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Re: WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF A SRI VAISHNAVAN?

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Madhavakkannan V • June 19, 2002 


SrI:
SrImathE rAmAnujAya namah:
Dearest srivaishnavas,
adiYen tries to attempt responding to the queries to my little knowledge.

Who is a Sri vaishnavan?
(Hope I am not inviting the wrath of the subscribers
of this list in asking this question.)

A Srivaishnava is one who undergoes Pancha samskara from a Srivaishnava 
Acharya.
Is it by birth- No. It is not by birth. Any one can become one by performing 
Pancha samskaram (Samasrayanam). Please read Sri Anand Karalapakkam's 
article in the archives. Excellent article.

If one is devotee of Sriman Narayanan, he wears OOrdhva puNdram (the sacred 
mark that should be worn vertical upwards- not downwards nor horizontal. 
indicating that there will be an upliftment:-)

Women can and should undergo Pancha samskaram and become Srivaishnavas too. 
They can wear Oordhva puNdram (as applicable), perform rahasyathraya japa 
daily; assist and help spouse / male member who performs ThiruvArAdhanam 
like collecting flowers, washing PerumAL pAthram, etc.. and recite slokas; 
teach slokas to children..

There are also Athma guNAs that a Srivaishnava needs to cultivate. Please 
read Vaishnava janatO song translation by Narsi mehta.

He is a Vaishnava who feels for the suffering of another
And forgets the good he does to another, never taking pride in it.
Who cares not for the praise and condemnation of the world nor himself 
indulges in it.
He is not attached to women and wealth; such a one is praiseworthy and a 
jewel to his family.
He is the same to all, is desireless and the women of others he considers 
like unto his mother.
He never speaks falsehood nor has he his eye on another one's wealth.
He is no slave of any passion or attachment, and the spirit of renunciation 
rules his mind.
His heart is fixed on the Lord, whom he is restless to meet, really his body 
is indeed a pilgrim's garb.
He is neither avaricious, nor vile nor a victim to wrath and desire.
Says Narsi, verily he and his family shall cross the cycle of rebirth.

I would also like to reproduce what I hear from Sri Velukkudi Swamy's 
upanyasam on KooratthAzhwAn:
Sri Velukkudi Swamy took a nice Gita slokam to explain the AthmaguNAs of Sri 
KooratthAzhwAn. I would like to mention that here so that we can attempt to  
ape and inculcate a fraction of these gunAs.

amaanithvam, adhambithvam, ahimsaa, kshaanthi:, aarjavam/
aachaarya upaasanam, saucham, sthairyam, aathmavinigraha:// (GitA- Ch 13- 8)

Very simple slOka: (since Velukkudi Swamy explained it so beautifully, I 
would like to share) I am not going to explain how it refers to Sri
KooratthAzhwAn (it should be heard from SwamyÂ’s cassette- then only one can 
enjoy). Let me just say what it means:

1. amaanithvam: Vidya garvam, dhana garvam, kula garvam, etc.. is the
feeling of pride for oneÂ’s intelligence or knowledge (education), or wealth, 
or kulam (that he is from great thatthachariar family, Bharadwaja gOthram 
etc..), and that one is good looking, is all called “maanam” One who has it 
is maanee. Amaanee  is the one who does not have these prides. Means: the 
moment one has this pride, other Bhagawathas will be looked down, by him, 
means- he commits BhAgawatha apacharam.

2. adhamibithvam- no dhmbam- no blowing of oneÂ’s own trumpet: If one does 
some good deed, dharmam, like contributing to some Divya Desam or for CD ROM 
of Ramanuja, he shall not blow his trumpet.. It is His money, He takes it 
for His temple.. We are only instrumental, as a messenger.

3. ahimsaa: not only in action, also by speech, and thought, we need to
avoid hurting other “beings”; not just human beings,- all beings...

4. kshaanthi: patience- At any point of time, one should avoid anger. We can 
cultivate anger- i.e. pretending anger.. but not getting angry.. (Here, I am 
not able to resist referring to KooratthAzhwAnÂ’s asking the Lord for the 
same good for Nalooran (who was responsible for even the loss of AzhwAnÂ’s 
eyesight) too, as his..

5. aarjavam- manas, vaak, body (kaayam)- all shall be same working in
tandem.. What the mind thinks, the mouth shall speak.. (not vaay
vaazhaipazham, kai karuNaikkizhangu.). what one speaks, the body shall act.. 
uLLonru vaitthu puRamonRu pEsaadhirutthal.. Otherwise, it will be kapatam.. 
That is the lakshaNam of dhuraathmA; not mahAthmA.

6. Aachaarya upaasanam- praising oneÂ’s AchAryan at all times- thinking of 
Him at all times- having a thought that whatever jnAnam that one possesses, 
(sathvishayam) is all due to being His Thiruvadi. We need to prostrate Him, 
very many times, ask, enquire respectfully, and get our “doubts” clarified.

We need to perfrom kaimkaryam to Him (of not physically, at least
monetarily..- by allocating some funds from the earning..). We need to
celebrate His Thirunakshathram, in a grand manner at our home, with family 
and children, recite His thaniyan, and saying … SrimathE “…………” Namah: as 
many times as possible on that day at least (108, 1008 times..)

7.  Saucham- parisuddhi.. one shall be pure.. means: one has to perform
necessarily the nithya karmas like sandhyavandhanam. We need to be pure, 
physically and mentally.. dhVesham (feeling jealous), telling lies.. is all 
asuddham (dirt to our mind..) what is said as anAchAram, to be avoided in 
Ahara niyamam, one needs to avoid as much as we can.. Avoid “as much as 
possible”, para annam (hotels- eating outside) not that we disrespect, but 
that it may contaminate our already contaminated minds..

8. sthairyam: being steady.. Firmness- That is essential. This can be
achieved only when we have no confusion or be influence by non-vedic
thoughts /arguments. (Sri Velukkudi Swamy said “just by a simple reading of 
the meaning /commentary of Sri AlavandharÂ’s SthOthra Rathnam, one can get 
all their doubts clarified.. Very true.. There are commentaries of Swamy 
desikan, Periya vaachanpiLLai. On this great hymn.. Really marvellous.. all 
our queries on tatvatrayam, Vishitadvaitham, anya dEvathA will all vanish..)

the best option is: Just stay at and as AchArya Thiruvadi.. means: What our 
AchAryan says is TRUTH.. Close your ears for other things.. Where He goes.. 
is where the Thiruvadi will go.. It can not go separately..

9. aathmavinigarah: - means: Other than the knowledge of actual swaroopam of 
jIvAthmA (which is being dhaasabhootham / sEshan / servant  of  Emperumaan  
Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan), any other jnAnam / longing for any other 
shall be KILLED (or in other words, CURTAILED..)

Please forgive adiyEn, if it sounds preaching. That is not the intent. I was 
so inspired by this slOkam when Sri Velukkudi Swamy referred to, I wished to 
share and would like to remind ourselves for inculcating the above nine 
qualities and start (if not already done)
Regards
Namo Narayana
Acharyan Thiruvadi


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