Sri Ranjan, My sincere apologies for conveying the wrong message. Please be rest assured that I have utmost respect for ISKCON and have served as an active member of our local temple's advisory board for several years. I also consider several devotees as close, personal friends. I hope with this in mind, you can better understand the intent of my concerns. What I have been observing in the subsequent postings is the misrepresentation that Sri sampradayam is mainly comprised of Brahmin (Iyengars) and that the Gayatri mantra somehow plays some significant role in becoming a Sri Vaishnava. The varna system - whether we believe is birth-based or not - is a state of the body. One's being a brahmana by birth or choice obligates that person to certain rules and codes of conduct that exclude him from the society at large. The practice of Vaidika rituals and proper observation of sastra is also important. Whether or not the Iyengars of today follow this is another story, but we all must agree that this what Vedas say - at least from our understanding of it. But, from the Sri Vaishnava perspective, which I would agree only accepts the birth-based varna concept, caste is really a condition of the body. Being a Vaishnava, as our Acharyas say, is a condition of the soul. It involves the realization of "dasatvam" in ISKCON or "seshatvam" in the Sri sampradayam, the feeling that one lives to serve the Lord for His Pleasure. Such a psychological/spiritual position is expressed quite differently, through chanting the Holy Name, serving fellow devotees, and so on. Such activities have nothing to do with varna or gender. Even the role of Vaidika rituals change for those who regard themselves to be Brahmin because they are done in His Service without expectation of personal reward. . Therefore, I am of the opinion that if one follows a Vaishnava school, the role of this dastavam/seshatvam should be emphasized, keeping the Vaidika rituals in proper context as being the svadharma of those who wish to engage in rituals for the Lord's Service. It is in keeping this mood of servitude that I see ISKCON serving as a model to other Vaishnava schools of thought. I hope this helps to clarify my position. adiyen Mohan > Sriman Mohan, as to why ISKCON has adopted use of the gaayatri >mantra, I am sure anyone who asks them will know that they see >themselves as a fully Vaidika sampradaayam. Anyone who has closely >observed an ISKCON worship service will notice that their poojaris >(often non-Indians, who have been given yagnyopaveetam) do recite >vedic mantras during worship including Purusha suukta, Vishnu suukta >and others, and if you ask them about their practice you will find >that they do in fact perform trikaala sandhyaavandanam. This isn't >just my guess, I happen to have discussed these issues in detail a >couple of times with a prominent Gaudiya Vaishnava academic in the >UK who also performs priestly duties for many Indian Hindu >families. > > Any student of Gaudiya sampradaayam will also know that they >don't subscribe to the 'birth' based view of varna prevalent in Sri >sampradaayam - hence their giving of yagnyopaveetam to non-birth >brahmins. Your observation that the chanting of Vedas is restricted >by birth may be the understanding of most Sri Vaishnava acharyas, >but I think we should respect the strongly held conviction of the >Gaudiyas on this. They too will be able to quote vedic pramaaNam >stating that 'individuals displaying the required characterists are >eligible for gaayatri'. Any further discussion of this would >probably spiral into the caste-by-birth-or-qualities debate which >has happened too many times on other lists. My point is that >recitation of Gaayatri and Vedas has a very secure, and sampradaayic >position in ISCKON which we should respect. > > > 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/
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