Acharya vaibhavam - 36- Introduction to SamAsrayaNam [Pancha samskAram]

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SrI:

SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama:

 

Dearest all,

 

Thus we have observed that the greatest importance is

given to the place of Acharya in Srivaishnava

sampradayam. It is a universal practice common to all

religions to show respect to the teacher by a

disciple. But the Special feature of our Sampradaya is

the emphasis it places on worshipping not merely one’s

own acharya bu the entire lineage of acharya right

upto Sriman Narayanan who is the First Acharya

[prathama Guru] from whom the spiritual knowledge was

taught and emanates.

 

Thus the dedictaiory verses [thaniyans] for the

acharyan and the entire acharya paramparai need to be

recited by a Srivaishnava both at the time of

initiation [namely Pancha samskara] and also everytime

and everyday when the disciple does japam, anushtAnam

and undertakes Vedanta study. Such recitation of

thaniyans at the time of vedantic study and religious

functions signifies the importance of worship of the

Spiritual preceptors and also the acknowledgement of

gratitude that a Srivaishnava owes to the greatest

service rendered by Acharyas to Srivaishnava community

by way of preserving and disseminating the jnAnam

through which one can hope to attain salvation. [says

Sri SMS Chari in his book on Vaishnavism].

 

The knowledge coming through the SriVaishnava

SampradAyam (SatSampradAyam) is thus faultless. So,

ONLY the AchAryA belonging to the Sat SampradAyam is

bonafide. Such an AchAryA is called as a " sadAchAryA "

(Ideal Preceptor). He will be well versed in the

spiritual knowledge delineated by Sanskrit VedAs

(including Upanishads), Tamil VedAs (Divya Prabandham

by AzhvArs), Rahasya TrayA, Brahma SutrAs, Smrithis,

IthihAsAs (RAmAyanam and MahAbhAratham), SAthvIka

PurAnAs (like Vishnu purAnam, Srimad BhAgavatham),

PAncharAtrA & VaikhAnasa AgamAs.

 

The supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA, in His wonderful

avatAram as Sri KrishnA, instructs everyone to

approach the sadAchAryA. In His GIta Upadesam, Sri

KrishnA says " Learn the spiritual knowledge by

prostrating, by questioning and by service to wise men

(sadAchAryAs), who sees the truth. They (sadAchAryAs)

will teach it to you. " (4.34)

Thus the person desirous of becoming linked to the Sri

Vaishnava SampradAyam, approaches the SadAchAryA with

great humility. One cannot attain a sadAchAryA easily.

 

 

one should be highly fortunate to attain a sadAchAryA.

AchAryA (henceforth used to refer to sadAchAryA) has

every right to test that person, even for many years,

before he can be initiated by him. Thus, SamAshrayanam

is a result of great mercy from the part of our

AchAryAs. Only the highly fortunate souls gets this

rarest opportunity of getting initiated

(SamAshrayanam) and thereby become a " SriVaishnavA " .

 

Let us get to learn what is Pancha samskaaram or

SamASrayaNam.

 

SamAshrayanam means 'to approach (AchAryA) with all

sincerity'. In a nut shell, during 'SamAshrayanam',

the AchAryA initiates a person, irrespective of caste,

creed or sex, as his sishyA. It is a commitment from

the disciple that he or she will live as per the

wishes of the AchAryA. Thus the person gets the link

to the Sri Vaishnava paramparA. During SamAshrayanam,

Pancha SamskAram (five Purifications) is performed and

he becomes a " Sri VaishnavA " .

There are five purificatory ceremonies which one

should go through to become a Srivaishnava. In a broad

sense, any individual who is a devotee of Sriman

Narayanan is a Vaishnava. The distinctions of caste,

colour, creed, learning and social status of

individuals have no bearing here on being a

Srivaishnava. That caste is not a bar on becoming a

Srivaishnava. Srivaishnavism is thus a Broad Universal

Religion that has kept the doors open to all.

 

In order to qualify oneself to become a fit person to

worship [Aradhanam], and to meditate with esoteric

mantras, one is required to go through the prescribed

initiation ceremony to be conducted by a qualified

SadAcharya.

 

The Pancha samskara are the following:

 

1. tApa samskaram- or wearing [or embossing] the marks

of the Conch [shakhu] and Discuss [ChakrA] the two

weapons [ornaments] of MahavishNu.

2. pundram: To wear the dvAdasa Urdhva pundram (12

Thiruman & Srichoornam)

3. nAmam: To be ininiated by AchAryA afresh with a

name as " RAmAnuja dAsan " (addition of 'dAsA'at the end

of ones name) to indicate that one is forever a

servant of the Supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA and

BhagavAnRAmAnujA.

4. manthram: To get the initiation of " Rahasya Traya

MantrAs " - AshtAksharam, Dvayam and charama slokam.

5. Ijyai: To learn the worship of Sriman nArAyanA in

proper form (Bhagavad ThiruvArAdhanam).

 

References: Samasrayanam article by Sri Anand

Karalapakkam Swami and the book on Srivaishnavism

published by ThillaisthAnam Swami Kaimkarya Sabha,

Bangalore.

 

Let us get to learn each of these samskAras in greater

details.

 

AsmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm

Regards

Namo Narayana

dasan