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VarnAshrama DharmA

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Anand K Karalapakkam • January 24, 1998 


                                  Sri :
          
             Srimate  Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Para Brahmane Namaha
  
             Srimate Sri Lakshmi - Nrusimha Divya PAdukA Sevaka - 
         Srivan  Shatagopa  Sri NArAyana Yateendra MahAdesikAya Namaha      
             
                  Srimate NigamAntha MahAdesikAya Namaha 
                  Srimate  Bhagavad   RAmAnujAya  Namaha      
                 
                    Sriyai Namaha ; SridharAya  Namaha


     Dear  Bhakti Group Members ,
    
     Namo NArAyanA . kindly accept adiyens pranAmams. 

     Adiyen has pledged not to enter any types of discussions which even
remotely leads to vadakalai vs thengalai.

    But Adiyen would like to clarify little bit about VarnAshrama DharmA .   

         Every baddha jIvAtmA is eligible for getting moksham. Anyone can  
have  Prapatti done as long as they are sincere to AchAryA/sAstrAs . There
are no restrictions.

        But aslong as a jIvAtmA is in a particular body , he is bound by
it . The body which is obtained through past karmA ( destines the
type of birth) poses many restrictions to the jIvAtmA (most of the things
are not visible to naked eyes) . Eventhough the jIvAtmA is an eternal
servant of NArAyanA , he is not in that same mood 24 hrs a day , 365 days 
a year ,which is possible only at Sri Vaikuntam. He does various
activities based on body : eating , sleeping etc.  

       So , sAstrAs prescribe various duties a jIvAtmA has to perform
because of his connection with this body. These duties are to be performed
as a service to NArAyanA .Thus they are kainkaryams only.     
     
    Let adiyen quote a passage from SamAshrayanam - part 6 posting.

"The important aspect in any kainkaryam is that it is purely for the 
pleasure of Sriman NArAyanA . SAstrAs also clearly specify the type of
kainkaryam one has to perform , according to ones varnA & AshramA. So ,
one has to just take up the kainkaryam assigned to him/her & perform with
devotion. This is the spirit behind the kainkaryam & thus one shouldn't
entertain questions like "Why can't I do this ?" , "Why should they only
do that ? " etc.    ".

      If a person belongs to the varnA of say Brahmin , he is ORDERED by
NArAyanA to perform certain duties as kainkaryams. This in no way makes
him superior/inferior. If a person thinks that he is superior to others
just because he is performing something which others are not performing ,
he has totally misunderstood sAstrAs. Also if that person doesn't do those
kainkaryams, he is not pleasing NArAyanA .

     NArAyanA has told in so many instances regarding the strict
observance of VarnAshrama DharmA . So , it is followed for
the pleasure of NArAyanA & not due to  superiority/inferiority issues .

     AzhvArs are supreme unparalleled devotees of Sriman NArAyanA . They
strictly observed VarnAshrama dharmA . They didn't violate it because, it
is for the pleasure of NArAyanA. 

    If the spirit of VarnAshrama DharmA is not understood , it leads to
absurd conclusions. 
  
     This posting is just a clarification on varnAshrama dharmA .

 A small note : Please go through the entire divya prabandham . Nowhere is
pranavam as a combination of a,u & m occurs. They are indirectly referred
to as pranavam , name based on the mAtirai of chanting etc. Nowhere in the
prabandham does ashtAksharam occurs ( It is actually from VedAs). While
referring to ashtAksharam , AzhvArs refer to ashtAksharam as "the 8
lettered one" etc. 
        


   Namo NArAyanA

   Adiyen

   Anantha PadmanAbha dAsan  


                      Sarvam  Sri KrishnArpanamastu