram by the then Maharaja of Ramnad, Bhaskara Sethupati. The Mahaswamiji had noticed the ferocious
aspect of the deity, Rajarajeshwari in the premises of the palace, and had made Her benign by consecrating a Srichakra and
reinstalling the Goddess. He had thus put an end to the large number of animal sacrifices that were taking place in the temple
at that time. 
 
As a token of gratitude and devotion, the Samsthanam was then placed by Sri Bhaskara Sethupati at the Feet of the Guru.
The Maharaja had done so with the realization that the Anugraha of the Guru is foremost in life. He knew the greatness of
the Guru’s Grace, for one can even become the ruler of three worlds if one has the Grace of the Guru. 
 
The Shastras say that the Guru must be revered as the Lord Himself – देवमिवाचार्यमुपासीत.  While the Lord removes
our sufferings, the Guru removes our ignorance and bestows Jnana (knowledge). The Lord has stated in the Gita that there is
nothing that is as exalted and holy as Jnana – न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते.  The Gita also instructs that such Jnana
can be obtained by serving the Guru. With such an attitude, the Maharaja offered his Samsthanam. 
 
The Guru however has no wants. A Guru can never have desire for anything. Our Parameshti Guru had indeed returned the Samsthanam
to the Maharaja. Such was the Guru-Shishya relationship between Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharati Mahaswamiji
and Maharaja Bhaskara Sethupati. The people who lived then in Ramnad were fortunate for they were witness to such a
Guru-Shishya relationship. 
 
The Jagadguru then recalled the association between Rameswaram and Sringeri and mentioned that when going towards Rameswaram,
it has been a tradition for the Acharya of Sringeri to come to Ramnad, receive the honours offered by the Samsthanam and then
proceed towards Rameswaram. The Jagadguru mentioned that the present Maharani, had honoured this tradition and received Him
as He was proceeding towards Rameswaram to offer worship to Lord Ramanathaswamy. 
 
The Jagadguru then had Darshan at Rajarajeshwari temple. After the Jagadguru performed the Chandramoulishwara Puja in the
hall of Sri Ramalinga Vilasam, Dolotsavam was conducted in the temple in the Jagadguru’s presence. At 6:30 am on the morning
of 17th May, the Jagadguru worshipped Goddess Rajarajeshwari and blessed the members of the royal family. After granting
Darshan and blessing the devotees later in the day, the Jagadguru proceeded towards Rameswaram early in the evening.