thiruppaanazhwaar

[Guest guest]

Krishna Kalale writes:

> But there

> is some special significance to birth based caste system! I did

> not agree with this for a long time. Since Vedanta desika

> writes about this, I am learning to agree with this.

>

> Krishna

 

I'm sorry, but I *completely* disagree with this. It should

not hold validity "simply because" Desikar wrote about 700

years ago. He wrote (as a human) in a very different cultural

setting, with his own biases, etc. In fact, this particular

section of the Rahasya Traya Saara (prabhaava-vyavastha-adhikaaram)

is very painful for me to read -- Desikar, in spite of all of

his greatness, uses a crude cow analogy in comparing a spiritually

advanced "low" caste devotee to brahmin devotees. I find this

extremely disturbing.

 

I think we should take the words of the Azhvars quite literally.

When Periyaazhvaar talks about entering a new clan (thondak kulattil

uLLeer vandhu adi thozhudhu aayiram naamam colli, pandai kulaththaith

thavirndhu ...), he means it literally. As do Thirumangai, Sadagopan,

Thondar-adi-podi, etc. There is no need to downplay these words to

accomodate the so-called dharma-shaastras.

 

The above discussion is *exactly* why I think Srivaishnavas who

are interested in their tradition *must* seek to understand both

"kalais", the Thengalai and the Vadagalai. The works of

Pillai Lokacharya, Azhagiya Manavaala Perumal Nayanar, and Manavaala

Maamuni display far more catholicity in outlook than Desikar's.

These two need to be taken in tandem to properly understand our

heritage.

 

Birth should be absolutely and completely irrelevant among Vaishnavas.

This is all very clearly brought out in Sri Lokacharya's Sri Vachana

Bhushanam, and in Sri Nayanar's Acharya Hridayam; the life stories

of Ramanuja, Thiruppaan, etc., should also confirm this.

 

Mani