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From: Krishna Kalale (kkalale_at_qualcomm.com)
Date: Sun Jan 18 1998 - 19:11:20 PST
>Sri Ananta Padmanabhan wrote: >> This highly sacred mantra has pranavam(combination of A,U and M) in >> the beginning.Vedic Scriptures strictly restrict the usage of pranavam. >> Only BrAhmana purushAs (men) are allowed to recite it . > >There is a difference of opinion among various Sri Vaishnava >acharyas and scholars on this practice. Many Sri Vaishnava >acharyas give the praNava or omkAra to anyone undergoing >samASrayaNam, male or female, of any family background or >caste. Others do not, and restrict it to those who have >the sacred thread. > >adiyEn Mani > > I personally do not not know of any of our acharyas who instruct pranava mantra to females and non-traivarnikas. Sri VedantaDesika specifically suggests changes to pranava mantra in order that related mantras can be taught to them. However, I know that vedas are taught to women in these modern days by folks other then our acharyas; this issue has become sort of controversial from the traditional point of view. adiyen Krishna Kalale