The Latest

  • acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet |
    prakṛtibhyaḥ paraṁ yac ca tad acintyasya lakṣaṇam ||
    (Mahābhārata: 6.5.12)

    “Do not assess states of being which are verily inconceivable with tarka. That which is beyond the material elements is known as inconceivable.”

    Read on →: acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā

  • mātṛdevo bhava |
    pitṛdevo bhava |
    ācāryadevo bhava |
    atithidevo bhava |
    (Taittirīya Upaniṣad: 11.2)

    “Be one for whom one’s mother is Deva. “Be one for whom one’s father is Deva. “Be one for whom one’s ācārya is Deva. “Be one for whom one’s guest is Deva.”

    Read on →: mātṛdevo bhava

  • vaiṣṇavānāṁ parā-bhaktir ācāryāṇāṁ viśeṣataḥ |
    pūjanaṁ ca yathā-śakti tān āpannāṁś ca pālayet ||
    (Nārada Pañcarātra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 2.137)

    “One should have great bhakti for the Vaiṣṇavas, and for the ācāryas in particular. One should worship them as one is able and protect them [when they are] in difficulty.”

    Read on →: vaiṣṇavānāṁ parā-bhaktir

  • ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit |
    na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-devamayo guruḥ ||
    (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.17.27)

    “Know the ācārya to be me. One should never disrespect [him], and one should not engage in detraction [of him] out of consideration of [him being] a mortal. The guru is an embodiment of all the devas.”

    Read on →: ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān

  • ācinoti yaḥ śāstrārtham ācāre sthāpayaty api |
    svayam ācarate yasmād ācāryas tena kīrtitaḥ ||
    (Vāyu Purāṇa)

    “One who grasps the meaning of the śāstra, establishes it in practice [i.e., teaches and engages others in practicing it], and personally practices it [in one’s own life] is renowned as an ācārya.”

    Read on →: ācinoti yaḥ śāstrārtham

  • upanīya tu yaḥ śisyaṁ vedam adhyāpayed dvijaḥ |
    sa-kalpaṁ sa-rahasyaṁ ca tam ācāryaṁ pracakṣate ||
    (Manu Smṛti: 2.40)

    “A twice-born, however, who can confer the upanayana saṁskāra and teach a disciple the Veda along with its rites and and its mysteries is called an ācārya.”

    Read on →: upanīya tu yaḥ śisyaṁ

Scroll to Top