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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00055 Jan 2003

 
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"Nine centuries have elapsed since Ramanuja's period. Is it possible 
for the temples to get back to the state the way it was during some 
centuries ago? Do you think we can achieve the result by being tender 
and compassionate not only wrt divya desams but many dealings in 
this "so called" modern world? It's a serious question" 
[Sow.Nappinnai]. 

Respected Sow. Nappinnai and members of the Ramanuja list:

I hope the following thoughts are marginally useful:

Firstly, regarding "Do you think we can achieve the result by being 
tender and compassionate" let us be absolutely clear: WE can achieve 
nothing. We are neither the Upaya nor the Upeya. But that does not 
mean we should DO nothing. Let us follow the path of tenderness and 
compassion - not because it may work or not work- but because that is 
the path our Purvacaryas have told us to walk. After all, we are to 
be prapannas, not pragmatists. 

Secondly, 'money grabbing' in some Divya Desas should not distract 
our attention from the fact that an overwhelming number of Divya 
Desas, and the Archakas serving therein, are in an impoverished 
condition. There are many postings on this list allowing us the 
chance to get involved in excellent renovation projects. Moreover, 
Swamy Varadarajan Sourirajan urges that not only can we provide 
vastrams and essential articles (rice, ghee, cash for bhattars, etc.) 
but we should also not fall shy of some good old fashioned kaimkarya:

"Get some broom sticks from the local market where the temple is, so 
that we ourselves can clean the prakarams . . . .[post 979 on the 
Ramanuja List]"

Society may yet become so irregular that anyone who follows the above 
advice will be considered mad, eccentric or even a nuisance. Neither 
heed nor condemn such critics. If you can, pray for them; otherwise 
just ignore them. The only approval you need is that of your Acarya 
as He claps and says "well played my faithful servant."

Yet one of the reasons why too often even sincere people do nothing 
is a sense of 'hopelessness'. 'The problem is so bad, that what's the 
point of trying to do something about it?'. Such apathy can only be 
avoided if we remember that the struggle to revive our sampradaya is 
not primarily our, but HIS, struggle. Ultimately, let us always 
remember that whilst we can achieve nothing, The Lord will achieve 
all things. So take peace from His faithfulness. He has seen our 
sampradaya through worse times than the present. When the Divya 
Prabhandhas were almost lost, He sent us Sri Nathamunighal; When 
monism grew out of control, He sent Sri Ramanuja; when heresies 
threatened to corrupt the truth He sent Sri Manavalamamunighal; when 
we needed a champion He sent Swamy P.B Anangaracharya. Even today, 
the divine presence of those as H.H. Vanamamalai Jeer and H.H. 
SrimanNarayan Jeer is reassuring proof that the Lord will never 
abandon us. 

It is true we live in uncertain times. But dont get unnerved by 
archakas, officials or other irregularities in our modern world. God 
has the situation under control. Trust Him. Of all the people who 
might let us down, Sriranganatha is not one of them. 

Your servant, S. Ramanujadasan





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