Guest guest Posted February 9, 1998 Report Share Posted February 9, 1998 Dear Prapatti Group Members: I thought I would take the role of Shri Dileepan (who was recently instrumental in bringing out some lively discussions on topics of great relevance to Sri Vaishnavas) to pose the following question: What is expected of me as a SriVaishnava. I would like to compile all of your answers, categorize them and who knows it may turn out to be a worthwhile exercise! Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 1998 Report Share Posted February 10, 1998 Dear members, I think the question , "What is expected of me as a SriVaishnava" is not very coherent. Shouldn't it be, "What will make one a SriVaishnava" or "How can one be(come) a SriVaishnava" or "Who is a SriVaishnava" ? (though essentially same is meant) I put forth my opinion of the question not to offend anybody. Pls. pardon me if this causes any offence to Bhagavathas. If someone asks "what is expected of me as a brahmin/vaishya/brahmachari /...?" it sounds coherent with the context intended. Because these categories are out of some compelled obligations from the society which an individual is expected to hold to (with all sincerity without any esteem or grudge arising out of one's belonging to a particular group). But true embracement of any spiritual path can't be out of someone else's expectation of us; there is no sense of belonging to a group; discrimination dissolves in the universal truth and universal love remains. No true Bhakta (person following Bhakti margam) will say that "I belong to the clan of Bhakti and I am like this". All margams are essentially the same for him; but his mind and intellect chose bhakti margam naturally. Quotes like "I want to be a true vishishtAdvaitin; So I am going to follow this this this steps from now on..." will sound incoherent to Bhagavathas also. Would AzhwArs have thought about becoming vaishnavAs before they did? adiyArkku adiyEn, chandrasekaran. yAdhoru kuRai ilan yAnghanum thirindhuLan vAdhiRRkku poruLalan vAnmuTRum Anavan kOdharu nilaiyinan kOL yAvum thirangoL-dhA mOdharan senghamala thiruvadiyE charaN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 1998 Report Share Posted February 10, 1998 At 04:40 PM 2/9/1998 -0500, Vijay_Srinivasan wrote: > >What is expected of me as a SriVaishnava? > One answer to the above question may be found in Sri Ramanuja's advice to his immediate sishyas from his death bed. The essence of Sri Ramanuja's long list of do's and don'ts can be captured with three basic requirements: (1) Cherish and follow your Sri Vaishnava Acharya as he is the one to show you the path for mOksham. (2) Avoid Bhagavatha apachara at any cost as that is the foremost among mOksha virOdhees. (3) Serve your Acharya and other Sri Vaishnavas. -- adiyEn Source: Sri Ramanujar, by Pi. Sri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 1998 Report Share Posted February 10, 1998 > > What is expected of me as a SriVaishnava. > When my wife took samAsrayanam, Sri Tridandi Jeear Swamy presented her with a small booklet in telugu called guruparamparAdhi, which includes the thaniyan to the AchArya paramparai. In it is a short paragraph that summarizes the required qualities of a SriVaishnava. The following is our rough translation of the telugu text: 1. Detachment from material desires 2. Seeking Sriman Narayana as one's sole protector 3. Faith that He will grant you the purushArtham 4. Impatience for the attainment of the purushArtham 5. Loving the divya dEshams 6. Spending time in bhagavadAnubhava kainkaryam 7. Finding happiness in hearing about the mahima of SriVaishnavas 8. Maintaining nishta in the practice of thirumantram and dvayam 9. Having boundless affection for one's AchAryan 10. Being grateful towards Perumal and AchAryan 11. Having jnAnam, virakthi, and shAnthi 12. Associating with paramasAthvika bhAgavathas adiyEn, Mohan & Madhuri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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