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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00028 May 2003

 
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Who is Swami Ramanuja? (www.vedics.net in Jan. Vedic Mag)
=======================

Sri Ramanuja is the renowned 11th Century philosopher, devotee, and 
humanitarian who serves as the paradigmatic leader and central figure 
in a vast lineage of scholars and mystics belonging to the spiritual 
path of Sri Vaishnavism, a monotheistic religious tradition of India 
that has been described by both Eastern and Western scholars alike as 
being the most complete in its understanding of the Vedas, the 
Eternal Truths. His contributions to this spiritual path were so 
vast, that Sri Vaishnavism itself has come to be known as Ramanuja 
Darshanam, Ramanuja's Vision. (Ramanuja Sampradayam)

Sri Ramanuja's nine great philosophical and devotional works 
validated and united the his lucid understanding of ritual and 
philosophical ideals of the Vedas with the devotional outpourings of 
the Azhvars, the twelve mystical saints that form the basis of the 
Sri Vaishnava experience. Such a synthesis of scholarly understanding 
and heartfelt devotionalism lies at the center of Sri Ramanuja's 
philosophy, which has come to represent Visistadvaita, qualified 
monism. 

Visistadvaita suggests the idea of a Personal Supreme Being, known in 
Sanskrit as Sriman Narayana (the refuge for all souls), Who is at 
once the Great Lord and Master of the Universe, and also the Divinely 
Merciful and Loving Protector, Who is ever striving to redeem souls 
from the bondage resulting from ignorance and false ego. The unifying 
factor between the Supreme Being and the individual souls is Divine 
Love, which is expressed by the Lord in His constant desire to 
protect and save, and is expressed by the devotee through adoration, 
surrender, and selfless service. The goal of human life in the Sri 
Vaishnava path is to awaken this Love for God in our hearts to a 
level that brings peace, strength, and higher purpose to this life, 
and eventually, salvation through a natural and heartfelt submission 
to the Lord's Boundless Grace. 

In addition to being a prodigious thinker and esteemed religious 
leader, Sri Ramanuja was also revered for his magnanimity and 
humanitarianism. His instructions to his disciples was that the 
message of the Sri Vaishnava path should be shared with all, 
irrespective of race, caste, creed or gender. Such an open and 
inclusionary attitude allowed the Sri Vaishnava message of love and 
service to God and His Creation to break through the rigidities of 
caste and communal segregation and reach every corner of India. Such 
a peaceful revitalization of Vedic thought would directly and 
indirectly elevate the spiritual ideals of India for centuries, 
influencing such great souls as Ramananda, Tulsidas, Kamban, Pothana, 
Guru Nanak, Kabir Das, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Mirabai, Swaminarayan, 
and most recently, Mahatma Gandhi.
During his time on earth, Sri Ramanuja appointed 74 of his closest 
disciples to serve as keepers and propogators of this proper 
understanding of the Eternal Truths. These 74 disciples and their 
continuous lineage of successors up to the present day have come to 
form the Acharya Paramparai, the lineage of Spiritual Teachers. It 
is this lineage that each and every person is given the opportunity 
to link to in their formal initiation into the Sri Vaishnava faith. 
(also known as Pancha Samskaram, Samashreyanam)

This link is likened to a beautiful necklace, which is depicted in 
the illustration attached. Sri Ramanuja serves as its main jewel, 
and the lineage of teachers that preceded him and follow him are 
precious gems that come to completion at the clasp, the Lord Sriman 
Narayana Himself.

A Sri Vaishnava's daily spiritual practice includes meditation on 
this lineage. Along with one's own immediate Acharyas.

1. Sri Manavala Mamunigal 
2. Sri Thiruvaiymozhi Pillai 
3. Sri Pillai Lokacharya 
4. Sri Vadakku Thiruvidhi Pillai
5. Sri Nampillai 
6. Sri NanJeeyar 
7. Sri Parasara Bhattar 
8. Sri Embar 

9. Sri Ramanuja (Central Position)

8. Sri Parankusa 
7. Sri Yamunacharya 
6. Sri Ra:ma Misra
5. Sri Pundarikaksha 
4. Sri Nathamuni 
3. Sri Sattakopaya 
2. Sri Vishvaksena 
1. Sri (Maha Lakshmi, the Divine Mother)

Sridhara (Sriman Narayana) LORD who takes Sri Manavala Mamugal as 
HIS acharya.

The chain is garlanding the rahasyatrAyam, the three Great Secret 
Mantras, that every Sri Vaishnava mediatates upon daily to understand 
his/her true nature, 
the nature of God, 
and the relationship of Divine Love that binds us to Him Eternally. 

The first of these mantras is known as the Moola mantram, which was 
revealed by Sriman Narayana Himself to His Disciple Nara in his Nara-
Narayana avathara. 

The second mantra is the dvayam, which the Lord revealed to Sri, the 
Divine Mother. 

The last of these mantras, and most well-known is the charama sloka, 
which was revealed to Arjuna by the Lord in His avathara as Sri 
Krishna in Sri Bhagavad Gita.
While they may continue to be known as "secrets", it is solely 
through the Compassion of Sri Ramanuja that these mantras were made 
available to anyone and everyone. 

Indeed, in a paradigmatic example of his resolve, Sri Ramanuja 
proclaimed the greatness of one of these mantras at a hall 
(TerkAzhavan) at the top of a temple tower after his Acharya had 
revealed it to him under the condition that he reveal it to no one 
else. When confronted by the teacher for what was an act of 
blasphemy, Sri Ramanuja replied that he would risk eternal 
condemnation if it meant that just one soul could achieve the Lord's 
Highest Abode. It is at this point that the Acharya, Thirukoshtiyur 
Nambi, in awe of his kindness, would proclaim him to be EmperumAnAr, 
our Lord of Lords. And it is for this Kindness, this Magnanimity to 
the point of self-sacrifice that can only be on par with God's Own 
Love, that Sri Ramanuja forever remains in our hearts and lives as 
not only the Greatest among our Spiritual Teachers, but also as our 
Saviour.

For where else can one associate and learn from the lineage of 
Acharyas that starts 
with the LORD himself. 

Those in and around Chiago area, come join us this Saturday at 10:30 
AM at our Aurora Srinivasa Temple, (www.balaji.org) and receive a 
Introduction to Emberumanar, and a Emberumanar Poster comeplements of 
the Chicago VEDICS (Iramanuja Adiyargal).


Azhvar Emberumanar Jeeyar Thiruvadigale sharanam
www.vedics.net





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