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Re: Question : SaraNAgati-gadyam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • June 6, 2002 


Fellow Members,

My addendum to Ramkumar's question on the role of requesting
para-bhakti et al in saranagati appears to have led to some
misunderstanding.  One member has written that my denotation
of Sri Desika's understanding of saranagati as a 'doctrine' 
implies that it is a departure from 'mainstream Sri Vaishnavam'.
This was not at all my intention; indeed, one would be
hardpressed to declare any of these acharyas out of the
'mainstream', however one understood the term!  In any case, 
I endeavor to avoid politicizing debates like this since 
there is absolutely nothing gained by doing so, so I would
never write anything with that intention. 

To explain what I meant: in many of his works, Swami Desika seeks
to clarify what saranagati exactly means. This is because in his
time there were many subtly different understandings of the
term. We see him doing this most effectively in 
Srimad Rahasya Traya Saaram, but he does it many other works as 
well. As we can see in Srimad RTS, he draws on prior acharyas
such as Yamunacharya, Ramanuja, Kurattalvan, the Alvars, and the 
Pancaratra Agamas among other works in his explanations.
Acharyas who have differing views, such as Sri Pillai Lokacharya,
also draw on these texts. The difference lies in the subtly 
different interpretations of these various shastras and the 
varying emphases placed by each philosopher.

In any case it is clear from many people's responses to my other
question that I am over-moderating the list. With that in mind,
I withdraw my Moderator's Comment made earlier. Please feel free 
to answer Ramkumar's question as it stands.

Thanks,
Mani


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