Bhagavad Ramanuja Vaibhavam- 1.12- Basics of Srivaishnavam

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Let us continue to enjoy the acharya’s glories. In our tradition, Acharya is

equal to God if not more than Him.

 

Thus the mainstage of Srivaishnavam was the period of Sriman Nathamuni, Sri

Yamunamuni and Sri Ramanujamuni – who are regarded as the muni traya (three

saints).

 

Someone asked me the basics of Srivaishnavam…

I thought let us just get back to the basics before we proceed further

 

There are lots and lots of lives on this earth. Human beings, Animals,

birds, insects, trees, plants, creepers, etc., etc., - there are so many

varieties of lives living in this world. Every day- every minute, there

are so many births of such lives and so are deaths.

 

After taking so many lives (they say about 8,400,000 lives), we have

come to this human life. Avvayaar, The Tamil poet, says : " aridhu aridhu

maanidaraayp piRatthal aridhu " - It is extremely rare and precious to be

born of human being. It is quite true that it is our fortune to be born

a human being with the capacity of sixth sense. Let us make use of it

for our upliftment further. What is good and bad- what to do and what

not to do- only human beings are blessed with such discriminating

capabilities- We have been given that capacity by Emperumaan. Shall we

not make full use of it?

 

Bhagyam:

 

Even out of human beings, it is our pUrva janma puNyam and that of our

ancestors for our being SrivaishNavAs. There are so many religions in

the world; Even in Hindu religion, there are many sects; and there are

hindus who worship many dEvatAs as their Gods.

 

For us SrivaishNavAs, Sriman NarayaNan along with His consort Sri

MahAlakshmi alone is the God (Deivam). He is the Primordial Chief. He is

the Chief of all dEvAs, including Sivan and BrahmA. Vedas proclaim that

Sriman NarayaNan is the ParamAthmA, PeramporuL and ParanjOthi. VedAs

also say that except Him all including dEvas, Sivan, BrahmA and Indran

are all jIvans. Being born a SrivaishNavA and/or a bhakthA of Sriman

NarayaNA, we need not worship other devatAs. We are related to the Great

King Himself; why to go and beg the army chief, minister or the Gate

keeper? No doubt, all dEvAs are also His great bhaktAs sometime or the

other; but they are NOT Gods. There can not be more than one God. He is otthAr

mikkAr illaadha maamaayan... Peerless. Unparalleled. Sriman Narayanan is the

God.

 

VedAs and SaastrAs say that even to think of Sivan and BrahmA and other

dEvas as equal to God is a great sin (mahApaapam). For that matter,

Sivan and BrahmA themselves are great bhaktAs of Sriman NarayaNA. I am

sure They themselves DO NOT RELISH being considered anywhere near the

Adhimoolam- The Primordial Chief. When GajEndrA shouted for help

" AdhimoolamE! " it is NOT any name of God-please note! It is just calling

the Primordial Chief, the first one- the Parathvam! Nobody dared come

claiming for " Adhimoolam " post, it is our Sweet Lord Sriya: Pathih

Sriman Naraynan who appeared IMMDEIATELY on GarudA and saved the

elephant. You may tell that it is only the name and rose by any name

will smell as sweet. But it is vEdAs (which are eternal and

apaurushEyam) that proclaim that Sriman Naraynana is the Supreme

Godhead. It is not just a name. It is kaaraNa peyar; name with a meaning

in it; naaram + ayaNam is Narayanan. Hence, we should worship only

Sriman Narayanan. Even uttering His name alone will yield tremendous

benefits both in this world and in the next.

 

For us, only vEdAs are the moola pramaaNam. (The proof). VedAs were not

created by anybody. They are apaurushEyam. Vedas proclaim the Glories of

Emperumaan Sriman NarayaNan.

 

Guru paramparA:

 

As mentioned earlier in this series: Sriman Narayanan is the first AchArya for

all of us. He is the Adhi Guru. Next comes Periya Piratti MahAlakshmi.

VishvaksEnar (Senai Mudhali)( -no connection with Mudhaliar caste of present

times) is the next AchAryan. He is the Chief of the Lord's army (sEnai). Next is

NammAzhwAr. VishvaksEnar, it appears had come down to the earth to teach

NammAzhwAr. Nathamuni is His sishyA. UyyakkoNdaar, MaNakkaal Nambi, Yamuna Muni

(Alavandhaar), Periyanambi come in that lineage. Periya Nambi's sishyar is Our

Most reverred YathirAjar, Sri RamanujAchAryA (lakshmaNa Muni). He is the Most

important AchArya of VaishNava Siddhantham. [The above is a translation from a

booklet written by Dr. Sri U Ve V.N. Gopaladesikan Swami of Oppiliappan Koil]

 

We have covered upto Yamunacharya so far. Let us proceed to enjoy further

 

Acharyan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan