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Questions about worshipping Vishnu

ratikala

Istha gosthi
namaskaram Axlyzbhai Ji

Dear Ratiben (is it okay if I call you that?) :),
I will get back to you on this one. I remember seeing an answer for this on some Sri Vaishnava site.

Regards

I am sure I do not mind , Aupu ji may say he is the only one can call me Ratiben ;)

I know I have also read a similar story , and another saying that Nila Devi was synonomus with Srimati Radharani , ...

I shall go search , .....
no harm I hope in exchanging stories , .....

I think I just look at it sweetly , after all each are an aspect of Laksmi Devi ans Laxmi Devi accompanies the Lord where ever he goes :)
 

ratikala

Istha gosthi
namaskaram my dearest brother ji

The meaning of that ahem is we both know for a fact I was the first person to call you Ratiben (and bhaginī). ;)

yes both you and I know this ,:) .... But Aupu ji made some remark recently about his right or preference to call me Ratiben , ...;)

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. :)

it was too too short I want another one , ....Prehaps it will snow then everything here grinds to a halt for a few days if not more , ...and it is so so beautifull , ...and I can build a snow Jaganatha ......:p
 

Chakra

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
But didn't Sri Ramanuja shout out loud the Narayanaashtakshara as soon as he learned from his guru that one could attain moksha despite his guru's injunction not to reveal it publicly which would result in Sri Ramanuja attaining hell?
I wish to add something here. According to Sri Vaishnavas, it was not the Narayanaashtakshara mantra that was chanted out loud, but rather, the secrets of the Charama Shloka. It also makes sense. The Narayana mantra has been with Sri Vaishnavas for ages. It is improbable that Sri Ramanuja had to "find it again" for the Sri Vaishnavas. Just my opinion.
 

Chakra

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
namaskaram Axlyzbhai Ji



I am sure I do not mind , Aupu ji may say he is the only one can call me Ratiben ;)

I know I have also read a similar story , and another saying that Nila Devi was synonomus with Srimati Radharani , ...

I shall go search , .....
no harm I hope in exchanging stories , .....

I think I just look at it sweetly , after all each are an aspect of Laksmi Devi ans Laxmi Devi accompanies the Lord where ever he goes :)

Dear Ratiben, here are the answers from the Sri Vaishnava site I was talking about. (From http://www.ibiblio.org/sadagopan/srihayagrivan/ebooks/096_ns.pdf)

 Through the expression of eka Se****vam, VishNu and SrI devi exhibit
vibhutvam and are upAyam as well as upeyam for a prapannan
 Purusha sUktam, BhU sUktam, Hari vamSam (an appendix of MahA
BhAratam) attest to the fact that both BhU devi and nILA devi are VishNu
patnI-s
 From an ontological stand point, both BhU devi and nILA devi are regarded
as two aspects/amSams of VishNu Sakti, which according to PaancarAtra
samhitA-s is MahA Lakshmi Herself. BhU devi is the amSam of kshamA and
nILA devi is the amSam of audAryam of MahA Lakshmi. Both are worshipped
along with MahA Lakshmi without affecting the unitary character of MahA
Lakshmi as the inseparable consort of VishNu enjoying the same status as
Her Lord. Vishvaksena samhitA goes on to point out that BhU devi and nILA
devi are not vibhus like MahA Lakshmi and yet both are dear to VishNu and
are His consorts. The acceptance of additional consorts for the Lord does
not mitigate the unitary character of the Supreme Mother, MahA Lakshmi.
 

Chakra

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I wish to add something here. According to Sri Vaishnavas, it was not the Narayanaashtakshara mantra that was chanted out loud, but rather, the secrets of the Charama Shloka. It also makes sense. The Narayana mantra has been with Sri Vaishnavas for ages. It is improbable that Sri Ramanuja had to "find it again" for the Sri Vaishnavas. Just my opinion.
Actually, here is another perspective on it, from authentic Sri Vaishnavas.

The popular belief that he gave out the Mantras is not correct; What he actually gave out was that he had found out the way to attain Moksha through the three great Mantras and invited those who sincerely wished to follow him and get initiated. Also, he did not advise all and sundry as assumed by some. By the time of this episode, he had already gathered a huge following of disciples who congregated at the main entrance to the temple and he was thus addressing his own disciples (as explained in a separate posting in this series). This is another less known fact about the well known Acharya Tirukkoshtiyur Nambi was so enraged and demanded an explanation. Ramanuja replied that he did not give out the secrets and even if he had transgressed the specific warning of the Guru, only he himself would go to hell but the multitude of humanity that listened to his clarion ' wake - up' call would be saved spiritually. The Guru was overwhelmed by this reply . Embracing Ramanuja appreciating his broad mindedness, he called him 'Emperumanar'- " O! My lord" and declared that Srivaishnavism would thenceforward be known as " Ramanuja Darsanam"- ' the light of Ramanuja'
 
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