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AmAnuja's (JREATNESS.
CH. XXXVIX,
We have an unbroken chain of apostles, reaching down to us
from God, of which the first link is God, and His Grace, Sri,
the next. St. Sathagopa is the next important link; and he
has declared in unmistakable terms that lie has obtained
Heaven (moksha)'. If he has won it, Nathamiini has
won ; if Nathamuni has won, Ya,muna has won ; Yamuna
winning, my next guru above me, Mahapurna, has won. If
Piirna has won, I have surely v/on. When I iiave, ye have all
indeed won. Take comfort then from this thought. Dvaya-
Mantra, which I have taught thee, declares, as thou art aware
he indissoluble unity of God with His Gi-ace, Sri ; and an
unbroken chain binds God and His creatures in one bond, from
which it is impossible to escape and stand aloof. With me
goes my flock. What I share it undoubtedly shares. The
areca tree is watered by the gardener, but tlie plantain trees
round it take the moisture as well. I and my church are
linked together for one testing. My destiny shall invariably
be its destiny. When Viijhishana was after all allowed to
approach Lord Rama, no separate invitation to the four
Rakshasa-men, whocompanied with him, was needed, nor when
the Vanar-chiefs wished to diive him awa}-, did they think of
driving those four persons separately . In other words, the
four persons counted with Vibhishana as one, in gains or
losses. Even thus counts my flock with me. ' Hence, son '
thou mayst rest assured that if Heaven is mine, it is thine
without question. As St. Bhaktisara has said; ' the flock has
even moi-e merit than the shepherd,' ' Satrughna has more
merit in following Bharata, than Bharata, Lord Rama; St. Madhurakavi
than St. Sathagopa; St. Andal than St. Vishnn-
Chitta, her father;
and so forth.
I
^suireiip^ ^®Qupp Fi-Qanussr.
" Whera I am, there al.«o shall my minister bo. If any man
*
Cp. («)
minister to me, him will my Father honor."
[John, Xri, 26.]
(b) " And I, if I be lifted np, will draw all men unto ine."
[John, XII, 32.J
^ (Sia^u9(r^Liuirss)irQa!s\j^Qiri-LDpmeii(S!>jrs=
sir^^iSQ^uunir^peuw. [4th T. Audadi, IS.]