You are here: SriPedia - Ramanuja - Archives - Feb 2006

Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00070 Feb 2006

 
Feb 2006 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


Sri Balaji,

Let me at the outset state that I have close association with several 
Gaudiya Vaishnava devotees and have spent virtually all my life 
frequenting our local ISKCON temple.  Indeed, I probably speak for many 
Sri Vaishnavas when I say that the Gaudiya Vaishnavas were the first to 
guide me back to serving the devotee's of the Supreme Being with a 
proper understanding of Sri Sampradayam and philosophy.

Be that as it may, I would have to be the first to admit some subtle 
points of difference between the two schools, especially when it comes 
to the recitation of mantras - let us leave aside what mantra should be 
recited for the moment.  Sri Mukundan has already explained this 
position in some detail, but I thought it worthwhile to attempt to 
clarify the it further.   The Gaudiya Vaishnavas, following the 
recommended practice of Kalisantharana Upanishad, recite the Hare Krsna 
mahamantra, seeing its recitation as a means to salvation.  This 
position suggests that there is an upayam, a means, different from the 
Lord, that one can undertake to achieve salvation.  Yet, at the same 
time, all Vaishnavas hold the truth that He is the Supreme Being.  His 
Supremacy would imply, at least from the Sri Vaishnava perspective, that 
Sriman Narayana is the only True Independent Being, Who is completely 
free to bestow salvation on any one any time that He chooses, without 
any condition or prequalification on the part of the soul.  This leads 
to a paradox - we say that God is Supreme and at the same time say that 
there is way to win His favor so that we reach Him. And, it is in an 
effort to clear up this paradox that the Thenkalais are not fully 
accepting of the idea that doing so many rounds of japa so many times a 
day will lead us to Salvation.  I suppose that one way that ISKCON 
reconciles this paradox is by saying that the Holy Name is not different 
from the Lord, so His Saving Grace is as much a part the Nature of His 
Name as much as it is a part of Him. 

But, from the Sri Vaishnava perspective, there are three mantras that 
can be meditated upon that do not inherently hold this paradox.  These 
three mantras are the Thirumantram, Dvayam, and Charama Slokam, and it 
is really not in their recitation, but rather in contemplating upon 
their meaning, that the "power" of these mantras takes effect in our 
being.  For according to the myriad of Acharyas that have contemplated 
upon them, all three of these mantras emphatically state that our Sole 
Protector and Saviour is Sriman Narayana Alone.  Ours is only to accept 
this Truth, and this too comes about because of His Efforts to reach us.

So, while we are not opposed to any mantra, especially those that are 
dedicated to Sriman Narayana, the point of contention presented by the 
Sri Sampradaya lies only in the need for ritualistic recitation to them 
in an effort to achieve redemption through self-effort.

adiyen




Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam 
http://www.vedics.net

 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ramanuja/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    ramanuja-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
ramanuja-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list