Some thoughts about the origin of srivaishnavism

[Guest guest]

Dear fellow members:

 

I was rather intrigued by the discussion that arose in regards

to the speech by Sri. ART. swAmigaL during the recent NAMA conference

here in Dallas, TX. Although I was unable to attend this event, the

recent bhakti postings have enabled me to relive some moments from

the conference and I profusely thank those responsible. In my humble

opinion, with no disrespect to Sri. ART. swAmigaL, Sri. Dileepan is

correct in stating that the origins of SriVaishnavism as a philosophy

date back much further than Sri. RAmAnujAchAriar. In fact, considering

that Vedic references to SriVaishnavism are well known to every

AchAryAr in our sampradAyam, I wonder if Sri. ART. swAmigaL simply

intended to address a very general audience.

 

Many of you are aware that vishishTAdvaita is also referred to

as bodHAyana-siddHAnta, i.e., having originated from the ancient

philosopher BudhAyana. Sri. SrinivAsachArya, a Srivaishnava scholar

from the 17th. century A.D. describes in the preface to his work

yatIndramatadIpika, that there has existed an ancient school of Vedic

thought in support of vishisTAdvaita, to which budHAyana and his

spiritual descendants such as Tanka and Dramida belong. The

srivaishnavite AchArya tradition (as separate from the AzhwAr tradition)

from budHAyana down to nAthamuni and rAmAnujar, derives from the same

school. We know about rAmAnujar's epic journey to Kashmir, with a

mission to obtain the text of the then only extant copy of bodHAyana's

commentary on the brahma sUtras from the King's court. During his

gurukulavAsam, rAmAnujar supposedly entered into a dispute with his

teacher over the meaning of the phrase "satyam jnyAnam-anantam brahmA"

contained in taittriyopanishad, as to whether it meant that the

universal soul IS truth, knowledge and endlessness [advaitic], or

whether the universal soul HAS ATTRIBUTES of truth, knowledge and

endlessness [vishisTAdvaitic]. Certainly vishishTAdvaita springs from

Upanishadic thought, and has been appropriately referred to as

"pan-organismal monism" by Sri. A.S. Raghavan, author of an explanatory

book on its philosophy. The upanishads delve into the inner self, and

vishisTAdvaitic scholars have richly derived from these scriptures over

millennia. May this glorious tradition continue forever, and remain as

endless as it is without beginning.

 

One must however, distinguish between vaishnavism and

SRIvaishnavism, and also consider the aspect of religion versus

philosophy while discussing this matter. Vaishnavism as a religion has

Vedic origins, and is also enshrined as a tradition in the

Vishnu-puranas. Many Hindus from all parts of India and from various

sects are Vaishnavite by faith, but the distinction of SRIvaishnavaite

applies only to a particular sect of South Indian Brahmins (referred to

of course, as iyengar) whose patron saint is Sri. rAmAnujar. In this

context, one may consider the SRIvaishnavas as rs to the school

of vishistAdvaitic philosophy, as well as followers of vaishnavite

religious practices originating from their AzhwArs and AchAryas. In

fact most of the vaishnavite temple rituals in

South India derive completely or largely from the stipulations of

Sri. rAmAnujar and his spiritual successors. My point here is that the

word SRIvaishnava did not apply to any particular group of people until

the time of rAmAnujar. In that vein, the AzhwArs and the AchAryas

preceding rAmAnujar would not be SRIvaishnavas. Not that they weren't

srivaishnavite in their bhakti and in their siddHAnta, but that the

appellation of SRIvaishnava was not used until a Brahminical sect was

defined as such. I have heard from elders that the term SRIvaishnava was

used by rAmAnujar in order to distinguish this particular sect from

other vaishnava communities within Hinduism. This is where I could see

Sri. ART. swAmi's point of view [overlooking of course, his reference to

primitiveness and such].

 

aDiyEn

-srinAtH

 

 

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