Keeping the Tradition alive !!

From the Bhakti List Archives

• September 16, 2000


Dear Bhagavathas,
Adiyen is thrilled with the response from Sri M.G.Vasudevan and would like to add certain suggestions if Mani doesn't feel that we are stretching this subject too far !!

1)Institutional arrangements:
i)make all SriVaishnavas feel welcome to participate in the daily Aradhanams,receive the Perumal and Paduka Theerthams in the line on a first come first served basis ( the only exceptions being the Senior Vaideegas,Divya desam Bhattars, Kainkaryaparas etc.,),partaking of the Prasadams and Thatheeyaradhanam(without distinction - plainly put brahmins and Non Brahmins,
ii)participation in the temporal management again open to all without any discrimination, sharing of authority and responsiblity in a transparent manner and not restricting the role of other SriVaishnavas to just being Donors,
iii)arrange the yatra of the Acharyas to reach out to all places and to the poorest of the poor sishyas so that can all get the Blessings and the Anugraha Bashanams at least once or twice a year,
iv)reach out to all others with the modern tools and conduct Tele upanyasams, tele messages, taped Bashanams given at a nominal cost of say $0.30 per cassette with very very simple and easy to understand contents on various facets of Sri Ramanuja Darsana, Sri Desika Darsana and not the least the Darsana of Sri Manavala Mamuni so as to reach out to thousandsof uninitiated,
v)a tacit and/or explicit agreement that the two major lineages will not attack or condemn each other in public on extremely silly pretexts - this is not to say that there are no major differences between the sub sects, YES there are and there will be - but these differences are to be contained within reasonable limits notto cross the borders !!
vi)as all Sampradaya Pravachanams and Kalakshepams cannot be done by the Acharyas to reach out to all the SriVaishnavas,there should be central Trust which must organise these Upanyasams on a comprehensive basis all over India and abroad,assuring a decent income for the Vidwans and Acharya Purushas( Non Peetadhipathis ) in a manner that all followers of our Ramanuja Darsana can assimilate the cream and the essence and
vii)at present these are taking place in very large numbers and doing a lot of good but MGV's points are well taken here,most of these are events more to exhibit the 'Knowledge' of the Vidwans and not to increase the understanding of the audience,the abuse part has been going on for several decades now and i wonder whether it will ever stop.

II) Vadagalai and Thengalai Sampradayams:
i)The experts say that there are 18 major differences here - i do not know and frankly am never going to know, but during these 500 plus years we seem to have forgotten that it is possible to maintain some sort of 'UNITY IN DIVERSITY',
ii)we are coexisting with followers of every other sect, religious groups but we have to fight -( to the finish!) and fight we must - more to exhibit our Vidwath to the world at large and when that doesn't work out or win points start a shouting cum abusing match which will grab the attention,
iii)let the topmost Scholars on both sides of the Aisle work out, in private , these differences and if this doesn't work out then by all means agree to disagree  but we forget that we are talking about the very same Para Brahmam or the Ultimate God of the Universe - Sriman Narayana and His Divine Consort who is either HIS Equal or NOT - let both sides maintain their respective positions hyer as well, what is lost here as neither side is trying to project either Allah or the Holy Father( of Jesus the Christ) as the Supreme Lord !!
iv)at a time when marriages between the three streams of Brahminism have become an everday affair we seem to be living in dream world losing sight of the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of our people who have to be taught and taught today the most fundamental aspects of Sri Ramanuja Darsana and as a result of our undignified quarrels many of them are moving away.

There are other points here which will require some editing and i will be back ( if Mani will let me !! )

Regards.

RR.

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           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
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