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Re: purattaasi kEttaithanil puvi uthitthOn vaazhiyE!

From the Bhakti List Archives

K. Srinivsasan • September 29, 1994 


In <199409281818.LAA09674@srirangam.esd.sgi.com>, Mani Varadarajan wrote:
>
>Therefore, there is no separate 'prapatti' or 'SaraNaagati' for
>Thengalais, like there is for Vadagalais.  Thengalais also do not
>admit bhakti-yoga as a separate means, with the idea that it is
>only prapatti (which is essentially realizing the nature of one's
>soul) that "achieves" moksha. (Thengalai Acharyas would probably
>even object to my usage of the word "achieve".)
>

I have heard that there are two stages in the vadagalai tradition,
"samaasrayaNam" and "bharaNyaasam". Is that what you mean? I am
not quite familiar, though some of my relatives will be.

There are some practices which I found to differ, the number of
times one does "sEvippu", for example.

In my father's funeral, five years ago, I was made more aware of the
differences. The vadagalai "sambandhi" of my father insisted
on so many stricter rituals. The thengalai "sambandhi" was
very tolerant and tried to be more adjusting. I do not know
if that can be generalized.

In my earlier posting on the origin, I should have added that
the average 1.2% per year, should include births minus deaths,
as well as conversion_in minus conversion_out etc. The percentage
could have been much higher in the first few years as you mentioned,
then dropped lower later.

Srinivasan