Need guidance and advice from bhagavatas

[jeevatman]

Endaro Mahanubhavulu. Andariki Vandanamulu.

 

After months of contemplation and confusion I am writing to get some advice from Sri Vaishnava bhagavata's. I was born into a telugu speaking Kaapu family (I dont know the tamil equivalent, but we are agricultural land lords). I believe I belong to the Sudra caste. I currently live in the USA. I was attracted to Vishnu bhakti by my paternal grandmother's mother Smt. Andalamma who worshipped no other god but Rama and attained paramapadam on Sri Rama Navami after pooja after she hugged her beloved Rama idol. I have been criticised sometimes for being a Vaishnava by my other family members before.

 

I lost my father at a very early age and we are smartha's and our marriage and shraddha vidhi follow the smartha traditions. I dont know what went wrong in the lineage but I am a very much a vishnu bhakta at heart anywhere I see the "divyamangala vigraham" of Sriman Narayana tears flow out and lose I consciousness of my surroundings and keep staring. This has led to embarrassing moments many times. My wife warns me not to cry every time we go to the temple. I dont know if this is normal but I would like to know if this is disrespectful to the lord.

 

I listened to the upanyasams by my manasika acharya (Sri U. Ve. Velukkudi Krishnan Swami) and decided to find an acharya to be initiated into Sri Vaishnavam. I approached the priest at the Perumal Sannidhi in the meenakshi temple in houston and was very dissapointed and devastated when the priest said I was not eligible for Panchasamskaram Samashrayanam and Thirumanthram as I am not a Brahmin. He said the pranavam in the thirumanthram was off limits to Sudras. He instead offered to give me "Vishnu Deeksha" a point on which he did not further elaborate. I asked him about gaining "Ramanuja Sambandham" and ultimately Vaikuntam to which he replied that I can gain Vaikuntam by performing Kainkaryam's and I do not need Ramanuja Sambandham. He also said my mother has to give permission for my initiation and wife should also be initiated.This is not possible even if my mother permits, my wife who is not into religion or god will refuse. All I can do is beg and plead the Lord to show me the way but so far he has not graced me. My questions are

 

1. Am I eligible for initiation (Panchasamskaram, Samashrayanam, and Thirumanthram) into the parampara

2. If my wife refuses can I still be initiated?

3. Is crying in the presence of the archa form not respectful to the lord? I am attracted to archavataram's more than anything else.

4. Can I attain vaikuntam by performing kainkaryam? I am willing to live with that if thats the only way.

5. I want to know if there are any bhagavatas in the houston galveston area so that I can perform bhagavata kainkaryam

6. If I am eligible for initiation where do I get the required information?

7. Can someone please tell me where I can find the schedule for Velukkudi Krishnan Swami's USA visits as I am dying to touch his feet and perform some sort of seva. Also once swami said that we all ultimately reach the Thiruvadi of the lord in this life or next. I was born on 4th September 1980 2:40 am Hyderabad (Sravana bahula dasami thursday, Thiruvadirai nakshatram) if anyone can tell me if I have any spiritual opportunities in this life at all I will be grateful.

 

As much as I would like to sign my name as "Adiyen" I am unable to at the moment and hopefully through the guidance and advice of the bhagavata's I can become one.

 

Thank you

 

JR

[ssr84]

i cannot help u providng info but i can tell u onething

a person without brahmagnyanam is not brahmin eventhough he born in brahmin family and a person with brahmagnyanam is a brahmin eventhough he borns in sudra family

lord Vishnu is shrustikartha

brahma done many years penance(thapasya) he dont know where he came from ,later he saw lordvishnu ,and came to knew that he is his god,therafter shiva also came from vishnu

Narayana made himself into Vishnu,shiva,brahma who r leads of shrusti sthithi laya

Just pray god with whole heart ,try follow him means try to behave like good ,manava seve maadhava seva

 

onemorething

if u tear down when u see vishnu that means u r blessed

 

according to bhagavatham

brahma created people according to their mentalities and then gave them names

brahmins-the people think exactly like vishnu ,means they have vishnu gnyanam like saatviks

raju- they r like vishnu heart ,like satva rajo gun

vysyas from his thighs

sudras and etc from vishnu's feet.

 

if a person borns in a brahmin family he is not brahmin according to lord vishnu ,if u try to be like his wisdom then u will be brahmin understand.

 

these all caste things people have created

 

try to be pure ,pray lord vishnu wholeheartedly ,he is ther everywhere

Read Bhagavatam stories it will show u what god is

 

they r more powerful than mantras ,bhagavdgita

 

 

This is for u

'NaarAyaNika-Nishtasya yaa yaa vrutthi: tadharchanam

yO yO jalpasya sa Japa: Tath dhyAnam yannirIkshaNam

Tath PaadhAmbhavathulam Theertham tath ucchisshtam SupAvanam

tadhukthimAthram manthraagryam tath sprushtam akhilam Suchi

 

(meaning): For that One , who thinks all the time about

Sriman NaarAyaNan , whatever his karmAs (activities) are ,

they are equivalent to Bhagavath AarAdhanam .Whatever he

speaks about are the equivalents of Japam of MahA manthrams.

Whatever he sees are the equivalent to Bhagavath DhyAnam .

The water associated with his feet are matchless sacred

waters (like GangA Theertham).The left overs from his

eating are sacred to partake.All his speeches are the loftiest

of Manthrams .Whatever he touches becomes pure and pious.

 

Each of the samhithais have treasures housed in them

by our EmperumAn , MahA Lakshmi and Maharishis .

[Sharanaagathaa]

Dear jeevatman,

 

I chanced upon your post in this forum while searching for some meanings of Bhagavaan's names in Sri Vishnu Sahasranaamam, and I was a little moved by your position. I by no means am claiming to have an answer to your dilemma, but I did have some thoughts that I wanted to share with you nevertheless, which I hope will help you in your journey. Do not worry, however. Your sincerity is evident in your post and I very much appreciate your sincerity. I am confident that Bhagavaan will take care of you.

 

Firstly, I am not a Sri Vaishnava. By the grace of Bhagavaan in the form of my aachaaryar, I am initiated into another vaishnava sampradaayam. Owing to my previous lives' samskaaram I am also attracted very much to the worship of the Divya Thampathigal as they do in the Sri Vaishnava sampradaayam. Maybe this is the case with you, as well. Now I am also not born in a 'brahmin' family. I place brahmin in quotes because if I recall correctly, it is the guna, and not the birth lineage, that takes precedent in determining one's varna, caste. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I appreciate how you feel towards Bhagavaan. And I admit that I actually laughed out loud when I read that your wife warns you not to cry in the temple. It's very charming!

 

I also listen to Sri U. Ve. V. K. Swamigal and very much appreciate his bhakti and jnanam of the samparadaayam. I would like to meet him one day with the blessings of my aachaaryar and the bhaagavathargal, who are the grace of Bhagavaan. It is only due to my aachaaryar and the bhaagavathargal that I have any feeling towards Bhagavaan.

 

While reading your questions, the following thoughts came to my mind. Please note that in no way am I claiming to hold final answers to your queries, for that is only Bhagavaan, who has his ways of bringing his sharanaagathargal towards him.

 

1. I think Pancha Samskaaram means one is graced by Thaayaar, who is bhakti devi herself, to approach Bhagavaan. This grace comes through our aachaaryar. I think the only eligibility to approach Bhagavaan is just simply being attracted to Him and everything connected to Him, no?

 

2. Generally speaking, Chakravarti Prahlaadhar had serious opposition for performing his aaraadhanai. Because Bhagavaan is Sarvajna, sincere prayer to incorporate your worship into your life in such a manner that it will positively affect your situation is not impossible at all. That said, it would be knowledgeable if you can find out why is it that one needs the permission of one's mother and wife to be initiated. It would be inspiring to follow rules with a proper understanding, in my opinion.

 

3. I don't know whether it is right or wrong, but I can tell you I've done it before. It would be good to hear the opinion of learned Sri Vaishnava's from this forum.

 

4. Bhagavaan, through my aachaaryar, gave me bhaagavath kainkaryam. As I tried my best to do it, eventually my aachaaryar gave me Pancha Samskaaram, because by doing bhaagavath kainkaaryam my attraction to Bhagavaan increased. The Pancha Samskaaram that was given by my aachaaryar gave me further ability to worship Bhagavaan, i.e. archa vigraham, etc. This further helped me to serve the bhaagavathargal, i.e. cooking for them. Bhaagavath kainkaaryam is everything. He is Bhakta Vatsala, so this is very pleasing to Sriman Lakshmipati.

 

5-6. I so very much appreciate your eagerness for bhaagavath kainkaaryam.

 

7. From what I understand, it seems that Bhagavaan comes into our life when He chooses. The nava grahangal serve His Thiruvadigal. Believe me, if one of his dearmost bhakta wants, he can send us to Sri Vaikuntham in this life. Bhakti is beyond karma (i.e. our astrological chart). In fact, I asked my aachaaryar this very same question a few years back. He cited to me a verse from Sri Prahalaadha Charitra found in Sri Bhagavatha Puranam:

 

nyasta-kridanako balo

jadavat tan-manastaya

krishna-graha-grihitatma

na veda jagad idrisam

 

Sri Prahalaadha Perumaal's life was influenced by Vaikuntham, beyond the world of cause and effect (i.e. nava-grahas). There is so much to speak about this subject in terms of tattva but I will refrain from doing so. It's just too much. But anyways, once the kripai of Sriman Naaraayana comes into our life in the form of His bhaagavathargal who are all about Him, rest assured we are on our way to Param Paadam.

 

Although I am initiated into a different vaishnava sampradaayam, I regularly visit the following channel on YouTube by a Sri Vaishnavar. You might find some solace there:

 

youtube.com/watch?v=S3pLGFx4alE

 

I sincerely appreciate your dainyam and eagerness. Bhagavaan will never forget anyone who desires to sincerely do kainkaaryam to His own sharanaagatha's. You have such a fortunate desire. I hope you will kindly pray to Bhagavaan that I also develop such a sincere desire like yours. Thank you.