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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00117 Nov 2006

 
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SrI:
SrImathE Gopaladesika Mahadesikaya nama:
Dearest all,

Our religion is based on Vedas. It is based on the
three authoritative scriptures referred to as
Prastaana Trayam and they are:

-Vedas (Sruti) - Poorva & Uttara Mimaamsa together. 
-Bhagavat Gita
-Brahma Sutras - Of Veda Vyasa Bhagavan.

Sruthi means that which is heard (through the ears).
The Vedas were originally taught by Lord Sriman
Narayana to four faced Brahma orally.  From thereon
the Vedas came down from the Guru to the students
orally only.  The Guru teaches the Vedas to the
students.  Thus the student hears the Veda from the
teacher. Veda is Apourusheyam (unauthored -not
authored by anybody). Veda is eternal, and has no date
of origin and end. Veda is the only ultimate authority
and hence has no MISTAKES at all. The sruthi vAkhyams
(statements) do not and contradict with each
other(unlike our statements:-) If they appear so to
us, it reflects our lack of understanding of sruthis
and not their flaws (where there are no flaws).  

Vedas are also called Nigama and Amnaaya. Nigama means
a settled text or work, which is handed down from the
Guru to the student from time immemorial. Amnaaya
means what is learnt by the student, by frequent
repetition of the text; and also by frequently
thinking over the same. [extract from the book Dialog
on Hinduism]

As long as any philosophy is in conformity with
Statements (encompassed) in these three scriptures,
and more so to Vedas, then, that needs to be
considered as VaidIka philosophy. Any philosophy which
contradicts Vedic statement is considered non-vaidIka.

Vedas are the starting point of all our philosophies.
Like all Sanskrit literature, Vedas also include prose
and poetry. Though the texts convey meaning, its
shabhda is very important. Vedas were used prominently
for yagna or yaagas. Everyone knew the Vedas in full
once upon a time. Gradually it became difficult to
learn the Vedas by a single person. Hence Veda Vyasa
divided and compiled the Vedas into four parts knows
Rg, Yajur Sama and Atharva veda. Each Veda is further
divided into samhithas, BrahmaNaas, AraNyaka, and
Upanishads. Samhitha and BraahmaNaas are used mostly
in yagnas and covers mantras as well as procedure for
them. Aranyaka covers mostly worship of God. It is
Upanishad that discusses nature, soul, praktithi,
Paramaathma and their relationships.

As mentioned earlier, Starting from Chathur mukha
BrahmA, the promotion and propagation of Vedas has
been mostly through sages and their disciples. A
peculiar aspect of Veda has been all information
relating to any topic can not be found at one place.
As a result, the interpretation of statements in Vedas
has not been uniform, leading misinterpretations or
conflicts / contradictions, though it is not true when
viewed as a whole. 

The advaita school of thought gives prominence to
abEdha sruthis or statements of Vedas that indicate
soul and Parabrahman are One. Similarly, the Dwaita
school of though gives prominence to bhEdha sruthis or
statements that Soul and Parabrahman are  different
and distinct. There are also other statements in Vedas
that link these two seemingly contradicting statements
called Ghataka sruthis. 

Thus Dwaita, Advaita and VisishtAdvaita mathams follow
the above doctrines of bhEdha, abhEdha and Ghataka
sruthis respectively. Other than these three- Sri
UttamUr Swamy adds that there are other two religions
[or mathams] called DwaithAdvaitham and
SudhhAdvaitham. DwaithAdvaitham is Nimbarkar and
SuddhAdvaitham is Vallabhacharya matham. 

Nimbarkar?s and Vallabhacharya are also vaishnavic
mathams only. Nimbarkar 12th century CE, developed
Vaishnava cult under the name of Sanatkumara Narada
sampradaya which is similar in respects to that of
Ramanuja. He maintains that Brahman is Radha-Krishna,
possessing the six principal attributes namely jnAna,
bhala, aishwarya, veerya shakthi and thEjas. He was
also influenced by Paancha raathra agama although he
did not advocate temple worship. He has accepted
Prapatthi [or Saranagati] as a means of moksha. He had
a large number of followers who have spread the Radha
Krishna cult which is a type of Vaishnavism. 

Vallabhacharya born in 1478 CE advocated another type
whereby the Bhagavatha purana of Lord Krishna is the
highest Brahman, as the Supreme Godhead with a divine
body [vigraha] made of Bliss [Anandha]. he has also
advanced the path of devotion [bhakti] as the only
means of attaining moksham. [from Sri SMS Chari?s book
on Vaishnavism] 

Thus from the above it is clear that all religions
were basically accepting vishNu as the Supreme God and
thus are devotees of VishNu. Thus they are all
Vaishnavas. Advaithas however do not accept any
personal Brahman as their Brahman is NirguNa,
nirvisEsha Brahman..,Brahman without any attributes,
any form, any visEshams. Though they [advaitins]
accept VishNu superior to other devathas including
Rudran, their Brahman is formless, nameless and
attribute-less. Thus they can not be categorized as
Vaishnavas [says Sri UttamUr Swamy in his article
Yathi pathi mahimai]. 

Thus the Moola pravarrthakars for these Vaishnava
mathams are: if we try to analyze:
For all these religions- it should be Sarva prathama
Muru- Sriman Narayanan. Then from Him who is next in
acharya lineage? 

For Sri Bhagavad Ramanuja matham- it Sri Lakshmi Devi;

Sri Madhva matham ? Chathur mukha BrahmA; 
Sri Nimbarka matham- Sanaka et al 
Sri Vallabhcharya matham- Rudran 
This- nobody can deny. 

Thus our matham Sri Ramanuja matham is Srivaishnavam
as it is from Sriman Narayanan and from Sri
Mahalakshmi. It is hence SRI VAISHNAVAM. The Bhashyam
is Sri Bhashyam. The Most merciful Divya Dampathi is
Sriya: Pathi Sriman Narayanan and VishNu pathni Sri
Mahalakshmi is our God. 

The wealth ? the real wealth  thus lies here. Our
great AchAryAs have preserved the traditions unbroken
through the ages and aglow with ever-fresh relevance
to changing circumstances. 

To learn, to know, to enjoy and to serve the Acharyas
and Dhivya Dampathi is or duty and that we can do only
by taking refuge at our SadAchArya?s feet. One such
magnificent most merciful acharyan is His Holiness Sri
Gopaladesika Mahadesikan. Let me place my head again
and again at the lotus feet of asmadhAcharyan His
Holiness Srimad PaRavakkOttai Andavan Sri Gopaladesika
Mahadesikan Swami?  

More later?. 

asmadhAchArya paryanthAm vandhE GuruparamparAm
Regards
Namo Narayana
dAsan


 
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