Religious Divide
After a gap of some days I am reviving this thread. We were discussing about the divide between the rich and the poor.
But there is even a greater divide among the Brahmins. It is the Religious divide.
The Tamil Brahmins can be divided into many religious groups.
1. Smartas ( who believe in Smiritis and in Advaita philosophy.)
2. Vaishnavas ( who are followers of Sri Ramanucahraya and believe in VishishtAdvaita philosophy.)
3. The followers of Saiva Siddhanta and Agama Sasthras. (Sivacharyas or Gurukkal or Adisaiva Brahmins). They are pure Saivas.
4. The followers of Bhaskaracharya. (Sri Vidya)
5. The followers of Avadhuta/Siddha philosophy and tradition and the various small groups associated with them. [They are basically the followers of Sankhya/Yoga system]
Kanchi Acharya had initiated dialogs between the Smartas and the Viashnavas and was successful in bridging the divide. Of late some politicians and politically minded Acharyas have been trying to drive a wedge between them. We have to be careful about such people.
The southern districts of Madurai, Thirunelveli and Ramnad has not seen this divide even earlier. This is the land of Sankara Raman, Sankara Narayanan, and Sundaram Iyengar. There are a number of Divyadesams here like Srivilliputhur, Srivaikundam, Alwar Thirunagari, Nanguneri etc.
It may come a surprise to many of you that there are followers of VishishtAdvaita philosophy who are not Vaishnavas.
Sivacharyas or Gurukkal are a subsect of Vadama. But generally not accepted. They are followers of Saiva Agamas which originated in Kashmir in the first century B.C. They are followers of Baudhayana sutra whereas most of the other Brahmins follow Apastambha sutra.
Because they are pure Saivas and do not follow Advaita, there has always been a
estrangement between them and Smartas. Smartas generally do not accept the Agama Sasthras. Being pure Saivas there is no love lost between the and the Vaishnavas.
This is the community which is mainly Archakas of Siva, Devi and Subramnaya temples in Tamil Nadu.
The followers of Bhaskaracharya. (Sri Vidya) - This is a purely a Guru parampara. Their tradition is purely personal worship. Quite at peace with the world.
The followers of Avadhuta/Siddha philosophy and tradition and the various small groups associated with them.-- this is a very interesting group in that they generally do not believe in the Varna system.
You find Brahmins being disciples of Abrahmna Gurus. The Siddhra of Tamil Nadu belonged to all castes. All of them did not believe in the same philosophy. Some of the Siddhar songs are pure Advaita. Some of the Siddhars are from north India. Boghar the Siddhar who established the Palani temple is supposed to be from China.
http://palani.org/bhogar-biography.htm
I am quoting them here because they have done what all the Tamil Brahmins should aim for.
1. Accept Tamil as their primary language.
2. Include all castes in worship. It is great to see a big Yagna being conducted with Iyers, Iyengars, Chettiars and Nadars, men and women reciting Mantras in Sanskrit and Tamil and offering oblations in the fire to various Gods/Goddesses.
Utopia. No. It has been happening in Tamil Nadu for a number of years.
For anyone thinking of bringing about Unity among the Brahmins, it is necesaryto understand these differences.
