[nama-singapore] FWD: May 18, 2001 ( Seventh Anniversary of the Founding of the Bhakthi List]

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

Adiyen is compelled to write a few words on the recent discussions.

Adiyen believes the purport of various lists devoted to Srivaishnavam

is to generate light through stimulating discussions. More heat than

light seems to emanate from these exchanges, which have at times

degenerated to a personal level. It is well recognized that both the

Bhakti List and Malolan Net have different purposes. The former

caters to the needs of a diverse audience especially, beginers, some

of whom may not have had any exposure to Sri Vaishnava Sri, whereas

the latter list is meant for advancement of knowledge for a serious

student seeking to learn more about Our Vedam-rooted Sampradayam. In

this context adiyen wishes to quote from Sri Velukkudi Krishnan

Swami's recent upanyasam at the Ranganatha Temple, Pomona, NY. " Every

child learns from the sixth grade in school that the atom is the

state of matter, which cannot be divided further. However, when

pursuing graduate studies (say M.Sc. in Chemistry) the same child is

exposed to details of atomic structure (proton, electron, nucleus).

In a like manner, Narayana Parathvam must first take firm root in

one's mind. Techincal details pertaining to the Sampradayam can then

follow. " This analogy fits the Bhakti and Malolan forums quite well.

For starters, the Bhakti list contains considerable information

pertaining to the our Sampradayam celebrating the supremacy of Lord

Narayana to the exclusion of all else. However, finding this requires

considerable effort on the part of a seeker to browse through the

archives. Nevertheless, this can then be used to gain a sophisticated

understanding of the underlying traditions through the postings in

Malolan net. (Please note that adiyen is not advocating use of one

forum to the exclusion of the other nor is he attesting to the

correctness or otherwise of the content found in the respective

archives. More on this later.)

 

In this respect too we have been blessed by the most compassionate

Lord Narayana. He sent us gems in the form of Srimans Mani Swamin,

Anand Swamin, and Hari Swamin, who through their tireless efforts

have helped spread the cause of our Sampradayam to all corners of the

globe. Adiyen knows Srimans Mani Swamin and Sriman Anand Swamin quite

well and has corresponded with Sriman Hari Swamin through email and

thus wishes to submit the following.

 

Sriman Mani Swamin's Kaimkaryam in uniting Bhagavatas from around the

world in a common forum deserves a lot of praise. This has

undoubtedly served as a springboard for several Kaimkaryams and has

enabled forging of several friendships and mutually beneficial

associations. For example, adiyen came to know of Sriman Sadagopan

Swamin only through the Bhakti list. Adiyen is in frequent contact

with Sriman Sadagopan Swamin and has benefitted immensely from the

one-on-one discussions that he has had with Swamin. This has resulted

in several rewarding and elevating collaborations, sathsangams, and

Kaimkaryams for adiyen.

 

Sriman Anand Swamin and adiyen have had extended conversations on a

number of subjects of relevance to our Sampradayam. Adiyen has the

utmost respect and admiration for Sriman Anand Swamin's untiring zeal

and enthusiastic efforts in mastering the tenets of our Sampradayam

as expounded upon by our Acharyas and disseminating it to those

seeking this knowledge. His extra-ordinary vairagyam and single

minded devotion to our Sampradayam as evidenced by giving up

lucrative career opportunities in the USA to return to India for

Sampradayic studies calls for praise of the highest order. Upon his

return to India, Sriman Anand Swamin has made rapid strides in

mastering the tenets of our sampradayam through the traditional

Kalakshepam mode. His Anushtanam and desire for Bhagavad Bhagavata

and Acharya Kaimkaryam are also exemplary-truly a role model for

every aspiring Srivaishnava.

 

Sriman Hari Swamin is an extremely learned scholar, who has undergone

Kalakshepam in the nine granthams of Sri Ramanujacharya and several

works of Swami Desikan. He is performing yeoman Kaimkaryam to the

Srivaishnava community through his articles on various subjects.

 

It is adiyen's opinion that Sriman Sadagopan Swamin was merely

highlighting in his post the Kaimkaryam of Sriman Mani Swamin on the

7th anniversary of the inception of the Bhakti list. This is not

meant to take away anything from the outstanding Kaimkaryams of

Srimans Anand Swamin and Hari Swamin. If anyone wishes to celebrate

the anniversary of the formation of the Malolan net, adiyen will

gladly serve as a cheer-leader in their camp.

 

Spiritual progess is evolutionary in nature. Lord Krishna attests to

this fact in the Bhagavad-Gita salutation " bahUnAm janmanAvantE

jnAnavAn mAm prapadhyathE Vasudeva Sarvam ithi sa mahathma

sudurlaBha: " Thus, those among us who have sought refuge at the

Lord's feet through the margam of SharaNagati, we can consider our

janma as being fruitful in the spirit of the Ramayana

salutation " adhya mE saphalam janma " . However, for those who have not

gotten so far, Lord Krishna offers hope in the above Bhagavad-Gita

salutation. Therefore, neither group is bestowed with the right to

engage in exercises of one upmanship.

 

Adiyen is in complete agreement with the points made by Smt. Nagu

Satyan, Sriman Hari Swamin, and Smt. Praveena and Sri Anand

(Singapore) regarding any forum being the sole authoritative source

of Sampradayic knowledge. First, email is an impersonal medium. The

facial expression of the author is impossible to glean. Furthermore,

the true import of the written content cannot be fully comprehended

in many instances. This leads to increasingly acrimonious and

strident exchanges among forum members, which is only detrimental to

the learning process. Quite often typos arise, when one is composing

messages. If these occur while quoting important scriptural passages

or Vedic Mantrams, they can many times drastically alter the meaning

of these passages. Thus, adiyen fully concurs with Srimans Hari

Swamin, Smt. Nagu Satyan, Smt. Praveena, and Sriman Anand that email

forums are no substitute to Kalakshepam at the feet of Sri Vaishnava

Acharyas and Vidwans. Email forums can at best serve as motivation to

seek further information in the Kalakshepam mode.

 

Finally, on Bhagavata Apacharam, Ahankaram et. al. it is instructive

to remember that the foremost quality of the Lord is forgiveness

motivated by compassion (Daya). Swami Desikan elaborates on the

greatness of Daya in 108 exquisite verses of the Daya Shatakam and

comprehensively proves how Daya Devi reverses the role of the Lord

(who is not required to take any birth) and a Sinner (who by virtue

of his sins is condemned to a seemingly endless cycle of births and

deaths). For instance if one looks at the Ramayana, there is nobody

that has not sinned (the only exception are the Padhukas adorning the

Lord's Lotus Feet). The list of sinners includes Sita Piratti

(Bhagavata Apacharam for hurling abuses at Lakshmana), Lakshmana (for

violating the command of Lord Rama and coming to his help at the

insistence of Sita Piratti), Bharata (for violating the Lord's

command to accept and rule the Kingdom), Hanuman (for suggesting that

he would carry Sita Piratti-a Parama Pativrata on his back). However,

are such Apacharams punished? No. It is no surprise that the reason

for these acts being condoned is Daya Devi. In this spirit, adiyen

requests that we put behind us any unpleasantness caused by the

recent exchanges and go on with the tasks of Bhagavad, Bhagavata, and

Acharya Kaimkaryams in an edifying, enriching, and elevating manner.

 

May all the email forums co-exist in peace and harmony in the spirit

of the declaration " sarvE janA: sukhinO Bhavanthu " .

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan