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 > > > > > >__________________________________________________________ >Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. 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