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Ramanuja’s intense desire to meet the blessed Goshti Purna was growing by the day.
“You know, I can quite confidently say that there is no other Srivaishnava equal to him,” Ramanuja’s acharya Maha Purna had told him. “He is the only one who knows the secret and powerful Vaishnava mantra. Seek him and serve him—if he is pleased, he may share it with you.”
Obeying his acharya’s wishes, Ramanuja immediately left for Thirukottiyur. He fell at Goshti Purna’s feet and humbly prayed to be initiated. Goshti Purna, however, refused to reveal the mantra. He had been conscientiously safeguarding it for years, and nobody else—in his eyes—was worthy of learning it.
Goshti Purna sent Ramanuja back home—but not empty handed.
“You are not eligible for the mantra yet, Ramanuja,” Goshti Purna said. “But to appropriately prepare yourself for the secret, here is something that must be fully understood. If you desire moksha and liberation, you must have absolutely no attachment and desire for this material world.”
Ramanuja left for Srirangam with a heavy heart.
Many moons later, Ramanuja came back to Goshti Purna’s residence in pursuit of learning the mantra. Once again, Goshti Purna sent him back not with the secret mantra but instead with another prerequisite message. But Ramanuja was still not disheartened. He came back again and again, each time with the same faith that he came with the first time. He was sent back in the same manner every single time.
On the nineteenth time, Ramanuja came to Thirukottiyur filled with despair. He came to the conclusion that he must have committed some grave mistake or offense, making him unworthy of the mantra. During the previous visit, Goshti Purna had told him that one who unflinchingly surrenders to Sriman Narayana is eligible to learn the mantra but had not given any other hint about when Ramanuja would become such a deserving person.
Glimpsing Ramanuja’s sad demeanor, Goshti Purna’s hard heart softened. He decided that it was time to divulge the secret. After initiating Ramanuja with the mantra, Goshti Purna’s face became serious.
“Ramanuja,” he said sternly, “this mantra is incredibly powerful. Anyone who simply hears it will attain liberation. I know you are definitely worthy of it—but I can think of no one else who is. So, Ramanuja? You cannot share this secret with anyone else. If you do, the consequences are dire. You will lose everything you have earned thus far and go to hell.”
Ramanuja was ecstatic—what else could be a greater treasure than this path to liberation? He had no words with which to respond and repeatedly fell at the feet of Goshti Purna with reverence and gratitude.
After taking leave of Goshti Purna, Ramanuja immediately rushed to the majestic temple at the center of the town. He ran up to the roof and climbed onto the large ceremonial vehicle used for the temple deities during special events. Ramanuja stood tall and cupped his hands in front of his mouth.
“Greetings, citizens of Thirukottiyur!” he called out loudly. “Come here, come here to the temple! I have a priceless treasure to share with you all. Just hear it and you will be assured liberation. Come here, everyone, come!”
Ramanuja’s makeshift stage was working quite well. A small crowd of curious people had gathered around the temple grounds. His heart full of love, Ramanuja began addressing everyone.
“Are you all wondering what this treasure is? Then, repeat after me: Om namo nArAyaNAya.”
Ramanuja proceeded to explain—in detail—the deeply confidential meaning of the deeply confidential mantra that Goshti Purna had just entrusted him with.
For a few minutes after Ramanuja’s open and inclusive declaration, everyone in the temple grounds was in a state of bliss. The initiation from Ramanuja’s pure heart had a profound impact on the townsfolk of Thirukottiyur.
Later, as Ramanuja started on his way home to Srirangam, he was pulled to a stop by a familiar but furious face.
“I trusted you!” Goshti Purna yelled. “Ramanuja, didn’t I explicitly tell you not to share the secret with anyone? In case it wasn’t clear to you, I meant not a single other person. And right after I tell you this, you go running to the temple and shout it out to the entire town? What were you thinking? Do you not recall my warning that revealing this to the undeserving will send you to hell?”
Ramanuja humbly folded his hands. “Oh, great acharya, I was fully aware of your warning. But you also explained to me that anyone who hears this mantra will be liberated. I will happily embrace the consequence that I—just one person—must go to hell if it means all these people here and everyone else who hears this mantra in the future can attain liberation.”
Goshti Purna was stunned to silence upon understanding Ramanuja’s pure selflessness. “Ramanuja,” he whispered, “your magnanimity has no bounds. I have learned an important lesson from you today.”
