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66 THE litB'E OF RA.MA.NUJA. CII. XI.
iovingly. " What zeal ! indeed," lie said, " it shall be as you
wish ." And leading him to the Holy Vakula tree near the
(Tank-Guard) Temple, and placing him on his right, performed
all the sact-iiments of initiation as laid down in the Pancharatra-Sastra.'
That process is briefly thus :—
Preparatory discipline for mantric initiation requires the
'
mark of the discus {Ghakra), or of the five weapons (of
Vishnu, viz., Ohakra, Sankha, Gadd, Kliadga and CMpa) being
stamped (on the several parts of the body), with appropriate
mantras. This is enjoined for the sake of rendering the manfras
imparted, efficacious. The wearing of these chakra and other
marks, is to signify that the soul has been wedded to God,
as the wearing of bangles i&c by a dame, signifies that she is
joined in all faith to a husband. The disciple (or the postulant)
shall sit before the Guru, humble, with joined palms. The
Guru shall meditate on his Guru and all the others preceding
him apostolicall^', aad impress the chakra symbol on the disciple's
right shoulder ; and then placing his right palm on the
head and the left palm on the heart of the disciple, and looking
at him with eyes beaming with grace, shall repeat the
Gem of Mantras (jmanlra-ratna), and make the disciple repeat
the same with him, along with the Ohhandas and the Itishi
attached to the mantra}'
In this manner, Mahapurna, placing
Ranianuja to his right, called to mind his Guru Alavandar's
feet, and speaking in the right ear of Ramanuja, imparted to
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