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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00078 Feb 2006

 
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Shri Mohan Sagar Swamin Correctly Informs us ALL
 that LET us Follow our Acharyas rather than DO new things esplly in the matter of reaching the LORDS abode finally
 
Swamin--- your point is well taken and that is the Quintessance of our Sampradaya actually
 
Azhwar Emberumanar Jeer  Thiruvadigale Charanam
AANDAL thiruvadigale Charanam
 
Adiyen
Parthasarathi dasan

 
On 2/17/06, Mohan Sagar <madhuriandmohan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Sri Balaji,

Let me at the outset state that I have close association with several
Gaudiya Vaishnava devotees and have spent virtually all my life
frequenting our local ISKCON temple.  Indeed, I probably speak for many
Sri Vaishnavas when I say that the Gaudiya Vaishnavas were the first to
guide me back to serving the devotee's of the Supreme Being with a
proper understanding of Sri Sampradayam and philosophy.

Be that as it may, I would have to be the first to admit some subtle
points of difference between the two schools, especially when it comes
to the recitation of mantras - let us leave aside what mantra should be
recited for the moment.  Sri Mukundan has already explained this
position in some detail, but I thought it worthwhile to attempt to
clarify the it further.   The Gaudiya Vaishnavas, following the
recommended practice of Kalisantharana Upanishad, recite the Hare Krsna
mahamantra, seeing its recitation as a means to salvation.  This
position suggests that there is an upayam, a means, different from the
Lord, that one can undertake to achieve salvation.  Yet, at the same
time, all Vaishnavas hold the truth that He is the Supreme Being.  His
Supremacy would imply, at least from the Sri Vaishnava perspective, that
Sriman Narayana is the only True Independent Being, Who is completely
free to bestow salvation on any one any time that He chooses, without
any condition or prequalification on the part of the soul.  This leads
to a paradox - we say that God is Supreme and at the same time say that
there is way to win His favor so that we reach Him. And, it is in an
effort to clear up this paradox that the Thenkalais are not fully
accepting of the idea that doing so many rounds of japa so many times a
day will lead us to Salvation.  I suppose that one way that ISKCON
reconciles this paradox is by saying that the Holy Name is not different
from the Lord, so His Saving Grace is as much a part the Nature of His
Name as much as it is a part of Him.

But, from the Sri Vaishnava perspective, there are three mantras that
can be meditated upon that do not inherently hold this paradox.  These
three mantras are the Thirumantram, Dvayam, and Charama Slokam, and it
is really not in their recitation, but rather in contemplating upon
their meaning, that the "power" of these mantras takes effect in our
being.  For according to the myriad of Acharyas that have contemplated
upon them, all three of these mantras emphatically state that our Sole
Protector and Saviour is Sriman Narayana Alone.  Ours is only to accept
this Truth, and this too comes about because of His Efforts to reach us.

So, while we are not opposed to any mantra, especially those that are
dedicated to Sriman Narayana, the point of contention presented by the
Sri Sampradaya lies only in the need for ritualistic recitation to them
in an effort to achieve redemption through self-effort.

adiyen




Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam
http://www.vedics.net


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Regards
        
           B.R.Parthasarathi

Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam
http://www.vedics.net





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