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SrimatE Raamaanujaaya Namaha //
SrimatE Nigamaanta Mahaa Desikaaya Namaha //
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya/
SrIman! SrI Ranga Sriyam anupadravam anudhinam Samvardhaya//
KAvEri VardhathAm kAlE, kAlE varshathu vAsava: /
SrI RanganAthO jayathu Sri Ranga Sri cha VardhathAm//
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SRI RANGA SRI VOL.07 / ISSUE # 40 dated 14th February 2006
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IN THIS ISSUE
1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN MAASI (KUMBA) MONTH
2. UPANAYANAM- 2
SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI, CHICAGO
3. BOOK REVIEW ?"STUDIES IN SRIVAISHNAVAM" BY PROF. MANGALAM R. 
PARAMESWARAN
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ISSUES RELEASED
So far, 216 Regular issues of SRS have been released apart from 
Special Issues:
27 Issues of Vol. 1
15 Issues of Vol. 2
42 Issues of Vol. 3
35 Issues of Vol. 4
28 Issues of Vol. 5
30 Issues of Vol. 6 and
39 Issues of Vol. 7
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These issues have been archived for public view at -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srirangasri
by Sri Diwakar Kannan (diwakark@xxxxxxxxx)
You may also view the archives at http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia 
maintained by Sri Srinivasan Sriram (ajiva_rts@xxxxxxxxx )
We strongly urge you to kindly peruse the "Regular Issues" archived 
in the "Files" Section and view the Contents at "srsindex.html" (Not 
the individual postings allowed for encouraging "Reader 
participation"). 

We are sure that you will be convinced of the quality of the contents.

IF you are satisfied with the quality and contents of "Sri Ranga Sri"-
Tell your friends to join by sending an email to
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IF NOT: Tell us, as to how we may improve.

Ever at your service
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy,
Editor & Publisher, "Sri Ranga Sri"
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1. IMPORTANT DAYS IN MAASI (KUMBA) MONTH
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DATE/ENGLISH/DAY/NAKSHATRAM/THITHI/ EVENT/ REMARKS
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01/02-13-06/Monday/Ayilyam/POurNami/ VishNupati
07/02-19-06/ Sunday/Swaati/ShashTi/ 
Panchamatabhanjanam Swami, Suddhasatvamannan
09/02-21-06/Tuesday/Anusham/Ashtami/ ASHTAKA SRAADDHAM/ 
AgnihOtram TDTT (P386 of SVD's 7the centenary commemoration Volume)
10/02-22-06/ Wednesday/ KeTtai/ Navami/ ANVASHTAKAASRAADDHAM
12/02-24-06/Friday/Pooradam/Ekaadasi/KrishNa Paksha Sarva Ekaadasi
13/02-25-06/Saturday/Utraadam-TiruvoNam/Dvaadasi/
SRAVANA VRATAM, Sozhasimhapuram Dottayachaar
14/02-26-06/Sunday/Tiruvonam/Trayodasi/ Maha Sivaraatri
15/02-27-06/Monday/Avittam/Amavasya/ Sarva Amaavaasya/ MADURANTAKAM 
VEERARAGHAVARYA SWAMI (Ketandipatti)
23/03-07-06/Tuesday/ Mrigaseersham/Ashtami/ TIRUKKACHI NAMBIGAL
26/03-10-06/Friday/ Punarvasu/ Ekaadasi/ Sukla paksha Sarva Ekaadasi
KULASEKHARA AZHWAR
27/03-11-06/Saturday/Poosam/Dvaadasi/PERIYANDAVAN (PP & PA), 
Pillaipakkam Veeraraghava YMD (AM 37)
29/03-13-06/Monday/Magam/Chaturdasi/ MAASI MAGHAM, MANAKKAAL NAMBI, 
TIRUMALAI ANDAN
30/03-14-06/Tuesday/ Pooram/ PourNami/ CHANDRA GRAHANAM
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2 UPANAYANAM -2
SRI N. KRISHNAMACHARIAR SWAMI, CHICAGO
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4. The Major vedic events on the day of the upanayanam ceremony. 

As explained earlier, a teacher and a student are the main parts of 
the event.  The student formally seeks knowledge from the teacher.  
The teacher in turn gives the student several instructions on the 
life that the student should lead from that day onwards as a 
brahmacAri.  The teacher first undergoes a formal purification in 
order to make himself fit to instruct the student on the vedic mantra-
s etc., the student undergoes purification in order to make himself 
fit to receive the instruction, then the student asks the teacher 
formally, with humility, to give him the instruction, and the teacher 
does so.  The teacher also initiates the student on the various 
aspects of day-to-day life that the student is expected to lead from 
that day on.  At a high level, this is what the ceremony consists of.

The following list is from a book titled `upanayanam', published by 
SrI Ramakrishna Mutt, giving the major events that take place on the 
day of the upanayanam:.  

pUrvA'ngam, 
puNhAhavAcanam
yaj~nopaveeta dhAraNam 
kumAra bhojanam 
brahmacarya li'nga dhAraNam
upanayanam
upanayana homam
brahmopadeSam
bikshAcaraNam
ASeervAdam

In SrImad bhAgavatam, there is a beautiful description of the 
bhagavAn in His vAmana incarnation undergoing the upanayanam 
sacrament.  Some of the events of the upanayanam ceremony of today 
(e.g., yaj~nopavIta dhAraNam, bhikshAcaraNam, the wearing of the 
mekhalA, daNDa dhAraNam, etc.). are all described in the Sloka-s 
below, and are briefly explained subsequently. 

        tasya upanIyamAnasya sAvitrIm savitA abravIt  |
     bRhaspatir-brahmasUtram mekhalAm kaSyapo'dadAt   ||  (8.18.14)
        
        dadau kRshNAjinam bhUmir-daNDam somo vanaspatiH  |
        kaupinAcchAdanam mAtA dyauS-catram jagataH pateH  ||

        kamaNDalu, vedagarbhaH kuSAn saptarshayo daduH    |
        akshamAlAm maharaja sarasvatyavyayAtmanaH   ||

        tasmA itupanItAya yaksharAt pAtrikAm adAt   |
        bikshAm bhagavatI sAkshAt umA adapt ambikA satI  ||

        sa brahma varcasenaivam sabhAm sambhAvito vaTuH   |
        brahmaRshi gaNa sa'njushTam atyarocata mArishaH  ||

        samiddham Ahitam vahnim kRtvA parisamUhanam   |
        paristIrya samabhyarcya samidbhir-ajuhot dvijaH   ||          
(8.18.19)
.  
A brief summary of the meaning of the above Sloka-s is given 
here.  "At the time of upanayanam, sUrya instructed Him on the 
gAyatrI mantra, guru gave him the yaj~nopavIta, and kaSyapa gave Him 
the waistband called mehkalA.  BhUmi devi gave Him the deer skin, and 
soma gave the wooden stick (palASa daNDa); Mother aditi gave Him the 
loin cloth, the god of the upper worlds gave Him the umbrella; brahmA 
gave the kamaNDalu, the seven Rshi-s gave the darbha grass, sarasvati 
gave the japa mAlA (the strand for meditation), kubera gave the 
vessel for collecting bikshA, and umA (pArvati) gave Him bikshA.   
This brahmacAri thus equipped, spread the sacred grass (darbhA grass) 
on all four sides of the fire, performed the agni pUjA, and then 
performed the homa with the samit-s".   

Some of the above steps in the upanayanam ceremony, and their 
significance are briefly explained next, with the main purpose of 
illustrating how each of these events is directed towards the 
initiation of the student in the strict discipline of studentship for 
learning veda.

4.1. pUrvA'ngam:  

In general, on the previous evening, a vedic chanting called udaka 
sAnti is performed, wherein several vedic scholars will chant several 
vedic mantra-s, invoke the power of these mantra-s in water, and give 
a bath to the student with the water thus sanctified. 

The pUrvA'ngam on the day of the upanayanam consists of the sankalpam 
(undertaking) by the teacher or AcArya of the father of the child, 
that he is seeking the blessings of the elders in the gathering for 
administering the sacrament of upanayanam on the child.  This is 
followed by a purification rite called puNyAha vAcanam.  

4.2. Yaj~nopaveeta dhAraNam:
The teacher will make the student repeat the mantra for wearing the 
yaj~nopaveetam, which is something that the student will need for the 
rest of his life ? every time the yaj~nopaveetam is to be changed and 
replaced with a new one.   The sacred thread, as it is called in 
English, identifies a student as a brahmacAri who has undergone the 
upanayanam initiation.  The vishNu dharma sUtra and the Manu smRti 
both state that the sacred thread of a brAhmaNa is made of three 
cotton threads twisted to the right.  The smRti candrikA specifies 
that the sacred thread should be worn such that it does not go below 
the navel, not should it be worn above the chest level: The 
yaj~nopaveeta is the external symbol to show that one is a 
brahmacAri. Purity, self-restraint, non-violence, patience, love for 
one's fellow-beings - these are the internal marks.

4.3. KumAra bhojanam:

One of the events in the ceremony is called kumAra bhojanam.  In 
this, the student is fed meals specially prepared for this event.  
The food is made such that there are no spices of any kind in the 
food (no salt, no chilly, no other spices).  The idea is that the 
student should leave aside interest in tasty food and other kinds of 
sense-oriented gratifications while leading the life of a student.  
The Apastamba gRhya sUtra declares this as follows:  kshAra lavaNa 
varjanam ca | - Leaving out spicy, pungent, and salty components.  
Even though in the case of a brahmacAri this applies throughout the 
period of his studentship, the explanation for the sUtra says that 
this should be observed for three days.  In current practice, this is 
observed only during the time of kumAra bhojanam.  

4.4. Brahmacarya li'nga dhAraNam ? 
Decorating the student with the signs of a brahmacAri student:

There are several steps involved in this, but we will cover four of 
the steps under this title: the wearing of the mekhalA, the ajinam, 
the daNDa, and the aSma ArohaNam.  Of these, aSma ArohaNam, are 
ascending a rock, is not strictly the `wearing of a sign as a 
brahmacAri', the student is made to stand on a rock while the actual 
wearing of the mekhalA, ajinam, and daNDa take place, and so it is 
included as a part of the li'nga dhAraNam, or wearing of the signs of 
a brahmacAri, and is included as the first step in the li'nga 
dhAraNam here.

4.4.1 The aSma ArohaNam ? The vow taken while standing on the solid 
rock:

AtishThemam aSmAnam aSmeva tvam sthiro bhava    |
        AbhitishTha pRtanyataH sahasva pRtaAyataH   ||

The student is asked to climb on to a solid rock, with his right foot 
first, and then with both feet resting on the rock, and instructed by 
the AcArya:  "Stand on this rock.  You should be as firm as this rock 
(in your firm determination to observe your discipline).  You should 
firmly oppose those who cause obstruction to your discipline.  You 
should have the strength to put up with any difficulties caused by 
those who oppose you".   

4.4.2 The mekhalA:

The mekhalA or the girdle is made of a type of grass called mu'nja 
grass.  According to the Apastamba and the baudAyana gRhya sUtra-s, 
the girdle is made of three strings, and the grass should have its 
knot turned to the right.   The knot of the girdle should be 
positioned near the navel.  The triple cord symbolized that the 
student was always encircled by the three veda-s, according to one 
source.  This same reason is given behind the existence of three 
strands in the yaj~nopavIta, in one of many explanations given for 
the three strands in the yaj~nopavIta.  

The mantra-s associated with the wearing of the mau'njee, or the 
mekhalA (girdle) made of mu'nja grass, in part, have the following 
meaning:  "This girdle will protect the student from all ill fame.  
It will purify the body of the student who is wearing it.  It will 
give strength to the air in the body of the student.  May this 
mekhalA protect the student by standing around the student and 
warding off all evil forces".   

4.4.3 The ajinam ? Deer skin:

A full-sized deer skin used to be given to serve as the upper garment 
for the student.  This is specified in the Apastamba gRhya sUtra, the 
baudAyana gRhaya sUtra, the manu smRti, etc.   According to one 
source, every Hindu is required to cover his upper body during 
religious ceremonies, and so the significance of this is described as 
symbolizing the beginning of a religious life for the child.  
Nowadays, a small piece of the deer skin is tied to the yaj~nipavIta 
when the uapnayanam is performed.   
                                                                      
                                                                      
                                                                      
4.5. upa-nayanam ? The teacher taking the student near him:  

As has been explained earlier, the literal meaning of the term `upa-
nayanam' is `(the teacher) taking the student near (him)'.  The 
formal process of `upa-nayanam' takes place at this time, after the 
student has been equipped with all the signs of a brahmacAri or 
student.   The teacher formally accepts the student as a brahmacAri 
under his guidance.   

The teacher first blesses the child, and then invokes the protection 
of the different devatA-s for his student:  agni, soma, savitA, 
sarasvati, mRtyu, yama, gada, antaka, water, the herbal gods, earth, 
and vaiSvAnara.    Then he embraces the child as his own from that 
point on for the purpose of teaching vedic knowledge.  The teacher 
accepts the child with the words "devasya tvA savituH prasave (name 
of the child) Sarman"  - "I bring near me the child named  ?. by the 
order of savitR devatA".  The child responds with the words "I have 
accepted the brahmacarya vRata or the vow of a brahmacAri.  Please 
accept me as your student and keep me near you".  The teacher again 
involves the blessings of sUrya for the protection and proper 
guidance of the child.  The teacher starts giving some instructions, 
and the student expresses his commitment to those instructions.  This 
is the initiation of the upa-nayanam, or the start of the student 
being brought to the nearness of the teacher for continued 
instructions and training in the vedic path of life.

4.6. The upa-nayana homam:

This is the first homa or sacrificial offering to the fire on which 
the AcArya instructs the student.  This is again, a joint prayer by 
the teacher and the student for the well-being of the student as a 
brahmacAri, and for the grace of the gods in helping him stay the 
course of a brahmacAri by bestowing good physical and mental health 
on the student during his life.  

4.7. BrahmopadeSam ? The beginning of the instruction on Brahman:

This starts with the child prostrating at the feet of the AcArya, and 
seeking the instruction of the sAvitrI mantra from the AcArya.  (The 
sAvitrI mantra and the gAyatrI mantra are essentially similar, with 
the gAyatrI mantra having the words "Om bhUr-bhuvas-svaH" added at 
the beginning of the sAvitrI mantra).  

4.7.1. The gAyatrI mantra:  
After circumambulating the sacrificial fire, the student is shown the 
sun and explained that the quest for knowledge should be like the 
light of the sun, which permeates through all things. Next the 
gAyatri mantra is recited by the guru and repeated by the pupil, who 
memorizes it. 

Literally, gAyatri means "That which protects him who chants it". She 
is the mother of all the mantras, and when chanted with devotion and 
single pointed concentration and purity, takes the chanter to the 
ultimate bliss - the knowledge of the Supreme Truth, called the 
Brahman. The gAyatri is a mantra praying for divine guidance to 
inspire and illumine the intellect so that the Jiva may know his real 
self - the Atman. Universal in its approach, it does not seek any 
personal benefit for the chanter. The venerable BhIshma, while 
extolling the greatness of the gAyatri from his bed of arrows 
declares - Where the gAyatri is chanted, ultimately deaths, involving 
the performance of obsequies for children by their elders will not 
occur. Thus it is a prayer for universal welfare which the brAhmaNa 
must perform as a sacred trust enjoined on him. 

This mantra is considered to be the essence of the three veda-s ? Rg, 
yajus, and sAma all at once ? sarvebhyo vai vedebhyaH sAvitRyanUcyata 
iti brAhmaNam.  (As mentioned earlier, the sAvitri mantra referred to 
in this quote is a subset of the gAyatri mantra, and they have been 
used interchangeably in the literature).  There is a kramam or order 
in which this is taught, in the ear of the student by the teacher, 
with a silk cloth covering the student and the teacher.  This is 
because the mantra is not to be given out in public, and is not be 
taught, except one-on-one by a teacher to a student who seeks this 
knowledge.  As mentioned earlier, the efficacy of the mantra is in 
the sincerity with which it is meditated on.  The first instruction 
is just the initiation.  

The gAyatri must be chanted in the prescribed manner, thrice a day, 
as a part of the nitya karma (daily required duty) called the sandhyA 
vandanam. The sandhyA vandanam is an excellent daily exercise in 
calming the mind and rendering it fit for meditation on the highest 
truth epitomized by the gAyatri. Because of its great importance as a 
spiritual practice, the SAstra-s have proclaimed its primacy of place 
in unequivocal terms, to the extent that no exceptions are provided.  
It has to be definitely performed thrice daily, throughout one's 
life. All the good things a person may do are of no avail, if he 
fails to perform his sandhyA vandanam and gAyatri japa regularly. The 
scriptures are unanimous on this point. The immense benefit accruing 
from regular and assiduous practice of the sandhyA vandanam and 
meditating on the gAyatri, is something that can be corroborated by 
those who perform this nitya karma regularly. 

4.7.2. Undertaking the brahmacarya vrata-s ? 
The giving of the daNDa or staff:
After the gAyatrI mantra upadeSam is completed, the student is given 
a staff from a jack tree (palASa daNDa).  With this staff in hand, 
the student makes additional commitments towards his brahmacarya 
vRata or the vow of being a student seeking knowledge of Brahman (a 
brahmacAri).

The student undertakes the following vRata-at this time:

Following the initiation to the gAyatri mantra, the student is 
administered the vow of brahmacarya by the teacher.  The mantra is 
very sweet to chant, and the meanings are given below:

?       I will remember that which is fit to remember, but forget 
that which is not fit to remember. Both are my vows.
?       I will spurn that is worth being spurned, and will not spurn 
that which should not be spurned.  Both are my vows.
?       I will pay attention to that which deserves attention, and 
will not pay attention to that which is unfit to be paid attention 
to.  Both are my vows.
?       I will learn what is fit to be learned, and will desist from 
learning what is unfit to be learned.  Both are my vows.
?       I will hear the good, and will desist from hearing the bad.  
Both are my vows.
?       I will speak the truth, and will desist from speaking 
untruth.  Both are my vows
?       I will perform tapas, and will desist from performing acts 
that are not consistent with tapas.  Both are my vows.
?       I will adhere to the vow of brahmacarya, and will desist from 
acts that are contrary to brahmacarya.  Both are my vows.

The AcArya once again reaffirms that he is accepting the student as 
his own, and invokes the grace of the Lord for the success of the 
relationship between him and the student.

The student is compared to a traveler with a long road of knowledge 
ahead of him.  The staff is the symbol of a traveler, and while 
accepting it, the student prays that he should reach the end of his 
journey safely and happily.  Most sUtras prescribe the staff of a 
jack tree for the staff for a brAhmin boy.  The length of the staff 
is specified as reaching up to the hair level on the head of the 
student, in some of the gRhya sUtra-s.  The staff should be perfect, 
straight, and beautiful to look at. Most importantly, the student 
should not allow anyone to pass between himself and the staff.    In 
the current day practice, a small piece of stick, hopefully from a 
jack tree, is given to the student.

In some books, the wearing of the palASa daNDa is included as a part 
of step 4 described above (brahmacarya li'nga dhAraNam), since they 
consider it a symbol of the student undertaking the brahmacarya 
vratam.

4.7.3. samidhAdhAnam:  
This is a daily ritual required of a brahmacAri, and the training is 
started on the day of the upanayanam.  It involves the daily offering 
by the brahmacAri to the fire, praying for all the strength and 
energy needed for the continuance of the brahmacarya vrata.  This 
practice now probably exists only in families where vedic Brahmins 
practice their dharma-s rigorously, and bring out the children 
according to tradition.  It is sure to be followed in the veda 
pAThaSAla-s of the Asrama-s and MaTham-s.  In most other families in 
the current times, the samidA dhAnam is performed by the student only 
on the day of the yearly upAkarmA observance.  

Several other mantra-s and several homa-s are introduced to the 
student throughout the course of the ceremony.

4.8. The bhikshAcaraNam ? Collecting alms:
Soon after the samdihA dhAnam, additional instructions from the 
AcArya,  are given and are followed by the undertaking of additional 
vrata-s by the student. 

Among some of the other injunctions on the student are:

?       ApoSAna ? Perform ApoSAnam without fail.  (a kind of prayer 
repeated before and after eating). 
?       Parishecanam is the common term used for this.
?       karma kuru ? Perform your duties without fail.
?       mA sushuptAH -  Do not fall asleep (during day time).
?         BhikshAcaryam cara ? Live with what you get out of the 
bikshA (This is the rice that the student receives everyday through 
bikshA, and the student is initiated on this as well on the day of 
the upanayana, with a ceremony called bhikshAcaraNam.  In fact, in 
the traditional system, the rice that is thus collected by the 
student really belongs to the AcArya.  The student should go and 
offer the bikshA to the teacher, who then uses it to feed all his 
students).
?       AcArya adhIno bhava ? Be subservient to the teacher always. 

For every one of these injunctions from the AcArya, the student 
responds:  "bADham" ? "I will definitely follow that".  

Among the other injunctions included in the Apastamba gRhya sUtra are:

* mayA ananuj~nAtam apa eva piba, nAnyat ? Without my permission, do 
not consume anything except water
* a-gandhasevee -  Do not use perfumes or cosmetics.

4.8.1. The bikshA or collecting alms:  
Note that one of the injunctions above was:  BhikshAcaryam cara ? 
Live with what you get out of the bikshA.  The student is now taught 
the procedure and the mantra for collecting bhikshA, which is a daily 
duty on the part of the student from now on.

In the traditional life, a brAhmaNa is supposed to lead his life 
learning vedas and then propagating this knowledge to others.  

IN PARTICULAR, IT IS THE NOT THE DHARMA OF A BRAHMANA TO SEEK 
PROFESSIONS FOR THE SAKE OF GATHERING WEALTH.  HE IS SUPPOSED TO 
COLLECT JUST WHAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE ESSENTIAL FOOD FOR THE DAY, 
BY COLLECTING ALMS EACH DAY FROM PEOPLE WHO USED TO CONSIDER IT THEIR 
PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DONATE ALMS TO THE ONE WHO COMES SEEKING 
ALMS. 

This is the concept behind the event where the student is asked to go 
and collect alms from the few ladies present in the function ? this 
is an initiation for the daily life of the brahmacAri.  The student 
addresses the lady through the words:  "bhavati bikshAm dehi" ?
 "Madam, give alms".  In addition to supporting the prescribed dharma 
for a brAhmaNa, this step in the daily life of a brAhmaNa also taught 
him humility, while earning the respect of the society for the noble 
purpose for which his life was being dedicated (namely, the study of 
the veda-s and its proper propagation).

The spirit underlying the BhikshAcaraNam is that it will induce 
humility and quell the ego - it will root out all difference of high 
and low, wealthy and poor, since, in the traditional lifestyle, every 
brahmaAari, regardless of his family's standing, has to practice it. 
Above all, it will enable the young student to overcome the craving 
of the tongue, and induce the restraint of the senses so very 
necessary for properly imbibing the Vedic Knowledge. 

4.9. AseervAdam:
This is the final part of the sacrament, wherein all auspiciousness 
is invoked for the continuous bestowing of all virtues on the 
subjects of the occasion, on the family members, on all the 
attendees, and on all beings all over the world.

5. Conclusion:
The attempt of the write-up was to bring out the purpose behind the 
Vedic sacrament called upa-nayanam ? one of initiating the student 
into the study of the veda-s.  Associated with the initiation into 
the study of the veda-s, a strict life of discipline and code of 
conduct is prescribed for the student.  All the events during the 
sacred thread ceremony are directed towards initiating the student on 
this road to the brahmacarya ASrama.  It is hoped that an 
understanding of the basis of the ceremony, along with the spiritual 
and moral significance associated with this initiation, will lead to 
more devoted following of the requirements of the ASrama, and 
subsequent life following the completion of the ASrama
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3. BOOK REVIEW ? "STUDIES IN SRIVAISHNAVISM" BY 
PROF. MANGALAM R. PARAMESWARAN, CANADA
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"STUDIES IN SRIVAISHNAVISM"by Prof. Mangalam R. Parameswaran. 
Published by Larkuma Publication in 2005. 
Priced at US 38.95 and Cdn $ 42.95 (plus postage) (for 
institutions).   For a limited time individuals may order the book 
directly by sending a cheque for US $25 to Larkuma, 720 Pasadena 
Avenue, Winnipeg MB, Canada R3T 2T3.
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Prof. Parameswaran, a retired Professor of Mathematics at the 
University of Manitoba, Canada has provided us with a scholarly 
treatise on the origin and development of Srivaishnavam drawing 
inspiration right from the Vedas, Agamas and Itihasas, Prabandhams of 
Azhwars and Naayanmars as also the works of Bhagavad Ramanuja. 

The copious quotations from the originals in support of his findings 
are quite appropriate. The author has brought out a book rich in 
content and in a lucid style that speaks volumes about his 
communication skills.

He has however, taken extraordinary pains to refute some faulty 
interpretations by some western authors as also some Westernized 
Indian authors who might not have undergone any intensive training at 
the feet of learned Achaaryas of our Siddhanta through either 
PaaTasaala or KaalakshEpam traditions and therefore cannot comprehend 
the correct perspectives. It would have been better if he had limited 
himself to presenting the authentic viewpoints based on authority of 
Poorva and Prakritam Achaaryas and ignored these so called Research 
scholars. 

This is an extraordinary work in which everyone in the academic 
circles would find an immense treasure of information that can 
provide authentic positions on many controversial issues and offer a 
plethora of food for thought and reflection.

The main book has 138 pages. The Notes portion containing quotations 
runs to about 67 pages and provide a rich fare for further study by 
the Readers. The author should be congratulated for a meticulous 
presentation of some important facets of our Siddhanta. A careful 
proof-reading is definitely a plus point in the work
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