Need for AnushTAnam in our sampradayam

[Guest guest]

Sri Balaraman Sriram came up with quite a few insightful items in his

list of progress indicators, and in the process raised several valid

points on the need for self-evaluation prior to embarking on judging

adhikaara (or lack of it) for others (including ladies and

non-brahmins). This is especially relevant in case of sri vaishnavas

who have chosen to live in north america (not withstanding

justifications to the contrary) because of bondage to

samsaara/materialism/economic comfort et al. I would be the first to

argue that as among those that live here and wallow in anushTAnic

mediocrity (or as varadhan puts it, non-existent anushTAnam), it is

irrelevant to discuss about qualifying states for others regards

understanding something as exalted as rahasya thrayam. Most of us

who live here will not even qualify to be brahmins (chaturvarnyam

mayA srushTam guNa karma vibhAgayoho - not by birth but by

anushTanam), and hence, clearly do not qualify for pretty much

anything from a shastric stand point.

 

Yet, many of us (especially in the current day environment in India,

where value stems more from the occidental connection) are

bestowed with SamasrayaNam and more, often because of the large

heartedness of our Acharyas than anything else. But, just this

bestowal of krupa should not make us think that we, in our extensive

ignorance (the reference here is agnYanam stemming from asathva

guNam stemming from samsaric karma - janma jAyamAna kAla

kaTakshangaL as the basis for samsaram/moksham), have anything to do

with the good things (from a krupa stand point) that happen to us.

 

However, anushTAnam is critical because the statement "buddhih

karmaanusaariNi" cannot be negated. Clearly, the lives we live have

an indelible impact on what we become. AnushTanam is the rock bed on

which our emotional states of humility, bhakti and prapathi are

built. It is foolish, and incorrect, to justify the quagmire

of material follies that we get stuck in (I need my pizza even if it

has rennet or my children do not eat any meat on ekadashi days or I

will drink my beer with 0.5 percent alcohol which does not count

anyway etc.) on the basis of lack of choice. If we have the desire,

then we can implement it, though some things are quite difficult in

the US. Often our incapacity (read paucity of will power) to live a

life of anushTanic conformance is somehow translated into constraints

that can be washed/wished away visavis a so called "interest' in the

sampradayam.

 

Sri Mohan sagar writes:

> Dear Sri Balaraman Sriram,

>

> you certainly have stirred up the proverbial coals in the few short weeks

>

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> ..................................................

>

> Yes, it is true that none of us are perfect. If we were, we would be in

> paramapadam, or in one of our divya dEshams, and not here in this samsAram.

> We all have to gulp down a slice of pizza now and then, and the vast

> majority of us cannot go without a cup of coffee in the morning. But, I

> personally do not think that this should be used to downplay our interest

> in our tradition or in our desire to serve Him.

 

I would like to suggest (shocking as it might seem to some) that

life in America is possible, sans pizzas and cheese and

eggs and cakes, Onions and Garlic and Drum sticks and so on. To

say it is OK represents an inconsistency stemming from ignorance or

the need to justify the convenient. The simple truth is that, when

it comes to anushTanam, our acharyas are unequivocally unyielding and

uncompromising. My achAryan (mudaliyAnDan swamy) told me after my

samAsrayaNam "I hope you will follow your nithyanusandhAnam and

bhagavath kainkaryam without any lOpam. If you cannot, then may be

you should just consider coming back and living here". He

further said "Seyya vEnDiyada seyyATa irundhaa kooda paravaayillai.

AnAl, seyya koodadadha seyyAdha irukkaNam", a clear reference to the

many circumventions and adjustments prevalent in the west. His

point was, constrained as we are by our limitations, we may not be

able to live as a Sri Vaishnava ought to (in terms of bhagavath

aradhanam, guNanubhavam and kainkaryam on a daily basis) but we can

avoid doing those things that we ought to. In all this, there was

never a suggestion or a hint of compromise.

 

I believe it is possible to avoid many offensive aspects in the US

because of the freedoms that the society offers. We can buy the food

we want (and Yes, you can buy milk that has no additives in it) and

live the way we choose to. Ultimately, what it needs is a small dose

of will power and a larger one of humility.

 

As pillai lokacharyar says in srivachanabhushaNam,

 

"Naichyam janmasiddham" and in the same breath, asseverates,

"agnyAnathAlE prapannar asmadAdigaL" (he includes himself as one

amongst us!!!) or ALavandaar in stotra rathnam ("Na dharma

nishtosmi, na chaatma vedin, na bhakthi maargascharaNaravindE

akinchanaha, ananyagathischaraNamaham prapadye"). If these exalted

souls, after evolving to a state of anushTanam and bhAvam that most

of us cannot even comprehend, recognized their Akinchanyam with

respect to the infinite kalyana guNAs of the lord, we can only take

baby steps in doing what we can (simple adjustments in life style and

eating habits) and aspire that the lord's krupa will take us further.

 

Azhwaar Emberumaanaar Jeeyar ThiruvadigaLE sharaNam

 

sridhar