Swayamacharyas, and un-ayyangars

[Guest guest]

Krish said:

>>>Among the T's there is a swamachrya group. I would like >>>to know if

>>>>the V's have it.<<<

Yes V's also have it. I am one of them. We were teased (by other matiyas)

as Amatas, which I literally became in th US during the initial days when I

felt $6X8=Rs. 48 is too much for a hair cut!!

Krish also said:

>>>In a way it is interesting to note that Vaishanvites in US have such an

interest in the ritualistic aspects of their group.<<<<

 

Yes, I am also pleasantly surprised. I think it is directly proportional to

how ritualistic our own parents were. In a way we are remembering them !

>>>I feel that strong attachment to ritualistic aspects tend to make one

prjuidiced.<<<<

One can be prejudiced either way. Attachment to ritual is not necessary for

that. Understanding the ritual may even make one less prejudiced. For

example in the case of Joseph Campbell-It is his attempt to understand ritual

in a serious way that made him so broad minded and all accepting and

interpreting person-one of the greatest modern day interpreters of myth.

>>May be I am justifying my giving it up and lving >>>an un-ayyangar

life!<<<<

 

The fact that you even bothered to answer means that the Ayyangar has not

given you up!!! I thik it is all Relative. Just because someone discusses a

subject vehemently has nothing to do with actual practise or prejudice. This

reminds me of an anecdote. A visitor to Rajaji's house was amazed to see

that Rajaji was working in his garden at 3PM in the afternoon and showed no

signs of snanam or sandhi (Morning samskaras). He asked Rajaji, how come you

have not done any of the nitya vidhis of Srivaishnavas which you published?

Rajaji quipped, did I say anywhere that I do any of them!!!

 

K. Sreekrishna

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your comments, Tatachar. I think the Swayamacharyas probably

came about as a rebellious action too many rituals. They avoid jeers and

matams.

One of the famous prayers for chanting is Baja-Govindam. I have my own

comments and Rajai's translation dows not portray the complete thoughts of

Sankara. Bertrand Russel claimed that Shankara was the last of the Indian

intellects. In a way, Sankara alos did not undestand Indian women,

who never gave up on their husbands, even after they were widowed. And

he weel knew the sex drive of the male.

I feel that the Hindhu philosphy viewed life and death as a natural course of

events and did not give a great weight to the individual as Christianity does.

The concept of souls existing for ever and being reborn appeals to me and

one could proose a Conservation of souls theory. Hence, the more extinct, some

of the animal species become, they all appeare to be reborn as humans!

US once many wild buffaloes, in the millions. In Tamilnadu, many rivers

were fertile with crocodies a few centuries ago!

Aside, you must be reading about the milk drinking Ganesha. One of my

colleagues here, Raju Rayasam, a staunch devotee, witnessed it himself

in Bridgewater, NJ. He said, he held th spoon of milk to Ganesha's trunk

and it was sucked in, but is ejected out at the bottom of the statue. I

think, the good Lord may enjoy scotch ( sucked in faster ) compared to

ghee.

To quite an extent, I am a non-believer and feel strongly that birth is

a chance, not causal. Life int he universe goes on without the knowledge

of a particular deity ( God distinguished by religion ). Man's inability

to accept the laws of probability leads us to a causal world with a

the ultimate Puppeteer. It is a way out to accept the status or

disappointments in life.

Many of our atavistic attitudes in astrange and new surrounding may be the

way to cope up, a returning to the womb craving. One of the books states

that all of us are eternal bliss inside a womb, even gravity free. with

no pressures, fed and relieved of the waste and floating in a fluid. The

birth process is stressful, crushed and pushed thru a tunnel, one gropes

for the ray of light outside, only to find the absence of bliss, experienced

before. The theory is that man's dwelling into religion and God is due to

this search.

Of course I am taking you away from your topic of interest!