Service

[Guest guest]

Before I discuss my thoughts, I would like to thank everyone

for the wonderful thoughts/ideas and philosphy you all have shared

with me.

Ramanuja and several other religious leaders have stressed service.

What are the duties of a Vaishnavite in terms of social service?

Has any of the Acharyas or ALvars said anything specific about

this issue?

I would like to hear from all of you as to how you percieve the

connection between the Sampradayam and social service.

 

thanks

 

bhashyam

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 7 Nov 1995 14:10:32 -0500 bhashyam said:

>

>

[..snip..]

>Ramanuja and several other religious leaders have stressed service.

>What are the duties of a Vaishnavite in terms of social service?

>Has any of the Acharyas or ALvars said anything specific about

>this issue?

>I would like to hear from all of you as to how you percieve the

>connection between the Sampradayam and social service.

 

 

From my limited exposure to the prabhadams it

seems to me that the aahzvaars envisioned a

community of sri vaishnavaas serving each other

and our Lord Sriman Narayana. I think periyaazhvaar's

"thoNdar kulam" is this community of sri vaishnavaas.

The passion with which ThoNdaradippodi aazhvaar,

kulasEkaraazhvaar, and Nammaazhvaar convey this

message is inspiring.

 

Sri Ramaanujaa's 82 golden sayings also support this.

His life story is a testament to these. Wherever

he went he tried to dismantle restrictions placed

on the oppressed. Practising Sri Vaishnavas have a

solemn duty to continue this legacy in today's context.

In his time Sri Ramanuja secured temple entry as a

right to the "untouchables". He called them

"thirukkulaththOr" (those belonging to the Lord).

 

In today's context nothing short of complete

social equality to the extent of obliterating caste

differences in the spirit of thoNdaradippodi aazhvaar's

"kodumin koLmin" can even come close to the bold

revolutionary spirit of our beloved acharya. This

is just one example. How one chooses to serve the

Lord's devotees is a personal choice. I am not

aware of any prescribed set of social service duties.

 

 

-- Dileepan