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Re: introduction

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Mohan Sagar • March 29, 2000 


----- Original Message -----
From: RAMAKRISHNA CHAMARTHI 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: introduction


>
> haribol
>
> i have heard from vaisnavites which i recently met
> that the only way to liberation from this material
> existence is the chanting of holy name of krsna
>
> sri caitanya mahaprabhu (krsna himself who descended
> as a devotee)said
>
> harer naama harer naama  harer naama eva kevalam
> kaalau naasti eva naasti eva gatir anyatha
>
> how will the sri vaishnavites explain this verse how
> can we develop love for krsna and become god conscious
> and thereby increase our efforts to reach
> godhead.please explain this to me
>
> your aspiring servant
>
> ramakrishna


Dear Sri Ramakrishna,

I do not think that anyone can dispute the efficacy and spiritual
joy resulting from reciting the Holy Names of the Lord; it is an
end in and of itself for those who are already steeped in
devotion to the Lord, and it is a means to awakening for those
who are yet to achieve such a devotion.

However, at least from the traditional SriVaishnava perspective,
it is to be understood that there are only two ways to reach the
Lord's Lotus Feet, as is clearly summarized by the Lord Himself
in Srimad Bhagavad GItha.  The first method is Bhakti yOga, with
its ancillaries of Karma and jnAna yOga; and the second is
prapatti or saranAgathi, in which the devotee relies solely on
the Lord's Mercy for his/her salvation.  And, since it is very
difficult in this day and age to take up the rigorous disciplines
of yOga, prapatti alone, through the proper mentoring and
intercession of an achArya, can really be considered to be the
only means to redemption and salvation for a SriVaishnava.

But, this does not mean that SriVaishnavas do not extol the
chanting of the Holy Name.  For those who have taken to prapatti,
this wonderful and efficacious spiritual practice is included
among other vEdic practices as a means of expressing our loving
submission and service to Sriman Narayana.

More knowledgeable individuals can probably go into further
details on this, if necessary, but I hope this helps for now.

rAmAnuja dAsan

Mohan


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