Mannargudi Raju Sastri - Teachings

Teachings

Initially Raju Sastri was a very different teacher. He was very particular that all his students followed his instructions and would be very upset if a student made even a small mistake. He would yell at them with anger and the whole neighborhood could hear him being annoyed. Then after a while he would explain and correct the mistake very elaborately to the whole class so that no student would make the same mistake again ever. He did not encourage arguments and discussion and wanted students to follow very strict class procedures. He would dismiss students who did not follow his strict code of conduct. Early in the morning, Guru Raju Sastri would go north to the river near Kailasanathar temple for his daily bath. While all his students went south to the river Padithurai near Meenakshi Amman temple for their bath. It is even said that Raju Sastri once dismissed and suspended his student Paruthiyur Krishna Sastri mistaking his arguments to be an act of arrogance. Krishna Sastri left the Gurukul to do Ramayana Pravachans, which became very popular. Raju Sastri happened to listen to this pravachan, after hearing about it from his other students. The discourses were on the virtues of Sri Rama. Sastri listened to the discourse on "Patience" as the greatest virtue of all. Raju Sastri was very impressed and said that Krishna Sastri’s Pravachan had opened his eyes.

"I have myself learnt a lot from his description of Sri Rama’s virtues. Krishna Sastri you are a Mahaanubhavan, you will bring great joy to many people."

Raju Sastri recognized Krishna Sastri’s scholarship and decided to train and teach him and mold him to become a great scholar. Raju Sastri became a different man after that. Raju Sastri was famed as a teacher known for his simplicity, patience and compassion.