SRI:
THE 72 GOLDEN WORDS OF RAMANUJA
Just before his departure from the world, Sri Ramanuja exhorted his disciples as to how to conduct themselves, towards one another, towards their Master and towards the world.
1. Make no difference between the worship you render to your Spiritual Teacher and to the Sri Vaishnavas
2. Have earnest faith in the teachings of the great Teachers of yore
3. Continue not the bondsmen of the senses
4. Do not remain content with the acquisition of secular knowledge
5. Delight in the study of the writings that glorify the Lord and his works
6. Once that your Master has opened your eyes to the Light of Lights, never again be seduced by the fatal charms of the senses
7. Learn to regard all sensations with equal indifference
8. Do not be too much addicted to the use of sandal, flowers, and sweet scents
9. Recite the names and glories of the servants of the Lord with as much delight as you would His own
10. Let it be engraven upon your heart that no one reaches the feet of the Lord sooner than he who ever remains devoted to the service of His servants
11. The wisest of men perishes hopelessly if he devotes not himself entirely to the service of the Lord and His Elect
12. Never regard the life of the Vaishnavas as a means to the end
13. It, verily, the Goal you should try to reach
14. Never address any servant of the Lord in other than respectful language
15. Whenever you cast your eyes upon a Vaishnava fail not to salute him first
16. Never sit stretched at your ease in the presence of the Lord, or His Elect or other holy men
17. Never sleep with your feet towards the house of the Lord, or of your Teacher or of the Lord’s Elect
18. As soon as you awake, recite the names of glorious Spiritual Hierarchy
19. When you approach a body of Sri Vaishnavas gathered together before the Lord, prostrate thyself before them, reciting the Two Truths
20. When the Vaishnavas are singing the names and glory of the Lord or of His Elect, worship them to the best of your might. But never get up in the middle and go away from their midst; this is the worst of sins against them
21. When you hear of a Vaishnava coming over to you, fail not to advance to welcome him. When he departs, accompany him a part of the way. A neglect of these rules of etiquette subjects one to grievous sin
22. Maintain thyself by taking himble service under Sri Vaishnavas. But to wait upon persons that have not been touched with grace, to frequent their houses, to put theirname before thine and seek thy livelihood at their hands this will, verily, degrade thee in no time
23. The moment you cast your eyes upon the temples of the Lord, the domes or the spires thereof, join thy hands together in profound reverence
24. Gaze not wonder-struck at the temples of strange gods, however beautiful they may be as works of art
25. Do not be amazed when you hear of the wonderful doings of strange gods
26. It is a great sin to interrupt and argue with the Sri Vaishnavas when they are engaged in the delightful task of reciting the glories of the Lord or His Elect or the Teacher
27. Do not cross the shadow of Sri Vaishnavas
28. Allow not your shadow to fall upon them
29. If you touch one out of the Faith, touch not a Sri Vaishnava before you are purified
30. If a poor Vaishnava salutes you first, treat him not with disrespect, for it is a great sin
31. If a Sri Vaishnava should salute you first, and say ‘I am thy servant’, show him not any disrespect; for it is a heinous sin
32. If you should happen to be aware of the defects of any Sri Vaishnavas – sleepiness, idleness, low birth etc.- proclaim them not to others. Keep them to yourself and give out only their good characteristics
33. Never partake of the Holy Water that had washed the feet of the Lord or of His servants, in the presence of the uninitiated
34. Never partake of water that had washed the feet of those who know not the Three Truths and the Three Mysteries
35. Fail not, at any cost, to procure and partake, every day, of the holy water that had washed the feet of those that follow in the ways of wisdom and are of [pure lives
36. Raise not thyself, in thy own estimation, to the level of the Lord’s Elect
37. If, by oversight, you happen to be defiled by the touch of an unbeliever, bathe with thy clothes on and purify yourself by the Holy Water that had washed the feet of the Sri Vaishnavas
38. Regard the Great Ones who are adorned with such virtues as dispassion, wisdom and devotion as Holy Beings that have assumed their last pure fleshy vestures; and serve them to the best of your might
39. Let not they mind dwell upon their birth, or any other detracting element, but look upon them as beings sent to you to serve and follow
40. Partake not of the Holy Water that had washed the feet of the Lord in the houses of the unbelievers
41. Nor offer worship to the idols of the Lord in their houses
42. But in the holy places sanctified by the presence of the Lord, do not hesitate to partake of the Lord’s offerings even in the presence of the unbelievers
43. If, in the presence of the Lord, a Sri Vasihnava should ask you to partake of the offerings of the Lord, refuse it not on the ground of its being a fasting day with you
44. Regard the offerings of the Lord as holier than the holiest; it burns all your sins. Say not “It is not pure; it has been offered by such a one”
45. Never extol thyself in the presence of the Sri Vasihnavas
46. Nor put another to shame
47. Let every moment of your time he occupied with singing the glories of the Lord’s Elect or serving them
48. Devote some portion of your day, say an hour at the least, to the singing of the Virtues of your Spiritual Teacher
49. And to the earnest study of the sacred writings of the Holy Saints ( the Alvars) or of your Teacher
50. Associate not with those that centre their affections on their own selves
51. Nor with the hypocrites who but assume the external marks of Sri Vaishnavas
52. Nor converse with slanderers and scandal-mongers
53. Free yourself from the sinof having conversed with the followers of other faiths, by talking with holy Vaishnavas
54. Look not upon those wretches, that insult and scandalize the Lord’s servants nor upon those tigers in human shape that have insulted their Guru
55. Ever seek the company of those that are Masters in the Science of the Two Truths
56. Avoid those that recognize other means of salvation; ever dwell with those that live out the Doctrine of Surrender (Prapatti)
57. And that are well versed in the Mysteries of Three Truths and the Three Secrets
58. Seek no the company of those that are ever intent on the pursuit of wealth and pleasure; but remain as much as possible, with those that are devoted to the Lord
59. If a Vaishnava should do you any harm, harbour no thought of evil against him, but keep thyself under control
60. If you should ever desire to win a seat in the house of the Lord on High, ever seek to benefit the Vaishnavas
61. The wise One that had taken refuge in the Lord should never engage in any undertaking that is against the rules of conduct for the Elect, though it might bring him great profit
62. Never partake of any food or use any sandal paste, flowers, betel leaves, clothes or drink until they have been offered to the Lord
63. Accept nothing at the hands of those that seek wealth and pleasure, though they offer it voluntarily
64. Partake of food prepared by people of pure birth and cleanlives
65. Offer not to the Lord objects that are pleasant in your eyes (unless they be specified as object to be offered)
66. But offer to the Lord only such things as are laid down in the Sacred Books
67. Look upon the food and the fragrant objects offered to the Lord, as objects purified by his acceptance, but never as things to be enjoyed
68. Perform the duties enjoined in the Sastras as service to the Lord
69. Spiritual suicide is brought about speediest and surest by disrespect towards those High Beings that ever remain in the contemplation of the Three Holy Mantras, the Eternal Life is attained speediest and surest by finding favour in their eyes
70. Know that service to the Lord’s Elect is the End and the Aim of your existence; their displeasure, in any way, brings about the death of the soul
71. You can recognize him as a permanent dweller in the lowest and darkest of hells, who regards the images of the Lord as mere blocks of stone; his Spiritual Teacher as a man like any other; the Chosen Ones as men of the world high or low; according to their accidents of birth; the Holy Water that washes away all sin as mere water ; the sacred Mantras as nothing but so many collections of sounds; and the Lord of All as in no way higher than the other gods
72. The worship of th Chosen Ones is more efficacious than the worship offered to the Lord himself; disrespect towards them is a sin more terrible in its consequences than an insult to the Lord; the Holy Water that had washed their feet is holier by far than what had washed His feet. Lay this to your heart and ever remain intent on the service of the Holy Ones.
“Lord of Wisdom”, said the disciple; “Deign to tell us how we may order our lives in future, till we quit this body”
“Be it so” replied the master, and he gave them the following Ten Commandments or Rules of Life.
1. One that had taken refuge in the Lord should never think of his future; for it is in the hands of the Lord; if he should trouble himself about it, the least degree, his having taken refuge is a myth and a farce
2. His present is the result of his past karmas; so he should never bewail it. A Vaishnava is to be free from any anxiety as to his present or future
3. Never perform your duties as Means to End
4. Regard them as so much service offered to the Lord
5. Study the Sri Bhashya and spread its teachings far and wide; this is service pleasant to the Lord. If you cannot do this
6. Study the Sacred Writings of Sri Sathakopa and the other Holy Saints and hand them down to deserving disciples; or
7. Spend your time in service to the Lord at holy places (feeding the hungry, supplying offerings to the Lord, lighting His temple, preparing beautiful garlands for Him, sweeping the temple and adorning it with beautiful figures in coloured powder etc.; or
8. Build a cottage at Yadavadri (the dearest spot to me on earth) and dwell there in perfect peace and content; or
9. Reamin where you are and having cast thy burdens on the Lord or on your Guru, ever meditate upon the meaning of the Two Truths; or
10. Seek out some Vasihnava, adorned with the virtues of wisdom, devotion and dispassion, who would regard you as something dear to him, as his own, efface all idea of egotism from your nature and obey his behests. This is the last and the only means : and I see none other.
:Lokaaha Samastaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu:
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