The Ācāryadeva

When we speak of the fundamental principle of Gurudeva or Acaryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There is only one Guru who appears in an infinity of forms to teach all men. The Guru or Acaryadeva, as we learn from the bonafide scriptures, delivers the message of the absolute world, the transcendental abode of the Absolute Personality where everything non-differentially serves the Absolute Truth. In the Katha-Upanisad it is said:

Thus it has been enjoined herewith that in order to receive that transcendental knowledge one must approach the Guru. Therefore, if the Absolute Truth is one, about which we think there is no difference of opinion, the Guru also cannot be two. The Acaryadeva to whom we offer our humble homage, is not the Guru of a sectarian institution or one out of many differing exponents of the truth. On the contrary He is the Jagatguru or the Guru of all of us; the only difference is that some obey Him wholeheartedly, while others do not obey Him directly.

In the Bhagavatam it is said:

That is, the Acarya has been identified with Godhead Himself, He has nothing to do with the affairs of this mundane world. He does not descend here to meddle with the affairs of temporary necessities but to deliver the fallen and conditioned souls. He appears before us to reveal the light of the Vedas and to bestow upon us the blessings of full-fledged freedom after which we should hanker at every step of our life's journey."

"The transcendental knowledge of the Vedas was first uttered by Godhead to Brahma, the Creator of this particular universe. From Brahma the Knowledge descended to Narada from Narada to Vyasadeva, from Vyasadeva to Madhva and in this process of disciplic succession the transcendental knowledge was being transmitted by one disciple to another till it reached Lord Gaurahga or Sri Krsna-Caitanya Who posed as the Disciple and Successor of Sri Īsvara Puri. The present Acaryadeva is the tenth disciplic representative from Sri Rūpa Gosvami, the original representative of this transcendental tradition in its fullness from Lord Caitanya. The knowledge that we receive from Him is not different from that imparted by Godhead Himself and the succession of the Acaryas in the preceptorial line of Brahma. We adore this auspicious day as Sri Vyasa-pūja Tithi because the Acarya is the living representative of Vyasadeva, the Divine compiler of the Vedas, the Puranas, Gita, Mahabharata and the Bhagavatam.

Our knowledge is so poor, our senses are so imperfect and our sources are so limited that it is not possible for us to have even the slightest knowledge of the absolute region without surrendering ourselves at the Lotus Feet of Sri Vyasadeva or His bonafide representative. We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited perverted method of observation and experiment. But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this through the unadulterated medium of Sri Gurudeva or Sri Vyasadeva. Therefore gentlemen, we should surrender ourselves today to the Feet of the representative of Sri Vyasadeva for the elimination of all our differences bred by our unsubmissive attitude, It is accordingly said in Sri Gita:

'Just approach the wise and bonafide Spiritual Master. Surrender unto him first and try to understand him by enquiries and service. Such a wise Spiritual Master will enlighten you with transcendental knowledge because he has already known the Absolute Truth.' (Bg. 4.34)

To receive the transcendental knowledge we must completely surrender ourselves to the real Acarya in a spirit of ardent enquiry and service. The actual performance of the service of the Absolute under the guidance of the Acarya is the only vehicle by which we can assimilate the transcendental knowledge. The offering of our humble services and homage to the Feet of the Acaryadeva will enable us to be favoured with the capacity of assimilating the transcendental knowledge so kindly transmitted by Him to all persons without distinction.

The Divine message from his holy lips is the congenial thing for the suffering humanity. All of us should hear him patiently. If we listen to the Transcendental Sound without unnecessary opposition, he will surely have mercy upon us. The Acarya's message is to take us back to our original home and back to God. Therefore, we should hear Him patiently, follow Him in the measure of our conviction and bow down at His Lotus Feet for releasing us of our present causeless unwillingness for serving the Absolute and all souls.

Had he not appeared before us to deliver us from the thraldom of this gross worldly delusion-surely we should have remained for lives and ages in the darkness of helpless captivity. Had he not appeared before us, we would not have been able to understand the eternal truth of the sublime teaching of Lord Caitanya,-had He not appeared before us, we could not have been able to know the significance of the first sloka of Brahma-samhita: