Sri Vaishnava

Brahmins

Brahmins are one of the members of the four Varnas described by Krishna Bhagavan in Bhagavad Gita. The divisions in to four categories as Brahmins, Kshtriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras was based on the allocation of complimentary duties of the four Varnas. Brahmins were assigned the study of Vedas and protection of them. Vaisyas took care of Commerce, Kshatriyas ruling of the land and Sudras for other duties not covered bty the members of the first three Varnas. No one is superior to the other among the four Varnas in the eyes of the Lord. All are his children.

Vaishnavas are Vishnu dasas, who devote their entire life to the service of Bhagavan or Bhagavatas . The Vishnu Dasas , who happen to be Brahmins by Birth are identifiable as Iyengars. Brahmins can be Iyengars, Iyers and Raos. Veda Adhyayanam and performance of Yagas and Yagnas and intrepretation of Sacred scriptures were their assigned duties. The late Paramacharya of Kanchi has made a distinction between Brahmanas and Brahmana Bandhus. He has described the latter as the one born of Brahman parents, but not observant of the duties assigned by the Sastras and Vedas to Brahmins.


1. Vaishnava
Followers of Vaishnavism? are Vaishanavas. Vaishnavism is a broad-based universal religion , which is open to one and all independent of Caste , creed, gender, and scholarship of the individual. The qualifications to be a true Vaishnava has been described beautifully by Narasimha Mehta in his song "Vaishanava Jana Tho", a favorite of Mahatma Gandhi.There are prescribed religious duties for Sri Vaishnavas.(Vaishnavas and Sri Vaishnavas are equal in meaning. The word Sri is added for auspiciousness in the Vaishnava Paribhasha(Colloquliasm) . It is also a matter of respect accorded by others to Vaishnavas.

2. Origins of the term
(1)The name Vishanvam is of Vedic origin .
The name is referred to in Rg Vedam first , the oldest of VedAs .The exact quotation is "Gaam gathasya tava dhAma VaishNavam ". The effulgence of the Lord ( Svayam Jyothi) is being saluted here .He is param JyOthi .

(2)The nigantu explanation is " VishNurdEvathAsya tasyEdham vaa aNN) or that relates to VishNu .

(3)It is also the noun of the asterism "SravaNaa". SravaNam is VishNu's constellation ( SravaNa VenkatEsan ). Although SravaNa nakshthram is the celebrated constellation assoicated with Him , we have to remember the slOkam used by the AarAdhakar at Ahobila matam before ThiruvArAdhanam :

Thithir VishNus tathA vaara: Nakshathram VishNurEva cha yOgasccha karanam chaiva SARVAM VISHNU MAYAM JAGATH


(4)Vaishnavam also means the celestial residence of MahA VishNu (i-e) VaikuNtam .

(5)Finally , VaishNavam means the ashes of a burnt offering like in PurNAhUthi during a Vedic yAgam . (see Rituals) about those Yaagams , where cooked Havis is offered to Agni invoking devathAs , whose antharyAmi is MahA VishNu /Sriman naarAyaNA . We are back to Veda sambhandham now .

Vaishnavam can not be understood without knowing about VaishNava lakshaNam .That is a deep subject

3. No caste exclusivity among vaishnavas

Sri Vaishnavas can come from any caste (e.g) Alvars. Kulasekara was a Kshatruiya. Thirumangai was also a Kshatriya by birth. Nammalwar was not a Brahmin. Thirumazhisai Alwar was a Siva Worshipper earlier. Thondaradipodi, Periyalwar were Brahmins. The common things that tie them are the observance of the sacraments of Vaishnavism and the observance of the religious duties of Vaishnavas.DR.S.M.S.Chari"s well-written book "Vaishnavism, Its philosophy, theology and religious discipline" will be very helpful to you to gain a perspective on the details of Vaishnavism. Chapters 8 and 13 are brilliant summaries of two important doctrines of Vaishnavism. Chapter 8 deals with Vishnu and Goddess Sri. Chapter 13 deals with the important subject of Prapatti.


4. Two types of worship by vaishnavas
Bhagavat Kainkarya and Bhagavata Kainkarya are the two types of worship. The first is the service to the Lord without expectation of rewards(Nishkama Karma described in Bhagavat Gita.) The Panchakala Prikriya or the five fold daily religious duties can be folded in to the Bhagavat Kainkarya.

The second type of Kainkarya is known as Bhagavata Kainkaryam or service to Godly men and women.Bhagavata Kainkarya is recognized as one of the supreme virtues of a true Vaishnava. The reasoning is as follows: True devotees of Vishnu (the Bhagavatas) are very dear to the supreme Lord, Vishnu(Sriman Narayana). Any service rendered to his dear Bhagavatas are therefore most pleasing to Vishnu. DR. Chari has quoted in support of this view a passage from Padmottara Purana:" Of all the types of worship, the worship to Vishnu is great; Greater than that is the service to Bhagavatas." Service to Bhagavatas can take many forms: providing food, shelter, clothing et al.Bhagavata apachara or offence to Bhagavatas is to be avoided at all costs, since, it brings the wrath of Bhagavan.


5. The other type of kainkaryas for vaishnavas
Out of his infinite mercy, Acharya Ramanauja has suggested 5 Kainkaryas to suit the competence and convineience of the Vaishanvas; (1) study of Sri Bhashya, the commentary on Brahma Sutras (2) for those, who find it difficult, study of the Naalaiyra Divya Prabhandam (3) for those , who can not do that, services to Vaishnava divya desams and Abhimana sthalas thru provision of Food, Flowers or lighting of lamps (4) For those, who can not afford that the mantra Japa of Dwayam, the sacred Mantram on Narayana and Sri Devi. (5) For those, who feel they can not follow any one of the above four Kainkaryas, The company of Vaishnavas is recommended as a last resort. Ramanuja's prescriptions cover the entire world of Literate scholars in Sanskrit and Tamil as well as illiterate masses, who have embraced Vaishnavism. No one is thus left out.


Excerpts from archives at http://www.ibiblio. org/sripedia
maintained By Sri Srinivasan Sriram


Another input:


The segregation of thengalai and vadagalai came only later and during Ramanuja's time all vaishnavas were the same.After the time of Desika and Manavalamamuni the followers of Dsesika who gave more importance to sanskrit granthas were called vadagalai while the followers of Manavalamamuni who held Tamil prabhandhas as supreme came to be called thengalai.This is according to my knowledge and if anyone can give evidence otherwise I stand corrected. Moreover Ramanuja did not have discrimination even between brahmins and nonbrahmins and both vadagalai and thengalai profess to be the followers of him.In the world vedanta has come to mean only advaita especially due to the cosmopolitanm outlook the great teaschers like Ramakrishna, Sivananda, Ramana and so many others. Vishishtadvaita is unknown to the world at large because of the attitude of vaishnavites to keep the teachings of vaishnvite saints and acharyas secret. I was told once that if I want to listen to a discourse on Sribhashya only if I wear nine yards though I could see no conection between the two. Puja and other religious rites have to be according to some rituals and customeds, I understand but even to read the holy works if one has to be a orthodox vaishnava how will the teachings of the masters like Ramanuja will be known to all. After all he shouted the ashtakshara from the temple tower. There are people who disapproved my taking Sribhashya as the topic for my thesis. Luckily I had a genuine devotee who is also an orthodox vaishnava as my guru, who is now 92. Ramanuja took as his disciple those whom had the only qualification of being a devotee and calling ourselves as his followers should we restrict ourselves within the fold of vaishnavism itself seggregating into vadagalai and thenkalai?. As long as you have His mark on your mind it doesnot matter how you mark your forehead.External paraphernalia is to creata the attitude of bhakthi so that the Lord will make your heart His aboad. Once He has come in the these outward marks are like the kolam we put on our doorstep to denote auspiciousness.True vaishnava is one who has ahimsa,satya, TOLERANCE, bhoothadaya etc. One of the five yajnas namely, Brahmayajna, devayajna, manushya yajna, pitryajnaand bhootha yajna, is manushya yajna , service to mankind treating all as same, and in Bhagavata the Lord says that if you do not respect and treat all human beings equally ther is no use doing puja to Him and He actually gets angry with yiour worship.So no dogmas or bigotry is allowed for a vaishnava as laid out clearly in the favourite song of Gandhiji , ' vaishnavajan tho the ne kahiye,' by Narsi Mehtha

My main idea in starting my groups and the postings on the internet and in creating webpages and blocks is to break the barriers of religeous restrictions and to make my learning of the vaishnavite literature, thiough meagre, to all, let them be nonvaishnavites or nonproficient in sanskrit so that the treasures of vaishnavism , the teachings of Ramanuaja, Desika and the azvars will be known to all as they were intended to be universal.To the best of my ability I try to give what I have learnt in simple language and I consider this as bhagavtkainkarya. One of the five yajnas, Brahma yajna is the study of scriptures and to explain them to others.Several vaishnavite scholars are also doing this as we can see in the groups and websites on vaishnavism and I am glad that I am able to add a little like the squirrel. After all God is one by whatever name you call Him and He is common to all. The religious disciplines and beliefs are only our guidelines like the road maps. Once you reach the destination the road by which you travel dsoe not matter anymore.

Smt. Saroja Ramanujam