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Re: SamAshrayanam

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Parthasarati Dileepan • January 23, 1998 


At 12:20 PM 1/22/98 -0800, you wrote:
>
>I have also heard this, but only from informal Sri Vaishnavas --
>never an acharya or scholar. I suspect this is a practice 
>carried out in some places where women were naturally and
>culturally restricted in many ways from learning and religious
>knowledge.


Sri Srivatsangachar who is considered a scholar did say 
this.  It is on tape.  He quoted the couplet that follows,
"Parvatyuvacha" in which Parvathi says to her husband she
wishes to hear, (srOthum ichchaam).  He narrated a story
that leads up to this exchange between Siva and Parvathi.
Sri Srivatsangachar's words approximately were, "women 
are not supposed to, but they do these days, let us not 
get into that."


>
>Sri VishnusahasranAma stotram is unequivocally meant for
>everyone, and everyone should learn and recite it.


I don't disagree with the intent of the above
statement.  However, perhaps even unrelated to 
the present context, I am wary of us, who are 
only "informal Sri Vaishnavas" for whom Sri 
Vasihnava scholarship is only a part-time 
hobby, making policy for all.


-- adiyEn