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Thirumalai Anandanpillai • March 11, 1996 


This post may be blasphemical to many people. If you are offended, please
forgive me. These are just my thoughts.


 > I am deeply distressed by the recent discussions on the group
> questioning the correctness of Swami Desikan's statements about our
> Sampradayam. I hope focus returns soon.

I would not classify those discussions as 'questioning'. Even if it 
were questioning, I so not think that there is anything wrong about
it as it is only to understand his teachings as opposed to 'looking
down' upon his teachings.

 It is a futile attempt to try and 
> analyze the teachings of our Acharyas and Purvacharyas in the context of 
> modern science and logic.

Analysis of teachings has always been a part of our tradition. In my humble
opinion, that is what makes our religion different from other (dogmatic)religions.


> There are many things for which science cannot provide answers. For
> example, why are we at a given place at a given time? Can we provide a
> scientific explanation? How can we explain the begining and end of life on 
> basis of science?

True. But that does not mean that one just accepts the teachings without
giving it any thought. The thought process in the discussions (at least my perception of it) was to gain a better understanding of the teachings. 
Nowhere does our Acharyaas say not to reason (or 'question') about
the teachings. 

If Raamanujar had not reasoned about the teachings of Yadava Prakasa (and
just accepted it), we would not have Vishistadvaitam today. I am not saying that Vishistadvaitam (or the teachings of our Acharyaas) is flawed. But,
asking people to accept the teachings without reasoning does great damage
to the understanding of SriVaishnavism, and to a lesser extent SriVaishnavism
itself.

Asking for your forgiveness,
Varadhan