Srimathe Srirangaramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha Srimathe Srinivasa Ramanuja Maha Desikaya Namaha Srimathe Vedandtha Ramanuja Maha

Desikaya Namaha Sri Ranganatha Dhivya Mani Padhukapyam Namaha Srimadyai Godhayai Namaha

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PEEP IN TO SRVAISHNAVA SAMPRADAYAM
{Srivilliputtur Govindakrishnan Alagar, IA & AS (Retd)}
{This is only a glimpse of the Sri Vaishnava Sampradayam for the benefit of the youth, not familiar with the sampradayam, and to infuse interest to seek further knowledge from the learned.}

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BRIEF HISTORY Vedas are the breath of paramatma. Down the ages great acharyas incarnated and different

philosophies and codes of life (known as sampradhaya) came into being. There is a central theme about the primordial force in Brahma Sutra, literally meaning that there is only one without a second. Based on the interpretation (Bhashyams) given by three acharyas to the Brahma Sutra at different times, three major sampradayas adhvaitha, vishishtathdvaitha and dwaitha - came into being. Aadhi Sankaracharya

interpreted the Brahma Sutra to the effect that there is only one force as Paramatma and all the rest is Maya - a vision similar to mirage / dream. It was known, as adhvaitha (Monism) i.e. there is no second and the followers known as adhvaithis. In simple parlance his teaching meant that Brahman is like a screen in the cinema and the universe we see and identify are like pictures, which are mere shadows. Ten centuries later, the Divine Will brought about a fresh wind in the form of Ramanujacharya to blow away the chaff accumulated in the religious field and rejuvenate Sanathana Dharama. He established firmly (supported by conclusions from vedas, puranas, works of poorvacharyas etc.,) that while the Vedic statement meant that the Paramatma is without a second it does not mean that jivas are non-existent. There is Paramatma the supreme primordial power - to whom jeevas / creations form part. His philosophy came to be called vishista-adhvaitha. {Vishista means co-joined e.g., iyam ghataha (here is pot); iyam jala vishishta ghataka (here is pot with water).} His commentaries on the Brahma sutras expounding Vishistadvaidha is famously known as SRI BHASHYAM, the holy magnum opus for Shrivaishnavas. Later, Madhavacharya interpreted the Brahma Sutra to establish the concept, known as Dwaitha i.e., always the Paramatma and Jivatmas exist, the later subservient to the Paramatma. Thus, the root for all the three sampradhayas is the Brahma Sutra. While for the vishishtadhvaidhis and dwaithis SRIMAN NARAYANA is the Supreme Lord of worship, Shankaracharya too at the end of all his immortal works on monism, advocated people through the famous Bhaja Govindam song, to seek Sriman Narayanas Feet. Incidentally, it is interesting to note that while the Bhashyams are known by the name of the respective author (e.g.,Sankara Bhashyam), the mere mention Shri Bhashyam denotes the

Bhashyam of Ramanujacharya. Also Shri Ramanuja is the only saint who is called bashyakarar - one who composed the bashyam. VISHISTA-ADHVAITHAM An anecdote will clear what this means. It is said that Saint Aalavandhar, went to Chola king, who was then patronising non-vedic sects. The king asked "Swami! The Vedas proclaim that Purusha is one and there is no second. If so, how can you say that the creations exist and form part of Paramatma"? Swami asked the King; "Raja. I say that ' Chola Raja is one and there is no second.' What does this mean? Does this mean that you have no wife, no children, no subjects, nothing? Or, does it mean that there is Chola Raja and everything, but Chola Raja is at the top without a second? In the same manner the Paramatma is supreme without none to equal Him and has in Him all the rest as His attributes. The king was convinced. Our acharyas have established that a true shrivaishnava who surrenders absolutely to Sriman Narayana, carries on his duties in the world as directed by scriptures and at the end of the allotted life span he becomes Nitya Soori and everlastingly is in the bliss of serving the Lord in vaikunta (nalam andham il naadu / thiru naadu). GURU PARAMPARA (Lineage of Gurus) The history of Gurus (acharyas) is chronicled from Sriman Nada Muni who lived around 1300 years back. Earlier to him were twelve Azhvars (meaning persons who immersed themselves in Lord Vishnu out of pure divine love) who gave to us the precious 4000 devotional Tamil songs, famously known as Naalaayira Dhivya Prabhandham. Let us know the names of Azhwars and their works: Mudhalam Nootrandhathi (100) Irandam Nootrandhathi (100) Moondram Nootrandhathi (100) Thiruchanda Virutham & Nanmugan Thiruvandhathi (216) Kanninum Siruthambu (11) Thiruvai Mozhi, Peria Thiruvandhathi, Thiruvasiriam, and Thiruvirutham (1296) Kulasekara Azhwar Perumal Thirumozhi (105) Peri Azhwar Periazhwar Thirumozhi (473) Aandal Thiruppavai and Naachiar Thirumozhi (173) Thondaradipodi Azhwar Thirumalai and Thiruppalli Ezhuchi (55) Thiruppan azhwar Amalanathipiran (10) Thirumangai Azhwar Peria Thirumozhi, Peria Thirumadal, Siria Thirumadal, Thirukkurun thandagam, Thiru nedum Thandagam, Thiruvezhukkootrirukkai (1253) {The above works make up to 3892 pasurams and adding up 108 songs of Ramanuja Nootru Andhathi of Koorathazhwar, the direct disciple of Sri Ramanuja, one gets 4000 pasurams. The 108 Shrivaishnavite temples sung by Azhwars are known as divya desams. In Shrivaishnava Sampradaya, if one says merely Koil it denotes Sri Rangam Temple, Perumal means Varadaraja of Kancheepuram and Malai means Thirumala.} NADHA MUNI heard some Brahmins from west who came to Veeranarayanpuram temple (also known as Kaattu mannaar koil) to sing some Tamil pasruams of Nammazhwar ('aaraa amudhe adiyen udalam') which ended with aayirathul ip paththu.. (10 out of the 1000). When the thrilled Nada Muni requested them to teach him the rest of the songs they pleaded ignorance. He went to Thirukurukoor (Azhwar
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Poigai Azhwar Bhoothath azhwar Pei Azhwar Thirumazhisai Azhwar Madhura Kavi Azhwar Nammazhwar

Thirunagari) in deep South (present day Nellai distrsict), did tapas by singing 12000 times the eleven Kanninum siru thaambu songs of Madura kavi Azhwar on Nammalvar and got in a vision all the pasurams of Dhivya Prabandam. The dhivya prabhandams are also known as Dravida Veda and have the pride of being sung ahead of the Lords procession while veda ghoshti follows the Lord. (The 1000 and odd Thiruvaai mozhi pasurams alone are not recited in the streets). In Vaishanva sampradaya the Guru Parampara order is as follows: $ First Acharyan is Sriman Narayana who initiated His consort Mahalakshmi (Thaayaar). $ Then to Thaayaar to Vishvaksenar (Senai naathan). $ Senai naathan to Sadagopan, {who is considered to be incarnation of Vishvaksenar on Earth. He is famously and very affectionately known as nam azhwar i.e. our azhwar}. $ Then, Nada Muni, followed by Uyyakkondar, Manakkal Nambi, Peria Nammbi, Aala vanthar, Ramanjacharya and the present day Acharya. Bhagawat Ramanuja, ( who is also popularly known as emperumanar, udayavar, ethirajar, etc. and considered as the incarnation of Aadhi Sesha), was born at Sriperumpudur in the present Tamil Nadu in the year 1017 AD. He lived up to 120 years. He started his vedic studies under the guidance of a great Advaithic teacher by name Yadava Prakasar at Kancheepuram, near Chennai. Later, due to divine intervention,

following the prayers of Saint Aalavandhar, to Lord he embraced the Vishistadwaitha sidhantha. Yadava Prakasa, who tried to murder his disciple Sri Ramanjuja, as he found the shishya outshining him, later became his disciple. This alone speaks volumes on Ramanujacharyas greatness. He established 74 mutts in different parts of this Bharatavarsha and the Mutt Heads were known as Jeeyers. Among the Vaishnavites there are two sub-sets (kalai) known as vada kalai and then Kalai. While the basic tenet of Srivaishnava sampradayam codified by Sri Ramanjuja is the same for both the kalais, there are some subtle differences in concepts and also in daily chores. (They are out of bound and irrelevant for this small article.) For both the kalais Sri Ramanuja is the undisputed principal acharya. For the Vada kalai srivaishnavas, predominant Acharya is VEDHANTHA DESIKAN who descended to earth after Sri Ramanujas ascendance to thiru naadu (abode of Lord) and adored the earth for 102 years. He is the avatar of the holy bell of Thirumala. Swami Desikan has composed 28 stotra grandhas, 4 kaavya grandhas, 1 nataka grandha, 14 vedantha grandhas, 8 vyakya grandhas, 2 anushtana grandhas, 32 rahasya grandhas and 24 Tamil prabandhas. He is very popularly known as Kavitharkika Simham (Lion amongst poets). Thenkalai sects prime acharya is Sri Manavala Maamunigal . SAMASARANAM and BHARA SAMARPANAM Every Shrivaishanava shall undergo samasarnam. The male can have samasaranam after upanayanam and the female can have it after marriage. Samasaranm and bharnyasam are bestowed by the grace of acharya at ones plea to him. Samasaranam is pancha samskaras - purifying the body with panchakavyam, adopting daasa after ones name, wearing 12 thiruman kaappu on the body, getting initiated to the mantra treyam and getting the symbol of conch and discus of Lord affixed on either shoulder. Bharanyasam
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or Bharasamarpanam i.e. Surrender (practiced as ritual in vadgalai branch only) is the surrendering to Lord through acharyan, leaving all burdens to Him. Even a child in the womb is eligible, because no one knows when death will strike a jiva. Bharanyasam pre-supposes (except in case of kids for whom the parents plead to Acharyan) mental realisation that we are not the doer and Lord will not forsake us MAHA VISWASAM. { {The major concept difference between Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects in this regard is explained as Markada (Monkey) nyasa of Vadaklai and Marjan (cat) nayasa of Thenkalai. Among monkeys the kid has to cling to mother and then the mother takes care. The kid has the onus to cling. So we have to cling to Lord first by surrender ritual says Vadakalai sect. Thenkalis assert that as cat carries kitten in its mouth and the kitten has nothing to bother, Lord will take care and no specific surrender ritual is needed.} The emphasis is that the unique benefit of Bharanyasam extolled by all acharyas should not be lost due to unwanted apprehensions and hearsay restrictions. In his great compassion Bhaghawat Ramanuja got the following assurances from Lord Varadharaja Himself through the great Thirukkachi Nambigal: (i) I (Sriman Narayanan) am the absolute Brahman (Para thathvam), (ii) The distinction between Jiva and Iswara is axiomatic (iii).Self-surrender is the only means for Liberation, (iv) Even if my devotee fails to remember me while breathing his last, liberation for him is sure, (v) As soon as my devotees leave their bodies, they attain Me. Any one, having faith as Sriman Narayana as para thathvam, irrespective of caste is eligible for samasaranam and bharanyasam. One should every day recite the MANTRA TREYAM (THREE MANTRAS) viz. known as Moola Mantra, second as Dwayam and the third Charamas Slokam. (As these are to be initiated by Acharyan they are not stated here). Swamy Desikans Rahasyas Traya Saram is the magnum opus explaining the great significance of these three mantras. WHO IS A TRUE VAISHNAVA? Srivaishnava is one who considers that everyone belongs to the Vasudeva Kutumbam-all belongs to the family of Vasudeva. He will strive to observe the following commands of Bagawat Ramanuja: (i).Study the Sribhashyam and teach it to others, (ii) If the above is not possible, study the works of saint Sadagopa and others and teach them to others, (iii) If not, do service to Lord in any of the holy places, (iv) If not, remain where you are and casting all burden on the Lord and your acharya; be immersed in their contemplation, (v) If any of the above is not possible, seek a Srivaishnava of wisdom and devotion and serve him. Srivaishnavites are defined as maranthum puram thozha maanthar (those who even out of forgetfulness will not worship other gods). The path of one pointed devotion to Sriman Narayana is advised for our benefit to have absolute concentration on Sriman Narayana. It means no offence on others faiths. 4