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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00038 Jan 2003

 
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Respected Sow. Nappinnai

Many thanks for sharing your experiences, which are an education in 
themselves. 

Regarding:

(1) Sow. Nappinnai: " Right infront of my eyes, I see two guys(who 
are actually SVs,and were taught URM first in their childhood!)who 
follow advaita and worship shiva". 


There seems to be a mix-up of categories here. My 'defence' of deva 
worshipers was in the context of NON-SRIVAISNAVAS who worship devas; 
the gentlemen you speak of seem to be Srivaisnavas who have later 
adopted deva worship. That is an altogether different kettle of fish. 
Promiscuity before marriage is unfortunate; after marriage it is 
utterly indefensible.


Regarding:

(2) 'Now contrast these deva worshipers with someone who already 
knows Sriman Narayana is Supreme, yet who continues to serve himself -
that incorrigible person is worse than a naive follower of one deva 
or the other' [S. Ramanujadasan's views]. 

Sow. Nappinnai's response: "I still feel the second category is 
better than the first category. As long as he worships Sriman 
NArAyaNa,he is saved". 

It depends on what we mean by "better". As i see it, what matters 
most post-Ramanuja sambhandhan is not our personal salvation (which 
is guaranteed), but whether or not we live in a way that gives 
happiness and glory to our Acarya. Having Ramanujasambhandhan, and 
still living in a selfish way, does no credit to my Acarya and hence 
i have more reason to feel ashamed than those who dont know any 
better. In this sense, though personally better off, am i not worse 
than a non- Srivaisnavite?

Regarding:

(3) Sow. Nappinnai: " There can not be a better sambandham(including 
bhagavad sambandham!)than Ramanuja sambandham in both worlds!" 

I wholeheartedly agree. But that makes us more blessed, not better, 
than non-Srivaisnavites. (Incidentally- pancasamskara may not be the 
be-all-and-end-all of Ramanujasambhandhan. Its hard to see how 
somebody as yourself could in any way be seen as not having Ramanuja 
sambhandhan, even though not yet having pancasamskara.)

Regarding:

(4) Sow. Nappinnai: "You have that great sambandham and Ramanuja 
will struggle for your spiritual welfare(like He struggling to get 
back His objects(us))and lead you to Him. Which non-SV has this 
bhAgyam,tell me?"

As far as i am aware, every cetana has this bhagyam. 


Respected Sow. Nappinnai and others- i sincerely appreciate all the 
time you have taken to correct me. Its just that when i see a non- 
Srivaisnava, my overwhelming feeling is one of my being an incredibly 
privileged 'fluke'. And when i abuse that privilege, it is the worst 
thing i think anybody could ever do.

Please forgive me if a dull mind and clumsy pen have led me to commit 
the slightest bhaagavad apachara.

Your servant, S.Ramanujadasan.





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