Shri-Vaishnava?

[Sirona]

I once heard that in the Vaishnava tradition there's one branch called Shri-Vaishnava. Could sb please tell me what this is all about and give me some web ressources on this. Thanks a lot, may Krishna bless you all, Sirona

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

Shri Vaishnavas belong to the school of Sri Ramanujacharya. He was an incarnation of Sesha himself.

 

Even to this day his body lies well preserved in Srirangam temple near Trichy.

 

Here is a very good site for those who want tolearn about his great teachings.

 

http://sriramanujar.tripod.com

[Guest guest]

Guest said "Shri Vaishnavas belong to the school of Sri Ramanujacharya. He was an incarnation of Sesha himself"

 

The doctrines of Sri vaisnavism according to popular belief originated with the supreme personality of godhaed, Sriman Narayana, who then taught them to His eternal consort Laksmi (or Sri); She in turn revealed them to visvksena the martial; of the Lord's entourage. He in turn revealed them to Namalvar (Sadakopan) the first of the 12 Alvars (Tamil saints) and thus they have been handed down through succession of spiritual master known as acaryas. The greatest being Natha muni, Yamunacarya, Ramanuja and Vedanta Desikan.

 

Sri Vaisnavism in its present form was established by Ramanuja (1012 - 1132) The system of philosophy known as visitsdvaiat (qualified non dualism) which he came to be associated with his name did not originate with him. Ramanuja has repeatedly stated in his works that he is not teaching anything new but is merely exponding the teachings of previous avaryas like Tanka, Dramida, Baruchi and others.

 

There is no scriptural justification to claim that Ramanuja is an incarnation of Adisesha, its just a sampradaya belief based on Ramanuja's personality and is not binding for followers of other sects.

 

However. there is reference to the Alvars in Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda X1, chp 5 text 38 - 39. That at the begining of Kali yuga many saintly devotees would be born near the Tampraparini near in South India.

 

The web site below to give a glimpse on how Sri vaisnavism has adapted to the different needs of its overseas followers

 

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~sriman/teachers.htm

 

Soon to be posted Andal's Thirupavai

 

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

http://sriramanujar.tripod.com/ramanuja.html

 

His physical body is preserved even today in a sitting posture in the Sannidhi (Sanctum Sanctorum) dedicated to him on the southwest corner on the fifth round within the Srirangam temple as ordered by Lord Ranganatha himself.

 

The whole world is aghast at the feat of preservation of the mummies of Egypt and the body of St. .Xavier in Goa in India and make so much fuss about them.

 

Even some Srivaishnavas are not aware that here in Srirangam. their holiest place hailed as ' Bhuloka Vaikuntam' ( Heaven on Earth) lies preserved the body of Sri Ramanuja in all its pristine state unostentatiously, without any fanfare or publicity and without using any of the chemical preservatives employed by the Egyptian and Goan models.

 

 

Swami Desika in Sloka 10 of his Yathiraja Saptadhi pays obeisance to Bhagavad Ramanuja thus before proceeding with his eulogy.

 

 

 

Pranaamam Lakshmana Munih Prathi Grihnaathu Maamakam |

Prasaadhayathi yat Sookthih Svadheena Pathikaam Sruthim ||

 

(meaning) I beseech Sri Ramanuja whose Srisookthis claimed the acclaim of the Lord and adorned the Upanishads to kindly accept my Pranams. There is another famous Sloka which says :-

 

Thasmai Ramaanujaaryaaya Namah Parama Yoginae |

Yah Sruthi Smrithi Sutraanaam Antharjvaramaso Samathaa ||

 

(meaning) I bow to that Sri Ramanuja, the great Yogi who became the very soul of Vedas, Upanishads and other Sutras.

 

[Guest guest]

thanks for posting nice picture.

 

om namo narayanaaya!

 

jai sri krishna! -madhav

 

[Sirona]

Hari Bol and hi,

 

could sb please tell me about the role of Goddess Shri in this tradition? Thanks again.

[Guest guest]

"His physical body is preserved even today in a sitting posture "

•••so you are saying that this photo shows the body of sri ramanuja acharya not covered by any substance?

please explain.. i had friends who were in srirangam temple and who have seen the acharya, but they have not given to me a satisfying explanation

[Guest guest]

In Sri Vaisnavism, the One Supreme Person expresses His will to redeem by having a dual Spiritual Form - Narayana and Sri - these 2 aspects are philosophical inseperable but functionally distinct.

 

Laksmi is related to Narayana as the fragrance is to a flower or Rays of the sun to the Sun. Sriman Narayana with perfect justice rules the Universe as Father but Sri (Laksmi) His eternal Consort resides within His heart as the embodiment of Saving Grace - the Universeal Mother.

 

She ensure that the reign of righteousness is tempered by redemptive mercy. The Lord dispenses justice in accordance with the merits/demerits of the jiva and Laksmi is entirely dependent upon the Lord, but through Her Beauty and Grace She captivates the Lord and transforms His desire for justice (nigraha sakti) into redemptive Grace (anugraha sakti) She acts as the mediatrix between the Lord and the jivas.

 

Lord Narayana too is innate Gracious but His grace is an initial grace called "krpa" which is common to all beings. By virtue of thsi grace one is impelled to seek refuge in the Lord and become a devotee. But the grace of the Divine Mother is specific grace called "prasada". It is a saving grace; the action of condecension of the Divine into the realm of being which permits the jiva to be released.

 

Hari Om Tat Sat

 

YRD