Understanding the greatness of Srivaishnavas (part 1)
sri:
srimathe ramanujaya nama:
srimad varavaramunaye nama:
sri vaanaachala mahamunaye nama:
In
the previous article
(https://granthams.koyil.org/2012/08/07/srivaishnava-lakshanam-7/), we
discussed the different types of apachaarams that should be completely
avoided by srivaishnavas. In that, our pUrvaachaaryas have emphasised
the cruelty of discrimination amongst srivaishnavas based on their
birth. One word of caution though – while we should not discriminate
srivaishnavas based on birth, we should also ensure that varanaasrama
dharmam is respected. It is like walking on a thin rope. An example
would help understand this principle. In a big organization, there is a
General Manager and a Mechanic. Both are humans and must be equally
respected per the rule book. But, when the mechanic goes and sits in
the General Manager’s chair in the GM’s office, that will never be
accepted by the same management which allows equality among employees.
Similar concept is described as bhagavad apachaaram – varnaasrama
vibhareethamaana upachaarangal – a srivaishnava must respect varnaasrama
dharmam and is very well bound by that.
the previous article
(https://granthams.koyil.org/2012/08/07/srivaishnava-lakshanam-7/), we
discussed the different types of apachaarams that should be completely
avoided by srivaishnavas. In that, our pUrvaachaaryas have emphasised
the cruelty of discrimination amongst srivaishnavas based on their
birth. One word of caution though – while we should not discriminate
srivaishnavas based on birth, we should also ensure that varanaasrama
dharmam is respected. It is like walking on a thin rope. An example
would help understand this principle. In a big organization, there is a
General Manager and a Mechanic. Both are humans and must be equally
respected per the rule book. But, when the mechanic goes and sits in
the General Manager’s chair in the GM’s office, that will never be
accepted by the same management which allows equality among employees.
Similar concept is described as bhagavad apachaaram – varnaasrama
vibhareethamaana upachaarangal – a srivaishnava must respect varnaasrama
dharmam and is very well bound by that.
The
core principle of our pUrvaachaarayas on this topic is established
clearly based on saastram by Pillai lOkaachaariar and Azhagiya manavaala
perumaaL naayanaar in
their granthams srivachana bhUshaNam and Achaarya hrudhayam
respectively. They simply documented the thoughts of Azhwaars and their
pUrvaachaaryas (not that they created a new sampradhaayam). They consolidated and extracted the essence of the teachings of azhwaars and their pUrvaachaaryas and documented them clearly.
core principle of our pUrvaachaarayas on this topic is established
clearly based on saastram by Pillai lOkaachaariar and Azhagiya manavaala
perumaaL naayanaar in
their granthams srivachana bhUshaNam and Achaarya hrudhayam
respectively. They simply documented the thoughts of Azhwaars and their
pUrvaachaaryas (not that they created a new sampradhaayam). They consolidated and extracted the essence of the teachings of azhwaars and their pUrvaachaaryas and documented them clearly.
It
is a common (mis)understanding that, of the four varnas (braahmaNa,
kshathriya, vaisya, shUdra) – braahmaNa is high birth and shUdra is low
birth. But our pUrvaachaaryas clearly have other ideas. Let us see them
in detail:
is a common (mis)understanding that, of the four varnas (braahmaNa,
kshathriya, vaisya, shUdra) – braahmaNa is high birth and shUdra is low
birth. But our pUrvaachaaryas clearly have other ideas. Let us see them
in detail:
Our
purvaachaaryas clearly establishes that vaidhIha (one who accepts
vEdhas as pramaaNam) means one who accepts Vishnu parathvam (sidhaantha
may be different – adhvaitham, dvaitham, vishishtaadvaitham, etc). But
if that saastram which establishes vishnu parathvam and nourishes that
in the person who follows the saastram is learnt and chanted without
understanding this fundamental principle, then that saastram is not used
properly by that learner. Such persons who learn saastram but dont
accept vishnu parathvam are equated to a) donkeys carrying expensive
saffron (as they dont understand the real value) b) decorations
on a dead body (since there is no aathmaa there is no use) c)
decorations on a widow (talking about this will probably get adiyen into
trouble in today’s environment).
purvaachaaryas clearly establishes that vaidhIha (one who accepts
vEdhas as pramaaNam) means one who accepts Vishnu parathvam (sidhaantha
may be different – adhvaitham, dvaitham, vishishtaadvaitham, etc). But
if that saastram which establishes vishnu parathvam and nourishes that
in the person who follows the saastram is learnt and chanted without
understanding this fundamental principle, then that saastram is not used
properly by that learner. Such persons who learn saastram but dont
accept vishnu parathvam are equated to a) donkeys carrying expensive
saffron (as they dont understand the real value) b) decorations
on a dead body (since there is no aathmaa there is no use) c)
decorations on a widow (talking about this will probably get adiyen into
trouble in today’s environment).
For
a srivaishnava, his bodily birth does not count even a negligible
quantity to get the ultimate benediction of mOksham. It is the
Emperumaanaar sambandham that gets us the mOksham. Pillai lOkaachaariar
establishes two terms “uthkrushtamaaga bramiththa janmam” (what is
misunderstood to be high birth) and “apakrushtamaaga bramiththa janmam”
(what is misunderstood to be low birth). He explains that
braahmaana/kshathriya/vaishya janmam (which is considered to be high
births) are actually dangerous since those births give qualification to
indulge in upaayaantharam like karma, jnaana, bhakthi yogamgal. The
second pitfall is, these (misunderstood) high births also gives us
ahankaaram which does not allow us to practice naichiya anusandhaanam.
But these two defects are not seen in the (misunderstood) low birth. So,
it is concluded that – the birth which completely eliminates these two
defects (upaayaanthara sambnadham, ahankaaram) is considered the best.
Even for the ones who are born in the (misunderstood) high births, their
defects (upaayaanthara sambandham and ahankaaram) get removed by having
sambandham to qualified adhikaaris only. This is established by periya
perumaaL making lOkasaaranga muni carry thiruppaanazhwaar on his
shoulders.
a srivaishnava, his bodily birth does not count even a negligible
quantity to get the ultimate benediction of mOksham. It is the
Emperumaanaar sambandham that gets us the mOksham. Pillai lOkaachaariar
establishes two terms “uthkrushtamaaga bramiththa janmam” (what is
misunderstood to be high birth) and “apakrushtamaaga bramiththa janmam”
(what is misunderstood to be low birth). He explains that
braahmaana/kshathriya/vaishya janmam (which is considered to be high
births) are actually dangerous since those births give qualification to
indulge in upaayaantharam like karma, jnaana, bhakthi yogamgal. The
second pitfall is, these (misunderstood) high births also gives us
ahankaaram which does not allow us to practice naichiya anusandhaanam.
But these two defects are not seen in the (misunderstood) low birth. So,
it is concluded that – the birth which completely eliminates these two
defects (upaayaanthara sambnadham, ahankaaram) is considered the best.
Even for the ones who are born in the (misunderstood) high births, their
defects (upaayaanthara sambandham and ahankaaram) get removed by having
sambandham to qualified adhikaaris only. This is established by periya
perumaaL making lOkasaaranga muni carry thiruppaanazhwaar on his
shoulders.
Also this greatness of srivaishnavas who purify us is explained by azhwaars in:
* payilum chudaroLi (thiruvaaimozhi 3.7)
* nedumaarkku adimai (thiruvaaimozhi 8.10)
* naNNaatha vaLavuNar (thirumozhi 2.6)
* kaNsOra venguruthi (thirumozhi 7.4)* thEttarum thiral thEn (perumaal thirumozhi 2)
* thirumaalai (39 to 43)
Many historical evidences are given by Pillai lOkaachaariar to establish
the importance of not considering one’s birth and just looking at their
bhakthi towards emperumaan.
*
raavaNa considered vibhIshana to be a kula dhrOhi but perumaaL
considered him as part of the ikshvaaku vamsam (since he considered
vibhIshana as his brother).
* perumaal did charama kainkaryangal for periya udayaar (jatAyu).
* dharmaputran (yudhistran) did charama kainkaryangal for sri vidhurar.
* many rishis use to regularly visit and wait for dharmavyaathan (who was a butcher) to clarify his doubts in saastram
* Krishnan went to Sri vidhurar’s (qualified by his bhakthi) house
instead of bhIshma (qualified by age/knowledge), dhrOna (qualified by
birth/knowledge) and dhuryOdhana (qualified by power)
* perumaal ate fruits from sabhari’s (who was born in hunter’s family) hands but was a acharya nishtai.
* periya nambi did charama kainkaryangal for maaranEri nambi who was a
great srivaishnava and a disciple of aaLavandhaar. When questioned by
emperumaanaar (who questioned his acharya to make sure that the message
is conveyed directly by his acharya), he shows many pramaaNams (like the
ones quoted above) and establishes that his acts were indeed correct.
raavaNa considered vibhIshana to be a kula dhrOhi but perumaaL
considered him as part of the ikshvaaku vamsam (since he considered
vibhIshana as his brother).
* perumaal did charama kainkaryangal for periya udayaar (jatAyu).
* dharmaputran (yudhistran) did charama kainkaryangal for sri vidhurar.
* many rishis use to regularly visit and wait for dharmavyaathan (who was a butcher) to clarify his doubts in saastram
* Krishnan went to Sri vidhurar’s (qualified by his bhakthi) house
instead of bhIshma (qualified by age/knowledge), dhrOna (qualified by
birth/knowledge) and dhuryOdhana (qualified by power)
* perumaal ate fruits from sabhari’s (who was born in hunter’s family) hands but was a acharya nishtai.
* periya nambi did charama kainkaryangal for maaranEri nambi who was a
great srivaishnava and a disciple of aaLavandhaar. When questioned by
emperumaanaar (who questioned his acharya to make sure that the message
is conveyed directly by his acharya), he shows many pramaaNams (like the
ones quoted above) and establishes that his acts were indeed correct.
Also in many cases, azhwaars/acharyas also liked to take the births/forms which were liked by emperumaan:
* Vyasa and Suka wanted to be the dust of vrindhaavan which were touched by the feet of krishnan and gOpis.
* kulasEkara
azhwar who was a king wanted to become some thing (a fish, bird, flower,
the road, the door steps in the sanctum, etc) on the thirumalai.
* periyaazhwar and andal wanted to take birth in cowherd families of vrindhaavan.
* aalavandhar says he prefers to be born as a worm in a srivaishnava’s home instead of being born as brahmaa.In Achaarya hrudhayam, Azhagiya manavaala perumaal naayanaar also
explains the same concept in an excellent chUrnikai – we will see that
in the next article. It is one of the most important chUrnikais in
achaarya hrudhayam and helps us understand what is high birth according
to our pUrvaachaaryas.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja
dasan
dasan
Note: These
articles are archived in and can be viewed at adiyen’s blogsite:
ponnadi.blogspot.in
In hindi: https://granthams.koyil.org/2016/06/24/srivaishnava-lakshanam-8-hindi/
Adiyen swami,
Can you please post these topics in telugu also.