--- In Oppiliappan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Madhavakkannan V <srivaishnavan@...> wrote: > > Dear Sir, Namaskaram Although I have had Samasrayanam from Sirupuliyur Kandhadai Annan and I had not learnt the information provided in the letter. To enable me to know more about these things, I would like to know whether these information are available inthe internet and if so, please provided me with information where they are available. If books can be arranged to send them to the following address, I shall send the amount immediately. If they are available at Chennai, the address may please be provided. V.Seshadri Plot 82 Third Street Ashtalakshmi Nagar Valasaravakkam Chennai 600087 Tel No: 044 24765367 Yours sincerely, V.Seshadri > SrI: > SrImathE Gopaladesika mahadesikaya nama: > > Dearest all, > > Thus we have observed that the greatest importance is > given to the place of Acharya in Srivaishnava > sampradayam. It is a universal practice common to all > religions to show respect to the teacher by a > disciple. But the Special feature of our Sampradaya is > the emphasis it places on worshipping not merely one's > own acharya bu the entire lineage of acharya right > upto Sriman Narayanan who is the First Acharya > [prathama Guru] from whom the spiritual knowledge was > taught and emanates. > > Thus the dedictaiory verses [thaniyans] for the > acharyan and the entire acharya paramparai need to be > recited by a Srivaishnava both at the time of > initiation [namely Pancha samskara] and also everytime > and everyday when the disciple does japam, anushtAnam > and undertakes Vedanta study. Such recitation of > thaniyans at the time of vedantic study and religious > functions signifies the importance of worship of the > Spiritual preceptors and also the acknowledgement of > gratitude that a Srivaishnava owes to the greatest > service rendered by Acharyas to Srivaishnava community > by way of preserving and disseminating the jnAnam > through which one can hope to attain salvation. [says > Sri SMS Chari in his book on Vaishnavism]. > > The knowledge coming through the SriVaishnava > SampradAyam (SatSampradAyam) is thus faultless. So, > ONLY the AchAryA belonging to the Sat SampradAyam is > bonafide. Such an AchAryA is called as a "sadAchAryA" > (Ideal Preceptor). He will be well versed in the > spiritual knowledge delineated by Sanskrit VedAs > (including Upanishads), Tamil VedAs (Divya Prabandham > by AzhvArs), Rahasya TrayA, Brahma SutrAs, Smrithis, > IthihAsAs (RAmAyanam and MahAbhAratham), SAthvIka > PurAnAs (like Vishnu purAnam, Srimad BhAgavatham), > PAncharAtrA & VaikhAnasa AgamAs. > > The supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA, in His wonderful > avatAram as Sri KrishnA, instructs everyone to > approach the sadAchAryA. In His GIta Upadesam, Sri > KrishnA says "Learn the spiritual knowledge by > prostrating, by questioning and by service to wise men > (sadAchAryAs), who sees the truth. They (sadAchAryAs) > will teach it to you." (4.34) > Thus the person desirous of becoming linked to the Sri > Vaishnava SampradAyam, approaches the SadAchAryA with > great humility. One cannot attain a sadAchAryA easily. > > > one should be highly fortunate to attain a sadAchAryA. > AchAryA (henceforth used to refer to sadAchAryA) has > every right to test that person, even for many years, > before he can be initiated by him. Thus, SamAshrayanam > is a result of great mercy from the part of our > AchAryAs. Only the highly fortunate souls gets this > rarest opportunity of getting initiated > (SamAshrayanam) and thereby become a "SriVaishnavA". > > Let us get to learn what is Pancha samskaaram or > SamASrayaNam. > > SamAshrayanam means 'to approach (AchAryA) with all > sincerity'. In a nut shell, during 'SamAshrayanam', > the AchAryA initiates a person, irrespective of caste, > creed or sex, as his sishyA. It is a commitment from > the disciple that he or she will live as per the > wishes of the AchAryA. Thus the person gets the link > to the Sri Vaishnava paramparA. During SamAshrayanam, > Pancha SamskAram (five Purifications) is performed and > he becomes a "Sri VaishnavA". > There are five purificatory ceremonies which one > should go through to become a Srivaishnava. In a broad > sense, any individual who is a devotee of Sriman > Narayanan is a Vaishnava. The distinctions of caste, > colour, creed, learning and social status of > individuals have no bearing here on being a > Srivaishnava. That caste is not a bar on becoming a > Srivaishnava. Srivaishnavism is thus a Broad Universal > Religion that has kept the doors open to all. > > In order to qualify oneself to become a fit person to > worship [Aradhanam], and to meditate with esoteric > mantras, one is required to go through the prescribed > initiation ceremony to be conducted by a qualified > SadAcharya. > > The Pancha samskara are the following: > > 1. tApa samskaram- or wearing [or embossing] the marks > of the Conch [Shakhu] and Discuss [ChakrA] the two > weapons [ornaments] of MahavishNu. > 2. pundram: To wear the dvAdasa Urdhva pundram (12 > Thiruman & Srichoornam) > 3. nAmam: To be ininiated by AchAryA afresh with a > name as"RAmAnuja dAsan"(addition of 'dAsA'at the end > of ones name) to indicate that one is forever a > servant of the Supreme Lord Sriman NArAyanA and > BhagavAnRAmAnujA. > 4. manthram: To get the initiation of "Rahasya Traya > MantrAs" - AshtAksharam, Dvayam and charama slokam. > 5. Ijyai: To learn the worship of Sriman nArAyanA in > proper form (Bhagavad ThiruvArAdhanam). > > References: Samasrayanam article by Sri Anand > Karalapakkam Swami and the book on Srivaishnavism > published by ThillaisthAnam Swami Kaimkarya Sabha, > Bangalore. > > Let us get to learn each of these samskAras in greater > details. > > AsmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm > Regards > Namo Narayana > dasan > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/join (Yahoo! 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