Guru Seva – Kuresh – Disciple of Sripad Ramanujacharya

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GGHS – Govind Chudasama speaks on &quot;Guru Seva&quot; through the story of &quot;Kuresh – Disciple of Sripad Ramanujacharya&quot; Quresh&#39;s Devotion to Sripad Ramanuja Acharya In South India outside Kanchipuram, there lived a very charitable and wealthy land owner in a place called Qura, so the people called him Quresh. He lived with his wife Ondal and they were the disciples of Sripad Ramanuja Acharya. In Kanchipuram there lived a king named Kolatunga. He was a staunch follower of Lord Shiva. He proclaimed a law that everyone should worship Lord Shiva as the one and only god. He had one minister named Chaturgram. He was very learned, previously a disciple of Quresh. Due to some jealousy in his heart he rejected his guru and his param guru Sripad Ramanuja Acharya and became a Shivite. He also became a close follower of king Kolatunga. Kolatunga&#39;s main objective was to convert everyone to Shivaism. Chaturgram hated Quresh, hated Ramanuja Acharya so he informed the king that there was a very powerful vaishnava named Ramanuja Acharya. &#39;&#39;As long as he lives he&#39;s going to keep millions of people worshipping Vishnu. There are only two ways you can make your kingdom a kingdom of shivites…….one either you must defeat and convert Ramanuja Acharya or two you must kill him. He is too powerful too influential.&#39;&#39; Kolatunga took these words of Chaturgram very seriously. He sent some military personal to SriRangam with the order to meet Ramanuja Acharya and his guru Mahapurna &#39;&#39;.They must come at once with the soldiers to Kanchipuram&#39;&#39;. So the soldiers went to SriRangam and made their proclamation. Meanwhile Ramanuja Acharya was taking his bath and the news reached Quresh. When Sripad Ramanuja Acharya heard the news he started making arrangements to go. But Quresh was very intelligent and understood exactly what was happening‐‐‐‐‐ They are inviting Ramanuja Acharya to kill him. Quresh with tears in his eyes, fell at the feet of Ramanuja Acharya, &#39;&#39;Gurudev please do not go! This king is cruel he hates you, he hates vaishnavas. If u die Gurumaharaj the whole world will be extinguished. You are the hope, glory life &amp; soul of all your disciples.&#39;&#39; &#39;&#39;But I&#39;m insignificant, I&#39;m nothing. If I die there will be no loss to the world. I will consider it my greatest honour to die on your behalf. Dear gurumaharaj they don&#39;t know what you look like. I beg you please let me go in your place.&#39;&#39; Ramanuja Acharya then wore the white clothes of a grihastha and left from the back door. Quresh wore the robes of a sannyasi and left with Mahapurna for Shivakanchi. They were presented in the royal court and given respectable seats. King Kolatunga said, &#39;&#39;Please tell us what is the supreme goal of life &amp; duty to perform?&#39;&#39; Quresh boldly replied &#39;&#39;Vishnu, Lord Narayana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead .The presiding god over all other gods, is the supreme goal of life, we must worship Him with love and devotion.&#39;&#39; King Kolatunga fumed with anger and said &#39;&#39;Ignorant fool Shiva is the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of everything in this world. Speak with my pundits.&#39;&#39; Then Kolatunga sat very confidently on his throne while brahmin pundits lodged argument after argument. Quresh and Mahapurna very calmly defeated every argument presented by the pundits according to shastra, according to logic and according to tradition. From every point of view they presented that Vishnu is supreme. Kolatunga and the brahmins could not accept it. They were out outraged. &#39;&#39;Sign this paper Ramanuja &amp; Mahapurna.&#39;&#39;Written on the paper was Shiva is greatest, Shiva is supreme. Quresh signed! Kolatunga &amp; the brahmins were feeling happy until they saw what he had signed!!!!!! shiva is great,but even drona is greater than shiva. As per weights, there are two weights to weigh grains. One is shiva &amp; the other is drona. And drona weighs heavier than shiva !! When Kolatunga read this it was beyond his control. &#39;&#39;Take them out, torcher them&amp; pluck out their eyes. Ramanuja I would kill you, but you delivered my sister from a ghost. It is not proper etiquette to kill you. But let your eyes be plucked out &amp; die slowly. The guards brought Quresh &amp; Mahapurna out, torchered their bodies in various ways and in the culmination plucked out their eyeballs. It was painful, blood gushing out of their face. The guards then threw them in the forest to die. But to their amazement Quresh got up. With folded palms, &#39;&#39;I pray to Lord Narayana that he forgives you for whatever offences you have made. I want to thank you from the core of my heart because you have given me this wonderful service to my gurumaharaj. I pray to Lord Narayana that he delivers you from all sins and elevates you to Vaikuntha because you have given me the most extraordinary service of giving my eyes and my life for my spiritual master.</p>