Guest guest Posted January 2, 1996 Report Share Posted January 2, 1996 Dear Friends: One question that bothers me a lot is the following: The system of acharam evolved by our great acharyas- Does it continue to have any relevance today. If you say we can only accept a small part of it, how would one decide what to accept and what to reject. Please do not forget to remind yourself of what Vyasa Bhagawan had said: " Achara Prathamo Dharma: dharmasya prabhu achuta:". I look forward to a lively discussion, which hopefully could sow the seeds for evolving a neo-vaishnavitic system of acharam. Vijayaraghavan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 1996 Report Share Posted January 2, 1996 Hi, Regarding achara I wish to say a few words about it. Swami vivekananda had stated in one of his books that the word "Achara" means cleanliness. He further adds that the same achara was given two interpretations by Adi Sankara and Ramanujacharya. Adi sankara says that mental purity is what is needed for eligibility to learn vedas whereas Ramanuja says that one needs both mental purity as well as physical cleanliness.Ramanuja emphasized on physical cleanliness as the first step towards spirituality. He says physical cleanliness will itself lead to mental purity. One thing that is still eluding is whether the achara practised by brahmins as such is defined completely by these acharyas or was it advocated by their disciples. I have not tried to answer Mr.Vijay's questions and in fact I myself would like to hear an answer for these eluding questions of though. Lakshmi Narasimhan Srinivasa --------- *************************************************************************** Vanamali Gati Saarngee Changee chakreecha Nandaki Sriman NarayanoVishnur Vasudevobi Rakshatu ------Parayana Sloka in Vishnu Sahasranama----- Lakshmi N. Srinivasa,lsriniva,sprinil *************************************************************************** --------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 1996 Report Share Posted January 4, 1996 >Tue, 2 Jan 1996 13:05:45 -0500 (EST) >Lakshmi N Srinivasa <lsriniva >Regarding achara I wish to say a few words about it. Swami vivekananda >had stated in one of his books that the word "Achara" means cleanliness. >He further adds that the same achara was given two interpretations by Adi >Sankara and Ramanujacharya. Adi sankara says that mental purity is what >is needed for eligibility to learn vedas whereas Ramanuja says that one >needs both mental purity as well as physical cleanliness.Ramanuja >emphasized on physical cleanliness as the first step towards >spirituality. He says physical cleanliness will itself lead to mental purity. The well water episode from Sri Ramanuja's life story is also worth looking at, when one forgets the motive behind Acharam and apply it blindly. Sri Ramanujar's wife thanjamma was a stricter follower of madi/aachaaram, (coming from an Advaitic Brahmin family). One day, Peria Nambi's wife polluted thanjamma's madi kudam, by spilling water from her kudam. Peria Nambi was Sri Ramanuja's Guru. He was a "munkudumi chOzhiyar", like Periaazhvaar and Thondar Adi podi A. Thanjamma insulted them by bathing again in fresh water. The chOzhiyar are Brahmins of the Tamil country, with a "mun kudumi". They are considered to be of a lower sub-caste. (I was surprised there are some even today, even though the Kudumi has gone or moved to the standard location. I have met one, whom I do not want to name.) Sri Ramanuja, considered insulting his guru a more serious offence than her madi aachaaram. This event is considered the last straw on the camel's back. He took Sanyasam immediately. Srinivasan K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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