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Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha:
Azwar Thiruvadigale Sharanam

Dear Sir,

   Would it be possible for you to tell me the time by which the two
Kalais had become distinct. Were they already distinct by the time of
the last Acharyas of the two Acharya paramparaigal (Swami Vedanta
Desikar and Manavala Mamunigal) ? Around what time did the two kalais
adopt the different namams?
 Please forgive any mistake which I may I have commited in the above
questions.

Thanks,
Kannan


--- In ramanuja@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Madhuri and Mohan <mmsagar@xxxx>
wrote:
> honganour krishna wrote:
> 
> > DEAR SADAGOPAN MAMA,
> >  
> > AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GETHOLD OF THE BOOK YOU HAVE REFERRED;
MYSELF 
> > AND OTHERS WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO KNOW THE KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
THE 
> > TWO SAMPRADAYAMAMS.
> >  
> > ADYEN PILLAI LOKACHARIAR DASAN,
> > KRISHNA
> >
> > *//*
> 
> Dear Sri Krishna,
> 
> It is a unique foible of Indian society to focus so much on
differences 
> that we forget what makes us all similar.  For after all, are we not
all 
> just human beings?
> 
> Be that as it may, I will try to summarize in a nutshell what makes
the 
> two kalais unique, although it has been the topic of discussion and 
> debate ad-infinitum in this and other lists.
> 
> While we officially recognize 18 fundamental differences between the
two 
> kalais, the issue really boils down to the idea of prapatti, for it 
> would appear that Bhagavad Sri Ramanuja and his forebearers had
left 
> some room for interepretation in regard.  Both the kalais agree that
the 
> soul's protection and redemption rest on the Grace of the Supreme
Being, 
> but the Vadakalai school, having recognized the idea that some
might 
> interpret this to mean some partiality on the Lord's part on whom
He 
> saves and whom he doesn't, suggested the idea of a vya:jam - a
pretext, 
> if you will - that the Lord uses to recognize that the soul is ready
and 
> willing to be saved.  This sacrament, called bha:ranya:sam, is the 
> holiest of rituals in the Vadakalai branch, and little is known
about 
> the ritual except by those who actually experience this most sacred 
> moment in their spiritual progress.
> 
> The Thenkalais, on the other hand, place almost a literal meaning
on 
> prapatti, seeing it more as a psychological/spiritual awareness
such 
> that the soul realizes that everything lies in God's Merciful Hands,
and 
> leaves it at that.  Therefore, there is no formal ritual or
sacrament 
> involved.
> 
> The role of Sri:, the Divine Mother, Who is the Embodiment of His
Grace, 
> emerges naturally from this difference.  Since it is She to Whom we
turn 
> in reality in our experience of surrender, Her distance or nearness
to 
> us depends on how prapatti is viewed.  From the Vadakalai
standpoint, 
> She too is part of the Supreme Reality, consequently She requires
the 
> same vya:jam upon which to directly offer Her Grace.  Please note
that 
> this is not to suggest that Her Grace is not there otherwise, our
act of 
> surrender merely acts to serve as a "green signal" to Her providing
it 
> to us fully.
> 
> With regards to the Thenkalai position, there is no doubt that She
is 
> part of the Supreme, but She takes on a human role such that She
can 
> relate to Her children, Sharing with them in all the joys and
sorrows of 
> life, so that can put their full faith in Her and Her Eternal
Consort.
> 
> As Sri Sadagopan has indicated, it takes many, many years of study
and 
> experience to fully understand these two philosophies and how they 
> effect the culture, lifestyle, and attitudes of the people who
align 
> themselves with one or the other school of thought.  So, it is
vital 
> that one learns properly from a teacher and begins to practice the
faith.
> 
> But, I hope this helps as a start.
> 
> Mohan






azhwAr emberumAnAr jeeyAr thiruvadigalE saranam
 
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