Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

In our SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam, there is a rich heritage of the principle of raising questions and providing answers. In our SASthram, emperumAn, AzhwArs and AchAryas have all provided answers for all our questions. Being inquisitive is considered as a very good trait, when coupled with humility.

At whichever stage of understanding one may be in, be it a beginner, well-learned, advance etc., while studying the literary works and while putting those principles in practice, we often are faced with some doubts, lack of clarity etc. In those times, we always look out for the help of learned scholars to have our doubts clarified. It is with this intent to provide answers for many questions which we are often faced with, we are setting up this FAQ section. Please visit the relevant topic to see the answers for your common questions. If you have a specific question, please free to send the same to koyil.org@gmail.com and we will try to get the answer for the same.

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2018 FAQ

  1. During the state of deep sleep, do jivAtmas have a cognition of its own self ? Is jeevAtma aware that He is alive in a human body at time of deep-sleep? Does Jeevatma cognise anything in that state ? Is the state of jeevAtmas knowledge/cognition during deep-sleep equivalent to the state where jeevAtma is not yet bestowed with a body as per its Karma and is waiting in atmosphere for the next opportunity. If this somewhat equivalent, is the state of accepting the next sariram as per karma similar to waking up in a new body after a deep-sleep? (except that in current sariram, when we wake up from deep-sleep we remember our current life and everything related to it). Is the dharmi gyanam (which keeps on saying ‘I’ to oneself, which is the basis of existence of JeevAtma to itself), is this experienced during deep-sleep? Is this experienced even in between births when jeevAtma is not yet bestowed with sariram and waiting for next birth?                                              ஜீவாத்மா வின் ஸ்வரூபம் தர்மி ஞானம். தர்மபூத ஞானம். தர்மபூத ஞானத்தால் மற்றவற்றையும் அதாவது மனம் முதலிய அனைத்தையும் அறியும். தர்மி ஞானத்தால் தன்னை அறியும். ஞான ஸ்வரூபன், ஞானத்தை உடையவன் என்பர் ஆச்சார்யர்கள். இது எப்பொழுதும் குறைவில்லாமல் இருக்கும். நான் நன்றாகத் தூங்கினேன் என்பது தெரிவது அதனாலேயே.From the kalakshepams, once pancha samskarams is completed, it is persons duty to learn more about the sampradayam, to realize the value of the birth, the sampradayam, to develop more and more thirst to have bhaagavad anubhavam and kainkaryam. The person should develop thirst to develop atma gunangal and should pray to ramanuja, azhwars and acharyas to bless the same. These are the responsibilities of the person undergoing pancha samskaram. Once this thirst is seen, Perumal automatically by his mercy removes all the obstacles and makes the person a paramai-ekanthi and thus bestows moksham on the soul. But, if after undergoing pancha samskaram, the person is just not realizing its importance and is just involved in indriya anubhavam and not showing any interest in sampradayam or not aspiring to become a true prapanna, then Perumal will try much to bring back the person on right track, but still if the person does not show interest, Perumal considers the pancha samskaram as a void activity and thus, person needs to take re-birth. When purva-Acharyas have written that a Sri-vaishnava doing saranagathi will definitely reach SriVaikuntam at the end of the birth, they have told about a person who has truly realized all the meanings and purpose of saranagathi. Not a person doing name-sake saranagati like a ritual without knowing purpose. Amongst people who have done pancha-samskaram, we see difference in level of atma-gunangal, bhakti, vairagyam etc. But if the people are really sincere, committed and really craving and desiring for the bhavagad-bhagavatha anubhavam, in due course Bhagavan himself will remove obstacles and develop the atma gunangal of these people also. This Bhagavan has assured Sri Ramanuja in the sarangati gadyam that he will bestow all the goodness, atma gunangal and bhakti and remove all the inauspicious karmas, obstacles etc. So, there is need for the sincerity, commitment, desire and thirst which Bhagavan sees after pancha samskaram. So, seeing difference in level of atma-gunangal, bhakti amongst prapannas is not a problem if the people are really sincere and desiring. By mercy of Bhagavan, He will take care of everything. For reference we could hear velukkudi Krishnan Swamy’s en Pani topic few days back : ‘do vasanas get destroyed after pancha samsakam’. One main principle is – bhagavAn is the final authority to grant mOksham. He has given the guarantee for those who have emperumAnAr sambandham. We all undergo panchasamskAram and become connected through AchAryan – emperumAnAr – bhagavAn. Now, both AthmA and bhagavAn become duty bound. AthmA needs to have desire to go to mOksham and behave like an emperumAnAr sambandhi. BhagavAn needs to fulfil his responsibility. If all goes well, AthmA gets mOksham surely at the end of this birth itself. EmperumAnAr identifies in SrI bhAshyam that bhAgavatha apachAram will come as a hurdle for mOksham at the end of this birth. Generally, any mistakes we commit (due to being in this world, we will commit mistakes) – we should try to feel bad for the same, atone for it and not repeat the same. This is the safest way. If we intentionally commit mistakes or not willing to learn – then depending on the type of mistakes, the reward of moksham gets delayed proportionate to the severity of the mistakes.
  2. Andal is avataram of Bhoodevi. But Tiruppavai starts with ‘Neela thunga….’. Indicating Neeladevi. Is there any Neeladevi avataram ? Is Nappinai avataram of Neeladevi ?
    Is Nappinai another name of Radha ? If not according to our sampradayam who is Radhadevi? RADHA is refered as jeevathma. What is the importance of bhoo devi? Every where we are having dharshan of boodevi.ANdAL is avathAram of bhUdhEvi. As per pervious point, she approaches Krishna through nappinnaip pirAtti. That is why thiruppAvai thaniyan (not pAsurams) starts with nILA thunga saying Krishna is with nILA dhEvi and ANdAL approached them both.
    NILA dhEvi incarnates as nappinnai. each avathAram of emperumAn has specific pirAtti in important role. In rAmAvathAram, srI dhEvi appears as sIthAp pirAtti. in varAhAvathAram bhUdhEvi has importance. In krishNAvathAram, nILA dhEvi as nappinnaip pirAtti has importance.
    Nappinnai is not rAdhA. according to our sampradhAyam, there is no major reference to rAdhA. But based on one or two mentions of her name, she could be name of a particular gOpikA who is very dear to Krishna.
    Radha is the embodiment of kshamA, patience. all the consorts of emperumAn are considered as mothers who help us reach him. SrIdhEvi is the main consort – all other consorts will serve perumAL and pirAtti. In Short only perumAL is parmAthmA – everyone else is jIvAthmA
  3. Whole of Mathura and Brindavanam are filled with RadhaKrishna temples and hardly any of PirAtti Sannidhis, in turn we rarely find RadhaKrishna temples in South except for Isckon. Why there is such contrast Swamy?                                                                                    Generally, the various modes of worship and the forms of emperumAn/pirAtti (pramEyam) worshipped in different regions are setup by the guidance/influence of the influential AchAryas (pramAthA) specific to that region . Different AchAryas were influenced by different parts of SAsthram (pramANam). so there is tight relationship between pramEyam, pramAthA and pramANam.
    Mostly in the north, due to regional proximity, Krishna and rAma worship are popular, there is more focus on krish. bhajanai mArgam, which is primarily based on SrI bhAgavatha purANam has taken deep roots there. jayadhEva, chaithanya, vallabha, nimbArka were all greatly attached to Krishna. Invaders attacked temples and caused havoc – philosophy took little bit of backseat and bhakthi/bhajanai held them together in difficult times. SrI bhAgavatham, especially tenth chapter, Krishna’s life history, was easy to follow, for everyone, and they immersed in that.
    In the south, external disturbances were relatively less, and philosophy was always thriving. While AzhwArs bhakthi focussed on wholistic view of SAsthram and on SrI mahAlakshmi and SrIman nArAyaNan, the bhakthi filled outpourings were equally cherished. that is why we find many temples, with proper history are still preserved. SrIvaishNava AchAryas ensured that the philosophy was taught along with bhakthi and the traditions were preserved too.
    So, it is possible that there were many more Lakshmi Narayana mandhirs in the north, which might have been lost in time, and the newer temples constructed were more for rAdhA/Krishna who were most popular there.
    One more point – in the north, swamy Narayan sect, rAmAnandhi sect etc are few sects, which are influenced by and connected to SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam, are the ones who are engaged in systematic study of philosophy till date.