Srivaishnava lakshanam - 13

Conclusion

sri:
srimathe ramanujaya nama:
srimad varavaramunaye nama:
sri vaanaachala mahamunaye nama:

In the previous article (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-12.html) we observed how Manavaala Maamunigal manifested all the qualities expected out of a srivaishnava. We will continue to enjoy some more of his glories and will end this series with that. It is said that "madhurEna samaapayEth:" - "end it sweet". What could be sweeter than discussing maamunigal's glories? It is emperumaan's divine plan that this srivaishnava lakshanam series completes with maamunigal anubhavam.

In srivachana bhUshana divya saastram, sUtram 221 - it is said that vEthakap pon pOlE ivarkaLOttai sambaNtham (வேதகப் பொன் போலே இவர்களோட்டை ஸம்பந்தம்) -  in the commentary maamunigal explains that sambandham with srivaishnavas will make us pure - just like alchemy - the process by which a chemical combination touches iron and changes that iron piece into gold. In periya thirumozhi, kaliyan says "thammaiyE NALum vanNanGgith thozhuvArkku, thammaiyEyokka aruLcheyvar" (தம்மையே நாளும் வணங்கித் தொழுவார்க்கு, தம்மையேயொக்க அருள்செய்வர்) - One who constantly worships emperumaan becomes like emperumaan (i.e., gets apahathapaapmaa, vijira:, etc - eight qualities as mentioned in saastram) by his grace. But the difference between emperumaan and srivaishnavas is quite clear just by these two pramaanams - to become a pure vaishnava we only need to establish the relationship with another pure vaishnava, but the same with emperumaan will happen only when we constantly (24 hrs, 360 days, forever) engage in worshipping emperumaan.

This we can see from our pUrvaachaaryas lives - just like Emperumaanaar transformed the lives of so many. His sishyas were quite comparable to him, koorathaazhwaan, mudhaliaandaan, embar, arulaala perumaal emperumaanaar, etc are all equally great but always considered themselves subservient to emperumaanaar.
The same way maamunigal sishyas also - Ponnadikkaal jeeyar, koyil kandhaadai annan, Pattarbhiraan jeeyar, thiruvEnkata jeeyar, Prathivaadhi bayankaram annan, Erumbiappaa, appullaar, appillai, etc are all equally glorious, but they all considered themselves subservient to maamunigal. This we can understand from upadhEsa rathina maalai 55th paasura vyaakyaanam (discussed in previous article) - pillai lOkam jeeyar, the commentator, while initially says "periya jeeyar is the only one who can be said as Ororuvar", continues to say how prathivaadhi bayankaram annan, pattarbhiraan jeeyar, madhrakavi dhaasar are all qualified to be said "Ororuvar". How aptly this relates to the sUtram we have discussed here?

Let us see a quick summary of what is discussed so far in this series:

• We observed the physical appearances that are expected in a srivaishnava (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/07/srivaishnava-lakshanam-1.html).
• We observed the pancha-samskaaram process which begins our journey as a srivaishnava towards paramapadham (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/07/srivaishnava-lakshanam-2.html).
• We observed the acharya-sishya relationship that came out of the panchasamskaaram (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/07/srivaishnava-lakshanam-3.html).
• We observed briefly about our own guru paramparai (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/07/srivaishnava-lakshanam-4.html).
• We observed the internal qualities that should be developed by a srivaishnava (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-5.html).
• We observed the importance of appreciating/glorifying other srivaishnavas (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-6.html).
• We observed the apachaarams that are to be avoided by srivaishnavas (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-7.html).
• We observed about understanding the greatness of srivaishnavas irrespective of their birth, etc (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-8.html and http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-9.html).
• We observed the srivaishnava dhinacharya - daily routine (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-10.html and http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-11.html).
• We observed how Manavaala maamunigal lived by that dhinacharya (http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/2012/08/srivaishnava-lakshanam-12.html).

Thus, with these in mind, if we simply try to adhere to the following principles, we will also slowly but surely develop the srivaishnava lakshanam that is explained by our pUrvaachaaryas.

• Have full faith in pUrvaachaaryas vaazhvum (lives) and vaakkum (instructions).
• Always have upakaara smrithi (gratitude) towards emperumaan and acharyan for the favours they have done to us.
• Accept bhagavad, bhaagavatha vishayam as much as possible and reject others.
• Avoid dhEvathaanthara bhajanam.
• Practise naichyaanusandhaanam - always think of ourselves lower than others.
• Maintain proper aahaara niyamam.

With this adiyen would like to end this series of articles.

While adiyen collected very valuable information on our pUrvaacharya’s jnaanam and anushtaanam from various works of pUrvaachaaryas, adiyen requests every one to hear these matters as kaalakshEpam under a proper acharyan. Without hearing from vidhwaans and just by reading books on our own, these matters cannot be understood properly.

adiyen would like to first thank sriya:pathi, azhwars and acharyas for inspiring adiyen to write these articles. adiyen would also like to thank all the swamys from whom adiyen heard kaalakshEpams without which adiyen would not have understood any of these. If there is anything good in these articles it belongs to our acharya paramparai and these swamys. Also, adiyen requests all srivaishnavas to ignore any of adiyen's mistakes in these articles and just accept the essence of these articles.

srimathE ramya jaamaathru munIndhraaya mahaatmanE
srirangavaasinE bhUyaath nithyasri: nithya mangalam

adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
archived in http://ponnadi.blogspot.in