Love vs. legalism in Vaishnavism?

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

I was reading a book called "The Tamil Veda" last night and saw a poetic

reference to offering a simple leaf to God and found the sincerity very

moving. It reminded me of a question I have about the relative merit and

efficacy of religious practice.

 

I have complete confidence in the graciousness and generosity of God and

believe He is actually looking for opportunities to inject His Grace into

the world while maintaining justice to all. In my belief, this opportunity

is *almost* 100% determined by the actual sincerity of heart the devotee

has towards Him. If the devotee is sincere then offering a simple leaf is

accepted and effective because it's LOVE that binds us to our Lord - not

really the legal contract. Is my belief anywhere close to SriVaishnava

about this?

 

I envy you all for being able to carry out the prescribed rituals because

it must help your faith in God tremendously to feel you are doing what He

prefers but I doubt my own ability to even begin. While I don't feel drawn

to anything which seems legalistic or artificial (to my poor understanding)

I am eager to do something pleasing to God in some little way I'm actually

able to. I worry the language/culture barrier will swamp whatever genuine

sincerity I have -- leaving me feeling like an idiot pretending to be

someone else.

 

I find it much easier to reconcile myself to living a clean, upright life

dedicated to the loving remembrance of the continual presence of God. I

want to do that because I'm very happy to even see the opportunity -- my

problem is how much ritual practice is also required of the prapanna

because I'm not sure I can honestly promise to carry through with much of

that. How much is the minimum before one can feel that God is bound to His

side of the deal? ( is this bartering with God? :-))

 

If I could get my wish it would be that an acarya would perform whatever

prescribed ritual is required on my behalf on the mere assumption of my

sincerity of heart with no promise from me at all. My wish would be God

would be bound to comply with His end of the deal regardless of my weakness

and failure and I would perform whatever small service to Him I am able

just for the sheer joy of it without any worry whatsoever about my

"breaking the contract" because of non-compliance with its terms. I can't

see God's Grace being like wages for work -- it's always unmerited. I

don't think I could ever really *deserve* God's grace so He may as well

reward me just for asking. I know this probably sounds preposterous if not

sacreligious but I think it's a fair estimate of what God is like (

unimaginably generous and kind) and what I'm like (able to receive

generosity quite well :-))

 

I wonder if I'm getting closer to becoming a Vaishnava or getting kicked

off the bhakti list?!!! Either way I put my trust in God completely to

arrange the right thing. :-)) :-))

 

-A.

[Guest guest]

Dear Al,

 

SaraNAgati, as prescribed by Sri Vaishnava Acharyas including Ramanuaj

and present day Acharyas, does not require any sort of rituals. Sri

Periya vachan pillai, one of the greatest commentators among Sri

Vaishnava acharyas, outlines the methods by which a true sishya can

surrender to God. He says that, each vaishnava should learn the meaning

of Bhagavad Gita, Divya prabhantham etc., from his Acharya after

initiation into the tradition. This will happen only if both the Acharya

and the student have faith in each other's commitment. He goes on to say

that, even if a student is not bright and fails to understand the

meaning of Divay Prabhandam, just associatoing himself, in the right

spirit, with those who understand the DP, will be sufficient for GOD's

grace. Learning from, and serving, an Achrya is even better.

 

So, whenever you get an opportunity, please associate with people who

understand DP and help others understand the text as well. Being an

active participant on this list may be the first step.

 

Thanks,

 

--

 

Venkatesh K. Elayavalli Cypress Semiconductor

Data Communications Division 3901 N. First St. MS 4

Phone: (408) 456 1858 San Jose CA 95134

Fax: (408) 943 2949

[Guest guest]

Sri Venkatesh wrote:

> SaraNAgati, as prescribed by Sri Vaishnava Acharyas including Ramanuja

> and present day Acharyas, does not require any sort of rituals.

 

To clarify a little bit, SaraNAgati is primarily a mental process

(jnAna-viSesham to quote our acharyas) where one realizes that one

is completely reliant on God for everything, and that no other means

(mere rituals, meritorious acts, or meditation) is capable of achieving the

bliss of divine service, which is the crowning glory of God-realization and

liberation. SaraNAgati therefore involves placing the burden on God to do

the needful. However, while this mental component is fundamental, all

Sri Vaishnava acharyas have taught that there are physical and verbal

components of SaraNAgati as well. To this extent, there is ritual involved.

 

In the Sri Vaishnava tradition, this ritual involves principally the

teaching of the Dvaya mantra, its repetition by the disciple, and

learning and reflecting on its meaning. "Dvaya" means "twofold",

referring to its twofold teaching that the Lord is the Way and

the Goal. It is also called the "Dvaya" because it consists of

two sentences. The Dvaya is *the* SaraNAgati mantra and our

acharyas prescribe constant reflection on its meaning, and application

of it in our day-to-day lives.

 

In the Vadagalai Sri Vaishnava tradition, one of the ways of formally

taking refuge (SaraNAgati) is to repeat the Dvaya specifically for the

purpose of indicating one's surrender to God. In the Thengalai tradition,

roughly, one's learning and repetition of the Dvaya during initiation

(samASrayaNam) itself marks one as one who has taken refuge (it's actually

more complicated than this -- others can elaborate).

 

Suffice it to say that ritual is *involved* in SaraNAgati (we prostrate

before God as a sign of surrender, do we not?), but ritual is not

*primary*.

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mani

[Guest guest]

>

>Suffice it to say that ritual is *involved* in SaraNAgati (we prostrate

>before God as a sign of surrender, do we not?), but ritual is not

>*primary*.

>

 

Dear Sri mani,

 

I guess, I should have qualified the term "ritual" as per

my understanding.

 

The correct usage would be "limited ritual as required by

one's acharya". Is it not true that the one's birth status

requiers certain rituals, for example, Bhramins are

required to perform more rituals then the non-bhramins,

seeking refuge?

 

Best regards.

 

Venkatesh

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Venkatesh Elayavalli writes:

> The correct usage would be "limited ritual as required by

> one's acharya". Is it not true that the one's birth status

> requiers certain rituals, for example, Bhramins are

> required to perform more rituals then the non-bhramins,

> seeking refuge?

 

Dear Venkatesh,

 

My reply is based on my limited exposure to our acharya-purushas'

practices. I don't think there is any significant difference

in the principles or practices of SaraNAgati between brahmins,

non-brahmins, man, woman, child, etc. I certainly do not know

of any significant ritualistic difference (there may be a minor

different in usage of Vedic mantras).

 

Mani