Temple entry

Updated on March 19, 2022 in Good qualities for human
9 on March 18, 2022

Swami,

Namaskaram!

When we all know that JagatachAryar fought for the entry of the oppressed classes into temples even a millennium ago, how did it not have any impact on our social system until the beginning of the 20th century? 

We see government records of temple entry proclamation as late as 1939 at the Sri Rangam, Srivilliputhur, Kallazhagar temples, and even as late as 1947 at the Sri Parthasarathi Temple.

When the very foundation of our sampradAyam is equality of jivAtmAs, how did this virtue fail to get transmitted through generations?

Is it like the then custodians of these temples didn’t take the word of JagatachAryar seriously?

Or are these merely false narratives by biased political groups?

– Adiyen

 
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4 on March 18, 2022

This thread reminds of an incident told to me.

Disclaimer : adiyen is not authenticating the incident mentioned here and is unaware of what had happened and will not take any responsibility. Requesting to excuse and indicate if any mistake is there on my part. Those who know the fact can provide the details.

 

Some time back, Ramanujar sannadhi at Salai kinaru was not being maintained by anyone. A non-brahmin, cleared the area, lit a lamp at Ramanujar’s sannadhi daily and he was running his life from the earnings received from the visitors. After noticing this, he was asked to vacate the place. He pleaded to allow to maintain the area outside the sannadhi to run his life. However, he was not allowed.

If anyone does the above act of maintaining Ramanujar’s sannadhi, he will get Ramanujar’s sambandham. He could have given the formal training and allowed to continue what he had done, as a mark of appreciation of what was done by him.

adiyen

SriVaishnava dasan

Sri Vaishnava-dasan Swamy. Namaskaram.

since you have expressed that you do not know the details of this case, we can not arrive at any definitive conclusion. Nevertheless the attitude that is brought out by this instance is quite common. There are many people who claim to be from Brahmana family, and even if they themselves are not following any of the Brahminical daily responsibilities towards the society, they harbor a superiority complex, and don’t hesitate to put down others who they perceive to be below them. This is verily condemnable. Scriptures clearly say the a ‘high’ birth, possession of more wealth, having high education, and having bodily beauty are all great hurdles to devotion. Any of this can easily derail a person from the path of devotion, unless one is very careful.

 

We have also heard stories of Kannappa naayanar and Thiruppaanaazhwaar.. In both cases the ‘Brahmana’ who initially had poor regard towards the devotee very quickly realised the mistake and rectified themselves. I hope similar rectification happened in the incident you have described.

adiyen dasan.

on March 19, 2022

swamy,

Then where does the teachings and life incidents of Ramanuja stand?. It appears, some people only adore Ramanuja and chant divya prabadham, but not practice the essence of what is told. If it is done with vaishnavas and discrimination is shown, are they not bhagavata apacharam?.

adiyen

What you say is true swamy. If the person who is committing such offence is willing to listen then we can tell them what is correct. But if they are full of their misconception, then we are not in a position to tell them.

The natural consequence of the apacharam can help them rectify. 

On our part, we can consider it as one of the ways Lord is testing us; we can remember our acharyan, remain steadfast in our devotion and move on. May be, we can pray for the erring soul to not incur a severe repercussion for the apacharam, as we can learn from the example of the great Kuraththaazhwaar.

 

We really are not in a position to know for certain, based on what considerations the other person behaved in certain way. It may even be possible that they had some genuine considerations which are beyond our grasp.

For our part, we shall take it as Lord’s interaction with us and accept it as such. What happens to the other person, that is left to the Lord’s decision. He definitely knows the full heart of the other person and will do the needful to rectify the other person if need be.

adiyen dasan.

on March 19, 2022
May be, we can pray for the erring soul to not incur a severe repercussion for the apacharam, as we can learn from the example of the great Kuraththaazhwaar.
 From கம்பன்தாசன்

I am not magnanimous like Kuraththaazhwaar. For none of my fault, if some apacharam is done, I take it as apacharam only and inform Him. Yes. I have been following this even before I had pancha samskaram, not as apacharam but as offended.

adiyen

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0 on March 19, 2022

Agama temples only should have prescribed rules

Maatram Ondrey Maaradhadhu
Change never changes

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1 on March 19, 2022

Swami,

Doesn’t the fact that Sri Rangam, considered the seat of Sri Vaishnavism and where JagatAchaAryar spent most of his time, living, teaching, and finally residing there too even now, had lost one of its prime principles until 1939 looks a little obscure?

It is also said Sri Udayavar brought in so many changes in the way the temple functioned during his times.

Doesn’t this indicate that after ‘Sri Udayavar’ left his shariram, people returned to practicing everything according to their whims and fancies?

– Adiyen

Doesn’t this indicate that after ‘Sri Udayavar’ left his shariram, people returned to practicing everything according to their whims and fancies?From srivats

This is not true. There may be few changes over 1000 years. But overall our acharyas have maintained the system given by Udaiyavar in running the temple.

Even the changes that have happened, a significant part is in the last 100 years.

To make a blanket statement “people returned to practicins everything according to their whims” does not serve justice to those who have preserved the system and passed on to us.

adiyen dasan

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0 on March 19, 2022

Right, Swami !

– Adiyen

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