by Sri TA Varadhan

There were two srivaishnavas that were known to svami. They were learned in the teachings of azhvar acharyas, but they had not gotten rid of their ego (ahambavam). One day, they were arguing with each other, and their arguments were filled with ego. Svami happened to pass by that way. Two dogs happened to be barking at each other. svami, wanted to point out the mistake of the srivaishnavas, but did not desire to confront them directly and give them the lesson. Instead, he turned towards the dogs, and said "Are you two also learned in srivacanabhooshanam, as these two srivaishnavas, that you are arguing with each other with such ego" - On hearing this, the srivaishnavas understood their mistake, and it is said that they changed their ways. This incident in instructive not just in humility to us, but also instructive of the character and grace of svami - he did not want to hurt even the people that deserve some lessons.

One day, a vaishnava from the north came to svami and requested him thus - "Please teach me the essence of all the sastras and rahasyas, something that i can follow". svami replied thus - "For the person that knows that the ultimate goal is the kainkaryam towards perumal, just surrendering to the Lord is not the goal; following the sastras and performing aradhana to the Lord is not the goal; just being the complete devotee of the acharya is not enough; being respectful towards other devotess is not ehough; what is needed is for the person to be such that all the devotees of the Lord can come to his house without any hesitation, and command him to do whatever service he can do for them, and for this person to be in the state where the devotees of the Lord can even sell him if they desire so" - further, he says "If someone who is so, all the anushtanam and the knowledge of the sastras and the teachings of acharyas and azhvars will come automatically. For someone who allows him to be a tool of service for other devotees, there is no compusion for him to know about the sastras and the deep meanings of them" - He adds "anushtanam and knowledge of the sastras without following the above is like the teaching of pativrata dharma by a prostitute, and will go waste"!

Another incident - There was a srivaishnava called bhattar perumal that had the position of an acharya in those days. But many of his sishyas did not prostrate before him, and he was disturbed by it. Feeling that it was disrepect for him, he went to svami manavala mamunigal and told him about his concern. svami, when he returned to his matam, invited the sishyas of bhattar perumal and asked them why they were doing so. The sishyas replied that they did not have the mind to surrender to bhattar perumal, implying that they were not satisfied with their teacher. svami manavala mamuni told them - "Think that it is perumal and thayar, sitting in the divya simhasanam before you, and you prostrate before bhattar perumal" - We can see the kindness that svami had even for people that had drawbacks.