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The 'QUALITY ' of a Sri Vaishnavan

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jasn sn • June 22, 2002 


SRIMATHE RAAMNUJAYA NAMAHA

The responses to the questions on the quality of a
srivaishnavan,I posed in an earlier post are indeed
thought provoking.

These responses, coupled with the search I was doing
on this subject had made me come back to address the
questions once again. 

It is no exaggeration to say that these questions are
too relevant today as scores of Srivaishnavites are
still wondering whether they fit into the bill in the
right perspective. They are not to be faulted, for,
the steady degeneration in transferring the precepts
and practices had taken place very long ago.
And when people continued to follow the practices and
precepts without knowing why they are being done, the
degeneration has accelerated and hence there are
doubts today whether, the one who calls himself a
Srivaishanvan really stands up to be a Sri vaishnavan!

In this mail, let me bring to the notice of fellow
devotees, some interesting information I collected
from authentic texts. Initially I just wanted to
present them as I have. Then on a deeper thinking, I
decided to follow a modus operandi that could convince
the present day reader who, like me would be eager to
do a 5W-1H analysis to get into the right answers.

Let me begin with 'QUALITY'
What is meant by quality?
Is it what is possessed within?
Is it something that is nurtured?
Is it something that is added?

Glancing through different concepts on quality from
Ishikawa to 6-ZIGMA, I tumbled upon an interesting
notion on quality by the famous Kano. (His theory is
currently in vogue around the world)
The Kano theory says that quality can be anything that
is contained in/ possessed by a product (in a person ,
for our discussion).
But can be or must be of three levels, namely,
DESIRABLE QUALITY,
MUST-BE QUALITY and
ATTRACTIVE QUALITY.

Applying  these 3 levels to a person, one can say that
a person must possess a level of quality that is the
basic, desirable level that he  must necessarily 
possess. That is common for all persons irrespective
of their background.

But that is  not enough. If one wants to be known as a
quality person or a person of high calibre (for our
discussion) he MUST possess something more,  that
enables him to take pride in living up to be a MAN.
That is is the second level which makes one distinct
from others and even places him above others.

The third type is what is UNIQUE about that person.
Not all products or persons can have a very special
character in them, but it is worth making an attempt
to obtain that level. If a product comes to possess an
attractive feature, then that will be a run-away
success. Similarly if a person comes to develop an
attractive quality in him, then he is SOMEONE, a
leader, a great soul or even an avatara purusha.

It is in this this background I want to see what is
the desirablre quality, must-be quality and attarctive
quality in a Srivaishnavan!  

This line of analysis looks acceptable to me, because
not all of are in the same boat as a Srivaishnavite!
Each one of us have a different level of
understanding, practice, sincerity in following the
precepts and many more. The following interpretation
might give us  an idea about where we stand and what
we must aim for.

Before going into the discussion, let me brief up the
3 Qs for Surya, the sun. (You can apply the 3Qs to
almost anything and every thing and that perhaps makes
the Kano theory a highly successful / relevant one)

# The Desirable quality of the sun is that it must be
too hot to sustain the thermo-nuclear fusion or else
it will lose its status as a star.

# The must-be quality of the sun makes it a life
giver, say its role in food production, in cleansing 
its path of bacteria, other germs  etc (sarva shatru
vinashanam - Adhitya Hrudhyam) has given it a 
speacial place in the scheme of things.

# The attractive quality of the sun is perhaps its
unique role in Agni Hothram, the positive
air-cleansing properties of which can be obtained only
during sunrise and sun set when some changes are found
to occur (scientifically proven)in the path of the
sun's rays. 
('aesha chaiva agnihothram cha bhalam chaiva agni
hothrinam' - Aditya  Hrudhayam.
>From Yakshna Prashnam Q 3- Why does the sun set?
A- It is because people stand in their Dharma of
conducting yagnas. -a free translation)
 
Now on to the
DESIRABLE QUALITY OF A SRI VAISHANVAN.

What is that quality / qualities that are very basic
and that which give him an identity as a Srivaishnavan
- (like how the Sun must exceed 10 million degree
celsius in temperature to maintain its status as a
star.) That is, what makes up his identity - the
desirable quality?

Let me request the readers to recall Thirumangai alwar
charithram. 
When the alwar wanted to marry Kumuda valli, she said
that she could not marry unless the person had
undergone pancha samskaram and  the Alwar rushed to
Thirunaraiyoor (naachiyar koil) and had the
samashrayan done by God Himself.

In the very early times, that is, soon after creation,
it has been told in scriptures, that Vishnu, after
doing Jatha karma and naama karma to  His first ever
uthpaththi(child) Brahma, proceeded to mark the
Shanku-chakra in his shoulders and  then applied
oordhwa pundaram that culminated in pancha samskaram.
Brahma is perhaps the FIRST Srivaishnavan of the
universe.This episode also clarifies that
Srivaishnavism does not come as a birth right. 

The so-called 'pura chinnamgal' (thanks to Smt
Sumithra Varadarajan)are the desired ones that a sv
must come to exihibit.
Kumudavali did not seem to be bothered about other
qualities of the alwar. That her first obsession was
with the purachchinnam denotes that they are the basic
minimum, that a srivaishanvan (sv) must adorn.After he
complied with this condition only,  did she spell out
her other conditions.

Smt Sumithra sounds a bit upset at some people not
showing willingness to wear the oordhwa pundaram.
Of course there be many who might not wear it
regularly or might wipe it off once they set out of
their homes. The reasons may be many and valid too.
These purachchinamgal are like the code of conduct to
be followed. Even a primary school has its own set of
rules and regulations. The students are expected to
follow certain dress codes and make-up codes also.
Let people  see it in this sense  and maintain the
basic minimum and within what can be permited/followed
in a given situation. 

But Desirable quality is NOT what all that makes up a
Sri Vaishanavan. He is supposed to possess the 

MUST-BE quality.

Once a disciple of Parashara Bhattar, asked him
 "what is 'Srivaishnava Lakshnam?'"
Bhattar sent him to Swami Ananthazhvan at Thirumalai
to find out from him the answer for this question.
The disciple obliged, but the acharyan did not answer
him immediately.
The disciple conducted kainkaryam in the madam for
nearly 6 months. And then one  day  thadeeyaaraadhanam
was going on. The disciple could not get any place in
the 'pankthi'
The acharyan was watching this and in the last pankthi
he called up the disciple, made him sit beside him and
they had food.
After the food, the acharyan spoke to the disciple,
'you asked me about the 'srivaishnava lakshnam? 
Let me  tell you now.
It will be like
- a stork (kokkai pola irukkum)
- a hen (kozhiyai pola irukkum)
- salt (uppai pola irukkum)and
- you (ummai pola irukkum)
Now go back Parashara Bhattar."
Parashara Bhattar explained thus:-

# A Srivaishnavan must behave like a stork that waits
with utmost patience  in a stream for the fish. 
He will not be greedy and will take food only he needs
it.
Like a stork that waits in running water (jala
vrudhdhi sthaan ), he will have to go to divya desams
to get anugraham. 
(Patience and not desiring for prakruthi-related items
beyond what is minimally required by him are the
qualities ascribed here.)

# Like a hen that is always busy searching for its
aaharam, he will always be on the look out of the
vedaarthas of Nammalwar and the 4 prabhanthams.
(Gyana vrudhdhi is mentioned here)

# Like salt,that gives its taste to the padhartham
though it is dissolved in it, he will be vibrating his
gunas all around.
(a complete dilution of ego is indicated here even
while radiating those characteristics that make him
and those around him feel satisfied with the 'ruchi')

# Like 'you',  who preferred to wait till the end of
the pankthi, he will wait till the end.
(once again patience and calmness indicated here)
Note:- the footnotes given under each of the four are
mine and any misinterpretation is due to my ignorance
only.

This description shows that the sv
- must seek the feet of an achrayan
- develop a spirit of inquiry  and be prepared to
wait, strive, seek and stop not till his goal is
reached.

Now another interpretation:-
I recommend a trip to Thirunagai (nagapattinam ) where
in the sannidhi, the 18 vaarthaigal advised by
Thirukkottiyoor nambigal to Ramanuha are written on
the wall.
 Vaishnavattwam is said to come at the 10th level
only.
Prior to coming to attain it, the following must be
removed.
1. removal of desire in samsaram
2. this leads to removal of ahankaara, mamakaaram
3. this leads to removal of deha abhimaanam
4. this leads to  birth of athma gyanam
5. this leads to hatred towards aeishwarya moham
6. this leads to onset of prema on bhagwan.
7. this leads to shedding of interest in
vishayantharangal
8. this leads to bhara thanthruva gyanam
9. this leads to removal of artha-kaama ragadwesham
(ref: BG 4-10- Madhbhavam)
10. this leads to onset of srivaishanttwam!
(appa!!! sigh.. inda ratela inda janmathula
srivaishnavan aana maathirithan!!!!)
It appears that after attaining madhbhaavam, one
becomes a sv.

(I am tempted to catogoroise the above in attractive
quality, but am not doing so. These seem to be what
the great acharyas expect from their disciples who
themselves can become great preachers.)

Going to the acharyan is something as old as Vedic
culture.
It is for detailed understanding and better imbibement
of the vedaarthas that a srivaishnavan is asked to
reach an achryan. Like how the student goes to school 
every day - and in those days, gurukula vaasam. 

Interestingly all this lakshna of  a sv to reach to an
acharyan has been given as a suitable trait of a
brahmin (A Brahmin and a Srivaishnavan are not the
same -  will be dealt subsequently)- in old texts -a
reference of which I came across in Yaksha prashnam.
Q9- (a very rough translation) What gives divinity
(godliness) to a brahmin?
A : The veda adhyayanam that a brahmin does upon
advice from an acharyan gets him divinity.

Today with the advent of all gadgets and publication
of books, this practice has been dispensed with.
Infact any one who teaches is an acharyan, even the
father is an achryan in his capacity to do the
Brahmopadesam to his son at the time upanayanam.
The MUST-BE quality of a srivaishnavan demands that he
surrenders at the feet of achryan for any furtherment
of athma vidhyai.

It seems with the advent of Ramanuja, the anointment
as a srivaishnavan came to be in vogue. (Concurrence
from readers expected, for, I may be wrong) 
 Let me also indicate how a sv differs from a brahmin.
There comes a description in Acharya Hrudhayam,
wherein Azhagiya manavala perumal nayanar indicates
that a brahmin is one who is immersed in varna dharmam
whereas the sv is one who is  Emperuman adiyar-
dasavrudhdhi. (AH 1-32)
(There is a story of one Villpuththur bhagavan in
Thiru vaheenthipuram who refused to perform his
anushttanam along with other brahmins in the same
padithurai. He has told it seems, that he as a sv is a
KAINKARYA NISHTAN while they are KARMA nishtargal -PBA
Swamy in his interpretation of the AH)

What are these kaikaryas that make one a sv?
They have been listed by Ramanuja during his last
days.
# One  must read Sribhashyam -if not
# one must recite or gets recited the 'arulicheyal'
-if not
# one must do kainkaryam in divya desam- if not
# one must live in Thiru narayana puram at least in a
'kudisai'-if not
# one must keep contemplating on dhwayam-if not
# one  must take refuge in a parama bhagawatha.

In addition, MUMUKSHUPPADI offers the must-be
requirements as 'awashyaa-peshitham' (dwaya prakaranam
-116)
They are as follows :-(a rough translation)
# shedding attachments to material things 
# to surrender to Emperuman (BG vaakhyam)
# waiting in patience that I will ceratinly be granted
the 'pEru'
# longing for the 'pEru'
# spending time in divya desams in kainkaryam
# to be attached to the Srivaishnavas who follow the
ones mentioned just above 
(Manavala maanunigal says that such sv are very rare -
Mr Ram kumar is right)
# to concentrate on thirumanthram and dhwayam
# to be more attached to acharyan
# to be always beside achryan and Emperuman
# to have gyanam of what must be known 
and 'viraghdhi' of materialism and 
'shanthi' of having these two and specifically to be
ridden of 'irumaappu' (garwam, ego)

Nanjeer says that it is 'para dhukkham sahiyamai',
(empthy) that makes one a sv
Erumbi appa swamy says (in addition to the many
virtues mentioned at various places above) that a sv
sincerely feels that all beings must live in
happiness. 

Most of what have been written here are to do with the
self-furtherment of a sv.But there is one quality that
I spotted which goes beyond the scope of individual
-centric approach.
Let me call it as
the ATTRACTIVE quality.
This is about the famous story which most of the
readers would have known.
It happened  in Kulashekara alwar's life.
When the ministers of the alwar blamed sv-s ,for the
disappearance of the navarathna maalai in the
thiruaaparana petti, what did the alwar do?
He refused to believe. 
He was steadfast in his belief that sv-s are pure on
tri-kaaran - they are pure in mind, vaak and body.
He even put his hand in a pot that had a serpent
inside
and pledged that he would not be bitten by the
serpent, because no sv can do such a crime. And he was
unhurt.
I think this is something special about the entire
clan of sv-s. This is an aettram (vuyarvu) for the
alwar or for the sv? Certainly an aettram for the sv
only.

When every other quality of desirable nature and
must-be nature helps the sv in his self- development,
the purity in mind, vaak and mind which seems to be
the quality that every sv has to possess has saved the
alwar, upheld the very greatness of vaishnavism and
has gone bedyond the realm of individual aspirations.
This might seem to be a simple virtue. But unless
globally followed by all sv-s this could not have
become the hall mark of a sv!
Hence my pranams to this quality as the greatest
virtue.
Now looking at the three together,
it seems most sv-s possess desirable quality.
The must- be quality looks like an up-hill task
and very few only will be fulfilling that category. 
But attractive quality seems to the virtue that not
only does pride to the sv but also makes meaning to be
a human being.
One thing that emerges out of the analysis is that,
the sv can never lay assured that he is complete,
There are miles to go. even janmams to go 
before we actually qualify ourselves to fall in line
with the regulations laid down by achrayas.

NAANUM CHONNEN NAMAR URAIMIN NAMO NARAYANAME..
But
KOOVIKKOLLUM KAALAM INNUM KURUGAADHO..
ENNAPPA, EN HRUSHEEKESHA ENNUYIR KAAVALANE..

jayasree sarnathan









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