Hello Shri Raju, Greetings!
Dear Mr. Narayan, (I did not want my salutation to be hanging in the air like some mumbo jumbo. So I have added three letters to your name to complete it.
No problem. If you wish to add couple of more letters(an "a" and an "n") and make it even more complete that is fine as well.
Thank you for engaging me on this topic. I hope I make an impression.
I agree with you, I do have an agenda, but it is no secret. My friend Shri Sapthajihva (our differences not withstanding, Sapthajiva, I hope you will see me as a friend) will attest to that.
I am appealing only to Brahmins because I was born into a TB family. Hopefully, there are progressives in the midst of NBs doing the same.
An aside: Just a few weeks ago, even after an agreement was reached, a group of Dalits, who were accompanied by revenue officers and police protection, were prevented from entering a temple by the dominant NB caste. In the second attempt they succeeded. I would have loved to have seen Brahmin leaders, both religious and secular, ceasing the opportunity and openly and with forceful rhetoric sided with the Dalits and repudiated caste discrimination.
Coming to the topic of Sri vaishnavam and caste, I notice you have not found any error or inaccuracies in my presentation. Your objection, it seems, is that I have misinterpreted the intent of Azhvars and the commentators.
I have tried my best to limit my own personal interpretations to a minimum and have identified them as such. I presented the commentary of Swami Perivachchan Pillai (SPP) verbatim and also said I was disappointed he did not go far enough to include giving and taking of girls in marriage.
You have also pointed out that I left out a passage of SPP "conveniently". But what I left out -- that post was already getting too long -- does not weaken my case, on the contrary it only strengthens it.
The text I left out says jAthi is transient, like writing on water, but the connection established through the give and take (கொடுமின் கொள்மின்) is permanent. Therefore, SPP urges, do not not hesitate to fall at the feet of NB bhagavathas.
This is in continuation of my earlier posting:
So, dear Mr. Narayan your veiled accusation that even periyavachan pillai has misinterpreted Alwar’s pasuram or that he has glossed over caste differences is not correct.
I did not make any veiled accusation against SPP. I don't know what you are talking about. The only thing I said that was my opinion/interpretation was that he did not go far enough to include marriage for கொடுமின் கொள்மின்.
Any independent observer who judges this pasuram will only happily agree with Periyavachan pillai’s apt interpretation. Today’s learned srivaishnavites do not have any dispute with Alwar.
I know that Azvars and great commentators like SPP are revered by Sri vaishnavas. They have Sannidhis for them all. They have daily aradhanai and purappadu on special occassions. But, how many actually follow what SPP says, not me, but SPP says that Azhvar had in mind. Take for example, SPP says, நீங்கள் அவர்கள் காலிலே விழுங்கோள்.... நீங்கள் அவர்களை ஆராதியுங்கோள். Does this sound like just a simple "salute"? And SPP also specifically says to give and accept ஸ்ரீபாத தீர்த்தம். This is SPP's words, not mine.
Brahmin Sri Vasihnavas do revere all the Azhvars irrespective of caste. But what do you see in practice in religious setting? As you admit, their priority is to fiercely guard their Prabhandha Goshti from infiltration by anybody. Of course this behavior is common to both kalais. But that is not the whole situation. They both further restrict their respective Goshti to just Brahmins. Would a Thenkalai Goshti allow a Thenkalai NB or a Vadakalai Goshti allow a Vadakalai NB? The answer is NO.
They are more interested in preserving the temple protocol that gives special privileges to Brahmins, than following even the simple commands that cannot be misinterpreted or have been interpreted in plain language by great commentators.
You say Swami Thirukkacchi Nambi is well respected among Sri vaishnavas irrespective of his low caste. Yes he is. But what about a Thirukkacchi nambi type Sri Vaishnava who may be alive today? How will he be treated in any Sri Vaishnava institutions? Even Azhvars will not fare any better.
Yea, there is lot of respect in the abstract, but in practice, there is not a whole lot. I am saying this from my own personal experience from Sri vaishnava temples and institutions. I can say this with some force of authority as until not so long ago, I was very much part of the inner circle of one of the Sri Vaishnava matams. Let me assure you, what I have seen is not something Azhvar or SPP will be proud of.
