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From: jayasartn (jayasartn_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Nov 13 2002 - 09:06:42 PST
SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.
The following mail...
-- In bhakti-list@y..., Shreekrishna Akilesh <sakilesh@a...> wrote:
> About anya devatas, is their worship forbidden in the Sri Vaishnava
> tradition? I am curious as to why Sri Maha Vishnu himself worships
Siva on
> two specific occasions. If any ones can explain these to me, I
would be
> grateful...
>
> 1) In the Ramayana, Sri Ramar performs Siva puja before entering
> Lankapuri.
Doing Pooja for a particular cause has been in vogue and an
acceptable practice too.
Sri vachana Bhooshanam justifies even prapatti for 'phala niyamam'.
Sri Rama did prapatti to Samudra Rajan for 'phala niyamam'- to cross
the sea. Therefore there is no particular rule that only certain
people are eligible to be the 'adhikaari' for prapatti. ('sharanam
pugurugaiyaalE adhikaari niyamam ellai':- SVB)
If prapatti to a devata like samudra Rajan is justifiable, why
shouldn't it be possible to accept pooja to an anya devata, if it is
for a limited purpose? Rama did shiva pooja at Rameswaram and a
parihara for relief from Brahma haththi dosha for having killed
Ravana at Chem pon sei koil (Thiru naangoor area). This shows that
even gods are not spared of the effects of the deeds.The necessary
propitiation must be done even if it is meant to please an anya
devata.
Sri vaishnavites are supposed to worship Lord Narayana and other
murthis of Vishnu only, because the ultimate goal of a Srivaishnavite
is supposed to be that of reaching paramapadam and nothing more.
Since Vaikuntha praapti can happen only through the 'rakshakam' of
Sriman Narayana ('avanudaiya sweekaaramE rakshkam' :- Mumukshuppadi),
sv-s are particular about worshiping Nrayana alone. Sv-s are expected
to renounce every other desire (sarva dharmaan paridhyajya)), but
when it so happens that they have to seek gratification of some other
desire, they have to resort to worshipping anya devatas.
jayasree sarnathan
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- SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
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