RAMBLINGS OF A RAMBLER ?

[Guest guest]

OM NAMO NARAYANAYA !

 

SALUTATIONS TO ALL VISHNU BHAKTAS / PRAPANNAS:

 

I have had the privilege and honor of enrolling myself as a dasa

among the Bhakti/Prapatti group of members recently. I have been receiving the

Bhakti digest regularly and have been reading everyone of them with great

interest. I have seen a variety of topics and styles of writing. letters and

articles vary greatly in length and breadth of knowledge exhibited and the

contents vary significantly in the amount of words, references, original texts,

etc., used. Believe me some of them are over my head !

I note that Sri V. Sadagopan, Sri Sampath Rengarajan, Sri

Jagannath Bharadwaj, Sri Parthasarati Dileepan, Sri Vijay Srinivasan are some of

the prolific writers and frequent contributors to the forum. I appreciate the

wealth of information they have been able to dish out on the topics that have

been and are being discussed.

Being new to the forum and with minimum knowledge about the

Srivaishnava Sampradaya and heritage, I am at a loss to know where to begin to

learn. I am sure there are a few like me who are eager to learn but are being

dealt too much at once to be able to handle. Also, there may be a few changes

that can be made to the forum which will make it more fulfilling to a wider

audience and encourage larger participation in the discussions so that we have

more views on the table. Therefore, May I make the following suggestions for Sri

Mani Varadarajan to consider for implementation:

 

1) Create topics or categories of discussion: Suggested

categories are:

 

a) Chronology and Life histories of Acharyas / Azhwaars

b) Works of our great Acharyas and commentaries, contemprary or otherwise.

c) Compositions of Azhwaars and their adoptation in practice of Srivaishnavism.

d) Sthalapuranas

e) Teachings of Scriptures such as Upanishads

f) Teachings of the Bhagavadgita

g) Analyses of celebrated scriptural events such as Banishment Of Sita, etc.

h) Ritualistic practice of Srivaishnavism including daily rites such as

Sandhyavandana & Bhagavaradhana; Congregational performances such as

Homa, Yajna and Samprokshana; Traditional and / or customary kriyas such as

Upanayana and Sraaddha, and so on.

i) Organizational matters, publications, societies, fund raisers, etc.

 

2) Allow and encourage contemporary analogies to historical

events and their significance in our daily lives.

 

3) Start a discussion on social reformations that were

seldom contemplated in our religion.

 

4) Start reaching out especially for the members of the

younger generation who can benefit most from this forum and who can help

perpetuate our Srivaishnava sampradaya.

 

Such categorization will help I believe, in channeling our

thoughts and keep us focused at any time as long as a discussion stays in the

chosen category and will also provide continuity for others to join in the

discussion no matter where the discussion was left off or picked up again over a

period of time. One can not help but notice that the above categorization is not

in any way unique but has evolved from what has already been brought forth for

discussion in the Bhakti / Prapatti forum. It just brings a touch of order to

these discussions.

 

To help launch the first step towards such an effort, I would

like to post the following chronology of SRIVAISHNAVISM as documented by Swami

Harshananda of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama of Bangalore. This documentary falls into

the first category stated above and merits some consideration. It will also

serve as an introduction to Srivaishnava sampradaya to some of us who have not

the benefit of formal education in Srivaishnava religion or philosophy when we

grew up. We knew that we were born into Srivaishnava families but did not know

what it all meant in a sense that would appeal to the analytical minds of men

and women who are serious about what is preached and what is practised.

 

SRIVAISHNAVISM THROUGH THE AGES

 

Srivaishnavism, the religion, and Visistaadvaita, its philosophy, are of

hoary antiquity. In his introductory verse of "SRIBHASYA" (the commentary on the

"BRAHMA SUTRAS"), SRI RAMANUJA traces this philosophy to the "UPANISADS", which

was well guarded by the later Acharyas like VYASA, BODHAYANA, TANKA, DRAMIDA,

GUHADEVA, KAPARDIN, BHARUCHI and others. According to the traditional belief

that obtains among Srivaishnavas, the religion of Srivaishnavism was first

taught by the Lord NARAYANA Himself to LAKSHMI, His divine Consort, who in

turn, communicated the same to VISVAKSENA. From him, it was handed over to a

series of teachers headed by SATHAKOPA.

 

THE AALVAARS (AAZHWAARS):

 

Aalvaars were Srivaishnava saints of the Tamil country who lived between

the sixth and the ninth centuries A.D. The word "AALVAAR" literally means one

who is immersed in divine love. They are twelve in number: POYGAI, PUDAM, PEY,

TIRUMOLISAI, NAMMALVAR, KULASHEKHARA, PERIYALVAR, TONDARADIPPODI, TIRUMANGAI,

MADHURAKAVI AND AANDAL. Theirs was a religion of ecstatic love for God. Hence,

neither caste nor sex was any barrier to their attaining to that state.

 

Coming to the historical times, it was these Aalvaars who first

propagated the religion and the philosophy of Srivaishnavism through their

songs. These songs, called the "NALAAYIRA PRABANDHAM", combine in themselves

rare poetic beauty and high philosophical tenets, couched in a simple language.

 

NAMMAALVAAR, the author of the famous "TIRUVAIMOLI", is by far the

greatest among them. He is called the KUTASTHA by the later Acharyas of

Srivaishnavism, because the fundamental doctrines of this faith as current

today, were taught by him.

 

THE AACHARYAS:

 

The Aalvar movement was more emotional in nature than metaphysical. The

Aalvars were great devotees of the Lord Vishnu. They believed in the

impermanence of the worldly enjoyments and in the acquisition of liberation by

union with Him. They taught more by example than by precept, though they

propagated the philosophy of Visistaadvaita in their songs.

 

Hence, it was left to the Aacharyas beginning with NATHAMUNI, who

succeeded the Aalvaars, to put the system on a firm footing, basing it both upon

the Sanskrit scriptures and the Tamil teachings of the Aalvaars. The Aacharyas

were very orthodox Brahmanas, versed equally in Sanskrit and Tamil, who passed

through the different stages of orthodox life and discharged their duties so as

to serve as an ideal for their followers. Apart from expounding the philosophy

of Visistaadvaita, they also laid down various rules for the proper observance

of festivals, fasts, vows and customs. They were thus the makers of modern

Srivaishnavism. It is not surprising, therefore, that they in turn have become

objects of worship like the Aalvaars whom they themselves apotheosized.

 

The first of thge Aacharyas was RANGANATHA MUNI, popularly known as

NATHAMUNI (A.D. 824-924). He was at once an erudite scholar, ayogin, and a

devotee. It was he who first collected all the "PRABANDHAMAS", edited them with

proper introductory verses, popularized them by setting them to music, and made

them sung in temples. It was, again, he who gave these Prabandhams the status

equal to that of the VEDAS in temple festivals. The various reforms brought

about by Nathamauni necessitated the creation of the post of a universal

Aacharya whose authority was law in religious worship and whose advice was a

guide to temples and house-holders. It was but natural that when such a post was

established, the choice should fall on Nathamuni himself. Since this office was

combined with the management of the SRIRANGAM temple, it was easy for the

Aacharyas to revolutionize and recognize the Srivaishnava religion by

introducing the necessary reforms first in that temple, which is one of the most

important shrines of VISHNU and a stronghold of Srivaishnavism.

 

Nathamuni was succeeded by PUNDARIKAKSA and RAMAMISRA for two short

periods. Then came YAMUNACHARYA (A.D. 918-1038), who was the grandson of

Nathamuni himself. It was he who, endowed with great scholarship and insight,

first attempted to put the Vissistaadvaita philosophy on a firm foundation. He

wrote competent works in Sanskrit defending it, and established the orthodoxy of

PANCHARATRA SCHOOL, whose authority is accepted as equal to that of the SRUTIS

by the Visistaadvaitins. "SIDDHITRAYA" and " AAGAMAPRAAMANYA" are his two

important works, in addition to the "GITARTHASANGRAHA". It was his cherished

desire to write a commentary on the "VEDANTA-SUTRAS" according to the

Visistaadvaita, just as SANKARA had done according to the Advaita philosophy.

But he died before he could attempt it, and the task fell on Sri RAMANUJA (A.D.

1017-1137) to achieve it, and achieve it he did !

 

There is more where this came from. May be next time.

 

PAAPOHAM PAAPA KARMAHAM, PAAPATMA PAAPASAMBHAVA.

TRAAHIMAAM KRIPAYA KRISHNA SHARANAGATA VATSALA !

 

LAKSHMINATHA SAMARAMBHAM NATHA YAMUNAMADHYAMAM

ASMADACHARYA PARYANTHAM VANDE GURUPARAMPARAM.

 

ADIYEN: KESHAVA B.PRASAD.