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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00000 Jan 2007

 
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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

Dearest all,

Thus we have observed that the greatest importance is
given to the place of Acharya in Srivaishnava
sampradayam. It is a universal practice common to all
religions to show respect to the teacher by a
disciple. But the Special feature of our Sampradaya is
the emphasis it places on worshipping not merely one?s
own acharya bu the entire lineage of acharya right
upto Sriman Narayanan who is the First Acharya
[prathama Guru] from whom the spiritual knowledge was
taught and emanates. 

Thus the dedictaiory verses [thaniyans] for the
acharyan and the entire acharya paramparai need to be
recited by a Srivaishnava both at the time of
initiation [namely Pancha samskara] and also everytime
and everyday when the disciple does japam, anushtAnam
and undertakes Vedanta study. Such recitation of
thaniyans at the time of vedantic study and religious
functions signifies the importance of worship of the
Spiritual preceptors and also the acknowledgement of
gratitude that a Srivaishnava owes to the greatest
service rendered by Acharyas to Srivaishnava community
by way of preserving and disseminating the jnAnam
through which one can hope to attain salvation. [says
Sri SMS Chari in his book on Vaishnavism]. 

The knowledge coming through the SriVaishnava
SampradAyam (SatSampradAyam) is thus faultless. So,
ONLY the AchAryA belonging to the Sat SampradAyam is
bonafide. Such an AchAryA is called as a "sadAchAryA"
(Ideal Preceptor). He will be well versed in the
spiritual knowledge delineated by Sanskrit VedAs
(including Upanishads), Tamil VedAs (Divya Prabandham
by AzhvArs), Rahasya TrayA, Brahma SutrAs, Smrithis,
IthihAsAs (RAmAyanam and MahAbhAratham), SAthvIka
PurAnAs (like Vishnu purAnam, Srimad BhAgavatham),
PAncharAtrA & VaikhAnasa AgamAs. 

The supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA, in His wonderful
avatAram as Sri KrishnA, instructs everyone to
approach the sadAchAryA. In His GIta Upadesam, Sri
KrishnA says "Learn the spiritual knowledge by
prostrating, by questioning and by service to wise men
(sadAchAryAs), who sees the truth. They (sadAchAryAs)
will teach it to you." (4.34) 
Thus the person desirous of becoming linked to the Sri
Vaishnava SampradAyam, approaches the SadAchAryA with
great humility. One cannot attain a sadAchAryA easily.


one should be highly fortunate to attain a sadAchAryA.
AchAryA (henceforth used to refer to sadAchAryA) has
every right to test that person, even for many years,
before he can be initiated by him. Thus, SamAshrayanam
is a result of great mercy from the part of our
AchAryAs. Only the highly fortunate souls gets this
rarest opportunity of getting initiated
(SamAshrayanam) and thereby become a "SriVaishnavA". 

Let us get to learn what is Pancha samskaaram or
SamASrayaNam. 

SamAshrayanam means 'to approach (AchAryA) with all
sincerity'. In a nut shell, during 'SamAshrayanam',
the AchAryA initiates a person, irrespective of caste,
creed or sex, as his sishyA. It is a commitment from
the disciple that he or she will live as per the
wishes of the AchAryA. Thus the person gets the link
to the Sri Vaishnava paramparA. During SamAshrayanam,
Pancha SamskAram (five Purifications) is performed and
he becomes a "Sri VaishnavA". 
There are five purificatory ceremonies which one
should go through to become a Srivaishnava. In a broad
sense, any individual who is a devotee of Sriman
Narayanan is a Vaishnava. The distinctions of caste,
colour, creed, learning and social status of
individuals have no bearing here on being a
Srivaishnava. That caste is not a bar on becoming a
Srivaishnava. Srivaishnavism is thus a Broad Universal
Religion that has kept the doors open to all. 

In order to qualify oneself to become a fit person to
worship [Aradhanam], and to meditate with esoteric
mantras, one is required to go through the prescribed
initiation ceremony to be conducted by a qualified
SadAcharya.

The Pancha samskara are the following:

1. tApa samskaram- or wearing [or embossing] the marks
of the Conch [Shakhu] and Discuss [ChakrA] the two
weapons [ornaments] of MahavishNu. 
2. pundram: To wear the dvAdasa Urdhva pundram (12
Thiruman & Srichoornam) 
3. nAmam: To be ininiated by AchAryA afresh with a
name as"RAmAnuja dAsan"(addition of 'dAsA'at the end
of ones name) to indicate that one is forever a
servant of the Supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA and
BhagavAnRAmAnujA. 
4. manthram: To get the initiation of "Rahasya Traya
MantrAs" - AshtAksharam, Dvayam and charama slokam. 
5. Ijyai: To learn the worship of Sriman nArAyanA in
proper form (Bhagavad ThiruvArAdhanam). 

References: Samasrayanam article by Sri Anand
Karalapakkam Swami and the book on Srivaishnavism
published by ThillaisthAnam Swami Kaimkarya Sabha,
Bangalore. 

Let us get to learn each of these samskAras in greater
details. 

AsmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm
Regards
Namo Narayana
dasan


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