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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00038 Oct 2003

 
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Sri:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Dear Sri Kasturi Rangan,

This is why we look to Azhvars works and Acharyas
commentaries. I think it is granted that the Vedas
and the Upanishads can be and are confusing to 
most of us.

Let me illustrate with an example. Our Nappinnai
likes to use Physics in her examples, so let's
take one from there. We all know that Einstein's
Theory of Relativity is not easily grasped. It is
a complex theory and does not jive with our normal
understanding of how things work around us. However,
none of us would simply take it up and read a few
books and go challenge a researcher or professor
in that area. Either we would study the subject 
for a long time and then come to that position or
we would depend on the experts to do that and tell
us how to understand it.

In this case, the experts are the Azhvars and 
Acharyas. Since most of us have neither the 
inclination to spend a lifetime learning this nor
do we possess the qualifications to do so, we don't
have a choice but to listen to the experts. I am
not saying that you are not an expert or well 
learned in this area - I am only representing the
position held by the rest of us.

Now, I know that you would protest to this as an
agnostic, stating that which expert do I believe
in - this is where faith in the sampradhayam comes
in. Recall Bhattar's explanation to his disciples
on why he honored an elder who was not a scholar
but ignored the well read pundit (see
http://www.acharya.org/articles/aditlooa/aditlooa011.html 
).

Without this faith, we can't get anywhere. Even 
amongst the physicists we put our faith in certain 
people and their explanations. We use some reasoning
such as their integrity, the cause and effect, their
stake in what they say etc to believe in them. This
is what we need to do here also. Azhvar and Acharyas
don't have anything to gain by telling us all of this.
They could have kept their ideas to themselves. But
they did not and it allows us to use their expertise
to see where we need to go.

Finally on the question of Narayana paratvam, I leave
you with this poem by Pillai Perumal Iyengar:

mangaipAgan sadaiyil vaiththa gangai yAr
pathaththu neer?
vanasa mEvu munivanukku mainthanAnathillaiyO?
senkaiyAl iranthavan kapAlam Ar agaRRinAr?
seyyathALin malararan siraththil AnathillaiyO?
vengkaN vEzham mUlamenna vanthathungaL dhEvanO?
veeRuvANan amarilanRu viRal azhinthathillaiyO?
angkaN nyAlam uNda pOthu veLLi veRpaganRathO?
AthalAl arangananRi vERu theyvamillaiyE

There are those who say stories from itihAsas and
purANas should not be considered here and discussion
should be solely based on Vedas. However, this is
not a tenable position as our experts (azhvars and 
acharyas) are clear that these cannot be ignored
for many number of reasons.


adiyEn madhurakavi dAsan


--- amshuman_k <amshuman_k@xxxx> wrote:
> Dear devotees,
> 
> I am under the assumption that for us Vedas are the
> supreme 
> authority (ignoring NDP for the moment). Puranas are also
> considered 
> authorities as long as they don't contradict shruti
> vakyas. The same 
> goes for Dharma sutras and smrities. Pancharatra agamas
> is also 
> added to the list (at this point we diverge from smarthas
> ?!).
> 
> ...


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