Found Site : saranagathi.org

Another gem of a Sri Vaishnava site. Something really close to the ideal Sri Vaishnava home in the Virtual World. Saranagathi.org has lots of content including a Learning Section on Sri Vaishnavam, along with the usual categories of Audio, Video and Books. But the most interesting & appreciable feature is the Social Networking feature of the site. You can join as member in the site, create your own blog and interact with other members too. Probably it is the only Sri Vaishnava site offering robust Social Networking features. Members include Sri Velukkudi Swami & Sri AnanthapadmanbaChary swamy themselves (a little difficult to believe though).

Sri Velukudi Swami on Saranagathi.org

These are some of the sections and their contents in the site.

Videos : Upanyasams from eminent swamis like Srimad Azhagiyasingar, Srimad Aandavan swami, Sri Velukkudi Krishnan Swami, Sri Ananthapadmanapacharya swami and Sriman Akkarakani Srinidhi swAmi. Discourses include Azhwargal Vaibhavam by Velukkudi Swami, Dhinam oru Dhivya Naamam by Sri Ananthapadmanapacharya swami, Thirupaavai Upanyasam by Srimad Azhagiya Singar swami and much more.

Audios : Has a large collection of Velukkudi Swami’s upanyasams, Divya Prabhandam chanting by Sri Sevilimedu swami, Sri Annamacharya Kirtis by M.S. Subbulakshmi, Malladi Brothers, Nitya Santhoshini & Unnikrishnan.

Learning : Article to get a clear understanding of what Sri Vaishnavam. Sri Vaishnavam Basics and Principles, Samasrayanam, Bhakthi and Prapatti, VishistAdvaitham Tutorial are some of the articles under Must Read Section. Links for lectures in other sites can also be found in this page.

Books : Sri Vaishnava e-books include Srivaishnava Dhinasari, Prahalada Stotram, Sri Stuti, Bhu Stuti, Godha Stuti, Hayagriva Stotram, Thiruchinna Malai. Links for more e-books in other sites are also available.

Sri Vaishnava Calendar :  Unfortunately inspite of many Sri Vaishnava sites that are available, Sri Vaishnava Calendars in many sites aren’t updated regularly (Our blog is no exception too. We regret it.). But the calendar in saranagathi.org is regularly updated and contains dates for major Srivaishnava events such as Perumal, Alwars, and Acharyas thirunakshatrams and other important festivals celebrated by Srivaishnavas.

Visit the site and you are most likely to find lots of really useful information and links. 

Sri Rangam Nandhvanam Issue : Time to act

For most part, this Blog hasn’t had any posts on many Present Day issues / Problems of Sri Vaishnavism. But now, there is a particularly hurting Issue. Many should have known about the issue from the post heading, but still here is a Brief.

For the past 140 years, flowers for Lord Namperumal in Sri Rangam has been from a Nandhvanam {Garden} by name Madhurakavi Nandhavanam. The garden was donated by one, Sri Madhurakavi, a very dovout bagavatha who never married and spent his entire life in Lord Namperumals services. Sri Madurakavi also refurbished the Golden Gopuram of Sri Rangam spending a princely amount of  Rs 1 Lakh in 1903. As per his will, the Nandhavanam should be held under Devout people {Dharmakarthas} and not the Administration of Sri Rangam temple {a.k.a the Government}.  Citing the very reason that the Nandhavanam might be left to ruins under the Temple Administration, a judgement in 1921 upheld the decision that the Garden be under private Trust {Dharmakarthas}. But now, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department is about to take over the Nandhavanam citing some legal formalities in the Will of Sri Madhurakavi swamy. This has enraged the Sri Vaishnava community very much.

As our Honorable Prime Minister said in his Independence Day speech, Our citizens have the right to express dissent and anger. I also maintain that every government should be sensitive to people’s complaints and dissatisfaction, we can express our views through Democratic and Ethical means. The below links can help you voice your concerns. Please do spare a moment to save a Legacy of 150 years.

Madhurakavi Nandhvanam Plea – Take a Print-Out and send this letter to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department requesting it to drop its decision to take over the Madhurakavi Nandhavanam.

www.petitiononline.com/SSMN/petition.html – Sign-Up this Online Petition against Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department taking over Madurakavi Nandhavanam.

Periyavaachaan Pillai Thirunakshatram

Today is the Thirunakshatram of Swami Periyavaachaan Pillai, the famous Vyakhana Chakaravathy of Sri Vaishnavism. Here is a little about Swamy, adopted from the book “Thirupallandu Vyakhanam”, published by Kinchitkaram Trust.

Sri Periyavaachaan Pillai, also known as SriKrsnapada was born at Sanganallur near Kumbakonam as the son of Yamuna Desika and Nachiyar Ammal. He is believed to have lived between 1167 – 1262 AD. He is an Amsa of Lord Krishna himself. For his lucid explanation of Divyaprabandha, he is known as “Dravidaveda Bhasyakara” and for his commentary on select verses of Ramayana, he is given the title “Abhayapradaraja”. Periyavaachaan Pillai was a disciple of Swami Nampillai. Vadikesari Azhagiya Manaval Jeeyar, who wrote the commentary 1200 padi on Thiruvaimozhi was a prominent disciple of Sri Periyavaachaan Pillai. Periyavaachaan Pillai wanted to take the meaning of Divyaprabandhas to even the most ordinary people, and hence earned the title “ParamaKaarunika” (One who is extremely compassionate).

Periyavaachaan Pillai was the celebrated author of 24000 padi. He has the unique reputation of having commented (vyakhyanams) on all the 4000 hymns of the Alwars. However his commentary on Periyalwar Thirumozhi is available only for the last 60 songs or so. His 24000 padi commentary became so famous that he is known as “Vyakhana Chakaravathy” (emeperor among commentators). Maanika Maalai, Sakala Pramaana Taatparaya and Abhayapradaana are some of his other works.

Sri Periyavaachaan Pillai always commented in a lucid & compact style, so that the maximum number of people can understand the Divyaprabandhas. Periyavaachan Pillai never commented without a valid source. To this day Periyavaachaan Pillai’s commentaries are considered authentic amongst many other commentaries.

God is Easy to Achieve : Another article from The Hindu

Another interesting Article from The Hindu about God’s simplicity and how easy He is to achieve.

Nammazhvar, in his Thiruvaimozhi, says God is easy of access to those who have bhakti, but is One who is difficult to approach for those without bhakti. So it is the attitude of a person to God that determines whether He is unfathomable or not, said Raza Narayanan.

There are many examples to show that the right attitude matters. Yasoda and Putana both suckled Krishna. But while Krishna gratefully suckled at Yasoda’s breast, he sucked out the life of Putana.

That was because Yasoda had motherly love, but Putana came to kill Krishna. Yet again in the Krishna avatara, the Lord demonstrated the importance of one’s approach to God. Duryodhana called on Krishna to seek His help. Krishna pretended to be asleep. Duryodhana, thinking it was beneath his dignity to sit at Krishna’s feet, sat near His head. Arjuna, who arrived later, sat beside the Lord’s feet.

Krishna, upon opening his eyes, as if after deep slumber, looked at Arjuna and asked him what he wanted. Duryodhana protested that he had come there before Arjuna had, and that Krishna should offer His help to him. So Krishna told Duryodhana that he had a choice. He could either take all of Krishna’s army to fight against the Pandavas. Or Krishna would be on his side, but unarmed. Duryodhana, ignorant of Krishna’s greatness, chose to have Krishna’s army.

Arjuna was glad to have Krishna on his side. Of what use is anything if God is not on one’s side? And what can go wrong if God is on one’s side? Duryodhana paid for his attitude and was vanquished. Arjuna was rewarded for his devotion and emerged triumphant.

A true devotee knows the significance of treating the Lord’s feet with reverence. Duryodhana did not know the importance of sitting at the Lord’s feet, but Arjuna knew that the Lord’s feet are the best refuge in times of trouble.

It is hard to convince some people of God’s greatness by referring to His simplicity or divinity.

The divinity instils fear in them, and the reference to His simplicity makes them underestimate His prowess. Only those who worship with humility will benefit.

Vedantic Cricket : Article from The Hindu

An interesting Article from The Hindu, relating Life, Cricket and Vedanta.

Kapila enunciates the 25 tattvas of the Sankhya Yoga. These 25 tattvas can be understood in terms of the game of cricket, said Srivatsa Jayarama Sarma. Cricket has been defined as a game of glorious uncertainty. Life too is a game of glorious uncertainty. Life therefore can be analysed using cricketing terminology.

The prapancham, that is the world, is the ground in the game of Vedantic cricket. The running between two sets of stumps is akin to the constant preoccupation of a samsarin, with the day-to-day aspects of life. The three stumps signify the qualities of sattva, rajo, tamas. The 10 fielders just waiting to get the batsman out, may be compared to the five gnanendriyas and the five karmendriyas. The bowler is the Kala Purushan — Time. He keeps track of our karmas in previous births.

But in cricket there are two batsmen. While one bats, the other is idle at the other end. How can there be an equivalent to this in real life, when we are talking of a samsarin? The answer is that, when a person is born and lives in this world, he constantly has an impact or an influence on another person’s life. This is inevitable. When a child is born, for example, it gives a woman the status of mother. Just as the bowler tries in various ways to get us out, so do the many factors that tempt us and cause us to stray from the right path in life too. But the batsman, however careful he is, does get out one way or the other.

He may be clean bowled — die a natural death. He may be run out — have an accident. He may get out if he himself accidentally knocks down the stumps — suicide. He may be declared lbw — he puts his bodily concerns above his spiritual concerns. He may be caught out — trapped by one of his indriyams. The scorer is like Chitragupta, keeping a tally of our score.

There are three umpires in life too. Lord Krishna Himself says, “We are three. I, together with the Vedas and those who know the Vedas, hand out retribution or reward.” If the batsman scores four runs in one shot, he is applauded. If a man lives in accordance with the four Purusharthas of dharma, artha, kama and moksha, he deserves to be applauded too.