Srivaishnava lakshanam – 6

Appreciating another Srivaishnava

sri:
srimathe ramanujaya nama:
srimad varavaramunaye nama:

sri vaanaachala mahamunaye nama:

In
the previous article we observed the qualities expected out of a
vaishnava adhikaari (qualified vaishnava). Before moving on to the next
topic, adiyen would like to discuss the following point in detail.

• ippadi irukkum srIvaishnNavargaL ERRamaRiNthu ugaNthirukkaiyum (இப்படி இருக்கும் ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவர்கள் ஏற்றமறிந்து உகந்திருக்கையும்)

Once
we understand the above 5 points clearly, we will automatically look
out for srivaishnavas who are
like that. And when we meet them we should feel so happy – our
pUrvaachaaryas say, when we see a srivaishnava we should feel happy as
if we saw moon (every one right from childhood has a fascination for
moon), mild breeze and sandalwood paste (every one likes the soft
nature, coolness and the smell). Also, maamunigal says that we should
think that “even in this samsaaram we can meet some one like this” and
compares it to seeing a Lotus flourishing in a stove (which is
impossible). Maamunigal continues to say, even if we get the first 5
qualities, getting this particular quality is extremely difficult – but
all of our pUrvaachaaryas lived such exemplary life glorifying other
srivaishnavas.

The
reason
it is very difficult to develop this abhimaaanam is because
of our own ahankaaram. We have this “sajaathIya budhi” on srivaishnavas,
i.e., we look at another srivaishnava and say, “He is also bathing, He
is also wearing clothes like me, He is also eating, He is also working.
Why should I treat him higher than me?”. The point we miss is that,
according to pUrvaachaaryaas “srivaishnavas are acharya thulyars and
higher than self and Isvaran”. Kannan emperumaan says in bhagavad gIta –
“matchitthaa: matgadha: praana: bodhayantha: parasparam … ” – the
ones who think about me, have me as their life breath, discuss about me
together all the time and enjoy those moments together”. In the
samsaaram (which is full of miseries) – to find a person who shares
bhagavad vishayam is like finding oasis in a desert. So, we should make
sure that we take the opportunity to the fullest potential and discuss
bhagavad vishayam with such srivaishnavas. Nammaazhwaar also praises
srivaishnavas of this world as “vinnuLaarilum sIriyar” (better than
nithyas and mukthas since these srivaishnavas think about emperumaan all
the time being in samsaaram itself), nilath dhEvargaL (nithya sUris of
this world), etc. But once we give up the ahankaaram and start following
naichya anusandhaanam (identifying one self as very lowly) we will
start developing this appreciation towards other srivaishnavas.

This sUtram (116 in Mumukshupadi) can be related to sutram 447 in Srivachana bhUshanam – “aachaarya abhimaanamE uththaaragam”.

While
most of us will think that the sishyan having the abhimaanam towards
our aachaaryan will give the sishyan the ultimate result of mOksham,
maamunigal being an expert commentator coming in the line of our
pUrvaacharyaas, says that “if the aachaaryan (who out of his
boundless/causeless mercy provided the ultimate knowledge to the
sishyan) has the abhimaanam that ‘this is my sishyan’, that will relieve
the sishyan from the clutches of samsaaram very easily”. Actually this
is the essence of our sampradhaayam. By
following what is said in the Mumukshupadi sUtram 116, we will
appreciate the
relationship with a srivaishnava more than anything else and the result
is we will become the sath paathram to have the abhimaanam of such
srivaishnavas/acharyas as
mentioned in Srivachana
bhUshanam sutram 447.

We can see this in pUrvaachaarya’s lives many such incidents.

* Manakkal nambi took so much efforts to bring Alavandhaar back to sampradhaayam (since that was nAthamuni’s wish).
* Emperumaanaar walked from Srirangam to Thirukoshtiyur 18 times to meet
Thirukoshtiyur nambi and ThirukOshtiyur nambi in the end gave swamy the
name “Emperumaanaar” for his actions.
* Emperumaanaar and periya nambi had a wonderful relationship of mutual respect and affection to each other.
* koorathaazhwaan gave up all his wealth and surrendered to
emperumaanaar and emperumaanaar had so much respect and affection for
azhwaan.
* When pillai pillai aazhwaan (a sishya of koorathaazhwaan) was continuosly committing apachaarams to srivaishnavas, on one punya kaalam (month beginning), koorathaazhwaan went to him and asked to give all the paapams arising out of those apachaarams as an offering to him. Looking at the kaarunyam (mercy) of his acharya, from that time onwards pillai pillai aazhwaan never commited any apachaarams towards any one.
* Embaar instructs to bhattar while leaving to paramapadham
that “dont think that you are a big scholar, son of koorathaazhwaan,
etc. always remember that emperumaanar thiruvadigalE thanjam”.
*
Emperumaanaar was very attached to paraasara bhattar and once mentioned
to anathaazhwaan that bhattar should be treated just like himself.
*
bhattar and nanjeeyar were very attached to each other. bhattar also
instructs nanjeeyar while leaving to paramapadham that “dont think you
are a vedhaanthi, you offered so much wealth to bhattar, etc. always
remember that emperumaanaar thiruvadigalE thanjam”.
* nanjeeyar and
nampillai were very attached to each other. When nampillai asks
nanjeeyar, what should be the utmost quality of srivaishnava, nanjeeyar
says that “when we find that some srivaishnava is
having issues with us, we have to think the problem is with us not with
the other person” – this is in line with “naanE thaan aayiduga” in thiruppaavai 15th paasuram.
* nampillai went to kandhaadai thOzhappar to ask for forgiveness, even though it was thOzhappar who committed offense to him.
*
KoorakulOthama dhaasar took so much efforts to bring
Thiruvaaimozhipillai back to sampradhaayam (since that was pillai
lOkaachaariar’s wish).
* Thiruvaaimozhipillai and maamunigal were very attached to each other.

Our
pUrvaachaaryas had their full focus on bhagavad/bhaagavatha kainkaryam
and nothing else. For them, their bodily comforts are of least
importance. If we understand this and engage in bhaagavatha kainkaryam
that will fit our svarUpam perfectly per our
pUrvaachaarya’s definition of a srivaishnava adhikaari.

So, we should think that we committed the biggest crime when we find
faults in another srivaishnava. Even worse is propagating another
srivaishnava’s faults (as perceived by us) to others. We have to think
about sIthaa piratti’s behaviour constantly – she did not tell perumaaL
anything about the tortures committed by raakshasigal to her.

With this in mind, we will discuss the offenses (apachaarams) that should be avoided by a srivaishnava in the next article.

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan

Note: Adiyen thanks Sri Sutharsan swamy for inducing me to write further on this important topic with some valuable feedback.