३१ शिष्यकृत्याधिकारः

॥ श्रीः ॥
॥ श्रीमते निगमान्तमहादेशिकाय नमः ॥
॥ श्रीमद्रहस्यत्रयसारे शिष्यकृत्याधिकारः ॥

31. THE CHAPTER ON THE DUTIES OF A śiṣya. page633

विश्वास-प्रस्तुतिः (सं॰प॰)

अ-शिथिल-गुरु-भक्तिस् तत्-प्रशंसादि-शीलः प्रचुर-बहु-मतिस् तद्-वस्तु-वास्त्व्-आदिके ऽपि । गुणवति विनियोक्तुं, गोपयन् सम्प्रदायं
कृत-विद् अन्-अघ-वृत्तिः किं न विन्देन् निधानम् ॥ ७१ ॥

+++(सङ्कल्प-सूर्योदये ऽपि वर्तते।)+++

मूलम् (सं॰प॰)

अशिथिलगुरुभक्तिस्तत्प्रशंसादिशीलः
प्रचुरबहुमतिस्तद्वस्तुवास्त्वादिकेऽपि ।
गुणवति विनियोक्तुङ्गोपयन् संप्रदायं
कृतविदनघवृत्तिः किन्न विन्देन्निधानम् ॥ ७१ ॥

The śiṣya or disciple should be staunch in his devotion to the guru; he should be intent on doing such things as extending the renown (of his guru) (and rendering service to him); he should have the greatest regard for such things as his guru’s property and his house, he should guard the spiritual tradition in order to hand it on to another who is worthy; the śiṣya who is grateful and is perfect in his performance (of the ordained rites) is he not sure to attain the treasure (viz.) Bhagavān ?

THE SERVICE RENDERED BY THE ŚIṢYA TO THE

GURU IS IN NO WAY A RECOMPENSE:

The śāstras say that since the ācārya reveals the meanings (and mysteries) of religion like one who reveals to a poor man the existence of a great treasure within his house, the śiṣya should feel grateful to the ācharya, who is the great benefactor, and never do anything against his interests. The śāstras declare that the śiṣya should behave in this way) merely in order that he may not be looked upon with contempt by (those who are in) the two vibhūtis (i,e.) this world, the līlā vibhūti and the region of eternal glory (nitya vibhūti) and by the Lord who has these (two) vibhūtis. (They give this advice) in order that the (śiṣya) may not resemble such men as Hiranya and Ravana who did evil to Prahlāda and Vibhishana for giving the wholesome advice. It has been stated:- “The man who steals learning ( by listening to the ācārya without his permission and in hiding, the man who does evil to his guru, and the man who speaks ill of the Vedas and of the Lord who rules over all these men, the śrutis declare, should be punished at once”. So when the śiṣya is asked to behave properly to the guru, it is not to say that, by doing so, he will make due requital or recompense (for what the guru has done to him), but that he would then avoid the evil consequences for himself (referred to above).

It is said: “The śiṣya should surrender his body, his property and his life-breath to his guru”, and likewise it is said, “The śiṣya should give his guru as dakṣina the whole of his wealth or one half of it or one fourth of it. If he is unable to do so, he should give whatever he can." These ślokas state only some of the duties of the śiṣya like prostration (namaskars) and salutation (abhivadana). They do not consider this gift as a requital or recompense to the ācārya, who does not expect any such return and imparts instruction merely as a matter of duty; for it is said: “The guru should teach out of compassion and without any desire (for profit)".

When it is stated in the Vedāntas that the śiṣya should behave towards the guru as towards Bhagavān (Himself) and should have as devoted an affection to the guru as to the Lord, when it is said, “The śiṣya should never misbehave either with the mind or with the speech or with the body and should behave towards him as if he is not different or separate from himself" and further, “The śiṣya should adore the ācārya as he does Bhagavān “–when writers like Śāṇḍilya and Apastamba say so, they do not prescribe the offer of a fee or recompense. They give the advice merely in order that the śiṣya who has the śāstra for his eyes may not become blind of vision with eyes wide open, and in order that he, poor from his birth onward, may not lose this (blissful) experience which resembles the (blissful) experience of Bhagavān. That all this is no fee or recompense (to the guru) has been declared by Śāṇḍilya Bhagavān in the following śloka : “Even the gods cannot make a recompense for the gift of the knowledge of God. The śiṣya should (therefore) give whatever lies in his power to the ācārya who has given him (this) instruction.” When it is said " whatever lies in his power", it means that it should be given as an outlet for his affection and regard. The śiṣya should, on no account, consider himself as having thereby recompensed his guru.

THE DUTIES OF THE ŚIṢYA : page634

The śiṣya, who is thus without any means of recompensing (his guru), should consider it his duty to behave as follows:– He should not let the instructions imparted to him become useless like water kept in a skull, by actions and observances opposed to them; for it has been said : - “Water kept in a skull and milk preserved in a water-skin made of dog’s leather becoine worthless owing to the impurity of the containers. So also does the śāstra taught to one who misbehaves. The śiṣya should not make mere learning an end in itself, for it is said: “That Śāstra which, having been earnt from the ācārya, does not lead to non-attachment (to worldly things), to the performance of dharma or to serenity of mind that śāstra, however beautiful in its diction and style, is as useless to the man as the cawing of a crow. He should not eat the vomit, as it were, by making the śāstra which comes out of his mouth the means of his livelihood. He should not make the śāstra the prostitute’s adornment, the sandal paste (chandana) made only for sale, the bag of parched rice emptied in a thoroughfare, or the garland of flowers in the monkey’s hands, for it has been said in ridicule :- Learned men who study their subjects carefully, again and again, owing to their greed for money make their learning useful to others like prostitutes adorning their persons again and again to serve (the lusts of) others."

Learning approached the Brahmin and said, I am your wealth; guard me with care; do not give me away to those who have no liking (for me). If you guard me in this manner I shall become very powerful". As desired in those words, learning should not be betrayed into the hands of those who already clasp hate and the like in their hands.

The śiṣya should clearly realise that he cannot make any recompense to the ācārya who has enabled him, though born blind, to become fit for the assembly of the immortals that are free from ignorance and error. As taught in the śloka: “ The man who worships Bhagavān alone (the ekāntin) should, while speaking of himself, call himself the follower of Viṣṇu. He should never refer to himself by his village, or his family, for, to him, Bhagavan is everything". Superior to this is the state (described by Viswamitra while addressing Dasaratha ): - " This is indeed befitting one who was born of a noble race and who always calls himself Vasiṣṭa’s disciple. No one else would call himself so, O Best of Kings”. The śiṣya should realise that the Saviour [Śrī Rāma] Himself was born in such a family and adopted this form of referring to himself and should adopt it in his own life saying :–“You have reformed me froin wickedness. What requital can I make to you?”

THE IMPARTING OF INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE PRECEDED BY MEDITATION OF THE SUCCESSION OF GURUS: page636

When the śiṣya hands over the great wealth of the truths contained in the gist of the three mysteries (mantras) thus acquired by him(from hisācārya) to one who, as pointed out in an earlier chapter, has been found fit for it, he should impart instruction first on the succession ofācāryas and reveal also his gratitude (to them) and the sacredness of those truths. As an example are quoted the words of the Brahmarishi Śrī Parāśara to Bhagavān Maitreya:– " Brahma, born of the lotus, the grandfather of all, first gave instruction to great sages like Dakṣa at their request, In that same way was the instruction imparted by them to King Purukutsa on the banks of the Narbada. He handed it over to Sarasvata and by Sarasvata was it imparted to me". When the

man who imparts instruction in the mysteries of the science of the soul is without a tradition and teaches (merely) on the strength of his own reading of the books or of what he overheard from (a hiding place) behind a wall, he will, like one who wears stolen jewels. be ever in dread of those that see him. Moreover it may even become sinful, for it has been said :- “The mantra which is learnt by mere chance by one in hiding, under some pretext or from books – that mantra will be of no avail; on the other hand, it may even cause evil”. Even when a man has learnt from a guru and then teaches, if he should learn and teach against the regulations enjoined for it, he would create disgust in the minds of onlookers like one who wears jewels made from the money given to him along with Kala¹ *

(These regulations) may be seen in the following ślokas " Bow to the guru, ask for explanations, render service to him and then learn the essential nature of the self".

It is said also, “Maitreya prostrated (pranipatya) before Parāśara and made salutations to hiin (abhivadya)”. As stated in the śloka :-“He who imparts instruction in violation of the regulations and he who learns violating the regulations — of these two, one will die or will come to hate the other” as stated here, it may even have evil consequences. Even when the man has learnt according to the regulations and then teaches, if he should not render the praise to his guru, his śiṣya may suspect that the truths revealed by him may have no basis (or authority) like parasitic plants growing (on the branches of trees) and treat them with disregard. This omission of giving due praise to one’s guru before one’s śiṣya is included as one among the thirty-two kinds of offences. It has been stated: “ The wise man should reveal (the greatness of) his guru and guard the mantra with great care.

By the omission to reveal (the former) and the omission to guard (the latter) respectively, a person’s wealth and term of life suffer diminution". (By this omission), the wealth of enjoying Bhagavan with clarity of knowledge and the state of mind which consists in the thought of one being a śeṣa, which is the cause of the soul or self becoming and continuing as an entity - these two will suffer decline. If, while revealing the greatness of his guru, a man should contradict the teaching imparted to him by the guru in the śāstras, he would be called a deceiver and become also a sinner, for it is said: “He who “teaches astronomy, law, the śāstra of expiatory rites and the science of medicine against the spirit of the respective śāstras is called a Brahmaghātaka” or one who has committed the sin of killing a Brahmin “.

If a man should fail to impart instruction to a worthy śiṣya at the appropriate time, he would be called a miser and incur also the sin of violating the Lord’s command contained in the śloka : “One should cast off one’s body after imparting one’s knowledge of the self to a worthy śiṣya. A man should not die without iniparting to a worthy śiṣya that knowledge which is the cause of the world’s being (or which is the cause of the world’s knowledge)”. Therefore when the king’s torch-bearer is commanded by the king to go on a certain mission, he would hand over the torch in his hand to some one who is found fit for it and then start (on his mission). When a man imparts instruction in a similar manner to a pupil who is apt for it, he should first reveal (the greatness of) his guru and then teach the truths taught to him. Even when, owing to some (favourable) circumstances, he has received divine vision and divine auditions and learnt truths with their help, he should express the truth in the following words: - “I learnt this owing to the grace of my greatācārya. I am not stating what I learnt by my own cleverness” This is what (Sañjaya), for example, says : “By the graces of Vyasa did I hear, directly, this great Yogaśāstra, which Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has wisdom and other attributes taught in person”. If he should say so, the truths that he teaches would be held in high esteem. He would (also) then be esteemed as a grateful śiṣya by sātvikas. As one who spoke the truth, he would be regarded by the Upaniṣads and by the Person revealed in the Upaniṣads as an authority having the same validity as they themselves are. Hisācārya too, would feel gratified to find that, in this grateful and diligent śiṣya, his labours have borne fruit.

विश्वास-प्रस्तुतिः (सं॰प॰)

साक्षान्मुक्तेरुपायान् यो विद्याभेदानुपादिशत् ।
कथ्यते मोक्षशास्त्रेषु स तु श्रेष्ठतमो गुरुः ॥

मूलम् (सं॰प॰)

साक्षान्मुक्तेरुपायान् यो विद्याभेदानुपादिशत् ।
कथ्यते मोक्षशास्त्रेषु स तु श्रेष्ठतमो गुरुः ॥

He who imparted instruction in the vidyās or meditations that lead directly and by themselves to mokṣa – he is considered in the Śāstras on mokṣa as the greatest of ācāryas.

विश्वास-प्रस्तुतिः (सं॰प॰)

आचार्यवत्तया मोक्षमामनन्ति स्मरन्ति च ।
इहामुत्र च तत्पादौ शरणं देशिका विदुः ॥ * ॥

मूलम् (सं॰प॰)

आचार्यवत्तया मोक्षमामनन्ति स्मरन्ति च ।
इहामुत्र च तत्पादौ शरणं देशिका विदुः ॥ * ॥

The Vedas declare that a man attains mokṣa by having anācārya and the same is declared in the Smṛtis also.ācāryas knew that, in this world and so also, in the world beyond, the feet of the ācārya are the refuge (for the śiṣya).

विश्वास-प्रस्तुतिः (त॰प॰)

एऱ्ऱि मनत्तॆऴिन् ञानविळक्कै यिरुळनैत्तुम्
माऱ्ऱिनवर्क्कॊरु कैम्माऱु मायनुङ् गाणगिल्लान्
पोऱ्ऱियुगप्पदुम् पुन्दियिऱ्‌कॊळ्वदुम् पॊङ्गुबुगऴ्च्
चाऱ्ऱि वळर्प्पदुञ् जऱ्ऱल्लवो मुन्नम् पॆऱ्ऱदऱ्‌के. (48)

मूलम् (त॰प॰)

एऱ्ऱि मनत्तॆऴिन् ञानविळक्कै यिरुळनैत्तुम्
माऱ्ऱिनवर्क्कॊरु कैम्माऱु मायनुङ् गाणगिल्लान्
पोऱ्ऱियुगप्पदुम् पुन्दियिऱ्‌कॊळ्वदुम् पॊङ्गुबुगऴ्च्
चाऱ्ऱि वळर्प्पदुञ् जऱ्ऱल्लवो मुन्नम् पॆऱ्ऱदऱ्‌के. (48)

Even (the omniscient and omnipotent) Mayan cannot requite the ācārya who dispelled all the darkness (in the mind) by lighting the bright lamp of wisdom therein. (Therefore) for what was received before (from the ācārya), it is indeed very little (that is done by the śiṣya) in recounting his praise with delight, in constant meditation of him, and in extending his growing renown.

विश्वास-प्रस्तुतिः (सं॰प॰)

अध्यासीनतुरङ्गवक्त्रविलसज्जिह्वाग्रसिंहासना
दाचार्यादिह देवतां समधिकामन्यां न मन्यामहे ।
यस्यासौ भजते कदाचिदजहद्भूमा स्वयं भूमिकां
मग्नानां भविनां भवार्णवसमुत्ताराय नारायणः ॥ ७२ ॥

मूलम् (सं॰प॰)

अध्यासीनतुरङ्गवक्त्रविलसज्जिह्वाग्रसिंहासना
दाचार्यादिह देवतां समधिकामन्यां न मन्यामहे ।
यस्यासौ भजते कदाचिदजहद्भूमा स्वयं भूमिकां
मग्नानां भविनां भवार्णवसमुत्ताराय नारायणः ॥ ७२ ॥

The tip of the ācārya’s tongue shines bright being the throne on which is seated (the god) Hayagrīva. So we do not consider any deity as being higher than the ācārya. Even Nārāyaṇa plays the part of the ācārya without ever giving up His supreme greatness, in order to save those who are suck in the sea of saṁsāra.

इति श्रीकवितार्किकसिंहस्य सर्वतन्त्रस्वतन्त्रस्य श्रीमद्वेङ्कटनाथस्य वेदान्ताचार्यस्य कृतिषु श्रीमद्रहस्यत्रयसारे
शिष्यकृत्याधिकार एकत्रिंशः
श्रीमते निगमान्तमहादेशिकाय नमः ॥