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Re: SamAshrayanam

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a.v saranathan • January 23, 1998 


dear bhakthas,
         i've posed the question of women reciting hymns in praise of 
the lord to my grand-uncle,Sri U.Ve.Purisai Krishnamaachariyar Swami, on 
a few occasions and the replies on all those occasions have been that 
women are not supposed to recite any of these hymns aloud.
         i shall now reproduce my best efforts at translating whatever 
was said to me by the swami[in tamil].
         ' Reciting hymns aloud implies others hearing them and learning 
about the lord etc..Recitation of hymns aloud,for the world to hear, is 
supposed to be a man's duty.And hence when a woman recites these 
aloud,she is transgressing her duty limits.
           A woman is also attracting undue attention to herself by way 
of her sweet voice which is heard by one and all when she recites slokas 
aloud.' 
         personally,i am not qualified by any means to give any comment 
whatsoever.         
                                           adiyongal daasavargam,
                                                  athi saranathan.        
>
>At 12:20 PM 1/22/98 -0800, you wrote:
>>
>>I have also heard this, but only from informal Sri Vaishnavas --
>>never an acharya or scholar. I suspect this is a practice 
>>carried out in some places where women were naturally and
>>culturally restricted in many ways from learning and religious
>>knowledge.
>
>
>Sri Srivatsangachar who is considered a scholar did say 
>this.  It is on tape.  He quoted the couplet that follows,
>"Parvatyuvacha" in which Parvathi says to her husband she
>wishes to hear, (srOthum ichchaam).  He narrated a story
>that leads up to this exchange between Siva and Parvathi.
>Sri Srivatsangachar's words approximately were, "women 
>are not supposed to, but they do these days, let us not 
>get into that."
>
>
>>
>>Sri VishnusahasranAma stotram is unequivocally meant for
>>everyone, and everyone should learn and recite it.
>
>
>I don't disagree with the intent of the above
>statement.  However, perhaps even unrelated to 
>the present context, I am wary of us, who are 
>only "informal Sri Vaishnavas" for whom Sri 
>Vasihnava scholarship is only a part-time 
>hobby, making policy for all.
>
>
>-- adiyEn
>



A.V.SARANATHAN
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