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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00127 Jan 2002

 
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This is an excellent article by sri TV VENKATESH. One should read it.

adiyen Krishna

-----Original Message-----
From: TV Venkatesh/FXSLF/SEC/SANMAR [mailto:tvv1@xxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 9:11 PM
To: raghav@xxxx
Cc: SriRangaSri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [SriRangaSri] Question related to Bharniyasanam


srImathE rAmAnujAya namaha
srImadh varavara munayE namaha

Dear Sri Raghav.

I beg to differ from your views. While it shows one's respect for his
elders while following their family traditions unquestioned, that is not a
desired charactersitic of an intellectual. I do agree that, even in our
family we had some traditions to pray to some dEvathAntharAs. But I do not
follow them now.

In order to accept this, we have to have a change in our mindset and try to
research the reasons that prompted our ancestors to do some anya devatha
ArAdhanA. I am sure 100% that, there would be no valid reason, except that
some one in our lineage due to some kAmya buddhi would have performed
something and got some results and hence the same is being followed.

However, as a true Srivaishnavite we are not to indulge is seeking anything
that is kAmyam in nature. We are to seek only for the highest, which is
salvation (mOkshA) and who else can give it other than Sriman nArAyaNa?

So to follow the family traditions and do some ArAdhanAs to anya dEvathAs
is right if you seek materialistic pleasure as, though capable, our
emberumAn is so merciful that he will hesitate to give them to you, because
you will still remain in this world away from Him. Afterall he is always
wanting a unison with the jeevAtmAs.

An interesting slOka from VaradarAjasthavam from Sri koorathAzhwAn comes to
my mind here.

" varada! yadhi ha vasthu vAnchAmyaham thava charaNa labhA virOdhas thatha
yadhi na bhavathi thath pradhEhi prabhO! jatithi vidhara pAdhamEvAnyatha"

He Sri AzhwAn prays to Sri Varadharaja, " Please do give me whatever I ask,
only if it leads me to your lotus feet. If not, please do not give them.
But do take me into your lotus feet immediately". See the greatness of this
noble AchArya.

Then the prodigious Thondaradippodi AzhwAr is always there. How many
pAsuram is "thirumAlai" talk about renouncing anya dEvatha worship.

" pulaiyaRamAgi ninRa puthodu samaNamellAm..."
" veRuppodu samaNar muNdar..."
and the clearest pAsuram

"maRRumOr dheivamuNdE madhiyilA mAnidangAL
uRRa pOdhanRi neengaL oruvan enRu uNara mAtter
aRRa mEl onRu aRiyIr avanallAl dheivam illai
kaRRinam mEitha endhai kazhaliNai paNimin neerE"

For those who can follow Tamil, no need to explain the above pAsuram as it
is in the simplest of the simple language. Here the AzhwAr calls those who
worship anya dEvathAs (may be we can include here, those who worship due to
family traditions also) as "madhiyilA mAnidangAL", one without knowledge.

If we are to write about these things, I believe one message is not enough.
A lot more may be required. However to end my note I would invite your
attention to one of the main "angA" of the saraNAgathi, "mahAviswAsam".

Can you justify the act of worshipping the anya dEvathAs, due to family
tradition etc, with respect to this mahAviswAsam. When Sriman nArAyaNan can
give the highest of the desirable, which is the mOksham, then can't He give
what we want even if it is materialistic. The only problem is that he will
hesitate to give into our materialistic desires, as that will take us away
from Him. As every poorvAchAryA says, while He hesitates, He will still
give it to us, if we still desire only for the materialistic pleasures.

So IMHO, the worship of anya dEvathAs with family tradition in backgroud
cannot be accepted in a justified sense.

AzhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyar thiruvadigaLE saraNam
adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan
Thirumalai Vinjamoor Venkatesh









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