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Nature of sacred truths

CHENNAI: The cryptic nature of scriptural revelations demands tremendous effort to unravel the sacred truths they proclaim. The oral tradition of yore that has been responsible in handing down the ancient knowledge through generations was efficacious because of the strong preceptor-disciple bond it generated.

The Vaishnava tradition venerates the divine lineage of Acharyas with Lord Narayana as the foremost Acharya, followed by Goddess Sri, Vishwaksena, Nammazhwar and Nathamuni. It is believed that when Nammazhwar revealed the Divya Prabandham to Nathamuni, it was a yogic (mystic) transfer of not merely the hymns but also their rich philosophical import.

The oral method of instruction from Guru to Sishya continues to be extremely valuable even in the midst of texts and commentaries in the print and electronic media.

Words carry deep meanings beyond the surface level and the meanings of esoteric truths cannot be realised from mere words or their meanings. There is also the danger that partial or incomplete knowledge could easily lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretation.

So the guidance of the Acharya becomes imperative in the context of learning scriptural truths, for he alone can fill in the gaps in interpretation, clarify the embedded meanings and impart the proper insight and nuances in the hymns and the commentaries that have enriched them, said Sri M. A. Venkatakrishnan in a lecture.

The lives of Acharyas and disciples illustrate the difficulties in the teaching/learning process. Each Acharya felt it obligatory to safeguard the secrecy and confidentiality of the truths, and also considered it very fortunate to have sincere disciples.

Lord Krishna expresses the significant truth regarding liberation in the Bhagavad Gita, wherein He promises protection to all those who seek His feet unconditionally and with unflinching faith, while leaving aside the performance of one’s karma or dharma as ordained by the Sastras.

From the deeper connotation that Acharyas have derived, it is made clear that God alone is the means and the goal in the quest for liberation.

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