[t'venkatam] Where have all Brahmin godmen gone? - Times of India

[Guest guest]

--- viji <viji123 wrote:

> Where have all Brahmin godmen gone?

> T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN

> TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2005

> 11:45:08 PM ]

> These differences between the mutts and the seers

> also imply that they have very disparate followings.

> Ninety per cent devotees of Kanchi Acharya are from

> the Brahmin community. It’s a similar ratio with

> non-Brahmin spiritual gurus too, who command an

> overwhelming majority of their devotees from other

> castes. While the schism is evident, there is a

> migration underway. A one-way migration. An

> increasing number of Brahmins are seeking the

> reassurances of non-Brahmin seers.

 

**************

 

Dear Sri Viji,

 

Thank you for forwarding to the T'venkatam List a very

well-written and thought-provoking article. Many of

the points and observations made in the article are

valid.

 

There is one thing however to be considered with

regard to SriVaishnavam. The mutt-s belonging to the

SriVaishnava faith, strictly speaking, are not meant

to have any Brahmin or Brahminical dominance. They are

meant to be socially progressive and democratic.

Whether present reality reflects the true SriVaishnava

ideal is however a different matter altogether. It is

a matter of debate and one which if engaged in will

lead us all nowhere.

 

The faith of SriVaishnavas is centred around Sri

Ramanuja "siddhAntam" which is essentially a

universalistic approach to realizing the values and

truths of the Vedic way or "mArga".

 

SriVaishnavism welcomes into its fold people from all

walks of life. The principal "AchAryAs" of the

SriVaishnavite Order are all non-Brahmins --- Sadagopa

NammAzhwar was a "vEllaLa"; TiruppAn-AzhwAr was a

"chandAla" of the scavenger caste; Kulasekhara was a

"kshatriya" aristocrat; Tirumazhisai-AzhwAr was again

of the low potter caste who was a Jain who converted

to Saivism and then found at last his true faith in

Vaishnavism...

 

Bhagavath SriRamanuja, in his times, was a social

revolutionary indeed. It was thanks to him that the

temples of South India were liberated from the

strangle-hold of die-hard Brahminical bigots. It was

thanks to Sri Ramanuja that the vernacular hymns of

the non-Brahmin Tamil "AzhwArs" became accepted and

integrated into the systems of temple and community

worship in those days. It was Sri Ramanaja who

introduced the simple sacrament of of the

"samAshrayanam" by which even non-Brahmins were

admitted as equals amongst the SriVaishnava laity.

 

It was thanks to SriRamanuja that temples opened their

doors and their commonwealth to the common people of

those days. Temples engaged themselves not only in the

religious life of the common people but at times acted

as a sort of social security safety-net too for them.

Which is why the maharajas of those times donated

liberally to the temples knowing fully well that they

would act as good conduits or funnels for economic

wealth distribution. Any poor man of those times could

always find food or work in temples. He could also

find education of the religious sort, if not the

secular one. Temples treated everyone like human

beings and gave them the dignity they deserved.

 

The success of SriRamanuja could not be achieved by

his long lineage of disciples to this very day because

none of the "AchAryAs" who succeeded him had the

breadth of vision and universalist spirit that he had.

Today, SriVaishnavism is a pale ghost of its old

glorious self because it draws no inspiration from the

daring example of Sri Ramanuja. All its inspiration

today is from narrow sectarianism and parochialism of

the worst order.

 

Thanks anyway for forwarding an excellent article.

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

________

India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://.shaadi.com

[Guest guest]

--- viji <viji123 wrote:

> Where have all Brahmin godmen gone?

> T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN

> TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2005

> 11:45:08 PM ]

> These differences between the mutts and the seers

> also imply that they have very disparate followings.

> Ninety per cent devotees of Kanchi Acharya are from

> the Brahmin community. It’s a similar ratio with

> non-Brahmin spiritual gurus too, who command an

> overwhelming majority of their devotees from other

> castes. While the schism is evident, there is a

> migration underway. A one-way migration. An

> increasing number of Brahmins are seeking the

> reassurances of non-Brahmin seers.

 

**************

 

Dear Sri Viji,

 

Thank you for forwarding to the T'venkatam List a very

well-written and thought-provoking article. Many of

the points and observations made in the article are

valid.

 

There is one thing however to be considered with

regard to SriVaishnavam. The mutt-s belonging to the

SriVaishnava faith, strictly speaking, are not meant

to have any Brahmin or Brahminical dominance. They are

meant to be socially progressive and democratic.

Whether present reality reflects the true SriVaishnava

ideal is however a different matter altogether. It is

a matter of debate and one which if engaged in will

lead us all nowhere.

 

The faith of SriVaishnavas is centred around Sri

Ramanuja "siddhAntam" which is essentially a

universalistic approach to realizing the values and

truths of the Vedic way or "mArga".

 

SriVaishnavism welcomes into its fold people from all

walks of life. The principal "AchAryAs" of the

SriVaishnavite Order are all non-Brahmins --- Sadagopa

NammAzhwar was a "vEllaLa"; TiruppAn-AzhwAr was a

"chandAla" of the scavenger caste; Kulasekhara was a

"kshatriya" aristocrat; Tirumazhisai-AzhwAr was again

of the low potter caste who was a Jain who converted

to Saivism and then found at last his true faith in

Vaishnavism...

 

Bhagavath SriRamanuja, in his times, was a social

revolutionary indeed. It was thanks to him that the

temples of South India were liberated from the

strangle-hold of die-hard Brahminical bigots. It was

thanks to Sri Ramanuja that the vernacular hymns of

the non-Brahmin Tamil "AzhwArs" became accepted and

integrated into the systems of temple and community

worship in those days. It was Sri Ramanaja who

introduced the simple sacrament of of the

"samAshrayanam" by which even non-Brahmins were

admitted as equals amongst the SriVaishnava laity.

 

It was thanks to SriRamanuja that temples opened their

doors and their commonwealth to the common people of

those days. Temples engaged themselves not only in the

religious life of the common people but at times acted

as a sort of social security safety-net too for them.

Which is why the maharajas of those times donated

liberally to the temples knowing fully well that they

would act as good conduits or funnels for economic

wealth distribution. Any poor man of those times could

always find food or work in temples. He could also

find education of the religious sort, if not the

secular one. Temples treated everyone like human

beings and gave them the dignity they deserved.

 

The success of SriRamanuja could not be achieved by

his long lineage of disciples to this very day because

none of the "AchAryAs" who succeeded him had the

breadth of vision and universalist spirit that he had.

Today, SriVaishnavism is a pale ghost of its old

glorious self because it draws no inspiration from the

daring example of Sri Ramanuja. All its inspiration

today is from narrow sectarianism and parochialism of

the worst order.

 

Thanks anyway for forwarding an excellent article.

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

________

India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://.shaadi.com

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Sudarshan,

 

 

 

Your response to the article is loaded with defensiveness!! Ramanuja sampradaya

is a masterpiece & there is so much proof in favour of that. But the article is

about Brahmins seers in general. So why are we creating this schism?

 

 

 

The author Sri T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN has displayed total ignorance in writing

this article. TOI is known for such stuff, which needs to be rubbished.

 

 

 

The author has no idea of what the shastras prescribe as the role for seers.

Seers are not waiting for TOI or the author’s approval of their code of conduct!

They have to strictly go by what the shaastras prescribe. Abiding by the

prescriptions of the shastraas is no crime. They are not here to take up social

work, which is in the realm of "social workers". By confusing these two roles,

the author only ends up incting passion.

 

 

 

The shastras have also prescribed clear roles for the various varnaas. For the

non-believer there is no point trying to defend this. For an argument you need

to have a common reference & in this case such a reference doesn’t seem to

exist!

 

 

 

Mass following is no proof of correctness! So many people in this country have

mass following, cutting across various sections of the society & that means

nothing! Any true seer cannot be evaluated by such irrelevant norms.

 

 

 

I guess TOI wanted to write up one more "Secular" article (you now what that

means!) & they got this author to do it. Absolute trash.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Ananthapadmanabhan

 

sudarshan madabushi <mksudarshan2002 wrote:

--- viji <viji123 wrote:

> Where have all Brahmin godmen gone?

> T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN

> TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2005

> 11:45:08 PM ]

> These differences between the mutts and the seers

> also imply that they have very disparate followings.

> Ninety per cent devotees of Kanchi Acharya are from

> the Brahmin community. It’s a similar ratio with

> non-Brahmin spiritual gurus too, who command an

> overwhelming majority of their devotees from other

> castes. While the schism is evident, there is a

> migration underway. A one-way migration. An

> increasing number of Brahmins are seeking the

> reassurances of non-Brahmin seers.

 

**************

 

Dear Sri Viji,

 

Thank you for forwarding to the T'venkatam List a very

well-written and thought-provoking article. Many of

the points and observations made in the article are

valid.

 

There is one thing however to be considered with

regard to SriVaishnavam. The mutt-s belonging to the

SriVaishnava faith, strictly speaking, are not meant

to have any Brahmin or Brahminical dominance. They are

meant to be socially progressive and democratic.

Whether present reality reflects the true SriVaishnava

ideal is however a different matter altogether. It is

a matter of debate and one which if engaged in will

lead us all nowhere.

 

The faith of SriVaishnavas is centred around Sri

Ramanuja "siddhAntam" which is essentially a

universalistic approach to realizing the values and

truths of the Vedic way or "mArga".

 

SriVaishnavism welcomes into its fold people from all

walks of life. The principal "AchAryAs" of the

SriVaishnavite Order are all non-Brahmins --- Sadagopa

NammAzhwar was a "vEllaLa"; TiruppAn-AzhwAr was a

"chandAla" of the scavenger caste; Kulasekhara was a

"kshatriya" aristocrat; Tirumazhisai-AzhwAr was again

of the low potter caste who was a Jain who converted

to Saivism and then found at last his true faith in

Vaishnavism...

 

Bhagavath SriRamanuja, in his times, was a social

revolutionary indeed. It was thanks to him that the

temples of South India were liberated from the

strangle-hold of die-hard Brahminical bigots. It was

thanks to Sri Ramanuja that the vernacular hymns of

the non-Brahmin Tamil "AzhwArs" became accepted and

integrated into the systems of temple and community

worship in those days. It was Sri Ramanaja who

introduced the simple sacrament of of the

"samAshrayanam" by which even non-Brahmins were

admitted as equals amongst the SriVaishnava laity.

 

It was thanks to SriRamanuja that temples opened their

doors and their commonwealth to the common people of

those days. Temples engaged themselves not only in the

religious life of the common people but at times acted

as a sort of social security safety-net too for them.

Which is why the maharajas of those times donated

liberally to the temples knowing fully well that they

would act as good conduits or funnels for economic

wealth distribution. Any poor man of those times could

always find food or work in temples. He could also

find education of the religious sort, if not the

secular one. Temples treated everyone like human

beings and gave them the dignity they deserved.

 

The success of SriRamanuja could not be achieved by

his long lineage of disciples to this very day because

none of the "AchAryAs" who succeeded him had the

breadth of vision and universalist spirit that he had.

Today, SriVaishnavism is a pale ghost of its old

glorious self because it draws no inspiration from the

daring example of Sri Ramanuja. All its inspiration

today is from narrow sectarianism and parochialism of

the worst order.

 

Thanks anyway for forwarding an excellent article.

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

________

India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://.shaadi.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religious education Beyond belief Different religions beliefs Jehovah witness

beliefs

 

 

 

 

 

Visit your group "" on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear sirs,

 

Yes this article by TSR is rubbish. We all know the stories like those of

sakuni.

These charecters bring ruin to their own kin.

 

I really donot understand what is his grouse if amrithanandamayi has a big

following.

 

But my view would be moderated to this extent that we have to start looking

inward more and start the correctives in us. May be that is leaving us open for

these kind to even dare poke.

 

dasan/Vj

 

k ananthapadmanabhan <krisanantha wrote:

 

Dear Sri Sudarshan,

 

 

 

Your response to the article is loaded with defensiveness!! Ramanuja sampradaya

is a masterpiece & there is so much proof in favour of that. But the article is

about Brahmins seers in general. So why are we creating this schism?

 

 

 

The author Sri T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN has displayed total ignorance in writing

this article. TOI is known for such stuff, which needs to be rubbished.

 

 

 

The author has no idea of what the shastras prescribe as the role for seers.

Seers are not waiting for TOI or the author’s approval of their code of conduct!

They have to strictly go by what the shaastras prescribe. Abiding by the

prescriptions of the shastraas is no crime. They are not here to take up social

work, which is in the realm of "social workers". By confusing these two roles,

the author only ends up incting passion.

 

 

 

The shastras have also prescribed clear roles for the various varnaas. For the

non-believer there is no point trying to defend this. For an argument you need

to have a common reference & in this case such a reference doesn’t seem to

exist!

 

 

 

Mass following is no proof of correctness! So many people in this country have

mass following, cutting across various sections of the society & that means

nothing! Any true seer cannot be evaluated by such irrelevant norms.

 

 

 

I guess TOI wanted to write up one more "Secular" article (you now what that

means!) & they got this author to do it. Absolute trash.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Ananthapadmanabhan

 

sudarshan madabushi <mksudarshan2002 wrote:

--- viji <viji123 wrote:

> Where have all Brahmin godmen gone?

> T S SREENIVASA RAGHAVAN

> TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2005

> 11:45:08 PM ]

> These differences between the mutts and the seers

> also imply that they have very disparate followings.

> Ninety per cent devotees of Kanchi Acharya are from

> the Brahmin community. It’s a similar ratio with

> non-Brahmin spiritual gurus too, who command an

> overwhelming majority of their devotees from other

> castes. While the schism is evident, there is a

> migration underway. A one-way migration. An

> increasing number of Brahmins are seeking the

> reassurances of non-Brahmin seers.

 

**************

 

Dear Sri Viji,

 

Thank you for forwarding to the T'venkatam List a very

well-written and thought-provoking article. Many of

the points and observations made in the article are

valid.

 

There is one thing however to be considered with

regard to SriVaishnavam. The mutt-s belonging to the

SriVaishnava faith, strictly speaking, are not meant

to have any Brahmin or Brahminical dominance. They are

meant to be socially progressive and democratic.

Whether present reality reflects the true SriVaishnava

ideal is however a different matter altogether. It is

a matter of debate and one which if engaged in will

lead us all nowhere.

 

The faith of SriVaishnavas is centred around Sri

Ramanuja "siddhAntam" which is essentially a

universalistic approach to realizing the values and

truths of the Vedic way or "mArga".

 

SriVaishnavism welcomes into its fold people from all

walks of life. The principal "AchAryAs" of the

SriVaishnavite Order are all non-Brahmins --- Sadagopa

NammAzhwar was a "vEllaLa"; TiruppAn-AzhwAr was a

"chandAla" of the scavenger caste; Kulasekhara was a

"kshatriya" aristocrat; Tirumazhisai-AzhwAr was again

of the low potter caste who was a Jain who converted

to Saivism and then found at last his true faith in

Vaishnavism...

 

Bhagavath SriRamanuja, in his times, was a social

revolutionary indeed. It was thanks to him that the

temples of South India were liberated from the

strangle-hold of die-hard Brahminical bigots. It was

thanks to Sri Ramanuja that the vernacular hymns of

the non-Brahmin Tamil "AzhwArs" became accepted and

integrated into the systems of temple and community

worship in those days. It was Sri Ramanaja who

introduced the simple sacrament of of the

"samAshrayanam" by which even non-Brahmins were

admitted as equals amongst the SriVaishnava laity.

 

It was thanks to SriRamanuja that temples opened their

doors and their commonwealth to the common people of

those days. Temples engaged themselves not only in the

religious life of the common people but at times acted

as a sort of social security safety-net too for them.

Which is why the maharajas of those times donated

liberally to the temples knowing fully well that they

would act as good conduits or funnels for economic

wealth distribution. Any poor man of those times could

always find food or work in temples. He could also

find education of the religious sort, if not the

secular one. Temples treated everyone like human

beings and gave them the dignity they deserved.

 

The success of SriRamanuja could not be achieved by

his long lineage of disciples to this very day because

none of the "AchAryAs" who succeeded him had the

breadth of vision and universalist spirit that he had.

Today, SriVaishnavism is a pale ghost of its old

glorious self because it draws no inspiration from the

daring example of Sri Ramanuja. All its inspiration

today is from narrow sectarianism and parochialism of

the worst order.

 

Thanks anyway for forwarding an excellent article.

 

Regards,

 

dAsan,

Sudarshan

 

 

 

 

________

India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://.shaadi.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religious education Beyond belief Different religions beliefs Jehovah witness

beliefs

 

 

 

 

 

Visit your group "" on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit your group "" on the web.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

for Good

Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.