The Setting: A quiet courtyard outside the temple hall, late afternoon. The golden light of dusk filters through the ancient banyan tree. Two figures emerge from the kalākṣepam hall — one elderly, silver-haired, standing erect and proud with a dignified bearing; the other young, bright-eyed, clutching a notebook. They have just attended a discourse onContinue reading ““Why the Rahasyatrayasāram Appeals to the Old”: A Conversation with the Young”
Tag Archives: sri vaishnavism
“The Unusual Essays of an Unknown Sri Vaishnava” — new India Edition 2025! Just out in online bookstores !
The earlier international editions (2016 and 2021) of this popular and critically acclaimed book were priced @₹.5000/+. Now, the new 2025 India Edition at an affordable price of ₹.1000/- is available for sale: The 60 delightful essays penned inside this book include also two short-stories based on imaginative reinterpretations of an episode each from theContinue reading ““The Unusual Essays of an Unknown Sri Vaishnava” — new India Edition 2025! Just out in online bookstores !”
A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Tiru Sirupuliyur (Part-8)
In the minds of many Sri Vaishnavas exists still a very deep-rooted conception or consciousness of the Dravidian origins of their ageold history which broadly is imagined to be divided into (a) the Azhwar Era and (b) the post-Ramanuja era. In the Azhwar era, again it is believed by them, that Vaishnavism took roots inContinue reading “A memorable “yaathra’ : Six “divya-desams” and one “maha-samprokshanam” – Tiru Sirupuliyur (Part-8)”
A conversation on “Kamban’s Ramayana” with Sri. Indira Parthasarathy – (Part 4 of 4) CONCLUDED
Me: Sir, while reading your essay, there was one other passage which again intrigued me. I wish to have you please clarify it. This is what you wrote: QUOTE: As one sees Kamban’s portrayal of Kumbakarna, one cannot but conclude that all these three characters (Kumbakarna , Bhishma and Radheya) were Destiny’s children, cursed, as they were, to fight forContinue reading “A conversation on “Kamban’s Ramayana” with Sri. Indira Parthasarathy – (Part 4 of 4) CONCLUDED”
The Presidential Pardon Joe Biden gave his son and the Doctrine of “Saranagathi” in Vedantic Theology
Reminds me of how in the Mahabharata, King Dhritarashtra was ready to grant pardon to his beloved son Duryodhana for every misdeed of his. A father’s love for a son is blind … more blind than the mother’s even… and Queen Gandhari seems to have exemplified that truth! My knowledge of law is very limitedContinue reading “The Presidential Pardon Joe Biden gave his son and the Doctrine of “Saranagathi” in Vedantic Theology”
Very strong flavour of Visishtadvaitic Thought in the “Soundarya Lahari”
On 27 Oct 2024, at 2:54 PM, Rangarajan T.N.C. Sent to me in an email this YouTube link : And below was my reply to him via email : Dear Sir, Thank you for sharing with me the above beautiful Shloka from Sankara Bhagavatpada’s masterpiece “Soundarya Lahari …”! This Bhakti laden Sanskrit hymn has a very special place in my heart forContinue reading “Very strong flavour of Visishtadvaitic Thought in the “Soundarya Lahari””
Book Review in The HINDU dt. January 7, 2024 of my recently published “A Tale of Two Cities- The Decline and Fall of the “ubhaya-Vedantins”: history of the Sri Vaishnavas of Tamil Nadu that was never written”
English Version of the “Vote of Thanks Speech” in Sanskrit by M.K. Sudarshan at the Book Release Event of new book “Epistles of a Prolific Pontiff” at Sri Ahobila Matham, Selaiyur, Chennai – June 23, 2023
नमस्सभायै। अत्यन्तमानन्दस्यावसरो यत् चतुःचत्वांरिशत् पट्टे मूर्धाभिषिक्तानां मुक्कुर् अलगियसिङ्गर् इति प्रसिद्धानां श्रीमद्वेदान्तदेशिकयतीन्द्रमहादेशिकचरणानां “अरुलमोझि” इति स्वरचना “नृसिंहप्रिया” इति नाम्ना पत्रिकायां 1950 तः 1980 संवत्सरपर्यन्तं प्रकाशिता आसीत् इति सर्वे जानन्त्येव। एतस्याः “अरुलमोझि” इति नामकरचनायाः आङ्ग्लानुवादप्रकाशनसन्दर्भे ये, ये मामुपकृतवन्तः तेषां तेषां सर्वेषां कृते धन्यवादसमर्पणं मम आनन्दाय परिकल्पते तथा च कार्तज्ञविनिवेदनं मम कर्तव्यम् अपि अस्ति। सर्वादौ पञ्चचत्वांरिशत् पट्टे मूर्धाभिषिक्तानांअलगियसिङ्गर श्रीमतां श्रीवण् शठकोपश्रीनारायणयतीन्द्रमहादेशिकानां चरणारविन्दयोः साष्टाङ्गपूर्वकं मम हार्दाः धन्यवादाः। इमे अस्मदाचार्याः 1998 तमे संवत्सरे अत्यन्तं दयया माम् समाश्रयणम् इति संस्कारेण संस्कृतवन्तः इति। तदनन्तरं षड्चत्वांरिशत् पट्टे मूर्धाभिषिक्तानांअलगियसिङ्गार श्रीमद्वेदमार्गप्रतिष्ठापनाचार्य – परमहंस- परिव्राजकाचार्य –Continue reading “English Version of the “Vote of Thanks Speech” in Sanskrit by M.K. Sudarshan at the Book Release Event of new book “Epistles of a Prolific Pontiff” at Sri Ahobila Matham, Selaiyur, Chennai – June 23, 2023”
“Aaru ullaar veedu ullaare”Words of Wisdom from 44th Azhagiyasingar’s “Arul mozhigal” — My English translation.
It is my privilege to translate into English the epistle (“arul mozhi”) on “aaru ullaar veedu ullaare” written in Tamizh by HH Mukkur Azhagiyasingar. Part-1 in this series published in “Nrisimha-Priya (English) ” appears in the April 2023 issue and is being reproduced below . Sudarshan Madabushi
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedantins”: Part-51
To any modern student of sociology interested in an academic study of the community of Sri Vaishnavas in India, it is very likely that it would appear as though the question of their identity — i.e. “who are we really?”, “where did we come from?”, “how have we changed and adapted”?… and, “where are weContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedantins”: Part-51″