Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: outburst of a angry vaishnavite

From the Bhakti List Archives

KESHAVA B. PRASAD • February 15, 2003 


Harihi Om

I beg to differ with most of the commentators so far on the topic. Though
the initial question was somewhat crude and awkward, it did help to bring
about an important dialog on this forum.

Sri Mani said, "Judge not, lest ye be judged". If we take this route, how is
it then, that we are able to distinguish between Right and Wrong, Good and
Bad, Moral and Immoral and ultimately, Virtuous and Evil ? In absence of an
ability to so judge, we will not be in a position to use examples either
from scriptures, mythology or real life (most effective) to identify these
differences to our children in whom we are expected to instill good
qualities. Wouldn't we readily accept the fact that Hiranya Kashipu was evil
and Prahlada was noble? Who were the judges in this case? One might argue
especially, in this day and age that the distinctions are relative, a
practice popularly known as "Moral Relativism", and no one has any right to
judge anyone else because in the name of individual freedom and liberty, one
can set his or her own rules of conduct. Imagine the kind of chaos that the
world would be in if Moral relativism is accepted as the basis for any
social order ! Our poorvacharyas understood this and so did founders of many
modern civilizations and decided that there needed to be certain "absolutes"
against which a society can measure its performance. Such absolutes took the
form of for example, "Ten Commandments" among Biblical religions and
"Anushthanas"  and other rigorous ritual as well as self-disciplines
prescribed in our sampradayam and other sects of Hinduism in general.

At the start of Sandhyavandanam, the mantra for the process of self
purification includes both external and internal purification in readiness
for the spiritual act or acts that are to follow. This implies that internal
purification has to begin with external purification. External purification
sets one up with a framework of mind for what is to follow. It is therefore,
necessary that there are satisfactory outward appearances present to
encourage an onlooker or an inquisitive individual to proceed to learn more
about the subject. I don't think anyone can deny the fact that most of us
will not readily associate ourselves with other individuals if we see
something in their behavior that we don't like.

Quoting Sri Mani again, " I shudder to think of the consequences if I were
judged, merely on external appearances", is just the kind of awareness that
one should have to remind one of acceptable conduct in a civilized society.
External appearance is most likely, not the final rung in judging an
individual but surely, the first one.

Remove our beliefs, anushthanams, rituals and our conduct towards one
another that these preparatory tools are supposed to render us, I don't see
how anyone can claim to be a Srivaishnava as opposed to being a follower of
any other faith.

Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan
Keshava Prasad.






----- Original Message -----
From: 
To: 
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 4:45 PM
Subject: Re: outburst of a angry vaishnavite


> > In a recent
> > function attended by my appa of a member of he said he
> > was shocked to see the parents of the bidegroom eating
> > food in both the hands and ever thing against the so
> > called anushtanams which the group was started the
> > spread
>
> Others have said it well but I am reminded of
> the Biblical statement "Judge not, lest ye be
> judged." Who among us has not lapsed in our
> ritual purity in some way or another? I shudder
> to think of the consequences if I were judged
> merely on external appearances. Though none of
> us can be compared in any measure, the story of
> Jada Bharata also comes to mind as good food
> for thought.
>
> But yet I am not surprised at the shock of you
> and your father. This is the sad state of our
> community when orthodoxy is judged principally
> on the basis of ritual cleanliness and not on
> internal qualities and formal anusthanam of some
> form or another is the primary measure of one's
> Vaishnavatva.
>
> Mani
>  [writing as a participant and not as moderator]
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>            - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
> To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
> Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list
> Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>



--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Group Home: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bhakti-list
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/