Dear Fellow Bhagavatas, There has been a lively discussion on Devatantara bhajana[Devata-God; Antara-Different; Bhajana-worship. Eponymous words to Devantara are Bhashantara-Other languages; Desantara-Other countries; Namantara-Other names; Kalantara-Other times; Vishyantaras-Other interests etc.]. Purvacharyas have not approved. Sri Ramanuja's invocation of Devar moovulagum padaikka, Poovil naanmuganaip padaitta, Devan oruvarkkallaal,Poovum poosanaiyum tagume[errors in citation may be pardoned as I am quoting from memory] , while reclaiming Embar, sets the guideline clearly and unequivocally. People not steeped in Sri Vaishnava traditions would be troubled by the apparent ecumenical references in Divya Prabandham[Taazh sadiyum neel mudiyum, muniye naan mugane, avaa arachchuzh ariyai ayanai aranai agatri etc. and the orthodox line in Purvacharya vyakhyanas. Neeru sevve idak kaanil nedumaal adiyaar endru odum and kariya meni misai veliya neeru siride idum, periya kolat tadam kannan, have been interpreted as Neeru-anjanam, as against the meaning as ash in Tamil literature. Is it because of the time gap between Azhwars and Acharyas and the consequent changes in dctrinesal leanings? Pillai Perumal Ayyangar, a 17th or 18th century poet, was reputed to be a fervent Veera Vaishnava, but even about him Pulavar Puranam says, Sivanai nindanai seidavane ena Ivanach chirchil il'am saivar esuvaar Avan em Maayavan aagattil paadi endru Uvandu paadiya paakkalum ulllave When we come to Srimad Bhagavad Gita,we have to adopt the idiom acceptable to all Hindus. In XI:39-40, Arjuna says: Vaayuh agnih varunah sasankah Prajapatistvam prapitamahascha Namo namastestu sahasrakritvah Punascha bhooyopi namo namaste Namh purastat atha prishthataste Namostu te sarvata eva sarva Anantaveerya amita vikramastvam Sarvam samaapnotshi tatosmsi saravh Sri Aurobindo translates the two verses as below: "Thou art Yama and Vayu and Agni and Soma and Varuna and Prajapati, father of creatures, and the great-grandsire. Salutation to thee a thousand times over and again and yet again salutation, in front and behind and from every side, for thou art each and all that is. Infinite in might and immeasurable in strength of action and thou pervadest all and art everyone." To me, this translation appears to be lingustically correct[though I see the word sasankhah-moon is missed]. I understand from this couple of verses that God is omnipresent in everything. It is the culmination of the teaching at IX:39-42, which says, "Nothing moving or unmoving, animate or inanimate in the world can be without Me.I am the seed of all existences.There is no numbering or limit to my divine Vibhutis; what I have spoken is nothing more than a summary . Whatever beautful and glorious you see in this world, whatever is mighty and forceful, know to be a very splendour, light and energy of Me and born of a potent and intense power of my existence. But what is the need for a multitude of details of this knowldge? Take it thus, that I am here and everywhere, I am in all and constitute all; there is nothing else than Me, nothing without Me." It is possible to take a view that even by worshipping a diety other than Sriman Narayana, one is worshipping only God. There is a saying connected with Narasimhavatara, Toonilum iruppaan turumbilum iruppaan [He will be even in the pillar; even in a srap] There is also a prayer, Aakaasaat patitam toyam Yathaa gachchati saagaram Sarva deva namaskaram Kesavam pratigachchati [Like all rainwater from the sky going to the ocean, so all prayers to any God reach Kesava] Though I started with uncompromising adherence to "nindra aadippiraan nirka matrai deivam naadudire", I have started praying to Vinayaka, Subrahmanya and Garbharakshambika of Thirukkarugavur. I feel that this can be reconciled to Sri Vaishnava doctrine of supremacy of Sriman Narayana. I have presented my understanding of the matter for consideration. Adiyen siriya gnaattan,TCASrinivasaramanujan ===== T. C. A Srinivasaramanujan Email: tcasr@xxxx __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
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