The story of the Hindu yajna tradition in modern India is not merely the story of a ritual form in decline. It is the story of a civilizational inheritance that has gradually lost its centrality in the public religious imagination even while retaining immense scriptural prestige. The older Vedic world placed yajna at the heartContinue reading “The age-old Vedic ritual traditions (“yajna”) that I’ve been so utterly ignorant of for so long …”
Tag Archives: Pancharatra Agama
Arvindan Neelakandan applies broad-brush stroke on Tiruvalluvar
https://open.substack.com/pub/sharpbyswarajya/p/yajnopavitam-across-thiruvalluvars?r=xbjdy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email QUOTE: “The honest reclamation is available, and far more powerful. Tamil tradition holds that Valluvar belonged to the Paraiyar community, and that Valluvar itself designated the priestly and astrological lineage within it. Gustav Oppert documented in 1893 that the Valluvar Purohits wore the yajnopavitam by right, performed Sanskrit ceremonies at Paraiyar and Pallar weddings, and were respectfully consultedContinue reading “Arvindan Neelakandan applies broad-brush stroke on Tiruvalluvar”
ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவ குரு‑பரம்பரை‑விருக்ஷத்தில் விஷ்வக்சேனரின் தத்துவ‑கடமை, பிரமாண‑அடிப்படை மற்றும் வரலாற்று‑அமைப்பு
DISCLAIMER: the Essay below is an AI-assisted translation of the original English at https://mksudarshans.blog/2026/04/26/sri-visvaksena-a-divine-puzzle-in-the-sri-vaishnava-guru-parampara-revelation-historicity-and-theological-function/ The English original may please be referred by readers to be the principal reference document. முன்னுரை (முன்னோட்டம்) ஆரம்பத்திலேயே, ஒரு ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவராக நான் ஸ்ரீ விஷ்வக்சேனரை நித்தியசூரி மற்றும் ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவ பரம்பரையில் ஆசார்ய‑நிலைக்குரியவராக (ஆசார்ய‑பரம்பரை‑திருவுருவமாக) ஆழ்ந்த பக்தியுடன் கொண்டாடுகிறேன் என்பதைக் கூறிவிட விரும்புகிறேன். இதில் எவ்வித சந்தேகமும் இருக்கக்Continue reading “ஸ்ரீ வைஷ்ணவ குரு‑பரம்பரை‑விருக்ஷத்தில் விஷ்வக்சேனரின் தத்துவ‑கடமை, பிரமாண‑அடிப்படை மற்றும் வரலாற்று‑அமைப்பு”
Sri Viśvaksēna, a divine puzzle in the Śrī‑Vaishnava Guru‑Paramparā: Revelation, Historicity, and Theological Function
At the outset, let me state that as a Sri Vaishnava, I deeply revere Sri Viśvaksēna as a nitya‑sūri and an Ācārya‑figure in the Śrī‑vaishnava paramparā. Let there be no doubt. It is only philosophical‑hermeneutical curiosity that leads me to ask a few questions on this celestial Acharya in this brief essay: — Why hasContinue reading “Sri Viśvaksēna, a divine puzzle in the Śrī‑Vaishnava Guru‑Paramparā: Revelation, Historicity, and Theological Function”
Sri Vishwaksena or “Senaimudaliyaan”, the third foremost of Sri Vaishnava Acharyas: Let us today celebrate his “Jayanthi” Day – “Pooraadam” asterism, October 28, 2025
Today in the month of ஐப்பசி (or Pooradam asterism of the Vedic lunar almanac) is a very sacred day being the “tirunakshatram” (the anniversarial ascent of asterism) of Sri Viswaksenar (known in Tamil as “Senai Mudaliyaan) who appears as the 3rd of the foremost Acharyas in Guruparampara — the lineage of preceptors — worshipped inContinue reading “Sri Vishwaksena or “Senaimudaliyaan”, the third foremost of Sri Vaishnava Acharyas: Let us today celebrate his “Jayanthi” Day – “Pooraadam” asterism, October 28, 2025″
THE END of a memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-15) : CONCLUDED
This is the last and 15th instalment in this series of essays on my 3-day pilgrimage to 6 Divya Desam temples in and around the town of Mayiladuthurai in Tanjore and to the Tharangambadi-taluka village of Vilanagar where the grand Mahasamprokshanam of a c.900-year old temple of Sridevi Perundevi Thayar sametha Sri Varadaraja Perumal wasContinue reading “THE END of a memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-15) : CONCLUDED”
A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-13)
Having been close witness to a few of the preliminary ritualistic sessions at the Vilanagar temple Samprokshanam during the first couple of days, I was able to gain some broad and clear understanding of what the various rites involved signified but then only in a very broad sense. Samprokshanam under the Pancharatra Agama is howeverContinue reading “A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Vilanagar Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Part-13)”