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SDDS Announcements on Swami Desikan's Tirunakshatram day(1st October 1998)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramanbil • October 1, 1998 


Dear Bhagavatas,

SDDS
You will remember that the Swami Desika Darsana Satsangam (SDDS) was formed on
Swami Desika's Tirunakshatram day in 1996. This led to the first ever
Srivaishnava Conference in USA within 3 months in December 1996 at Buffalo.
The light that was lit then has lit many more lamps with successive meets in
different places like Pomona, Denver, Pittsburgh, again Pomona and the one
proposed at Dallas in December this year.

PRE SARANAGATHI ISSUES
We are glad to inform you that during the period of one year from October 1996
to October 1997, the SDDS had published about 70 issues. Now, Sri Venkatesh K.
Elayavalli has kindly commenced archiving these "PRE-SARANAGATHI" issues (the
forerunner of Saranagathi journal issues) in his Web Page
"www://srivaishnava.org." under " SARANAGATHI JOURNAL" itself. He has archived
the first 6 issues today (being the Tirunakshatram day of Swami Desikan). He
will be incorporating other issues shortly. 

You may kindly view all these at this site. We will be glad to have your
feedback and constructive comments.

SARANAGATHI JOURNAL ISSUES
As you know, the Journal was named as "SARANAGATHI" In October 1997, with
Sriman Sadagopan as the Editor-in-Chief and Sriman Sampath Rengarajan as the
Associate Editor. The issues released from October 1997 to date have already
been incorporated in the Web Page.

SWAMI DESIKA SAMPRADAYA PAADA THITTAM
The question that has been bothering us during all these Conferences is as to
how to inculcate our Siddhantam to the kids born and / or growing up elsewhere
than India.
Frankly, the problem can be attributed (at least partly) to the fact that the
parents themselves have not had the proper exposure to the Satsampradayam
either because they had no opportunity or interest (when they did have the
opportunity) or have been totally cut off from their moorings in India. The
best way is for the parents to educate / refresh themselves in our traditional
Sampradayams, strictly observe them in day to day life setting an example for
the kids and impart them to the younger generation.

The problem is not peculiar to those outside India. Even in India, this need
is felt acutely. Sri Seva Swami, Presidential Awardee and founder of Mani
Mandapam temple in Villiwakkam, Madras and Editor of Desika Seva Monthly and
Desika Darsana Diary cum Panchangam , etc., has pioneered a scheme called "
SRI DESIKA SAMPRADAYA PAADA THITTAM'" and has released two booklets of graded
lessons and will be releasing the third one today in India. He has permitted
me to utilize the material for educating the kids here. I am in the process of
writing similar lessons on the basic concepts in simple English to be easily
assimilated by the kids (including parents, in some cases)! The Lesson # 1 on
"ACHARYAN" is included in Issue # 21 of Saranagathi Journal being released.

SANDHYAVANDANAM
We all perform Prathah Sandhya Vanadanam. Maadhya Ahnikam and Saayam Sandhya
Vandanam At least, we are supposed to perform daily and without fail these
Nitya Karma Anushtanams! But, how many of us who perform, do this consciously
knowing the meanings of what they do? We do by rote in a routine, mechanical
manner. Any recitation would be more efficacious, if uttered knowing its
meaning than by mechanical repetition. How many of us can claim to know the
meanings of the various recitations we recite in our daily chores? Some may
know the 'What ' and the 'How ' but may not know the ' Why ' and ' What they
mean.' This has been another issue referred to us frequently by so many
readers. We propose to start a series explaining these less dealt with aspects
providing Word by Word meanings to help a better understanding and proper
observance.

EXPECT THE BEST AND THE PRACTICAL  FROM THE SDDS & SARANAGATHI

If you are not already a member, enroll by sending TODAY an e. mail to any one
of the following:
Ramanbil@aol.com
Sgopan@computer.net
srengara@hotmail.com

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
President, SDDS and
Chairman, Editorial Board, Saranagathi