Guru Parampara assigns a very high status to the acharya owing to his role in moulding the jivatma caught in samsara by guiding, correcting, teaching, and above all by being a living example to inspire him to attain God’s feet, said Sri Srinivasa Gopala Maha Desikan in a discourse. The following accounts of what is believed to have happened in the case of devotees close to the Lord during Ramanuja’s lifetime reflect the fact that the acharya’s recommendation is a key factor in the jivatma’s goal of salvation.
One Somayaji Andan, a great devotee of the Lord at Tiru Narayanapuram, was also a gifted musician who used to offer many melodious songs to the deity as his daily prayer. It is held that the Lord too enjoyed the music and in the vein of a true rasika would converse with him. As Somayaji was getting old, one day he put forth his petition to the Lord for a place in Paramapada. He was sure that his request would be granted. For, had He not favoured him especially by this gesture of listening to his music and even talking to him? Not many had been thus blessed. But no! The Lord tells him that granting Paramapada is no longer His jurisdiction. It rests with acharya Ramanuja.
A similar instance is quoted with reference to Tirukkacchi Nambi in Kanchipuram, who was well known for his personal service of to Lord Varadaraja and for his daily interactions with the Lord. Though this Nambi got precise answers for Ramanuja’s doubts on esoteric matters directly from the Lord, it did not help him to secure Paramapada for himself from the Lord. He too was directed to seek Ramanuja to attain salvation. The guru-sishya relationship has been fostered around this belief that the acharya’s responsibility is to guide the ‘prapanna’ safely to His abode.
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