Faith is everything. When it is constant and unshakable, a person can achieve the ultimate goal in life. Our acharyas are the ones who keep us steadfast in our ways in the world and by surrendering to them, we can reach Vaikuntam, said Tirukkudanthai Dr. Venkatesh.

When Nathamuni, the acharya who came after Nammazhwar, set about to discover the lost works of acharyas that came to be codified as Divya Prabhandam and referred to as Tamil vedam, he was told to recite the 11 verses starting with Kanninun Siruthambu 12,000 times, after which Nammazhwar would definitely manifest in front of him. While others wondered how Nathamuni would keep track of the count (to 12,000) while focused on recitation, the great acharya said he was confident that Nammazhwar would make his presence felt when he completed reciting the required number. True to his faith, Nammazhwar appeared to him and presented 4,000 verses (not merely 1,000 verses as expected by Nathamuni). He also presented Nathamuni with the bhavishya acharya statuette (signifying a future preceptor, who would protect the faith and lead mankind towards Perumal). This bhavishya acharya was none other than Ramanuja, who did yeomen service to the ordinary people, regardless of their status in life, by showing them that Perumal was accessible to all.

One may wonder how acharyas are relevant in seeking God, and if one cannot attain His thiruvadi on one’s own? Nathamuni delivered the famous ‘Kulappadi mazhai’ verse to his sishya Uyyakondar. As per tradition, the verse was handed down by successive acharyas to their sishyas. It was Ramanuja who delved into the deeper meaning of the ‘Kulappadi mazhai’ verse: [If it rains as much as a kulappadi (hoof mark made by a cow), only a sparrow’s thirst is quenched. If it rains on the Veeranarayana Eri, the world will be fertile]. He visited the Eri and realised that there were 74 channels crafted form the huge eri for the benefit of the expansive agricultural belt. He realised that he had to distil the vast repository of knowledge that he possessed into 74 ways (mutts) and render everyone on earth as spiritual beneficiaries. One should surrender to one’s guru, who would take then one to Ramanuja as it were, who is always in the presence of Perumal. Everyone can get mukti.