Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Some questions regarding some of our customs ...

From the Bhakti List Archives

narayanan.k.m • October 12, 1999 


Sri Venkata Gurave Nama:
Srimathe Ramanujaya Nama:

Respected Swamin,

The practice of prostrating once or more by Sri vaishnavaas are due to
their belief systems rooted in their respective  Philosophies.

Let us first look at Vadaglai sampradayam.

Sri.Rmanuja's  Sri Vaikuda Gadyam, ends like

"Swamin..... Phuna Phuna Pranamya:"

He says to the  Lord that he  prostrates HIM  repeatedly.

Taking cue from Emperumanar, they have adopted multiple prostrations.

you can ask, " phuna phuna"  means innumerable times, then why they are
finishing with 2 or four times.

the samadhanam for this is, unlike tamil grammer, in sansrit grammer we
have  singular, plural and DUAL.(ERUMAI)
hence any prostration more than twice should be considered as in multiples.

Now, Thengalai sampradayam,
Why they are prostrating only once?
it is said that vibheeshana just once prostrated, Sri.Rama took him in his
fort.
the elephent called only once 'Adimoolamae'....there you see perumal giving
protection.
not to negate prahalada's wish, he appeared at ONCE.

hence by just making single saranagathi, he gives kadakshama at  once.such
is His love for us.
hence to remind him more and more by prostrating more and more, we have not
understood HIS mercy properly and hece multiple prosrtations are not
correct..

i leave it to our members to form the right judgement. the right way is to
follow what elders have told us instead of changing things which we find
according to our judgement.

I have given this above account after hearing from elders. if there is any
mistake it has to be only my incorrect understanding.

Dasan

K.M.Narayanan
----------------------------------------------------------------
The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to
which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
material.  Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.   If you received
this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any
computer.