[Jeeyar Educational Trust] Q - hare krishna

[Guest guest]

Smt Vidya,

 

The sastras declare Liberation is attained purely by Knowledge. ('Thamevam

Vidvan Amruta iti bhavathi' ) The Bhagavat Gita that came as apt and clearer

explanation to Upanishads and sastra vakhyams declare that Bhakthi is the only

route for Liberation.(Bhakt eka gocharaha Narayana:' as per Sri Yamuna and also

by his disciple Sri Ramanuja) Swami Nammalwar would declare that Krishna

Bhakthi would lead to Knowledge, and that Bhakthi coupled with Knowledge would

surely lead to Liberation.

 

The sampradyam as stated by you, does not necessarily say that you have to forgo

Krishna bhakthi and catch 'Vaikunta Narayana'.

 

If you ask Nammalwar, he would rather immerse himself in to Leelas of Sri

Krishna rather than any other forms of Sri Narayana.

 

The issue here is this. As per Pancaratra vakhyams, Lord has five forms.

1. Paratvam- As Sriman Narayana in Sri Vaikunta

2. Vuyham - As Ksherabthi Natha in Mily ocean

3. Vibhava - As Sri Rama and Sri KRishna

4. Archavatara - As vigrahas

5. Antaryami - As Lord whi resides in the hearts of all the living beings.

 

 

Vedic culture stresses more importance to Archavatara than any other forms.

That was the route given by the poorvacharyas of this sampradayam.

 

When Ramanuja 'discovered' this sampradayam, the world was full of Mayavadins

who said things like ' Svas swaroopanu santhanam , Bhakthi rith abi jeeyate'

which means, if you simply meditate that 'Aham Brahmasmi, I am the Brhaman'

that is Bhakthi and you would attain liberation.

 

Sri Ramanuja corrected this trend and said that one has to remember Lord with

his gunas and his pastimes and that is real Bhathi.(Preethi poorva anusanthanam

Bhakthi rith abi jeeyate' )

 

The popularization of Krishna Bhakthi started from here... (Not withstanding the

fact that Saints like Sri Nammalwars were born many years to Sri Ramanuja who

were Great Krishna Bhaktas' )

 

To sum up, I would say this.

 

1. Engage yourself in Krishna Bhakthi by hearing his glories, singing his names

and praying him in temples and home.

2. Get initiation from an Acharyan and read the life works of Poorvacharyas and

Alwars that would give more comfort and clarity.

 

Thanks

 

Regards

Kazhiyur M Narayanan