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[Guest guest]

Hello bhakthas,

 

My parents visited Danushkodi prior to my birth and hence my name Vaidehi.

However, for reasons I cannot fully understand, I was an ardent devotee (in a

limited sense that a child can grasp unless one is blessed like Prahlada)

of Lord Rama from childhood. Until early adulthood I would not pray to any

other God, but Rama. I am born into an orthodox and devoted family

of Sri Vaishnavas. Learning and saying stotras, etc., were part of my

upbringing. I do not know Samskrit except for the meaning of some words

and regret not learning it. From an early stage, I have had friends of all

castes and living in a highly predominant Brahmin community in Triplicane,

have seen non-brahmins being treated like untouchables (though perhaps because

my grand father himself had some very life long friendships with some

non-brahmins, I have not sensed or seen marked differences in treatment to

them, except in so called Acharams) and hated it.

 

But living in Triplicane, blessed with a view of all five gopurams from our

house, one wall of our house common with Sri Ahobila Mutt of Triplicane Car

Street and being able to wake up to MLV's Thiruppavai in Marghazhi, we

developed a love and passion for Sri Parthasarathy Perumal. I have seen Him

dressed and decorated and patthi ulatthal, thirumanjanam, all vahanams,

pushpa and rathna pallakku, thiruththEr etc., Vaikunta Ekadasi Garuda Seva, etc

etc., in unmatched splendour, glory and beauty. To this day, I feel sad for

this alone that we moved to Bombay and hardly got to visit a temple even once

a week. But I can close my eyes and picture Him in one of his multitudes of

processions even now.

 

So my interest in our group stems not from a detailed study of any of the

pasurams or scriptures except what I listened to in the temple, and countless

katha kalakshebams (whether I understood or not I would enjoy

going and later on started taking notes.) but an inherent unfulfilled desire to

know more and more about Vishnu who had me mesmerized as a child. Sadly thoughI

have not devoted adequate time to this effort.

 

My material world education is a Masters in Physics from India and a Masters in

Medical Physics (an area that interested me while working and simultaneously

doing my masters at BARC) from Univ of Florida, Gainesville. I am currently

working toward my doctoral degree and hope to finish by Fall/Spring.

I am working on kinetic modeling of metabolic pathways, in particular that of

leucine and three secretory proteins, albumin, apolipoprotein A1 and

apolipoprotein B, for which it is precursor.

 

To all of you who contribute in this group, my sincere appreciation and thanks

for giving me an opportunity to learn about our profound philosophy. I wish

all youth in our country would have abundant ways and means to explore

whatever Hindu philosophical heritage they belong to or wish to learn.

 

If any of you would like to ask specific questions about our SriVaishnava

pasurams, scriptures, Acharyas, philosophy etc., I can direct them to my dad

inIndia, who in my opinion is well versed in such matters. It may take sometime

to receive his reply though.

 

Chengan thirumugaththu selvath thirumalaal

Engum thiruvaruL peRRu inburuvar embavai.

 

If any of you would like to reach me, I am at 904-378-6958 (res).

 

Vaidehi V.