Ashtottaram 76

By- Devakinanda Ji

OṀ NIṪYĀCHĀRYASEVIṪABHŪMYAI NAMAH:

OṀ (AUM)-NI-ṪYA-AA-CHAA-ARYA- SE'-VIṪA- BHOO-MYAI—NA-MA-HA

ॐ नित्याचार्यसेवितभूम्यै नमः

(Nitya: Daily; Ācharya: Preceptor, a teacher; Seviṫa: Service, homage, or worship)

In a more technical sense, the āchārya is the one who performs the upanayanam ceremony of the novice and imparts the Vedas to him, along with the accessories known as the Vedāngās.

Great stress was laid on the qualifications which the āchārya has to possess. Birth in a family known for its erudition and piety were always required to teach. A pure and sinless life, serenity and composure, active interest in imparting knowledge were the other qualifications looked for in the āchārya. The word is also frequently used as an honorific to men of great erudition and learning, especially if they were the initiators of new schools of thought or the revivers of old ones, like Śankarāchārya, Rāmānuja, Madhva, Nimbārka, and others.

The āchārya takes care of the student, feeds him, protects him, imparts worldly knowledge along with spiritual knowledge until the student graduates from the gurukulam. | Wikimedia

The term is also applied to an adviser or preceptor guiding sacrificial rites. The āchārya is one of the pancha pitās (five fathers) and takes care of the student, feeds him, protects him and imparts worldly knowledge along with spiritual knowledge until the student graduates from the gurukulam (house of guru). The students also show utmost respect and honor toward the āchārya in return. Āḋi Sri Śankarāchārya dedicated his Bhajagovinḋam in his guru Govinda Bhagavadpāda's honor. The āchārya has the capacity to change and turn around his student's life completely. Our śhāstrās say that when a student is ready for his teachings with pure heart and mind; the āchārya will show up in front of him. This happened in my life also. I was very skeptical about gurus, swamis, and āchāryās all my life because of bad experiences and my observation of them. One day in 1998, I was in front of Late Swami Dayānanda Sarasvati, and I have been his follower ever since then. He knew exactly what was on my mind and my quest for knowledge and guided me through very passionately.

Āchāryās are the ones, who not only preach but practice dharma in their life and become an example to their students and society. Our country is blessed with many āchāryās; and we respect and honor them. Our land is 'Nityāchāryaseviṫa Bhūmi.'

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