Contribution of preceptors

VAINAVA ACHARYARGAL VAIBHAVAM - Part I (Tamil): Gomathi Raghavan; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kulapati Munshi Marg, Mumbai-400007. Rs. 40.

THE PURANAS say that Lord Narayana, out of concern and compassion for mankind, takes human forms and comes down to this world, as acharyas (gurus), to preach devotion, self-surrender and the summum bonum of life viz., salvation. Not only that. He also sends His weapons like Sanka and Chakra and Nityasuris (eternally released souls) like Garuda and Adisesha, to this world, for the same purpose.

Apart from ancient sages like Parasara and Vyasa, who preached Vaishnavism, through their sacred works like the Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata, other sages like Bodhayana and Tanka also wrote works, laying the Vaishnavite philosophy on firm foundation. And then the advent of Azhwars took place, marking a new turn in the history of Vaishnavism, by spreading the religion and philosophy to masses, by means of their emotional and divine outpourings, contained in the Divya Prabandham.

Several centuries after Azhwars, came Nathamuni, who retrieved the Prabandham from oblivion, with great efforts. The line of illustrious acharyas continued with Alavandar, Ramanuja, Parasara Bhattar, Vedanta Desika, Manavala Mamunigal and so on. Vaishnavism and Vishistadvaita philosophy owe their existence, development and spread to these and several other similar acharyas, who considered it their sacred duty to uplift mankind and take it nearer to God.

The Vaishnavites consider their line of acharyas (Guru Parampara) starts from Lord Narayana, whom they regard as the first acharya. In the book under review the author gives the life-history of eight of the acharyas, together with their works, in brief. Starting with Nathamuni, the first acharya after Nammazhwar, the author goes on to Tirukkachi Nambi and Kurattazhwan (wrongly spelt as Kurattalwar throughout) and ends with Manavalamamunigal.

The articles, though brief, are rich in content and enable the reader to have a basic idea of the greatness of the acharyas and their works and how they had devoted themselves to propagating Vaishnavism and uplifting mankind. The author has also given apt quotations from the sacred works of Azhwars and acharyas and also Tirukkural, at many places, to prove her point.

The book, however, contains quite a number of spelling and printing mistakes. There are many factual errors as well. Bhakti yoga does not lead to Prapatti yoga, as stated. The two are alternative means for attaining salvation. Nathamuni is not the first acharya of Vaishnava Guruparampara. Narayana is the first acharya and of the acharyas of this world, Nammazhwar is the first. The four-faced Brahma is entirely different from Brahman, the Supreme.

The author's statement that the name Nathamuni is appropriate since he enjoyed Brahman through nada (music) is not correct. Natha and nada are entirely different from each other and have no connection whatsoever. The misconception has apparently arisen because both ``tha'' and ``da'' are represented by the same alphabet in Tamil. There is no basis for the author's version that Nathamuni's Siddhi yoga (sic) leads one to Prapatti marga. The definition and explanation given for ``purushakara'' (wrongly spelt throughout) are not correct.

Nammazhwar did not found Ashtanga yoga (Bhakti yoga) nor is he called ``Prapanna Jana Kutastha'' for that reason, since bhakti and prapatti are different. In Vaishnavite tradition, Ramanuja is not regarded as an avatara of Lord Vishnu but that of Adisesha or of the five weapons of the Lord.

The book may be useful for attaining a glimpse of the greatness of the Vaishnavite Acharyas.

V. N. GOPALA DESIKACHARIAR

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