Re[2]: bhakti

From the Bhakti List Archives

• July 30, 1998


                        Srimathe Narayanaya Namaha
     On this subject, Sri Dileepan wrote,

> such as Samanam and Saivam.  One Azhvaar goes to the extent of
> saying that he will make it his duty to cut off their heads.
>
> If this note causes any hurt please accept my apologies.

     and Sri Chandrasekaran replied,

   Is this not preaching intolerance towards other darmas and isn't adorning
such ideas fundamentalism? What difference lies here between this doctrine
and that of today's islamic countries?

I totally agree with what Sri Chandrasekharan has said.

If that saint gives so much importance to his samayam that he is forced to
criticise and go the extent that he would even kill the followers of an
anniya darma, it is really a pitiable state that he didn't only forget his
goal but also trespassed other's path to the same goal. [ He is as bad a sinner
as the Chola king who plucked the eyes of a disciple of Srimad Ramanuja for
worshipping Narayana. ]

   chandrasekaran.

     Now let me quote the verse from Thirumalai by Thondaradippodi Azhwar,
     whom  I believe, Sri Dileepan is referring to.

     "Veruppodu samaNar muNdar vidhiyil sAkkiyargaL, ninpAl
      poRuppariyanagaL pEsil pOvadhE nOyadhAgi,
      kuRippenakkadayumAgil koodumEl, thalaiyai AngE
      aRuppadhE karumam kaNdAi arangamA nagaruLAnE".

     Here the Azhwar says that he is going to chop off the heads of only
     those Samanar and Saivar and Saakiyar,who without any knowledge,
     simply talk rubbish about Sriman Narayanan, without knowing that he is
     the Supreme Being.

     Now let us analyse this situation in a lowkikam way. We are driving a
     car let me say from place A to place B. There are three of us in the
     car. None of us know the exact route from A to B except one let him be
     X. But we refer to the route map on the way and suddenly one says " we
     need to take a right turn here to reach the place". But X is very sure
     that we need to go straight to reach the place. But the other person
     insists out of ignorance that "No No we should turn right". First X
     may try to convince him in soft and polite way and try to get him
     convinced that the straight road is the correct, showing him the
     correct direction on the Map.

     Now if still the second person is very adamant without any reason that
     we should turn right, then naturally X will go wild because he knows
     for sure that the Straight road is the correct one.

     Applying the same theory here, the Azhwar goes wild only at all those
     people who does not realise that Sriman Narayanan is the Supreme
     Brahman when all the scriptures point out the same, but in addition
     start speaking rubbish about him (ninpAl "poRuppariyanagaL" pEsil)

     Here we should note that the Azhwar is not saying that he will chop
     the heads of all people who follow other religion but those, not
     coming out of the ignorance even when adequate proof is there, who
     talk rubbish against the Supreme Brahman who is Sriman Narayanan.

     Now I don't think this Azhwar is really a sinner like the Chola king
     KrumikaNda chozhan, because he blindly wanted Ramanujar to sign a
     letter saying that Siva is the Supreme, without even arranging for a
     debate.

     adiyEn RAmAnuja dAsan

     Thirumalai Vinjamoor Venkatesh