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Visishtadvaita Sampradayam
In our Visistadvaita Sampradayam, the first teacher is the Lord Narayana himself
and his student was his consort Godess Lakshmi who communicated the same to the
commander-in-chief Visvaksena and to Sathakopa(Nammalwar). Then came the lineage
of Acharyas led by Sri Nathamuni, and his grandson Yamunacharya. His was next to
follow with his disciple Sri Ramnuja and other series of Acharyas like Sri Kuresa, Sri
Nadadur Alvan, Sri Kidambi Acchan, Tirukkurugaippiran Pillan who were followed by a
hierarchy of Acharyas upto our acharyas (Ashmadacharya) as listed in the
Guruparampara.
The following sloka establishes link between the mortals and Sriman Narayana
his consort Sri is regarded as the Mother of the Universe, also acts as a
mediatrix(purushakara as referred in Sri Pillai Lokacharya’s Srivachanabhusanam)
between man and God bringing man close to God and thirdly she is mentioned as the
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In the Vishnu Purana, the author Sri Parasara glorifies Lord Vishnu who is the Supreme
being always associated with Sri or Lakshmi as mutually inseparable, Whatever form the
Lord may take, Sri joins him in a suitable form. As Sita in Ramayana, Rukmini in
Dwapara (with Krishna) etc:
In the Lakshmi(Sri) and Bhudevi(Hri) are described as two consorts of Lord Vishnu
"Hrishcha te Lakshmischa Patnyau..."
For example in the Saranagathi Gadya, Sri Ramanuja refers to Lakshmi as follows :
Jeevatma
Jeevatma is name given to millions of Jivas, which is entirely different from the body
which it inhabits. Body made up of Panchbhtas, the sense organs, mind, and Jeevatma is
eternal , self-manifest, indestructible by nature. Each soul of jivatma acquires a body
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(a clothing as it were) made out of the evolutes of Prakriti given to it by the Ultimate
Reality, God, in keeping with its past karma.
Prakruti:
All the inanimate matter come under Prakruti. Prakruti (the mattere) which is a main
constituent to form a deha (body) to the Jeevatma. What ever the experiences will be
experence bt Deha and the Atma. Atma orders the Deha to do the work. In this Atma is
master and the Deha is the servent. Being the body of the Atma, this Deha will become
an obedient servant.
Paramatma: Paramatma is the ultimate unchanging reality who creates the universe
consisting of jivatma and Prakrti (matter). The JEEVatmas and the other matter forms
the body of the Paramatma.
As the Jeevatma has the body made up of Prakruti, The Jeevtmas and Prakruti
together forms the body of the Paramatma. As a master the Jeevatma controls the
body which it inhabits, the Paramatma will have controlling pwer on his body that is all
Jeevtmas and Prakruti. In other words as a part of the body of the Paramatma, we
the Jeevas always should be obedient to the ultimate GOD Lord Vishnu.
Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryami and Arcavatara. Are the five forms or modes of the
Lord Vishnu
Para form of the Lord is like the waters which surround the cosmos (only belief, beyond
imaginary) – (The presence of cosmos water is beyond the imagination)
Vyuha is like the milky ocean. (imaginary)- Milky ocean (One can imagine how it
would be)
Vibhava forms are like flash floods (occational) - (Floods appear suddenly and
afterwards disappers)
Antaryami is like the subsoil water (in hidden form)- (the presence water is everywhere
in the soil)
Archa form is like the water that is in rivers, ponds, wells, lakes, etc (can be seen and
felt) - Easy access to every body.
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The Archa form is there in many sacred palces. The AlWars have sung in praise
of Archa forms in 108 scacred places and realised Godhead, now popularly
known as 108 Divya Deshams .
In SWAYAMVYAKTA the Archa form is revealed by God himself and not made
by man; for example Lord Srinivasa at Tirupati, Lord Badrinarayana at Badrinath
Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam etc. PUTTAKONDA LAKSHMI NARASIMHA
SWAMI (Pedapudi mandal, EG dt, Andhra Pradesh) IS ALSO BELIEVED TO
BE THE SWAYAMVYAKTA FORM and all Kainkaryam is being done
following panchratragam.
In which Saranagati is the easiest mode and can be followed by any one with
simplest initial determination. Once decided the, Saranagati becomes part of the life style
and is very easy to follow in this materialistic world. Whereas the other ways like Bhakti
marga require a continuous practice and process.
The Saranagati can be practiced through Acharya Seva and Acharya Anugraham.
Nitya Bhagavardhana
In this materialistic world we are, not following the actual Dharma (Our OWN
Dharma) what we have to follow. Many of the younger generation is not aware of
many things associated with SRIVAISHNAVA philosophy. What is required to
follow is just get associated with our own ACHARYA. He can show the path, he can
show the light he can show every thing.
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Now let us experience the divine association of ACHARYAS to lead safe, secured,
purposeful and meaningful life. For this we have to start searching for this.
Acharyanugraham of Bhagavad
Ramanuja
Even in Sri Bhashyam, he declares that the proper meanings of the Brahma Sutras have
been determined by earlier masters and he merely shows their relationships
with the letters of the aphorisms. Clearly, Sri Alavandar's works including the
famous 'Siddhi Trayam' have been a guiding light here. In Vedartha Sangraha also, he has
composed a verse on Yamunacharya to show that it was Sri Alavandar who
systematically refuted the three schools of Advaita and upheld Upanishad siddhanta as:
used verbatim by Ramanuja (and Swami Sri Desikan has explained it in Rahasya
Granthas).
Another of his Acharyas, i.e, Sri Tirukkottiyur Nambigal had taught Ramanuja the
secret hymns of the Sampradaya after due processes of rigorous testing for fulfilling the
requirements of a worthy recipient. He had strictly prohibited Ramanuja from passing on
these tenets to others (except Kuresa, who in the teacher's opinion was the only worthy
recipient from Ramanuja for rahasyas), without the express permission of his Acharya.
However, the incident wherein, out of abundant compassion towards all beings,
Ramanuja explained the purport of these hymns to a large audience in a temple, was
brought to the notice of the master duly by some people. On hearing this, the master got
angry and summoned Ramanuja to enquire about it. Here is his rebuke:
“Do you realise what you have done and what would befall you for this violation of my
strict instruction?” thundered the master.
Ramanuja's humble reply was, “By violating the sacred injunction of the Acharya,
I would sure reach downward path (hell), but innumerable living beings (souls) would get
released from bondage. This was the motivation for me to undertake this misadventure.”
On hearing this reply, the master was immensely pleased and was moved by the
compassion of Ramanuja. He then said, “I did this only to test your natural concern for
fellow-souls' emancipation so that you could qualify to be the leader of our spiritual
path.”
Let us all salute this great Acharya and feel justifiably proud of being his disciples
and the great lineage of Acharyas in an unbroken chain from him till our own Acharyas.
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It may also be remembered that even Tirukacchi Nambi (Kanchi Purna), who had the
privilege of conversing with Lord Varadaraja could not secure moksha until he obtained
Acharya Sambandha with Periya Nambi (Mahaa Purna). Thus, to beget the grace of Lord
Sat Sampradayam
Dayam is inheritance. It is common knowledge that we are not entitled to an inheritance
if the wealth was earned through the effort of the parents. On the other hand, if the family
fortune is from ancestral bequeath, then one has a birthright to that property. For
example, a grandchild has a birth right to the wealth of his or her grandfather. Such a
wealth is called “Pradayam”. When such wealth is earned through righteous means and
put to moral use it is called “Sampradayam”.
The wealth for which one has a birthright need not only be material wealth. Often a
prized family heirloom may not have any material value. Yet, its value may be
immeasurable to the family members. It may even be valued more than all the material
wealth. Our Sri Vasihnava Sampradayam is such an ancestral wealth. This wealth is
incomparable, matchless, and ultimate. It comes down to us from none other than the
primordial Lord Sriman Narayana. So ours is Sat Sampradayam.
The unbroken chain of Acharyas, starting from Sriman Narayana and Periya Piratti
Mahalakshmi, have preserved, protected and passed this wealth down to us over the eons.
We have a right to this inheritance. All we have to do is approach an Acharya in this
lineage. When claiming an earthly inheritance one is often required to produce proof of
identity. Similarly, to prove our identity as worthy of receiving the wealth of Sri
Vaishnava Sat Sampradayam, we should undertake the rite of Samasrayanam, also
known as Panca Samskaram.
After securing our right to the Sat Sampradayam, we need to remain indebted to our
Acharyas without whom we wouldn’t even know of the existence of this priceless wealth.
However, we must also realize that it is impossible to even think of compensating our
Acharyas for the debt we owe.
Our Acharyan has lit the light of knowledge and has destroyed the darkness of our folly.
Even the Lord cannot adequately compensate such an Acharyan for the benefit he has
bestowed upon us. All that is left for us to do is to delight in his admiration, meditate
upon him, and relentlessly endeavor to enhance his glory. Even all this is just a trifle in
comparison to what our Acharya granted us.