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the exponent of the Visishtadvaita philosophy - ebooks - ISKCON ...

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OH. XI. uamA^nuja becomes sanyasin. 6§<br />

absence, and thou tookesfc <strong>the</strong> very leaf from which he ato<br />

as unholy and polluting. This was thy first guilt. Hungry<br />

souls came craving for food. Thou didst deny it and tboii^<br />

didst lie. This was thy second guilt. And now thou hadst- i<br />

had <strong>the</strong> audacity to ^ick a most unseemly quarrel with my<br />

venerable teacher's coiisoit. This is thy third and crowning<br />

crime. N"o more art thou fit to remain with me. Thou art<br />

a worldly woman, blind to spiritual interests. Tajce all this<br />

money, for that ia thy meet share. That is <strong>the</strong> stuff that wellsuits<br />

a shrew and a scold like <strong>the</strong>e.^ Well do' <strong>the</strong> Sastrar<br />

They fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />

say :— " Woman is at <strong>the</strong> bottom <strong>of</strong> all crime." *<br />

declare: — "When house-keeping suits not, enter <strong>the</strong> monastery"<br />

' ; for that is <strong>the</strong> true house where strangers and guests<br />

find a ready welcome ;<br />

but thou hast defiled my i-o<strong>of</strong> by thy<br />

unworthy conduct <strong>of</strong>fensive to my sense <strong>of</strong> propriety and<br />

decency. It is meet <strong>the</strong>refore that thou shouldst return to<br />

where thou earnest from." So saying he swiftly despatched<br />

her to her parents' abode.<br />

" This world is hateful. Indeed, I miist abjure all cortcern<br />

with it," thus did R&m&nnja seriously reflect. It is said: —<br />

"Ba<strong>the</strong> in <strong>the</strong> holy pond called Ananta-saras, shadowed ly <strong>the</strong><br />

cupola <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy Temple, resolving that nothing in <strong>the</strong> world<br />

bestows i-eal bliss. All sins shall depart. Seek Lord Vax-ada<br />

as <strong>the</strong> Refuge ; and one shall gain <strong>the</strong> blessed regions <strong>of</strong><br />

Vishnu."* And so Rfi,manuja ba<strong>the</strong>d in <strong>the</strong> Ananta-pond, and<br />

resolved to become a Sanyasin. It is laid down: "One shall<br />

receive <strong>the</strong> holy order <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sany3.sin ei<strong>the</strong>r from a mendicant<br />

Sanyasin or from God direct." ' And thus resolving<br />

1<br />

Cp. Yajtiavalkya and his two wives in <strong>the</strong> Brihadaranya: Up.<br />

HI'hif^-<br />

LGaruda-Purdna]. These incidents show how<br />

' M IMH I<br />

Ramanuja was against caste-pride,<br />

s " Illaram-allel tiira-v-aram."<br />

l^Wt1

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