Vaishnavism and Brahminism- A Clarification

[Guest guest]

Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

 

Sri Venkata Gurave Nama:

 

 

 

Dear Sri Satyananaraya Swamin,

 

 

 

I read with interest your post on Vaishnavism and Brahmanism.

 

Though I agree with most of our observations, I need to clarify

that what you stated about Veidika dharma and Sri Vaishnavism is

not exactly as per the observations of our Poorvacharyas.

 

 

 

You wrote…

 

"brahminic activities such as sandhya vadanam, Gayatri mantra etc

do not find a spot in Vaishnavism. It has a role in the Veidika

dharma.:

 

 

 

Clarification:

 

 

 

I would like to clarify how our Acharyas have opined on this. Let us

start from Geethacharyan.

 

 

 

1, Srimad Bhagavat Gita (Chapter 3,Verses 30-33)- Refer

Emperumanar's Bhasya

 

 

 

Both Sri Ramanuja and Sri Nigamantha Desikan have clarified that

doing one's Nitya Karma Anushtanam as ordained by Varanashrama

dharma is important.

 

 

 

2. In Sri Bashya , Swami Ramanuja emphasized on Nitya karma

Anushtanam as per Varanashrama Dharma in many places, In the very

first sutra of Brahma Sutra, his intention were very clear on this

It is further strenghted by Vyakayanams of Sri Srutha Prakasikar.

 

 

 

3. In his commentary on Mummookshapadi, Sri Manavala Maamuni (

Sarama Sloka Prakaranam, Sutra 195-196)

 

Even quotes as ` Sandhya heeno suchir nityam anarhas sarva

karmasu' , which literally means Kriyas such as

 

Sanyavandanams are imperative for all other karmas.

 

 

 

4. Sri Pillai Lokachar in his Artha Panchakam, when he begins to

explain Purushartham ,Swami talks about following one's Dharmas as

ordained by Varnashrama.

 

 

 

5. Sri Pillai Lokachrya in Sri Vachana Bhusham(Sutram 96, Adhikari

Nishta Kramam), says that The qualities of `Samam' and `Damam' are

important Atma Gunas for a Prapanna. He further states (Sutram 97)

that one who has Samam and Damam he gets Acharyan, from Acharyan he

gets Thirumantram and from Thirumantram he gets the Lord and from

Lord he gets Deliverance'.

 

 

 

We all know performance of Nitya Karma is an enabler (not the only

enabler though…) for one to get Samam and Damam,.

 

 

 

 

 

We have several references of Poorvacharyas talking Nitya/Naimitya

karma in their works. It is wrong to state that Sri Vaishnavsim

does not worry about Nitya Karmas (Poorvacharyas often

quote `Sandhya Heena: Pasubi Samana:' which means one who does not

perform Sandhya is considered as an animal.)

 

 

 

The difference of Sri Vaishnava Acharyas from others is not in

performing or Non Performance of Vaidheeka Karma. It only on the

results of them, Per Sri Vaishnava position, that performance of

Karma is not the ONLY action that results in deliverance; it is Lord

who has to finally give Deliverance to a soul.

 

 

 

Even today we see that it is only Sri Vaishnava Sanysins who perform

Sandhavandams even after they enter in to Sanyasa Ashram.

 

 

 

Dasan

 

 

 

Kazhiyur M Narayanan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ramanuja [ramanuja] On

Behalf Of Sathya. Kaliyamoorthy

Friday, June 09, 2006 12:14 PM

ramanuja

[ramanuja] Vaishnavism and Brahminism

 

 

 

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

Acharyan Thiruvadigale Saranam

 

Dear All:

 

Greetings. Adiyen just wanted to add a couple of cents related to

the temple

priest discussion. In our opinion, there is no place for the so

called

brahminism in Sri Vaishnavism, which we call as Emperumaanar

Tharisanam. In

fact, daily brahminic activities such as sandhya vadanam, Gayatri

mantra etc

do not find a spot in Vaishnavism. It has a role in the Veidika

dharma.

 

Eventhough there is caste system in our soceity, no single caste is

superior than the others.

 

Just think how the world will be if there are no people to clean

or cut our hair or even cultivate and provide us with food grains.

Practically speaking the world can not without these essential

occupations.

 

Scriptures in Vaishnavism indicate no preference for a particular

caste. In fact, God himself has chosen 9 out of the 10 Azhwars as

non-brahmins, who enriched our sampradaya. There cannot be a greater

example than the life of Thirupaanazhwar. God himself taught a

fitting lesson to those misbehaving brahmins at that time.

Unfortunately there are still a lot of people who do not realize or

appreciate how Emperuman would like us to live.

 

In fact, anyone can be a vaishnavite- all he or she needs is

Emperuman and Acharya's grace. One who performs proper anushtaanams

and follows the scriptures can ALSO be a vaishnavite.

 

We all know ........."Nyaanam Anuttaanam Ivai Nanraagave udayanaana

Guruvai

adainthakkaal Maanilatheer thenaar kamala thirumaamagal kozhunan

thaane

vaiguntham tharum". There is no mention of brahmin here or as a

matter of

fact anywhere else in Vaishnava scripts.

 

Please accept adiyen's apologies if I have spoken something thats

not true.

 

Nanmaiyaal Mikka Naanmaraiyaalargal Punmaiyaaga karuthuvaraathalil

Annaiyaai athanaai ennai aandirum thanmayaan Sadagopan en nambiye.

 

Adiyen ,

Sathyanarayana Ramanuja Dasan