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Mrs. ManjuLa Sriram's questions & Mohan's remarks

From the Bhakti List Archives

K. Srinivasan • May 27, 1997 


Mohan says:
>Present day views of SriVaishnavism can be very misleading, one is born as
>an Iyengar therefore he/she must be a SriVaishnava.  But, we must recognize
>that SriVaishnavism, like VeeraSaivism, Saktism, and Sikhism, is a religion,
>not a caste.  So, obviously there is room for people to convert into this
>faith, or not follow this faith, if they choose to do so.  

That is the impression I have. But we do not see it being practiced
to any extent today. Like Arya Samaj, which re-converts Hindus.
Even in Tamil Nadu, Arya Samaj seems to be active in re-converting
hindu converted moslems returning from middle east.
But no Dravida Samaj (based on Dravida veda) for example.
I think that is because prominant jeeyars and srivaishnava
swamigaL are not publicly proclaiming the acceptance of
conversion/re-conversion. They may accept it in principle,
if you talk to them. SriVaishnavas have become a Brahmin subsect,
for all practical purposes in south India.

>In fact, one of the largest temples to Lord Ranganatha in ancient times
>was not in India, it was in Cambodia.

Angkor Vat built by King Suryavarman II, a khmer king in 9-11 century A.D.
is the largest temple in the world. Sri Rangam is the second largest. There
is no doubt that he visited Sri Rangam (pre-historic). I could not see any
reference whether he met Sri Ramanuja / Alavandar / naadhamuni.
He must have met. Some Cambodian manuscripts might have the details.

thaazhmaiyudan,

K.Srinivasan of Quebec.