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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00009 Jul 2006

 
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srI:
srImathE rAmAnujAya namaha:
 
Bhattar's statement is applicable for devotees at the level of Bhattar and AndAL (Bhattar's mother). There is another place where Bhattar says something. When one of Bhattar's discple asked him to teach tiruvaradhana kramam, he taught him one that would take several hours. But one day, when Bhattar was about to eat, he just asked his disciples to bring his perumAL and did tiruvaradhanam for just a min and ate that prasadam. The disciple, irked, asked Bhattar as to why he prescribed a long kramam for him whereas he himself practised such a short one. Bhattar replied that "After searching all sastras, I could not find a shorter version for you nor could I find a longer version for myself". The meaning is: "If you are at my level, you dont need it". So Bhattar's word should be understood properly. Exceptions cannot be rules. There are rules AND there are exceptions. Every exception is applicable at very specifc conditions. We need to really ask ourselves where we stand. Are we at the level of Bhattar? Of course, it is agreed that we should aspire to reach that level. No doubt. But just saying that "I am like him and I will follow him" is so vain. We have to do some serious vichAram here (Everyone within themselves). Remember that even in the above case of AndAL - Bhattar, AndAL did practise it meticulously. Thats where the lesson is for all of us.
 
adiyEn very well understands that emperumAnAr practised naichyanusanthanam when he said he cannot explain Tiruppavai. Thats exactly the point now. We should also practice naichyanusanthanam. Its not as if naichyanusanthanam is a prerogative of Swami. Swami lead by example. We should follow him. That is sampradaya.
 
This sampradaya has so many delicate issues like these. Thats why adiyEn always thinks that its too easy to be brahmana than a vaishnava even in this age (Because the rules for brahmins are very specific and are not contradictory). Way too difficult to be a sri vaishnava. Because there are too many delicate things to be properly understood. Though rules of the sampradaya are not contradictory, they appear contradictory to many people. Thats why we need help.
 
adiyEn is quite confident that in this sampradaya its not that people can follow their whims as they want. They should check its authenticity. This Sampradaya has so many rules and regulations. Way too many. Instead of following our mind, we should ask elders (one's own acharyan et al) and follow their instructions. Only fake religions let people follow their mind and say everything is the same. Our sampradayam is emperumAnAr's darisanam and everything is governed properly here.  Its not a dry religion.
 
Now adiyEn will put forward the question straight forward: Did our pUrvAchAryAs practise EkAdasi or not? More importantly, did our pUrvAchAryas "prescribe" EkAdasi or not?  adiyEn has very strong reasons to believe that they did, looking at the way some elderly sri vaishnavas strictly adhere to nirjala EkAdasi (Even nowadays!).
 
Why should we find ways in which our practice (or the lack of it - for that matter!) can be justified? Nobody is complelling anybody. We can say that "I will not follow ekAdasi", rather than saying "I will go by Bhattar". The question is: Are we saying yes or no to EkAdasi. Its straight forward. Because quite obviously, we are not Bhattar.
 
Can somebody quote from some authentic text (like guru parampara, or vyakhyanas with specific reference to this issue) or can somebody ask scholars? adiyEn will ask some scholars at the first opportunity.
 
kshamikka prarthikkirEn!
AchAryan tiruvadigaLE saranam!
 
adinAyEn,
varadha rAmAnuja dAsan.
__._,_.___

Azhvar EmberumAnAr JeeyAr ThiruvadigalE Saranam
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