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Re: [Pseudo Gods etc.,---Contd...]

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M.S.HARI (Madabhushi Sarangarajan Hari) • August 16, 2000 


Dear Shree RR Swamy (eyetex@md1.vsnl.net.in),

I appreciate your mail. I would like to present my ideas regarding the points
that you have mentioned in your mail as follows.

>The most important aspect which should concern all of us are:
>i)how will we manage to take the teachings of Bhagawan Ramanuja, Sri 
>Nigamantha Desika , Sri MAnavala Mamuni and their Successors who have >been
and are Great Acharyas in their own right to the common persons 
>in a very simple manner and in a language they can understand and follow?

"Philosophy and practice" is a vast subject, which requires lot of levels of
study from basics step by step.  Before one could consider teaching the
grantas of our poorva-aacharyas, what I suggest is a common man should be
taught regarding the greatness of our philosophy and practice. Then he should
be educated regarding Veda and logically explain to him that only Veda is the
authority in knowing God-Brahman who is Purushoththaman Shreeman Narayanan.
The beginner has to be first made to understand that
the pramaana for tatva-hita-purushaarthas is the apowrusheya Veda.
Only when the beginner understands this in various levels step by step in
terms of the first four Brahma Sutras - "Athaatho brahma jignyaasa",
"janmaadyasya yatha:", "saastra yonithvaath", "thaththu samanvayaath", he can
start understanding what philosophy and practice is all about. Then he should
be educated further using the saastras and logic that Visishtadvaita Shree
Vaishnavam is the philosophy and practice. Of course I agree with you that all
these things must be told in simple manner and in a language (preferably
English) - because it has world wide appeal. Without educating the basics and
that too specifically regarding Veda, I think, it will be difficult to teach
him directly the grantas of our poorva-aachaaryas. Book alone is not
sufficient in this regard. First and foremost thing is cultivating interest in
the minds of beginners. The
next is stressing the importance of pramaanam-Veda. After that is 
teaching the philosophy and practice of the Veda which is Visishtadvaita
Shree Vaishnavam - the parama-vaidika-matham.

>ii)since we are supposed to learn the said essences of Visishtadvaitha 
>thro' these Acharya Purushas, are we devising a system more suited to the 
>fast changing world which looks for instant solutions to every problem in 
>life OR are we going to take our usual systems forward which , to me, 
>looks as if will admit fewer and fewer members into the inner learning 
>circle?
This point is very interesting. It is a must that we need to learn the
siddhantam and anushtaanam only from the Acharya Purushas. The system of
imparting this knowledge which is in our ancient Shree Sampradayam is through
Veda Adyayanam, Puraana-ithihaasa-smruthi-saastra adyayanam, mimaamsa, Shree
Sampradaaya Grantha kaalakshepam, Guru-Upadesam of Mantra-trayam etc. There is
no need to create a new system. The ancient system may be enhanced only in
terms its spread in various parts of the world. For this, the modern media
like internet etc., can be used to certain extent. Ofcourse, mantropadesam
etc., can be had only in person.
It is always the best to learn the grantaas by kaalakshepam under the full
guidance of Shree Vaishnava Aacharya in person. The modern improvements like
tele-upanyaasams are helping a lot in this regard. Further mere book knowledge
will not be always beneficial. Direct Aachaarya-upadesam is the best in this
regard. 

>iii)how do we impress upon and convey to the most common and the poorest 
>sishya or abhimani the baic essence of our pilosophy and the teachings of 
>our Acharyas?
For this, we need to make the most common and the poorest  sishya or abhimani
to first understand the greatness of Veda which is the Pramaanam. Then our
poorva-aacharya's works must be taught to him step by step from basics. Also,
each concept has to be explained as the Brahma Sutra explains it in five
components namely vishayam, samsayam, poorva-paksham, siddhaantam and
prayojanam. This will not only impart the correct knowledge but also will make
the most common and the poorest 
sishya or abhimani to realise that our Visishtadvaita Shree Vaishnavam is the
only philosophy and practice which is not only in strict accordance to the
apowrusheya Veda but also rational and has got answers for all questions. This
has to be done initially by simple presentations (in English preferably) of
the contents of our poorva-aacharya's works like Yatindra-matha deepika. Then
gradually using other grantams like para-matha-bhangam etc. Our
poorva-aacharya's grantams have all the answers for all sorts of questions.
But they are in Sanskrit, Mani-Pravaalam and Tamil. The standard of the
grantams are peerless. All that is to be done is, educate beginners regarding
Veda, basics of philosophy. Then we need to cultivate interest in him to learn
the poorva-aacharya grantams under the full guidance of Shree Vaishnava
Aacharyas. 

>iv)do we accept that the system is now more structured to reach out to >and
to teach the affluent and if so,how do we ensure that all are made >equally
welcome in these places of learning?
This is a point, which is having great importance. It needs lot of efforts to
implement. But once the interest is cultivated in the minds of beginners, then
I think the system can be implemented easily & successfully.

>I have held and am holding a responsible position and am convinced that 
>the time for action is now without resorting to flippant comments.Believe 
>me i have been there for nearly 28 years and there are several ways we >can
broadbase our institutions without losing our sanctity or the glory >of our
Asramams or Mutts.

I admire your 28 years of kainkaryams. I am very much interested in knowing
your ideas regarding the same. 

Thanks & Regards
M.S.HARI Ramanuja Daasan.


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