Ramanujacharya – Biography - ebooks - ISKCON desire tree

with joy. He embraced the two disciples who had accompaniedhim, Dasarathi and Kuresa, and then climbed up the tower ofthe temple.In a loud voice he began to address the gathering:"All of you are more dear to me than my own life. ThereforeI have a strong desire to deliver you from the torments andsufferings all of us must undergo in this temporary world.Please recite this mantra which I have obtained for you. Dothis, and the Lord's mercy will be upon you."When they heard Ramanuja's words, all the people inthe crowd called out, "Please tell us the mantra. Shower theLord's blessings upon us!"Then Yatiraja called out in a deep resounding voicethe mantra he had just received from Gosthipurna; om namonarayanaya. Immediately the crowd responded, everyonecalling out the sacred words together, producing a soundlike thunder. Twice more Ramanuja called out the mantra, andtwice more the thunderous response resounded from the crowd.Every person became silent and looked at one anotherwith feelings of deep ecstasy in their hearts. At that timeit seemed that the earth had become Vaikuntha. The faces ofthe men, women and children were flushed with joy and itseemed that all miseries were gone from the earth. Those whohad come running to the temple hoping to receive gold orjewels, immediately forgot their worldly desires, feeling asif they had been given a diamond in place of a piece ofbroken glass.As the joyful crowd melted away, men and women cameand prostrated themselves before Yatiraja, consideringthemselves most blessed to have received such a benedictionfrom that great soul. Ramanuja then climbed down from thetower and began walking towards Gosthipurna's residence toworship the feet of his guru.GOSTHIPURNA'S ANGERBy this time Gosthipurna had come to hear in detailof everything that had taken place outside the temple andwas extremely angry, feeling Ramanuja had betrayed histrust. When Ramanuja approached him with his two disciples,the aged acarya addressed him in a voice that trembled withrage. ‘Get out of my sight, O lowest of men! I havecommitted a great sin by entrusting the most precious gem tosuch an untrustworthily person as yourself. Why have youcome here again, forcing me to commit the sin of looking atyour face? Surely you are destined to live in hell forcountless lifetimes.’’Without any sign of remorse, Ramanuja replied to hisguru in a most humble manner, saying, ‘ It was only becauseI am prepared to suffer in hell that I dared to go againstyour order. You told me that whoever chanted the mantra ofeight syllables was certain to be liberated. Thus, according53