Quotes by Ramanuja and Statue of Equality: Ramanuja is also known as Ramanujacharya was an Indian theologian, philosopher, and one of the most important followers of the Sri Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism. His philosophical foundations for devotionals were influential to the Bhakti movement.
Statue of Equality
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Saturday 5th February 2022 inaugurated the 216-feet tall ‘Statue of Equality commemorating the 11th-century Bhakti Saint Sri Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad’s Shamshabad.
Our country’s unity does not derive strength from power or might, but from equality.
Prime minister Narendra Modi
Quotes by Ramanuja
Published by U.Ve.Sri.S.Ananthachariar Swami of New Delhi (Published in the February 2012 issue of Vainavan Kural)
Just before his departure from this world, Sri Ramanuja urged his disciples as to how to conduct themselves, towards one another, towards their Master, and towards the world.
- Make no difference between the worship you render to your Spiritual Teacher and to Sri Vaishnavas.
- Have earnest faith in the teachings of the great Teachers of yore.
- Continue not the bondsmen of the senses.
- Do not remain content with the acquisition of secular knowledge.
- Delight in the study of the writings that glorify the Lord and his works.
- Once that your Master has opened your eyes to the Light of Lights, never again to be seduced by the fatal charms of the senses.
- Learn to regard all sensations with equal indifference.
- Do not be too much addicted to the use of sandal, flowers and sweet scents.
- Recite the names and glories of the servants of the Lord with as much delight as you would His own.
- The wisest of men perishes hopelessly if he devotes not himself entirely to the service of the Lord and His Elect.
- Never regard the life of the Vaishnavas as a means to the end.
- It is, verily, the Goal you should try to reach.
- Never address any servant of the Lord in other than respectful language.
- Whenever you cast your eyes upon a Vaishnava fail not to salute him first.
- Never sit stretched at your ease in the presence of the Lord, or His Elect or other holy men.
- Never sleep with your feet towards the house of the Lord, or of your Teacher or of the Lord’s Elect.
- As soon as you awake, recite the names of glorious Spiritual Hierarchy.
- When you approach a body of Sri Vaishnavas gathered together before the Lord, prostrate thyself before them, reciting the Two Truths.
- When the Vaishnavas are singing the names and glory of the Lord or of His Elect, worship them to the best of thy might. But never get up in the middle and go away from their midst; this is the worst of sins against them.
- 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.
- Maintain thyself by taking humble service under Sri Vaishnavas. But to wait upon persons that have not been touched with grace, to frequent their houses, to put their name before thine time and seek thy livelihood at their hands this will, verily, degrade thee in no time.
- 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.
- Gaze not wonder-struck at the temples of strange gods, however beautiful they may be as works of art.
- Do not be amazed when you hear of the wonderful doings of strane gods.
- 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.
- Do not cross the shadow of Sri Vaishnavas.
- Allow not your shadow to fall upon them.
- If you touch one out of the Faith, touch not a Sri Vaishnava before you are purified.
- If a poor Vaishnava salutes you first, treat him not with disrespect, for it is a great sin.
- If a Sri Vaishnava should salute you first, and say ‘I am thy servant’, show him not any disrespect; for it is a heinous in.
- If you should happen to be aware of the defects of any Sri Vaishnavas – sleepiness; idleness, low birth, proclaim them not to others. Keep them to yourself and give out only their good characteristics.
- Never partake of the Holy Water that had washed the feet of the Lord or of His servants, in the presence of the uninitiated.
- Never partake of water that had washed the feet of those who know not the Three Truths and the Three Mysteries.
- Fail not, at any cost, to procure and partake, every day, ot the holy water that had washed the feet of those that follow in the ways of wisdom and are of pure lives.
- Raise not thyself, in thy own estimation, to the level of the Lord’s Elect.
- 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.
- Regard the Great Ones who are adorned with such virtues as dispassion, wisdom and devotions as Holy Beings that have assumed their last pure fleshy vestures; and serve them to the best of your might.
- Let not thy mind dwell upon their birth, or any other detracting element, but look upon them as beings sent to you to serve and follow.
- Partake not of the Holy Water that had washed the feet of the Lord in the houses of the unbelievers.
- Not offer worship to the idols of the Lord in their houses.
- 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.
- If, in the presence of the Lord, a Sri Vaishnava 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.
- 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.”
- Never extrol thyself in the presence of the Sri Vaishnavas.
- Not put another to shame.
- Let every moment of your time be occupied with singing the glorious of the Lord’s Elect or serving them.
- Devote some portion of your day, say an hour at the least, to the singing of the Virtues of your Spiritual Teacher.
- And to the earnest study of the sacred writings of the Holy Saints (the Alvars) or of your Teacher.
- Associate not with those that centre their affections on their own selves.
- Nor with the hypocrites who but assume the external marks of Sri Vaishnavas.
- Nor converse with slanderers and scandal mongers
- Free yourself from the sin of having conversed with followers of other faiths, by with holy Vaishnavas.
- Look not upon those wretches, that insult and scandalice the Lord’s servants, nor upon those tigers in human shape that have insulted their Guru.
- Ever seek the company of those that are Masters in the Science of the Two Truths.
- Avoid those that recognise other means of salvation; ever dwell with those that live out the Doctrine of Surrender (Prapatti).
- And that are well versed in the Mysteries of the Three Truths and the Three Secrets.
- Seek not 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.
- If a Vaishnava should do you any harm, harbour no thought of evil against him, but keep thyself under control.
- If you should ever desire to win a seat in the house of the Lord on High, ever seek to benefit the Vaishnavas.
- 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.
- Never partake of any food or use any sandal paste, flowers, betel-leaves, clothes or drink. Until they have been offered to the Lord.