Dear Swamins:
I appreciate the e-mails. Adiyen has some views on the subject which I
would like to place for your consideration:
First and foremost - anyone aspiring to learn Vedas should be punctual in
doing SANDHYAVANDANAM. He should take a sankalpa to do 108 gayatri Japa
every day.
Secondly, we need to create different levels of learning portions of Vedas
and set up an 'order' to learn them - starting from the most frequently
recited mantrAs to the more difficult ones.
For eg.: Pancha Sooktas may be the basic level. After that, should one
learn Agni-Sandhana MantrAs or Taittiriya Upanishad or Udaka Shanti? I
think one should learn all the Vedic Mantras required for Nitya
Karmanushtanam. For eg.: my acharya was very particular about having me
learn the Punyahavachana mantram, and the agni-sandhana mantrams. Also
those of us living in the USA participate in chanting at temples. Mantras
like Ghosha-Shanti, asheerwada mantrams, general homa-mantrams etc., become
important.
We should discuss these with great achryas and arrive at a syllabus for the
different levels. We can then start "summer-schools" for different levels
identified to train our young Sri Vaishnavites so that when they come abroad
they have a good basic knowledge to participate in the home/temple functions
and make the experience 'divine' and enjoyable for every-one.
We can dedicate ourselves to raising money for the summer schools.
S. Vijayaraghavan
Buffalo/NY
Dear
>From: sudarshan madabushi <mksudarshan2002@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: tiruvenkatam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: tiruvenkatam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, srirangasri@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
>oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: [t'venkatam] suggestions---invited by "SriKainkarya"
>Soundararajan Desikan
>Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 13:42:26 +0100 (BST)
>
>
>Dear Sri Soundararajan SwAmin,
>
>Your mail below is an eloquent tribute to Vedaviths
>and to the VedAdhyAyana tradition. You have very
>rightly focussed on waning tradition of "vEdAdhyAyana"
>amongst SriVaishnavites these days. The situation is
>so bad that very soon, as you rightly pointed out,
>none amongst the SriVaishnavite community would ever
>deserve the honorific of Ubhaya-vedantin.
>
>In Kuwait, the Tiruvenkatam group here consists of
>about 20 persons who are regularly practising
>"vEdAdhyAyana" since the past 5 years. Although they
>are all working men in different 'laukika' professions
>and vocations, still they have all decided to dedicate
>part of their evening after-office hours to regular
>"adhyAyana" classes being conducted by an equally
>dedicated and learned "adhyApakar" (a devout
>SriVaishnava himself) who also is living and working
>here in Kuwait for the past 5 years. This group now
>has achieved reasonable fluency (not professional
>excellence) in chanting the following:
>
> Pancha sooktham
> Taittiriya Upanishad (all 4 "vallis")
> Udhaka shAnti (full)
> Pancha shAnthi
> Rudram, chamakkam
> Narayana Upanishad
>
>The group is now going to eagerly embark soon on a new
>curriculum starting from the Tamil New Year Day (April
>14th). The "adhyApakar" will begin "adhyAyana" in
>"acchidram" to be followed by "arUNam" later.
>
>This group of Veda "vidyArthIs" here in Kuwait is
>engaged in "vedAdhyAyana" for no other purpose other
>than enjoyment of the spiritual bliss that one gets
>while chanting the Vedas. The "adhyApakar" also does
>not expect anything in return for his effort except
>unfading enthusiasm from his students. And none of us
>are aspiring to the title of "Ubhaya Vedantins" or any
>such great honorific. For us, the effort of
>"vEdAdhyAyana" is its own reward. We consider it a
>blessing in itself that God has given us an
>opportunity in this lifetime to learn at least a very
>small part of the sacred Vedas.
>
>I am explaining all this to you, and sharing it too in
>the SriVaishnava cyber-groups, not to show off our
>group's effort or to boast about it and feel great
>that we are all "holier than thou".
>
>I am saying all this only to drive home the point that
>where there is "bhagavath-sankalpam" at play, it will
>certainly operate through the enthusiasm and diligence
>of persons who make a firm decision to begin learning
>the Vedas. It does not matter whether such effort
>takes place in India, our motherland, or elsewhere in
>the world where SriVaishnavavas have chosen to live
>and settle down. What matters is that, as you have
>rightly pointed out in your message, there must be a
>firm will on the part of SriVaishnavas to dedicate
>some part of their lifetime to undertake
>"vedAdhyAyana" themselves. Contributing money to
>"veda-patashalas" and sponsoring students in such
>schools is one valuable form of doing one's duty by
>the Vedas. But it is not enough in my opinion. It is
>far more important for each and every SriVaishnava to
>set personal examples and undertake "vedAdhyAyana"
>himself, even during the prime part of his 'laukika'
>life and career.
>
>Even if the "adhyAyin" does not know Sanskrit, and
>even if he struggles with "akshara-shuddham" or
>"vAng-manas shuddham" (as pointed out by you), he must
>still relentlessly pursue "adhyAyana" and persevere at
>it. In Kuwait, in the tiruvenkatam "adhyAyana gOshti",
>for example, not everybody is comfortable with
>Sanskrit and yet that does not dampen or impair their
>learning effort or resolve. The "adhyApakar" also
>takes great pains to somehow teach such students
>properly even if their Sanksrit enunciation is found
>faulty or deficient.
>
>All that it really takes to perform "veda
>samrakshaNam" is firm resolve on the part of
>SriVaishnavas that they will go ahead and do
>"adhyAyanam" even in the face of all kinds of
>obstacles in life, big and small. It is only a matter
>of personal choice to be taken without expectation of
>any personal reward of "prati-phalan". If a
>SriVaishnavan does this, he can rest assured he is
>doing his little bit indeed for the protection of
>Vedas. If he does not do this, for whatever reasons he
>may skillfully put forth, I am sure he will continue
>to feel guilty of a grave duty-lapse till the very end
>of his days on earth no matter how much money he may
>otherwise contribute to God knows how many
>veda-pAtashALas...
>
>Your email message, SwAmin, is a very timely wake-up
>call for SriVaishnavas all over the globe not to let
>the tradition of "vedAdhyAyana" slip into desuetude
>and apathy. Let us not forget that the very soul of
>Ramanuja "siddhAnta" is "ubhaya-Vedanta". The day
>"vEdAdhyAyana" ceases in the SriVaishnava
>"sampradAya", that day will signal the end of the
>"sampradAya" itself.
>
>Sir, I salute your efforts to bring this situation to
>the awareness of the community all over the world
>through your email. I share your concerns and endorse
>your views fully.
>
>Thanks and regards,
>dAsan,
>Sudarshan
>
>
>
>--- soundararajan desikan <srikainkarya@xxxxxxxxx>
>wrote:
>
> >
> > Dear Swamin
> > Sri Vaishnavas are commonly
> > honoured with prefix" Ubhaya Vedanthis"_ which,
> > among other things , represent Vedas and Divya
> > prapandhas.In other words, they are vidwans of both
> > Vedas and Divya prapandhas, though they have not
> > learnt all Vedas/their Veda as per their sakha(
> > yajus sakha etc) and all 4000 Divya prapandhams
> > 2.Ubhaya Vedanthis are small
> > in number now-a-days.The irony is that
> > Vaishnavaites, after their retirement from their
> > profession, used to learn prapandhams, having books
> > with them, as most of these people do not know
> > sanskrit. Being the mother-tongue, they are fond of
> > learning tamil prapandhams and do not try to learn
> > atleast pancha sookthas. This is the weakness in
> > Vaishnavas, whereas, advaitees give importance to
> > vedic learning and Veda parayanam.Srikainkarya
> > leaves to Elites further thinkings on the above
> > conjecture, logic etc and to come to a decision on
> > the necessity to revive the learnings of Vedas
> > atleast by next generation ( younger) as done by
> > Advaitees
> > 3. This is the proper time to
> > encourage adyayanam of atleast panchasookthams by
> > vaishnavas, though they do not know a, b , c , d ,
> > about sanskrit and they do not know akshara sudhdha
> > in pronounciation . Once they impart in this line
> > they will have enthusiasum and do parayanam
> > perfectly. This is one part
> > 4. Another thing is
> > Vedaparayana vidwans. In Tamilnadu,staunch
> > vedaparayana vidwans are nurtured here and there
> > giving honororium etc to them from the funds
> > created for this purpose, as in Kanchipuram.
> > 5. Srikainkarya has undertaken
> > this in a small way (within it's limit) in giving
> > sambhavana to Vedic pundits who perform
> > vedaparayanam during pavithrothsavam at
> > Thiruvaheendrapuram. There may be philonthrophists
> > giving sambhavana like this in kshetras. But , most
> > of staunch veda parayakars are living below the
> > povert line , unable to meet both ends. That is why
> > they are reluctant to send their wards to Veda
> > patasalas, though Sri Ahobila Mutt, Srimath Andavan
> > Asramam are encouraging the learnings of vedas by
> > young people in all ways, extending all
> > facilities/benefits
> > 6. The need of the hour is to
> > protect aged staunch vedaparayana swamis living in
> > villagesdoing vedaparayana kainkaryam to Bhagvan in
> > temples , without migrating to other professions /
> > or to other towns/urban areas for livelyhood. The
> > need of the hour is to provide them with basic
> > amenities ( food,clothing. shelter, minimum funds
> > /money to gain purchasing power every month, if not
> > radio/television/phone. fan etc)
> > 7. The second part is prapandha
> > Adhikaris. No doubt, most of these vaishnavaits are
> > having some sort of comfortable back-ground of
> > earning or receiving pension or some amount by way
> > of interest etc. The irony is that they entered this
> > prabhandha ghoshti after spending their better part
> > of their lives in earnings/ after completing family
> > commitments of education, employment marriage of
> > their wards. We can see that most of them are having
> > books in their hands while rendering
> > Divyaprabhandhas along with professionals in
> > temples( urban area). If not , there will be
> > scarcity , even for rendering Divya prabhandhas,
> > while there is no rendering of Vedas during
> > Nithyanusanthanam(morning &evening) and Saththumurai
> > in most of the temples
> > 8. As vaishnavas, it is our
> > bounden duty to see that Vedaparayanam is done in
> > all the temples. As vaishnavas, it is our utmost
> > responsibility to protect staunch vedaparayakaras
> > who are still lingering in the village temples,
> > attending to veda parayanams.
> > 9. It is also our duty to encourage
> > and help staunch Adyabhagas doing Divyaprabandha
> > sevai in villages/urban/other temples
> > 10. Ofcourse, there are archakas also
> > in these temples sailing in the same boat
> > Smrithi says
> > Yasya vedhachcha vedheesa vichchith yethey
> > thripoorusham
> > savai durbrahmanegeya: saruakarma bhahis krutham
> > If we, as vaishnavaits are unable
> > to do kainkaryam /service to veda vidwans/
> > Divyaprabhandha adhikaris for their well-being , we
> > cannot say ourselves as vaishnavaites
> > 11. Those, who do not have
> > adyayanam(learning and reciting vedas) and
> > relationship with vedic pundits for three
> > generations , are bad brahmins (durbrahmins). In
> > other words, those who do not know their veda sakhas
> > or atleast panchasookthas, they will not be treated
> > as brahmins (leave alone vaishnavas) but bad
> > brahmins and their anushtanams will not give any
> > benefit to them
> > 12.Srikainkarya is thinking on the
> > above lines for the past so many days. At this
> > juncture, one young Srivaishnavaite from U.S.
> > thinking on the same lines has sent an e-mail like
> > this to Srikainkarya
> > Kindly let me know how we can do some more to
> > make a difference to staunch srivaishnavas in their
> > pursuit of vedas/prabhandhams or in any of their
> > needs
> > 13. Srikainkarya is of opinion that
> > there are most elite vaishnavas spread over all
> > along the world and that they can be approached for
> > this purpose
> > 14. Srikainkarya requests you to
> > suggest/ discuss/putforth your valued, well thought
> > out ideas/opinions etc in a nutshell as early as
> > possible sothat they can be further discussed (with
> > pros&cons) and arrived at a conclusion by way of a
> > scheme
> > Dasan
> > Srikainkarya
> > Thiruvaheendrapuram Uruppattur Chakravarthi
> > Soundararajan
> >
>
>
>
>__________________________________________________________
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