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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00046 Nov 2005

 
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SrI:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya namah:
This refers to the question on ThirumaN SrichoorNam for women for 
which there is a reply that women can also wear them on their 
foreheads. I would like to supplement what was told by Srimad 
Pondareekapuram Andavan SwamigaL. He said that it is imerative for
the Sri VaishNava women too to wear the 12 ThirumaN on their bodies 
(which I remembered to have seen in my Grandmother's body, as she 
used to wear 12 thirumaN everyday). 

This only goes to prove that the better half is in no way inferior 
(in fact BETTER only due to their getting half of their husband's 
puNyam automatically).

(in lighter vein: I read in Reader's Digest once: Do not complain 
your wife. Had she been better, she would have got a better husband)

There was a query on Signififcance of Naamam (ThirumaN kappu) on 
forheads: ThirumaN kappu- is called "Urdhva puNdram-Urdhva - 
vertical; puNdram- mark..It has been widely discussed and can be 
found in archives.

Swamy Desikan explains the saasthra pramANam of the same in crystal 
clear terms in His Saccharitharaksha, which is divided into three 
parts with the titles:

SudharsanapaanchajanyadhAranavidhi
UrdhvapuNdra dhAraNa vidhi
BhagavannivEdhithOpAyOga vidhi

Swamy Desikan starts the Sacharitharaksha which establishes the 
absolute and prime need of Pancha samskaram:

(meaning of 1st sloka): Let us carry the people on our head who bear 
the mark of Sudharsana and Paanchajanya; who wear the UrdhvapuNdra 
(ThirumaN kaappu) on forheads; who consume only the food offered to 
the Lord and by virtue of the above who are saluted even by 
NithyasUris.

All of us have these doubts as to where the saasthRAs says that one 
should wear Thiruman kappu. Swamy Desikan has beautifully explained 
it in this work.

Vedic authority of Urdhva puNdram dhAraNam is:

GruthOdhvapuNdra: paramESithAram nArAyaNam saankhya yOgAdhi gagyam |
jnAthvA vimuchyEtha nara: samasthai: samsaara paaSairiha chaiva 
vishNu: ||

MahOpanishad statement above sys: One who wears Urdhva puNdra and 
meditates on Lord Sriman Narayanan and realizes Him through his mind 
gets liberated from the bondage of samsaara.

In Paancharaathra samhitha it is said:

yagnO dhAnam thapou hOma: bhOjanam pithru tharpaNam
sarvE bhavanthi viphalaa: Urdhva puNdram vinAkruthA:

Yaga, charity, penance, daily sacrifice, taking food, offering of
water to manes (argyam?)  etc., is all null and void if one does 
without wearing Urdhva pUndram. Libations means pouring of water in 
honour of God. Manes means spirit of the dead (deceased Father, 
Mother. Grand father, Grand mother, Great grand father, Great grand 
mother et al). 

pithru tharpaNam means offering water with sesame seeds to those 
twelve Pithru dEvathAs. Hence, wearing Urdhva pUndram is essential. 
The shape of Urdhva pUndra should be in the shape of HaripAdakruthi 
(in the shape of the Lotus Feet of Sriman Narayanan). In Varaaha 
pUrAna Lord says:

yEkAnthina: mahAbhAgA: math swarUpa vidha: amalA:
sAntharAlAn prakurvIran puNdrAn *mama padhaa kruthin*

As per Brahmaanandha purAna, in the middle of every Urdhva puNdra, 
which is wide and good looking, Lord Sriman Narayanan stays with His 
Consort Goddess Mahalakshmi. The symbol of Mahalakshmi is Sri 
choorNam which may be either in red or yellow colour.

Thus, Swamy Desikan in the three chapters, establishes by his 
beautiful and inimitable style and power of arguments based strictly 
on scriptures, the three important customs and rituals of 
Srivaishnavas which are Pancha samskaram, UrdhvapuNdradhAraNam and 
partaking of the food offered to the Lord Sriman Narayanan in archa 
form.

(The above article is based on write up of Sri U Ve Anantha
Naarasihmachariar Swamin of Srirangam)

In this connection, a fervent appeal is made to every Srivaishnava to
strictly adhere to the above customs and eschew any contact or 
worship of any deities other than Lord VishNu. More important: DO 
NOT WIPE OFF when you step out of the house.The sikhs do not remove 
their turbans; the arabs not their head ring.. But why should we?
That is as bad as not wearing it, if not worse.

Regards
Namo Narayana
dAsan





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