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A note of caution

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • December 14, 1998 


Dear Members,

I have been advised by a concerned individual that some
Bhakti List members take my statements on matters of 
Sri Vaishnava history and philosophy as unquestionably
authoritative. 

I hope this is not the case! If, however, this is true, I hasten
to clarify that my writing in no way qualifies for such respect.
I am just like all of you, another member of this list, who seeks
to share his opinions with fellow bhaktas. I am certainly prone
to error, and I have nowhere near the learning of the many
vidvAns and swamis who reside in India, living devout lifestyles
24 hours a day.

I like the warning on the Thondarkulam Web [*] page,
which is 100% applicable to me:

  The information that I present (and that pretty much 
  all Bhakti members present) is for informal reading and 
  appreciation of Sri Vaishnavam only. They are NOT 
  authentic statements made by an acharya. Most of
  what I write is collected by myself from traditional
  literature and upanyAsams from acharyas, supplanted with
  my own feelings and opinions, so I have done no original 
  research in these matters. I have not had the benefit of 
  sitting at the feet of the acharyas for long periods of 
  time and learning from them.  Please do keep this in mind 
  while reading anything I write. 

Thanking you,

thirukkacci nambi daasan
Mani

[*] http://www.geocities.com/~thondarkulam