respected bhagavathas, It is a pleasure to communicate with esteemed members like sri Srirangam Srinivasa Raghavan swamy with vedic and naalayiram background. I would refer to my sentences : tradition just > because it was followed by ancestors does not mean anything. tradition has > to be evaluated in the light of shaastras. I would request Sri Srinivasa Raghavn swamy to kindly re consider both the sentences of mine before making a conclusion regarding my views. Tradition has to be evaluated in the light of shastras. This is a age old time tested strategy suggested by all vedantic schools including Sri Shankaracharya who stated : shastra acharya mukhena - which means - contemplate the words of guru and compare it with the words of shastras. Matru devo bhava and pitru devo bhava are valid vedic statements. However, I am not commenting on any particular parents here. However, for example if sri Prahladan had listened to his father Hiranyakasipu, it would be wrong or if vibheesanan had listened to Ravanan, who was jyesta putran and hence equal to father, it would be again wrong. Hence, eventhough we have to respect our parents, we have to evaluate everything in the light of shastras. Some mistakes are more deadly compared to others. our acharyar, HH Azhagiasingar stated that " for a prapannan, anyadevata puja or sambandam is "suicidal" and will obliterate his / her prapatti". I questioned HH further and said - " Respected Acharyar - why should we say that? ; bhagavatam states that "vaishnavanam yatha shambhuh" ( meaning Siva is foremost among vaishnavas) and further, ahirbudhnya samhita, from which our acharyas gain support to the concept of prapatti was given as upadesam by Ahirbudhnyan who is Sattvic Form of Sivan to Sage Narada". Considering all these should Sivan not be considered as a great acharyan in our system ?" HH Azhagiasingar stated " Inspite of all these pramanams, Lord Srimannarayanan is the ultimate God and all others are dependent. We should not have Anya devata sambandam, since we are seshabhutas or servants of that srimannarayan alone and not other jivas. We should not consider anya devatas as deities since even such practices will slowly develop into major issues in families in a couple of generations, due to fear etc. We have to firmly believe even when faced with great dangers in life on srimannarayan only. NOTHING should change this mahavishvasam in us. All these scriptural support etc. you are mentioning only means that we should not disrespect other deities or have any hatred towards them." In practice, things may change over several generations due to traditions in families. For example, I know a person whose grand parents had kept a "VEL" - ( belonging to Murugan deity) along with the Saligramams in their puja griham. This person after his grandparents passed away, due to respect and as per parental guidance, kept on worshipping Murugan and also celebrating the appropriate festivals for Murugan. HE has become so staunch devotee of Murugan now, it is impossible for him to see the relative difference between Murugan ( who is a demiGod) and Srimannarayan who is the Ultimate Bramhan! Demi Gods are also Jivans. If this person had put some efforts to ask Acharyas who are more knowlegeable than parents and conducted a study of shastras like rahasysatrayasaram or srivachanabhusanam, it would have been better for him. All these issues matter to MUMUKSHUS and Prapannas. Sri vedanta desikar states: Bramhanam shitikantam cha yaashcanyah devata smritah pratibuddhah na sevante yasmat parimitam phalam. - the intelligent ones do not pray to Siva, Bramha and other such dieties since they can only give limited fruits. If one gives great importance to one's Moksham, I think it is best to avoid any questionable acts or thoughts that may affect their relationship with srimannarayan. It is not just a question of life and death but - millions of lives and deaths!! This is so important. Even for a simple issue like keeping our jobs, we take so much care not to do something that displeases our company presidents or CEOs. Hence it is in our interest to keep our relationship with srimannarayan, who is the CEO of everything. - Let me remind people about the great mantra here - vasuranyo vibhurasi prane tvamasi sandhatha bramhan tvamasi vishvadhrit tejo das tvamasi gnirasi...( Mahanarayaniya - quoted in support for prapatti) Adiyen Krishna Kashyap. -----Original Message----- From: Raghav@xxxx [mailto:Raghav@xxxx] Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 8:37 PM To: vasu_venkat@xxxx; SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; hotsamosa@xxxx; kkalale1@xxxx Subject: RE: [SriRangaSri] Question related to Bharniyasanam Thondar Uhakkum Un Thunai Adi Vaazhi Respected Bhagavadhothamas This is a topic that has been engaging the attention of our fellow-vaishnavites. Though in general I agree with the exponential theme put forth by Sriman Vasu and Sriman Krishna, adiyen differs with the views of Krishnaji with respect to his mention "just because it was followed by ancestors does not mean anything". Ancestors have given us everything. If we are in this state today, it is their blessing and the atmosphere in which we were brought up. Suddenly, we cannot throw to winds the preachings and the anushtanams that we have been taught. Probably, with the amount of literatures/lectures/ charyans' Arulvaakku, etc. we are enriching our knowledge. At the same time, it is difficult to give a go-by to the anushtanams/practices that our ancestors, who are none other than our Acharyans, have bequeathed to us. Even the Almighty comes in the last of four, "Matha, Pitha, Guru and Deivam". Further, in Thondaradipodi Alwar's pasuram "Thirumalai", "Saadhi Andanarhalelum, numarhali pazhipparahil.....", the essence is that even if the vedic-chanting Brahmins cause any disrespect to Ranganathan's adiyargal, he will not forgive. A section of our vaishnavite sect adopts the teachings (only after Swami Desikan's avatharam) Azhwars only when it suits them. For instance, Samayapuram Mariamman Temple was under the administrative control of Lord Ranganathaswamy Devasthanam till a decade or so ago. For some inexplicable reasons, the Govt. of the day chose to hive off Samayapuram Devasthanam of Goddess Mariamman separately. They of course co-exist. Many of the vaishnavites of Srirangam original would vouchsafe the coordination between these two temples in conduct of Uthsavams. Goddess Mariamman even today comes to the banks of Cauvery at Srirangam, as it is only 4 miles away. Many of the Satthanis {flower merchants who are doing kainkaryam in Srirangam temple) used to offer flowers to the Goddess and the Mariamman Temple's daily poojas are performed by hereditary Gurukkal. For decades these practices are going on. To say that whateve ancestors have done is not correct, it is, I BEG TO SUBMIT, difficult to digest. Whatever our parents say is VEDHA VAKKU. How will you differ? Another interesting instance. Nowadays, lakhs are undertaking pilgrimage to Sabarimala. H H Mukkur Azhagiayasinghar once chided a friend of mine, when he went in a black dress, to the Mutt. But at the same time, when another friend of mine could not secure the consent of his parents (srivaishnavites) to undertake this yatra, he was advised by the group not to undertake as without the parents' consent (veda vakku), no pilgrimage of the sort can be undertaken. I am just amplifying. PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I AM WRONG OR I GO ASTRAY. PLEASE DO CORRECT ME. I am performing Nithyaradhanam of about 16 perumals in my residence, I am not failing in performing my Nithya karmas. After Saaya Sandhyavandanam, I offer my dhandam to my parents. I am a Sama vedhi, doing Sama Adhyananam for the past 8 years. Being the blessed son-in-law of late Natteri Sesadrichariar swami, I know Thiruvoimozhi and Mudhalayiram. However, I am putting across the above views only to elicit further thoughts and response. ONCE AGAIN I SEEK THE PARDON IF I AM WRONG. Srirangam Srinivasa Raghava dasan SWAMI DESIKAN THIRUVADIGALE CHARANAM
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia |
srirangasri-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To subscribe to the list |