Sri: Srimathe Ramanujaya nama: Dear KK, This reply tries to address your corollary. If a westener wants to get into the fold of SV,he first has to undergo samAshrayaNam (sharaNAgati is also done along with that for TK's but I guess,am not very sure, VK's do prapatti/sharaNAgati separately). This is the occasion the AcArya imparts the rahasyam,imprints shankha,chakra and also the title "adiyen ramanuja dasan" to the disciple. In short,the disciple gets "ramanuja sambandham" and his salvation is assured. Strictly speaking,one is not supposed to write "adiyen ramanuja dasan" without undergoing samAshrayaNam. In the case of a westerner (or even us)he is supposed to follow the code of conduct(for prapanna alongwith Ramanuja's instructions) and it is this conduct that makes one a SV and not by mere signature "adiyen ramanuaja dasan". The devotees who have undergone the samAshrayaNam can help you better:-) With respect to your first question,I would only like to quote some incidences from Purvacaryas life. One of Sri YAmunAcAryA's disciple was a sudra and his name was mARanEri nambi. Although mARanEri nambi was not privileged to learn vedas,he acquired the same knowledge(of brahman)through the grace of AcArya. This disciple even took AcArya's disease called "rAja piLavai", a kind of "spinal cancer/tumor" as a prasAdham. Sri YAmunAcArya instructed another disciple Periya nambi to do the last rites for MARanEri nambi (brahmameda samskaram) instead of handing over his body to his kith and kin(who think the body as Atma) who do not have any claims on such a noble soul. So periya nambi(a brahmin) also did the last rites when mARanEri nambi passed away. EmperumAnAr asked Periya nambi: "isn't this particular act violate the rules of varNAshrama dharma?" Periya nambi replied: "Srirama(who performed sAmAnya dharma) did brahmameda samskaram for Jatayu. In what way I'm superior to Srirama or in what way mARanEri nambi inferior to Jatayu? Did not Yudhishtira do brahma meda samskaram for ViDhura?" Initially Yudhishtira had doubts but his doubts got cleared by sages and rshis. The ego that arises out of one's birth/caste, makes the person (with so much knowledge) lose naicyam "adiyArkku adiyOm". This should not only be at the level of thinking but also in practice. That's why EmperumAnAr(and also Sri NampiLLai),would hold the hands of MudaliyANdAn(R's nephew and disciple,a brahmaNa)on his way to Kaveri for morning ablusions and after ablusions,EmperumAnAr would hold the hands(for support) of his disciple PiLLai uRangA Villi dasan,who was a sudra. This is cited in AcArya Hrdayam 85. When some people asked EmperumaNAr "how can a brahmaNa touch a sudra and is it not against varnAshram dharma?", EmperumAnAr gave the above mentioned reply. PS:All our AcAryas have defended Pancaratra texts. AzhvAr EmperumAnAr JIyar thiruvadigaLE sharaNam NC Nappinnai
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