Jumping to conclusions and judgement

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Sri:

Sri Lakshmi nrisimha parabrahmaNE nama:

Sri Lakshmi nrisimha divya paduka sevaka

srivan satakopa sri narayana yatindra mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dear bhagavathas,

 

We all jump to conclusions at one time or

another. It is not a capital offense. However,

some of us do it more often and with a level of

disregard for facts, it is unfortunate. What is

almost funny, but not, is they do this with a

high degree of self confidence in their

infallibility. Let it be, there are many wonders

in our Lord's leelA vibhuti. A few weeks ago

adiyEn made a promise to myself not to get into

these tiresome exchanges. But this one time

adiyEn would like to set the record straight as

my wife is involved.

 

First, it is my wife Malathi and Smt. Vimala

Rajaji who are offering items such as T-shirts

etc. for sale with the proceeds going to Sri

Ranganatha Temple.

 

During the past summer, they made a few samples

and showed them to Srimad Azhagiya Singar for

HH's blessings, which the Jeeyar conferred

graciously. One of the Kainkaryaparars actually

tried a T-shirt on.

 

Later, when some of the misgivings floating in

the air reached their ears, they called Sri

Sannithi and submitted a direct question about

the propriety of T-shirts with Perumal and

Thayar's pictures on them. Srimad Azhagiya

Singar not only gave HH's approval, but HH was in

fact emphatic in approving the production and

sale of these T-shirts.

 

Dear bhagavathas, these two women have taken a

lot of effort in creating these beautiful items

for a worthy cause. In doing so, they went the

extra distance to not just get the blessings of

our Acarya, but also to ascertain the Thiru uLLam

of the AcArya. What a contrast from those who

think so highly of themselves that they go to the

extent of passing judgements even about Acarya

pursuhaas.

 

In any case, perhaps this is how Lord Ranganatha

wishes to publicize the sale of these items.

Please do visit:

 

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Courtyard/7991/Souvnr.html

 

and order what you like. Please note, not just

the profits, but the entire proceeds will go to

Ranganatha temple as the two women have

underwritten the cost of these items.

 

Perumal's pictures in any form must be highly revered.

However, it must not be confused with ArcA Avatharam.

Pictures are not Archa Avathrams. The level of acAram

and anushtaanam required with respect to Archa moorthees,

and even Salagramas, is something that is not to be

mixed up with the reverence and pleasure we derive

from beholding the Lord's pictures. We must not

forget, our Sri Desika Sampradayam has seen it fit

to confer the correct level of reverence for anything,

not under-do it or overdo it. ArcA moorthees in

temples and Salagrama/properly installed idols at

home are nothing but the Lord Himself. But a

photograph is not the Lord Himself. It is

athivaatam to suggest that it is. This is

not to say pictures of the Lord may be misused,

obviously not.

 

srimad azhagiya singar thiruvadigaLE saraNam

 

-- adiyEn ramanuja dasan