Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: [Alwars & Aharyas (Re: [(unknown)])]

From the Bhakti List Archives

M.S.HARI Madabhushi Sarangarajan Hari • December 21, 2000 


Dear SrI N.Vijayaraghavan 

>I would like to ask a fundamental question.Who are alwars and 
>acharyas?

Alwars are divine incarnations (amSa-avathAram) of various nithya-sUris 
of the God SrIman NArAyaNa. For example, Tiru-malizai-Alwar is 
sudarSana-chakra-amsam. Alwars got 'submerged' in the divine ocean of 
kalyANa-guNas (divine qualities) of SrIman NarAyaNa and enjoyed His
kalyANa-guNas.

AchAryas are preceptors; their succession (guru-parampara) is very 
important in preserving the parama-vaidika-matham ViSishtAdvaita SrI 
VaishNavam. The guru-parampara starts with SrIman NArAyaNa, has great 
AchAryas like SrI SatakOpa, SrIman nAthamuni, SrImath yAmunAchArya, 
Bhagavath rAmAnuja, SrIman nigamAntha mahA dESika to name a few. AchArya 
is he who practices and preaches the parama-vaidika-matham ViSishtAdvaita 
SrI VaishNavam. AchArya blesses us with pancha-samskAram, SAstra-adyayanam and
finally makes us to adopt the upAya-anushtAnam which is 
SaraNagathi (which has five angams) at the lotus feet of SrIman NArAyaNa. 

>Do alwars have some divine power?

Alwars had definitely divine power given to them by the God; and that 
power is "mayarvara-mathi-nalam" - absolute knowledge about the 
thathva-hitha-purushArthams.  Above this power, they had ultimate mercy 
and showered it on all of us through their 4000 divine verses 
(nAlAyira-divya-prabandam) and thus explained the Veda (theLiyAda maRai 
nilangaL theLigindROmE - swAmi SrIman NigamAntha mahA dESika) in Tamil in 
a simple way. These verses are outpouring of their experiences that they 
had with the unparalleled and unsurpassed supreme self SrIman NArAyaNa 
(bhagavath-anubhava-parivAham). Their power is so great that their words 
have expressed the universal philosophy and practice of the ViSishtAdvaita SrI
VaishNavam in such a lively manner, comprehensible to all of us. 

>Where the alwars stand as per  our sampradayam and what is their exact 
>role?.

In our ubhaya-vEdAntha sampradAyam, Alwars stand in a very important 
position next to the rishis like bAdarAyaNa, parASaraÂ… But SrI 
SatakOpa (namAlwAr) is also an AchArya in the guru-parampara. Therefore, 
SrI SatakOpa is acknowledged with highest regards as 
prapanna-santhAna-jana-kUtasta: and SrI VaishNava kulapathi. Without the 
sambandam of this AlwAr, the souls cannot even think of salvation. Such is the
greatness. Their role is to educate all people through their works 
(nAlAyira-divya-prabandam) regarding ViSishtAdvaita SrI VaishNava 
thathva-hita-purushArthams and make the souls to adopt SaraNAgathi
(prapaththi/Bhara-nyAsam) at the lotus feet of SrIman NArAyaNa.

Thanks & Regards
M.S.HARI rAmAnuja dAsan (mshari@usa.net)


____________________________________________________________________
Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1

--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
Search archives at http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/index.html#SEARCH
Manage your subscription at http://www.egroups.com/mygroups