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Re: AchArya paramparA and other

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Sadagopan • May 5, 1999 


Dear Sri Mani Varadarajan :

Sage VyaasA as his very name implies is
a "compiler " of the four VedAs . His contributions
thru writing of the one lakh slOkams of 
MahA BhAratham , "the fifth vedam "
and the 18 purANams have earned him the status as 
a great maharishi worthy of adoration by every 
sampradhAyins . His VedAntha SoothrAs are a class
by themselves and have provided the basis for more than
14 BhAshyams . AchAryA RaamAnujA accomplished the great task of 
elucididating the Brahma SoothrAs of Sage VyAsA 
in the theistic style and that is a divine contribution
arising from AchArya RaamAnujA equipping himself 
for moe than half of his life to perform this Kaimkaryam 
for the benefit of humanity .The architectonics of Sri Bhaashyam
strictly follows the Structure of Maharishi VyAsA .
Both Sage VyAsA and AchArya RaamAnujA brought out
the Sruthi-Sirasi VideephtE axiom of Brahman
( the eternal reality that is specifically 
and exclusively revealed by Upanishads ). 

It is in this context , we worship Sage VyAsA 
during VyAsa PourNami /Guru Pournami 
as Loka Guru ( LokAchAryan ).

When it comes to the strict intrepretation of 
Sri VaishNava Guru ParamparA , we do not
include Maharishi BodharAyaNA (Sage VyAsA )
in our AchArya paramparai . Ours as is well
accepted starts with Sriamn NaarAyaNA and continues
with periya pirAtti , VishvaksEnar , NammAzhwAr ,
naatha Muni , AalavandhAr , Periya nampi to AchArya RaamAnujar .   
That was the thinking behind the  observation 
that Sage VyAsaa is not found anywhere in the Sri VaishNavite
guru paramparA , while his status as a MahAthmA
is not questioned ever .His writing the 18 purANams
dealing with anya devathAs was another reason.
Even ParAsara Muni , who blessed us with
VishNu purANam or Sage NaaradhA , who gave us
Bhakthi Soothrams and initated PrahlAdhaazhwAn 
are not included in this AchArya Paramparai 
of Sri VaishNavam . That is all I had in mind .
No irreverance to Sage VyAsaa was implied .

V.Sadagopan  

At 05:17 PM 5/3/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Sri Sadagopan wrote:
>> VyAsA inspite of being a maha Rishi is not considered a paramaikAnthi
>> (Single Minded devotion to Sriman naarAyaNA ) and hence he is not
>> included in the paramparai of Sri VaishNavite AchAryAs .
>
>Dear Sri Sadagopan,
>
>I am astonished that an acharya would say this. I have
>never heard such a statement. Would you care to elaborate
>on how Bhagavan Vyasa is not a paramaikAnti? I cannot
>believe that this was the opinion of Ramanuja, who 
>wrote that Vyasa's 'vacas sudhA' are what gives new life
>to those burning in samsAra.
>
>Mani
>
>
>