Celebrate Love for Learning

It was in 1978, a hot summer afternoon in Sri Rangam, TN, India when a 75-year-old highly erudite scholar, revered acharya of 9 Jeeyars, author of several books that explain Vedic essence in lucid style, T.K. Gopalacharya Swami stepped out to seek clarifications from another scholar. The other scholar was Madhuranthakam Veera Raghavacharya Swami (then 95+ years) who excelled in the advanced law (nyaya sastra).

How motivating is this? Such is the love for learning and seeking truth in our acharyas. They have remained students through out their life, ever curious to learn. They were equally passionate and compassionate in spreading the knowledge for free to anyone who sought the truths of Vedic wisdom! This is something each one of us must bow down to. Isn’t it?

Let’s look at what happened later that hot summer afternoon. Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji asked Gopalacharya Swami where he was all this time. Gopalacharya Swami responded that he stepped out to get some questions clarified thereby strengthen his understanding in nyaya sastra. Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji asked, “At this age, why do you continue to make efforts to learn. Haven’t you learned enough?”

Gopalacharya Swami responded along the following lines. “As long as I am a teacher (acharya), I will continue to clear any questions that come up in my head. I don’t need any answers for my upliftment. But, if any seeker comes to me with a question, I would like to be ready with answers. Besides, learning is joy – why should age be a barrier for this joy?”

Knowledge remains an unripe fruit, unless it transforms into love and concern for fellow beings. Gopalacharya Swami along with Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji worked for the well-being of the society by various social outreach programs applying the most suitable solutions guided by their deep insight into life. They conducted several spiritual conferences (panditha sabhas) to strengthen the inner core intellect of everyone.

Gopala Upayanam (Gopala refers to T.K – Telivicherla Kandada Gopalacharya Swami, Upayanam means gift) is a prestigious award given to scholar(s) who dedicated their lifetime in learning and preaching Vedic wisdom. Every year, this award ceremony is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Gopalacharya Swami (pushya masam, bahula dwadasi, jyeshta nakshatra).

This year, the award has proudly adorned two scholars, Sri Govindacharya from Delhi, north Bharath and Sri Arayar Ramasharma from Melkote, south Bharath.

Sriman Arayar Srirama Sharma Swami, research scholar in vedantic law, arayar sankeerthana service at Melkote Sampath Kumara Thirunarayanapuram temple