R - My email to TTD

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, Ramji Govindarajan

<ramji_iyengar wrote:

>

>

Dear Sriman Ramji,

 

Exaclty that is what I am trying to oppose. It may be the faith of

some exclusive ganesha worshippers. But some of the perverts from

the mainstream Hinduism who have got no business with it, are trying

to promote it, as they see it as a challenge to the Srivaishnava

concept that the Master of Lakshmi is the Supreme Being.

 

Also those who to the concept of Lakshmi Ganapati do not

mean Lakshmi as aunt of ganesha, but they unfortunatetly mean as a

Sakti/power of ganesha. The relationship they mean is derogatory,

though not mundane.

 

But what business the employees of the temple of " SrinivAsa " have

got to do with it? What is the status of Padmavati Thayar according

to them?

 

adiyen

Vishnu

>

> As you can see from above names. Serial nos. 12 and 31 have

names of two goddesses - one who is his aunt (Lakshmi) and the other

his mother (Durgaa)!. The different names signifies various forms of

energy attributes of Ganapathi - when Ganapathy's power to bless one

with prosperity is worshipped he is called Lakshmi Ganapathy; when

Ganapathy's power to fiercely protect is worshipped he is Durgaa

Ganapathy and so on. ONE COULD REASONABLY CONCLUDE THAT THE TERM

LAKSHMI GANAPATHY HAS BEEN FURTHER MODIFIED AS MAHALAKSHMI GANAPATHY

IN THE CONTROVERSIAL PHRASE USED BY TTD. The phrase 'Sri Mahalakshmi

Ganapataye namah' actually has been used to pay respects to Ganapati

whose power to bestow prosperity has been mentioned - IT DOES NOT

SIGNIFY ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPREME GODDESS MAHA LAKSHMI.

>

> Now to address the second issue:

>

> (b) The absolutely necessity of including reference to Ganapathy

in the TTD publication

>

> This is where I guess a mix of factors including politics, mis

information, ignorance, innocence, vested interests come into play -

The TTD committee has perhaps some North Indian gentlemen (from

Maharashtra etc.) where ppl. start off with obeisances to Ganesh -

after all we owe the Mahabaratha literature to Ved Vyas and Ganesh -

it is also common to start any work by mentioning Ganesh's name

(more north indian and smartha tradition)

>

> Now we should educate TTD to focus on 'pure vaishnavite'

traditions - towards this the letter/email to TTD is

honorable/commendable effort - BUT I GUESS WE NEED NOT OVER REACT

AND GET UPSET ABOUT THIS 'MINOR' MISHAP.

>

> We vaishnavites have other pressing jobs - 1. Preserve

vedas/vedic traditions 2. Stem the missionary advances of other

religions which is resulting in serious damage to the very

foundation of Hinduism - the attrition rate of Dalits (the very

simple people who have in their own ways preserved Hinduism) is

extremely alarming - each one of us should in our own ways try and

address these priorities at the very earliest - NOW!

>

> Best wishes

>

> Ramji

>

>

> Mohan <mohan0128 wrote: Sri Ramji,

>

> While I can appreciate your tolerance regarding this matter, I

would have to disagree with your analogy that the term " lakshmi "

in " lakshmi ganapataye... " implies some other type of

relationship. If so, then terms like " ...lakshmi kartikeya... "

or " saraswati vishnave " could also be made into mantras. The fact

that this one term is used could only seem to reference this one

concept of divinity, whose popularity has come about only in the

past few years.

>

> As far as this " affection " aspect is concerned, you may be

familiar with the closing lines of many of Sri Muthuswamy

Dikshitar's compositions, in which a god or goddess is referred to

as " guru guha mithra " - the well-wisher of Murugan. This is a

specific Sanskrit term and is clear and is very precise in defining

a relationship. Terms like Seetha-Rama, Uma-Maheswara, Radha-

Krishna, etc. have always been used to signify the strength of the

deity, identified by the male, that is brought to us through His

compassion, which is the female.

>

> The only thing that I have to say on the subject is that we have

long presumed that Sri Venkateswara Temple still operates as a Sri

Vaishnava Divya, which, I personally feel is no longer true for the

most part. It is pretty obvious that with little exception, it is

not. But, it is the Supreme Being's Will to decide when and how He

will be worshipped. We can only agree or disagree with what is

happening and wait for Him to change the system as He sees fit.

>

> adiyen

> Mohan

>

>

> On 3/14/07, Ramji Govindarajan <ramji_iyengar

wrote: I agree with the views expressed on the wrong

usage by TTD. I am not a Sanskrit expert but would like to venture

into giving a contrarian opinion on the usage.

>

> It is not a traditional Indian way to add husband's name at the

end of wife's name. Say if the husband's name was xxx and the wife's

name was yyy, it is a western tradition to say Mrs.xxx or Ms/Mrs.

yyy xxx

>

> In the Indian tradition Mrs. yyy will be referred to as Shrimati

YYY.

>

> Now the issue seems to be with the usage of the sanskrit

term 'Sri Mahalakshmi Ganapataye namah' - I am not sure if TTD

intended the usage to endorse an opinion that is contrary to

Vaishnavite/Hindu religion - what the term could have been intended

to convey was 'our respects to Ganapati who has the

blessings/love/affection of Mahalakshmi' - after all Mahalakshmi

(sister of lord Shiva in mythological stories) is aunt to Shri

Ganesh. Mahalakshmi is Ganesh's 'attai' (tamil meaning of aunt) and

Ganesh is Mahalakshmi's 'chella mappillai' - it is only logical for

the the aunt to have endless love and affection towards one's son in

law - So i am not offended at all!

>

> best

>

> Vishnu <vsmvishnu wrote:

>

> Dear Sriman Mohan,

>

> Only vested interests are trying to make it popular.

>

> Even according to non-Vaishnava schools of thought, Lakshmi is a

> form of the universal mother Parvati. Hence identifying lakshmi

with

> Ganapati is unethical and abusive by any yardstick.

>

> The way TTD have printed it is rather ridiculous and humiliating.

> They have written in sequence " Sriyai namah, Sri mahalakshmi

> ganapataye namah, Sri lakshmi Venkateswarabhyam namah " , thus

> questioning the supremacy of sarvEsvara Lord Srivenkateswara and

> anayArha Seshtavam or exclusive belonging of Mother Lakshmi to

> Srimannarayana.

>

> This is how the official Thirumala temple panchangam which enlists

> various festivals and thirunakshatrams is published, pooh-poohin

at

> the very fundamental traditions that are followed in the temple.

>

> adiyen ramanuja dasan

> Vishnu

> , Mohan <mohan0128@> wrote:

> >

> > The concept of " Lakshmi Ganapathy " has become popular of late,

with

> > virtually no justification at all within Vedic thought. Lakshmi

> is said to

> > be the embodiment Compassion of the Supreme Being, whose Love is

> > Unconditional just as the love a mother has for a child. Such a

> quality of

> > Unconditional Love rests only with Supreme Being, Sriman

Narayana,

> and is

> > not used to describe any other form of the Divine Mystery. I can

> only

> > compliment Sri Mahavishnu in taking a firm stand on this.

> >

> > adiyen

> > Mohan

> >

> >

>