🧵09/10 of our Mini-series on account of 73rd #Vardhanti Mahotsava(Birth anniversary) of #Jagadguru #Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji:

The principle of the #Guru #Parampara sets the aspiring #philosopher on a very different path from that of his counterpart in the West. Under the guidance of his Guru, he first masters by memory the foundational treatises of his school, and even parts of the foundational treatises of sister schools and opposing schools. Through discourse with his Guru and further mastery of the commentaries and sub-commentaries, the student spends many years carefully reading and hearing the relevant texts in this stage called #Shravanam. Furthermore, by exercising his own critical inquiry into the meaning of the texts, aided by reflection, contemplation and his Guru's instruction, he works to remove all uncertainty of doubts: the stage called #Mananam. Finally, still under the guidance of his Guru, in the third stage called #Nididhyasanam, he meditates on the essence of the teachings and strives to actualize their import in the conduct of his life. This is the assimilation intellectually, emotionally and in practical life of the knowledge of his Guru and thereby of the school or tradition, as realized by his Guru and the Parampara of Gurus before him. courtesy ahambrahmaasmi. org
The ultimate aim of the philosophical tradition in India, therefore, is not the mere mastery of doctrine, but the realization in the practical life of the truth (Tattva) towards which all schools seek to point. Guru’s brief is to be not merely a living reference for the teaching, but a living example of it, too. Such an accomplished being, of course, is rare to find, and only such a person is qualified in turn to be a Guru himself.

The great glory of India today is that this traditional philosophical approach is still very much alive. This comprehensive approach to philosophy has continued in Sringeri through an uninterrupted Guru Parampara, since Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya #Bhagavatpada first founded the #Sharada #Peetham twelve centuries ago. And the great glory of the Guru Parampara of #Sringeri is its enactment, its attainment in human form, in a prodigy who embodies in thought, word and deed the #Brahmavidya of #Vedanta. It is our greatest good fortune that we are blessed with such a wonder in Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji. It is impossible for those of us raised in the philosophical tradition of the West to comprehend the achievement of one who has excelled in this philosophical tradition of the Guru Parampara. Even those in India who have seen the Guru Parampara at first-hand can only imagine what such an achievement comprises. Therefore, while it is a joy to praise the Jagadguru, we can never succeed in praising Him adequately. To do so would require that we know in full the qualities of this revered Knower of Brahman, and this in turn would require that we had realized Brahman ourselves. Nevertheless, at least within the limits of our understanding, we offer all the praise we can conceive.
Jagadguru came into the world abundantly gifted as a child spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. Through the exemplary service of His Guru, through the penetrating mastery of all the relevant texts of Vedanta, #Mimamsa, Nyaya, #Vyakarana and more, through His complete devotion to God that is for Him as natural as breathing is for us, He presides over Sringeri liberally showering all who come to Him with loving grace. His scholarship excels in the faultless service of Sharada during His supervision of the annual gathering of Vedic scholars at the Sri Maha Ganapati Vakyartha Sabha. And as a true Jagadguru, His life of unbroken worship and the ceaseless supervision of good works bring relief, guidance, knowledge, hope, inspiration and faith to all who labour beneath the burden of ignorance and hardship in their own lives. A Knower of Brahman, He is Brahman and a conduit of His grace. - Dr Will Rasmussen

#sanatandharma #SanatanaDharma #SriRama #jaishriram #Sanyasa #hinduism #Yogi #sadguru