You are here: SriPedia - Ramanuja - Archives - Aug 2004

Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00094 Aug 2004

 
Aug 2004 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


--- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Sumithra Varadarajan" 
<Sumivaradan@xxxx> wrote:
> Srimathe ramanujaya Namaha
> 
> 

Dear Smt Sumithra,

The word sAttvika ahankAram is self-contradicting. Similarly 
ahankAram and nirhEtuka krpA are mutually exclusive.

ahankAram is something due to which you attribute something great to 
yourself in terms of your qualities, achievements etc. When you are 
attributing something to PerumAL's krpA, that cannot be termed 
ahankAram.

The very purpose of the concept of nirhEtuka krpA is to root out any 
trace of ahankAram from the heart of the devotee as said in "nIr 
numadhennivai... " pASuram (ThiruvAimozhi 1.2.3).

> Sure. our poorvacharyas have strongly said sAtvika ahankaram is a 
>welcoming factor for any Sri Vaishnava. Refer Nanmugan 
>thiruvandhAdhi paasuram-3 where thirumazhisai azhvar says, "pAlil 
>kidandhadhuvum pandarangam mEyadhuvum Alil tuyindradhuvum ArarivAr- 
>jnAlath oru porulai vAnavar tham mei porulai appilai aruporulai yAn 
>arindha vAru" These are the words of azhvar that arised out of 
>sAtvika ahankaram(There are many such paasurams to quote). He says 
>that no one knows about the emperuman like him. Is it right on 
>azhvar's part? Sri periavachan pillai answers, "avan kAttak kaNda 
>nAnaRindha padi svayathnaththAl kANbArkku ariyappOgAdhu" So it is 
>due to his grace that azhvar has come to know about the paratva 
>sowlabhya gunas of emperuman whereas the rest on trying with their 
>own effort to know the same. So is there not a difference in the 
>two? 

You have quoted something which is an example for "no ahankAram".
>From what you quoted from the AchArya's commentary, the AchArya is 
preventing any misinterpretation that the AzhwAr's words are due to 
his ahankAram. Since the AzhwAr does not have any ahankAram, he has 
understood the qualities of PerumAL due to His grace, better than 
anyone else who make some efforts which involve ego. That is what the 
AchArya means.

Also AzhwArs and other AchAryas do not intend to say something great 
about themselves. AzhwArs have sung only to share their anubhavams 
with others and give them confidence (thoNdarkkamudhuNNacchonmAlaihaL 
SonnEn - ThiruvAimozhi). They do not claim they have sung on their 
own since they are conceptually against jIva swAtantryam 
(thannaitthAn pAdi thennAvennnum ennammAn - ThiruvAimozhi).

>(kAttavE kanda pAda kamalam nallAdai undi tEttarum vudharabhandam 
>thiru mArbu kandam sevvAi vAttamil kaNgal mEni muniyEri tanikidandhu 
>pAttinAl vAzhum pAnar thAl paravinOmE) So being proud having seen 
>emperuman due to his nirheduka krupai is acceptable to any 
>Srivaishnava.

What does "kAttavE kaNda" have to do with the so-called sAttvika 
ahankAram? 

> 
> Another type of Satvika ahankaram, is that pride which arises due 
>to being a disciple of our acharya. See embar 
>declaring, "eppozhudum ethirAjar vadivazhagu en >edhayaththuladAl 
>ellai enakkedir ellai enakkedir ellai >ennakkedirE!" See Mamunigal 
>while talking about the great >vadivazhagu of thirumangai mannan in 
>thiruvali-thirunagari finally >completes saying, "nindra endha 
>nilamai en kannai vittu agandridAdu >kaliyan Anai AnaiyE!" 

This is being discussed in a parallel mail. What do the AchAryas 
convey?

> 
> So we Srivaishnavas should surely be filled with pride that we 
>are "His devotees" shisyas of our "revered acharya" and "close to 
>all our azhvars and acharyas and all Srivaishnavas" What other 
>wealth can we all possess more than the srivaishnava sri/Kainkarya 
>Sri? 

One can be humble and confident but certainly not proud. One cannot 
be simultaneously proud and close to all Srivaishnavas. Our humility 
only will make us close to them. The very thought that I am doing 
this kainkaryam (ahankAram) and such a kainkarya SrI is my wealth 
(mamakAram) are the worst enemies to our nature says SrI Bhattar 
(prabalatara virOdhi). The kainkaryam shall be performed with the 
thought that He has ordained it and out of love for Him. Ultimately, 
it is bhAgavata kanikaryam which we have to do in the material world. 
What kainkaryam can be expected from an ahambhAvI?

Also how a person proud of being a Srivaishnava can reach out to 
those who are not?

>Shouldnt we be proud of the same else it is like being born to >a 
>king and considering ourselves to be paupers. It is not an insult 
>to us but to our leader, Sriman Narayanan. 

there is a difference between humility and inferiority complex. 

In our vEdic culture, vinayam (humility) has to grow with vidyA. One 
need not be a SrIvaishNava to know this.

> 
> Azhvar emperumAnAr Jeeyer thiruvadigalE sharaNam
> Adiyen ramanuja dAsan

Vishnu






[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list