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From the Bhakti List Archives

Parthasarati Dileepan • January 16, 1997 


Most of us have chosen a way of life that is full of compromises.  Having
voluntarily done this, making a call for each generation to reinvent our
religion seems a bit self serving.  Then we complain of resistance to
change!!  A call for change will have significantly higher moral authority
if it comes from someone who has chosen a religious life.  This has
happened.  Not too long ago anyone without "kudumi" was not given "satari".
 How many of us are even aware of this?  Even now we hear of Srimad
Azhagiya Singar advocating change.  Even unthinkable changes can come to
pass if they come from someone who has earned the moral authority within
the tradition.

Intellectual curiosity is great and must be encouraged.  In our tradition,
this has always been done, as far as I can understand, within the norm of
utmost respect to our Acharyas and not according to some western standard
of freedom of speech.  Utmost respect to Acharyas is among the foremost of
Sri Ramanuja's "dhivya aghya" that we are supposed to declare to follow
everyday, not once, but twice.  If we don't do this, all our intellectual
pursuits will amount to nothing.


Thanks, Dileepan