Celebration of Ramanuja Jayanthi

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of Prapatti Group:

 

It is quite sometime since an idea was mooted that we could all get together in

a sat-sang and nothing else would better fit that occassion than the

celebration of Ramanuja Jayanthi. Buffalo in my opinion is the best place to

begin our satsang. The spurt of spiritual activities in Buffalo in recent

years and the beauty of Niagara Falls reminding us of yet another Vibhuthi of

our Lord, provides us a fertile soil and a spiritually healthy climate where

Ramanuja's philosophy can take deep roots and flourish. Ramanujacharya came as

"Trijagat punya phalam" (if all the good deeds of the whole world should take a

form and express itself it would be our Ramanujacharya's form) and his

teachings should benefit the whole world. "Ramanujaarya Divyagnya Vardhatham

Abhivardhatam, Dighanta Vyapini Bhuyat Sahi Loka Hithaishini". Therefore, I am

convinced that the spill-over effect of such a sat-sang would benefit the

entire community at large.

 

Ramanuja Jayanthi falls on the 26th of April this year. This leaves us just

enough time to organize the program. I have approached a number of people here

who are ready to host any number of visitors. You can plan a longer stay,

come with your family (including parents and children) and bless us with your

presence. If you come with your passport, you can also take this opportunity

to visit Toronto which is about an hour's drive.

 

As a first step towards organizing this program, I would request you to send me

a reply about the possibilty of your visit and the number of people who may

accompany you. Please also write your address and phone number. If I find the

response positive and encouraging, I will keep you informed of the progress and

we can proceed with the next step.

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan

[Guest guest]

There have been a number of queries regarding the celebration. I have tried to

summarize what I think will be the format of the program. Once the program

starts taking shape, I am sure, there are a number of people in our group who

can provide invaluable inputs. Given below are some of the preliminary

thoughts I have on the subject:

 

The celebration if held in Buffalo will not be organized by any recognized

mutt. On the otherhand it will be an effort that will mostly involve the

members of the Prapatti group. Our local temple has a wonderful priest

(Kozhiyalam Swami's sishya) who can perform the Aradhanam to begin with. This

can be followed by lectures for eg. by Sadagopan, Mani, Sampath Rangi, P.

Dileepan, Bharadwaj, Koti Sreekrishna and Muralidhar Rangaswamy on topics of

their choice. We can also invite an external speaker. We can have Vedic,

Divyaprabhandham, Ramanuja Nuttrandhadhi and Desika sloka (prefarably Yatiraja

Spathathi) recitation. We can also have Bhajans or a musical recital should

any of our member would like to give it. Finally we can conclude the day by

having sahasranama parayanam. I am expecting at least 25 families from Buffalo

to participate in this celebration.

 

This forum can also be used to explain the goals of SVTK. I am thinking that

it is our Lord's desire that we should do what we are doing in all earnestness

.. It does not matter whether we succeed in bringing newer people to the fold

of Vishishtadvaita Siddhantha. We would still do a great service to those who

born as vaishnavites are abandoning the path shown by our acharyas (that too in

ever increasing numbers - kaiyil neyyai vaithu kondu vennaikku alaivadhupol)

and instead find solace in paths that are inimical to the doctrines of

Vishishtadvaita philosophy and probably to their own nature. The light that

has been kindled should now begin to engulf everyone in its brightness.

 

Please forgive me if I have spoken anything wrong in my enthu.

 

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan