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SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //

SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/

SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//

KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /

SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//

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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.07 / ISSUE # 40 dated 14th February 2006

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IN THIS ISSUE

1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN MAASI (KUMBA) MONTH

2. UPANAYANAM- 2

SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI, CHICAGO

3. BOOK REVIEW –"STUDIES IN SRIVAISHNAVAM" BY PROF. MANGALAM R.

PARAMESWARAN

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ISSUES RELEASED

So far, 216 Regular issues of SRS have been released apart from

Special Issues:

27 Issues of Vol. 1

15 Issues of Vol. 2

42 Issues of Vol. 3

35 Issues of Vol. 4

28 Issues of Vol. 5

30 Issues of Vol. 6 and

39 Issues of Vol. 7

----

These issues have been archived for public view at -

 

by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark)

You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia

maintained by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts )

We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived

in the "Files" Section and view the Contents at "srsindex.html" (Not

the individual postings allowed for encouraging "Reader

participation").

 

We are sure that you will be convinced of the quality of the contents.

 

IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of "Sri Ranga Sri"-

Tell your friends to join by sending an email to

Srirangasri-

 

IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve.

 

Ever at your service

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy,

Editor & Publisher, "Sri Ranga Sri"

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1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN MAASI (KUMBA) MONTH

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DATE/ENGLISH/DAY/NAKSHATRAM/THITHI/ EVENT/ REMARKS

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01/02-13-06/Monday/Ayilyam/POurNami/ VishNupati

07/02-19-06/ Sunday/Swaati/ShashTi/

Panchamatabhanjanam Swami, Suddhasatvamannan

09/02-21-06/Tuesday/Anusham/Ashtami/ ASHTAKA SRAADDHAM/

AgnihOtram TDTT (P386 of SVD's 7the centenary commemoration Volume)

10/02-22-06/ Wednesday/ KeTtai/ Navami/ ANVASHTAKAASRAADDHAM

12/02-24-06/Friday/Pooradam/Ekaadasi/KrishNa Paksha Sarva Ekaadasi

13/02-25-06/Saturday/Utraadam-TiruvoNam/Dvaadasi/

SRAVANA VRATAM, Sozhasimhapuram Dottayachaar

14/02-26-06/Sunday/Tiruvonam/Trayodasi/ Maha Sivaraatri

15/02-27-06/Monday/Avittam/Amavasya/ Sarva Amaavaasya/ MADURANTAKAM

VEERARAGHAVARYA SWAMI (Ketandipatti)

23/03-07-06/Tuesday/ Mrigaseersham/Ashtami/ TIRUKKACHI NAMBIGAL

26/03-10-06/Friday/ Punarvasu/ Ekaadasi/ Sukla paksha Sarva Ekaadasi

KULASEKHARA AZHWAR

27/03-11-06/Saturday/Poosam/Dvaadasi/PERIYANDAVAN (PP & PA),

Pillaipakkam Veeraraghava YMD (AM 37)

29/03-13-06/Monday/Magam/Chaturdasi/ MAASI MAGHAM, MANAKKAAL NAMBI,

TIRUMALAI ANDAN

30/03-14-06/Tuesday/ Pooram/ PourNami/ CHANDRA GRAHANAM

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2 UPANAYANAM -2

SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI, CHICAGO

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4. The Major vedic events on the day of the upanayanam ceremony.

 

As explained earlier, a teacher and a student are the main parts of

the event. The student formally seeks knowledge from the teacher.

The teacher in turn gives the student several instructions on the

life that the student should lead from that day onwards as a

brahmacAri. The teacher first undergoes a formal purification in

order to make himself fit to instruct the student on the vedic mantra-

s etc., the student undergoes purification in order to make himself

fit to receive the instruction, then the student asks the teacher

formally, with humility, to give him the instruction, and the teacher

does so. The teacher also initiates the student on the various

aspects of day-to-day life that the student is expected to lead from

that day on. At a high level, this is what the ceremony consists of.

 

The following list is from a book titled `upanayanam', published by

SrI Ramakrishna Mutt, giving the major events that take place on the

day of the upanayanam:.

 

pUrvA'ngam,

puNhAhavAcanam

yaj~nopaveeta dhAraNam

kumAra bhojanam

brahmacarya li'nga dhAraNam

upanayanam

upanayana homam

brahmopadeSam

bikshAcaraNam

ASeervAdam

 

In SrImad bhAgavatam, there is a beautiful description of the

bhagavAn in His vAmana incarnation undergoing the upanayanam

sacrament. Some of the events of the upanayanam ceremony of today

(e.g., yaj~nopavIta dhAraNam, bhikshAcaraNam, the wearing of the

mekhalA, daNDa dhAraNam, etc.). are all described in the Sloka-s

below, and are briefly explained subsequently.

 

tasya upanIyamAnasya sAvitrIm savitA abravIt |

bRhaspatir-brahmasUtram mekhalAm kaSyapo'dadAt || (8.18.14)

 

dadau kRshNAjinam bhUmir-daNDam somo vanaspatiH |

kaupinAcchAdanam mAtA dyauS-catram jagataH pateH ||

 

kamaNDalu, vedagarbhaH kuSAn saptarshayo daduH |

akshamAlAm maharaja sarasvatyavyayAtmanaH ||

 

tasmA itupanItAya yaksharAt pAtrikAm adAt |

bikshAm bhagavatI sAkshAt umA adapt ambikA satI ||

 

sa brahma varcasenaivam sabhAm sambhAvito vaTuH |

brahmaRshi gaNa sa'njushTam atyarocata mArishaH ||

 

samiddham Ahitam vahnim kRtvA parisamUhanam |

paristIrya samabhyarcya samidbhir-ajuhot dvijaH ||

(8.18.19)

..

A brief summary of the meaning of the above Sloka-s is given

here. "At the time of upanayanam, sUrya instructed Him on the

gAyatrI mantra, guru gave him the yaj~nopavIta, and kaSyapa gave Him

the waistband called mehkalA. BhUmi devi gave Him the deer skin, and

soma gave the wooden stick (palASa daNDa); Mother aditi gave Him the

loin cloth, the god of the upper worlds gave Him the umbrella; brahmA

gave the kamaNDalu, the seven Rshi-s gave the darbha grass, sarasvati

gave the japa mAlA (the strand for meditation), kubera gave the

vessel for collecting bikshA, and umA (pArvati) gave Him bikshA.

This brahmacAri thus equipped, spread the sacred grass (darbhA grass)

on all four sides of the fire, performed the agni pUjA, and then

performed the homa with the samit-s".

 

Some of the above steps in the upanayanam ceremony, and their

significance are briefly explained next, with the main purpose of

illustrating how each of these events is directed towards the

initiation of the student in the strict discipline of studentship for

learning veda.

 

4.1. pUrvA'ngam:

 

In general, on the previous evening, a vedic chanting called udaka

sAnti is performed, wherein several vedic scholars will chant several

vedic mantra-s, invoke the power of these mantra-s in water, and give

a bath to the student with the water thus sanctified.

 

The pUrvA'ngam on the day of the upanayanam consists of the sankalpam

(undertaking) by the teacher or AcArya of the father of the child,

that he is seeking the blessings of the elders in the gathering for

administering the sacrament of upanayanam on the child. This is

followed by a purification rite called puNyAha vAcanam.

 

4.2. Yaj~nopaveeta dhAraNam:

The teacher will make the student repeat the mantra for wearing the

yaj~nopaveetam, which is something that the student will need for the

rest of his life – every time the yaj~nopaveetam is to be changed and

replaced with a new one. The sacred thread, as it is called in

English, identifies a student as a brahmacAri who has undergone the

upanayanam initiation. The vishNu dharma sUtra and the Manu smRti

both state that the sacred thread of a brAhmaNa is made of three

cotton threads twisted to the right. The smRti candrikA specifies

that the sacred thread should be worn such that it does not go below

the navel, not should it be worn above the chest level: The

yaj~nopaveeta is the external symbol to show that one is a

brahmacAri. Purity, self-restraint, non-violence, patience, love for

one's fellow-beings - these are the internal marks.

 

4.3. KumAra bhojanam:

 

One of the events in the ceremony is called kumAra bhojanam. In

this, the student is fed meals specially prepared for this event.

The food is made such that there are no spices of any kind in the

food (no salt, no chilly, no other spices). The idea is that the

student should leave aside interest in tasty food and other kinds of

sense-oriented gratifications while leading the life of a student.

The Apastamba gRhya sUtra declares this as follows: kshAra lavaNa

varjanam ca | - Leaving out spicy, pungent, and salty components.

Even though in the case of a brahmacAri this applies throughout the

period of his studentship, the explanation for the sUtra says that

this should be observed for three days. In current practice, this is

observed only during the time of kumAra bhojanam.

 

4.4. Brahmacarya li'nga dhAraNam –

Decorating the student with the signs of a brahmacAri student:

 

There are several steps involved in this, but we will cover four of

the steps under this title: the wearing of the mekhalA, the ajinam,

the daNDa, and the aSma ArohaNam. Of these, aSma ArohaNam, are

ascending a rock, is not strictly the `wearing of a sign as a

brahmacAri', the student is made to stand on a rock while the actual

wearing of the mekhalA, ajinam, and daNDa take place, and so it is

included as a part of the li'nga dhAraNam, or wearing of the signs of

a brahmacAri, and is included as the first step in the li'nga

dhAraNam here.

 

4.4.1 The aSma ArohaNam – The vow taken while standing on the solid

rock:

 

AtishThemam aSmAnam aSmeva tvam sthiro bhava |

AbhitishTha pRtanyataH sahasva pRtaAyataH ||

 

The student is asked to climb on to a solid rock, with his right foot

first, and then with both feet resting on the rock, and instructed by

the AcArya: "Stand on this rock. You should be as firm as this rock

(in your firm determination to observe your discipline). You should

firmly oppose those who cause obstruction to your discipline. You

should have the strength to put up with any difficulties caused by

those who oppose you".

 

4.4.2 The mekhalA:

 

The mekhalA or the girdle is made of a type of grass called mu'nja

grass. According to the Apastamba and the baudAyana gRhya sUtra-s,

the girdle is made of three strings, and the grass should have its

knot turned to the right. The knot of the girdle should be

positioned near the navel. The triple cord symbolized that the

student was always encircled by the three veda-s, according to one

source. This same reason is given behind the existence of three

strands in the yaj~nopavIta, in one of many explanations given for

the three strands in the yaj~nopavIta.

 

The mantra-s associated with the wearing of the mau'njee, or the

mekhalA (girdle) made of mu'nja grass, in part, have the following

meaning: "This girdle will protect the student from all ill fame.

It will purify the body of the student who is wearing it. It will

give strength to the air in the body of the student. May this

mekhalA protect the student by standing around the student and

warding off all evil forces".

 

4.4.3 The ajinam – Deer skin:

 

A full-sized deer skin used to be given to serve as the upper garment

for the student. This is specified in the Apastamba gRhya sUtra, the

baudAyana gRhaya sUtra, the manu smRti, etc. According to one

source, every Hindu is required to cover his upper body during

religious ceremonies, and so the significance of this is described as

symbolizing the beginning of a religious life for the child.

Nowadays, a small piece of the deer skin is tied to the yaj~nipavIta

when the uapnayanam is performed.

 

 

 

4.5. upa-nayanam – The teacher taking the student near him:

 

As has been explained earlier, the literal meaning of the term `upa-

nayanam' is `(the teacher) taking the student near (him)'. The

formal process of `upa-nayanam' takes place at this time, after the

student has been equipped with all the signs of a brahmacAri or

student. The teacher formally accepts the student as a brahmacAri

under his guidance.

 

The teacher first blesses the child, and then invokes the protection

of the different devatA-s for his student: agni, soma, savitA,

sarasvati, mRtyu, yama, gada, antaka, water, the herbal gods, earth,

and vaiSvAnara. Then he embraces the child as his own from that

point on for the purpose of teaching vedic knowledge. The teacher

accepts the child with the words "devasya tvA savituH prasave (name

of the child) Sarman" - "I bring near me the child named …. by the

order of savitR devatA". The child responds with the words "I have

accepted the brahmacarya vRata or the vow of a brahmacAri. Please

accept me as your student and keep me near you". The teacher again

involves the blessings of sUrya for the protection and proper

guidance of the child. The teacher starts giving some instructions,

and the student expresses his commitment to those instructions. This

is the initiation of the upa-nayanam, or the start of the student

being brought to the nearness of the teacher for continued

instructions and training in the vedic path of life.

 

4.6. The upa-nayana homam:

 

This is the first homa or sacrificial offering to the fire on which

the AcArya instructs the student. This is again, a joint prayer by

the teacher and the student for the well-being of the student as a

brahmacAri, and for the grace of the gods in helping him stay the

course of a brahmacAri by bestowing good physical and mental health

on the student during his life.

 

4.7. BrahmopadeSam – The beginning of the instruction on Brahman:

 

This starts with the child prostrating at the feet of the AcArya, and

seeking the instruction of the sAvitrI mantra from the AcArya. (The

sAvitrI mantra and the gAyatrI mantra are essentially similar, with

the gAyatrI mantra having the words "Om bhUr-bhuvas-svaH" added at

the beginning of the sAvitrI mantra).

 

4.7.1. The gAyatrI mantra:

After circumambulating the sacrificial fire, the student is shown the

sun and explained that the quest for knowledge should be like the

light of the sun, which permeates through all things. Next the

gAyatri mantra is recited by the guru and repeated by the pupil, who

memorizes it.

 

Literally, gAyatri means "That which protects him who chants it". She

is the mother of all the mantras, and when chanted with devotion and

single pointed concentration and purity, takes the chanter to the

ultimate bliss - the knowledge of the Supreme Truth, called the

Brahman. The gAyatri is a mantra praying for divine guidance to

inspire and illumine the intellect so that the Jiva may know his real

self - the Atman. Universal in its approach, it does not seek any

personal benefit for the chanter. The venerable BhIshma, while

extolling the greatness of the gAyatri from his bed of arrows

declares - Where the gAyatri is chanted, ultimately deaths, involving

the performance of obsequies for children by their elders will not

occur. Thus it is a prayer for universal welfare which the brAhmaNa

must perform as a sacred trust enjoined on him.

 

This mantra is considered to be the essence of the three veda-s – Rg,

yajus, and sAma all at once – sarvebhyo vai vedebhyaH sAvitRyanUcyata

iti brAhmaNam. (As mentioned earlier, the sAvitri mantra referred to

in this quote is a subset of the gAyatri mantra, and they have been

used interchangeably in the literature). There is a kramam or order

in which this is taught, in the ear of the student by the teacher,

with a silk cloth covering the student and the teacher. This is

because the mantra is not to be given out in public, and is not be

taught, except one-on-one by a teacher to a student who seeks this

knowledge. As mentioned earlier, the efficacy of the mantra is in

the sincerity with which it is meditated on. The first instruction

is just the initiation.

 

The gAyatri must be chanted in the prescribed manner, thrice a day,

as a part of the nitya karma (daily required duty) called the sandhyA

vandanam. The sandhyA vandanam is an excellent daily exercise in

calming the mind and rendering it fit for meditation on the highest

truth epitomized by the gAyatri. Because of its great importance as a

spiritual practice, the SAstra-s have proclaimed its primacy of place

in unequivocal terms, to the extent that no exceptions are provided.

It has to be definitely performed thrice daily, throughout one's

life. All the good things a person may do are of no avail, if he

fails to perform his sandhyA vandanam and gAyatri japa regularly. The

scriptures are unanimous on this point. The immense benefit accruing

from regular and assiduous practice of the sandhyA vandanam and

meditating on the gAyatri, is something that can be corroborated by

those who perform this nitya karma regularly.

 

4.7.2. Undertaking the brahmacarya vrata-s –

The giving of the daNDa or staff:

After the gAyatrI mantra upadeSam is completed, the student is given

a staff from a jack tree (palASa daNDa). With this staff in hand,

the student makes additional commitments towards his brahmacarya

vRata or the vow of being a student seeking knowledge of Brahman (a

brahmacAri).

 

The student undertakes the following vRata-at this time:

 

Following the initiation to the gAyatri mantra, the student is

administered the vow of brahmacarya by the teacher. The mantra is

very sweet to chant, and the meanings are given below:

 

• I will remember that which is fit to remember, but forget

that which is not fit to remember. Both are my vows.

• I will spurn that is worth being spurned, and will not spurn

that which should not be spurned. Both are my vows.

• I will pay attention to that which deserves attention, and

will not pay attention to that which is unfit to be paid attention

to. Both are my vows.

• I will learn what is fit to be learned, and will desist from

learning what is unfit to be learned. Both are my vows.

• I will hear the good, and will desist from hearing the bad.

Both are my vows.

• I will speak the truth, and will desist from speaking

untruth. Both are my vows

• I will perform tapas, and will desist from performing acts

that are not consistent with tapas. Both are my vows.

• I will adhere to the vow of brahmacarya, and will desist from

acts that are contrary to brahmacarya. Both are my vows.

 

The AcArya once again reaffirms that he is accepting the student as

his own, and invokes the grace of the Lord for the success of the

relationship between him and the student.

 

The student is compared to a traveler with a long road of knowledge

ahead of him. The staff is the symbol of a traveler, and while

accepting it, the student prays that he should reach the end of his

journey safely and happily. Most sUtras prescribe the staff of a

jack tree for the staff for a brAhmin boy. The length of the staff

is specified as reaching up to the hair level on the head of the

student, in some of the gRhya sUtra-s. The staff should be perfect,

straight, and beautiful to look at. Most importantly, the student

should not allow anyone to pass between himself and the staff. In

the current day practice, a small piece of stick, hopefully from a

jack tree, is given to the student.

 

In some books, the wearing of the palASa daNDa is included as a part

of step 4 described above (brahmacarya li'nga dhAraNam), since they

consider it a symbol of the student undertaking the brahmacarya

vratam.

 

4.7.3. samidhAdhAnam:

This is a daily ritual required of a brahmacAri, and the training is

started on the day of the upanayanam. It involves the daily offering

by the brahmacAri to the fire, praying for all the strength and

energy needed for the continuance of the brahmacarya vrata. This

practice now probably exists only in families where vedic Brahmins

practice their dharma-s rigorously, and bring out the children

according to tradition. It is sure to be followed in the veda

pAThaSAla-s of the Asrama-s and MaTham-s. In most other families in

the current times, the samidA dhAnam is performed by the student only

on the day of the yearly upAkarmA observance.

 

Several other mantra-s and several homa-s are introduced to the

student throughout the course of the ceremony.

 

4.8. The bhikshAcaraNam – Collecting alms:

Soon after the samdihA dhAnam, additional instructions from the

AcArya, are given and are followed by the undertaking of additional

vrata-s by the student.

 

Among some of the other injunctions on the student are:

 

• ApoSAna – Perform ApoSAnam without fail. (a kind of prayer

repeated before and after eating).

• Parishecanam is the common term used for this.

• karma kuru – Perform your duties without fail.

• mA sushuptAH - Do not fall asleep (during day time).

• BhikshAcaryam cara – Live with what you get out of the

bikshA (This is the rice that the student receives everyday through

bikshA, and the student is initiated on this as well on the day of

the upanayana, with a ceremony called bhikshAcaraNam. In fact, in

the traditional system, the rice that is thus collected by the

student really belongs to the AcArya. The student should go and

offer the bikshA to the teacher, who then uses it to feed all his

students).

• AcArya adhIno bhava – Be subservient to the teacher always.

 

For every one of these injunctions from the AcArya, the student

responds: "bADham" – "I will definitely follow that".

 

Among the other injunctions included in the Apastamba gRhya sUtra are:

 

* mayA ananuj~nAtam apa eva piba, nAnyat – Without my permission, do

not consume anything except water

* a-gandhasevee - Do not use perfumes or cosmetics.

 

4.8.1. The bikshA or collecting alms:

Note that one of the injunctions above was: BhikshAcaryam cara –

Live with what you get out of the bikshA. The student is now taught

the procedure and the mantra for collecting bhikshA, which is a daily

duty on the part of the student from now on.

 

In the traditional life, a brAhmaNa is supposed to lead his life

learning vedas and then propagating this knowledge to others.

 

IN PARTICULAR, IT IS THE NOT THE DHARMA OF A BRAHMANA TO SEEK

PROFESSIONS FOR THE SAKE OF GATHERING WEALTH. HE IS SUPPOSED TO

COLLECT JUST WHAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE ESSENTIAL FOOD FOR THE DAY,

BY COLLECTING ALMS EACH DAY FROM PEOPLE WHO USED TO CONSIDER IT THEIR

PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DONATE ALMS TO THE ONE WHO COMES SEEKING

ALMS.

 

This is the concept behind the event where the student is asked to go

and collect alms from the few ladies present in the function – this

is an initiation for the daily life of the brahmacAri. The student

addresses the lady through the words: "bhavati bikshAm dehi" –

"Madam, give alms". In addition to supporting the prescribed dharma

for a brAhmaNa, this step in the daily life of a brAhmaNa also taught

him humility, while earning the respect of the society for the noble

purpose for which his life was being dedicated (namely, the study of

the veda-s and its proper propagation).

 

The spirit underlying the BhikshAcaraNam is that it will induce

humility and quell the ego - it will root out all difference of high

and low, wealthy and poor, since, in the traditional lifestyle, every

brahmaAari, regardless of his family's standing, has to practice it.

Above all, it will enable the young student to overcome the craving

of the tongue, and induce the restraint of the senses so very

necessary for properly imbibing the Vedic Knowledge.

 

4.9. AseervAdam:

This is the final part of the sacrament, wherein all auspiciousness

is invoked for the continuous bestowing of all virtues on the

subjects of the occasion, on the family members, on all the

attendees, and on all beings all over the world.

 

5. Conclusion:

The attempt of the write-up was to bring out the purpose behind the

Vedic sacrament called upa-nayanam – one of initiating the student

into the study of the veda-s. Associated with the initiation into

the study of the veda-s, a strict life of discipline and code of

conduct is prescribed for the student. All the events during the

sacred thread ceremony are directed towards initiating the student on

this road to the brahmacarya ASrama. It is hoped that an

understanding of the basis of the ceremony, along with the spiritual

and moral significance associated with this initiation, will lead to

more devoted following of the requirements of the ASrama, and

subsequent life following the completion of the ASrama

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3. BOOK REVIEW – "STUDIES IN SRIVAISHNAVISM" BY

PROF. MANGALAM R. PARAMESWARAN, CANADA

----

"STUDIES IN SRIVAISHNAVISM"by Prof. Mangalam R. Parameswaran.

Published by Larkuma Publication in 2005.

Priced at US 38.95 and Cdn $ 42.95 (plus postage) (for

institutions). For a limited time individuals may order the book

directly by sending a cheque for US $25 to Larkuma, 720 Pasadena

Avenue, Winnipeg MB, Canada R3T 2T3.

---

Prof. Parameswaran, a retired Professor of Mathematics at the

University of Manitoba, Canada has provided us with a scholarly

treatise on the origin and development of Srivaishnavam drawing

inspiration right from the Vedas, Agamas and Itihasas, Prabandhams of

Azhwars and Naayanmars as also the works of Bhagavad Ramanuja.

 

The copious quotations from the originals in support of his findings

are quite appropriate. The author has brought out a book rich in

content and in a lucid style that speaks volumes about his

communication skills.

 

He has however, taken extraordinary pains to refute some faulty

interpretations by some western authors as also some Westernized

Indian authors who might not have undergone any intensive training at

the feet of learned Achaaryas of our Siddhanta through either

PaaTasaala or KaalakshEpam traditions and therefore cannot comprehend

the correct perspectives. It would have been better if he had limited

himself to presenting the authentic viewpoints based on authority of

Poorva and Prakritam Achaaryas and ignored these so called Research

scholars.

 

This is an extraordinary work in which everyone in the academic

circles would find an immense treasure of information that can

provide authentic positions on many controversial issues and offer a

plethora of food for thought and reflection.

 

The main book has 138 pages. The Notes portion containing quotations

runs to about 67 pages and provide a rich fare for further study by

the Readers. The author should be congratulated for a meticulous

presentation of some important facets of our Siddhanta. A careful

proof-reading is definitely a plus point in the work

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