The second of the major dissonances amongst the Tenkalai and Vadakalai versions of the history of the Kanchi Sri Varadaraja Perumal temple is related to “POWER AND LEGITIMACY” and how each sect reacts to both. It is going to need explication at quite some length because it is perhaps the chief reason why the manyContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins”: Part 12″
Tag Archives: Srivaishnavism
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 11
The major dissonances amongst the Tenkalai and Vadakalai versions of the history of the Kanchi Sri Varadaraja Perumal temple are three in number: A. Historicity or timeline B. Power and Legitimacy: C. Language as a cultural badge …. or baggage. *********************************** HISTORICITY: There is a significant difference in the way the Tenkalai and Vadakalai viewContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 11″
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins”: Part 10
Discerning the commonalities in Tenkalai and Vadakalai narratives — and after understanding how they actually diminish, not enhance their stature as “ubaya vedaantins” in the eyes of Indian Civil Law and today’s modern society as well — it is important next to examine a few of the major dissonances between them. “Dissonance“, according to theContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins”: Part 10″
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 9
When one reads both the narratives of the Tenkalai and Vadakalai sects in the way I have tried to recapitulate them in the last two Parts (7 and 8) — with focus on bland, simple and matter-of-fact content sifted away as much as possible from otherwise rather distracting hagiographical excess and effusion — it isContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 9″
“Words of Wisdom” from Sri Mukkur Azhagiyasingar: “Sri Vaishnava sampradaayam”- Clarifications on Doctrine”
It was my privilege to translate into English the Tamil epistle of HH Sri Mukkur Azhasingar, the 44th Pontiff of Sri Ahobila Mutt, on the “Sri Vaishnava sampradaayam: Clarifications on Doctrine” and it has been published in the June 2022 issue of “NRISIMHA PRIYA”, the Journal of “Sri Ahobila Muttam”: Sudarshan Madabushi
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 7
The Tenkalai narrative about how the Kanchipuram Sri Devarajaswamy Perumal temple in the 15th century came to be owned and protected by members of their sect begins with the introduction of one of their most venerated Acharyas. His name was Sri Azhagiya Manavaala Jiyar. Who was he? A website http://koyil.org/index.php/vadhikesariazhagiyamanavalajiyarmutt/ provides a brief hagiography ofContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 7″
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 6
The narrative of the Tenkalai sect with regard to their claim to legitimacy in asserting that the Kanchi Varadaraja Temple belongs — lock, stock and barrel — to their “sampradaaya“, tradition and custom is based mostly on the version of 15th-16th century CE history that they have constructed and posit. The Vadakalai sect, however, onContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya-vedaantins” – Part 6″
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya vedaantins” – Part 5
The history of the whole world tells us clearly that at the root of all great human conflicts is the inability of Man to know Truth first and to then Reconcile himself to it. Conflicts arise and continue to fester and outrage us only because one side of the conflict believes its version of TruthContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya vedaantins” – Part 5”
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya vedaantins” – Part 3
Edmund Burke, the 18th century CE British Parliamentarian once made a statement echoing a dictum made at least 3000 years before him by Sage Manu in India. Burke said: “People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors”. And Sage Manu had pronounced the very same truth but differently: (Manu-neethiContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya vedaantins” – Part 3″
The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya vedaantins” – Part 8
In the broad narrative of the Vadakalai sect, the events of 14th-16th century CE history that led to its claiming primacy, ownership, control, legitimacy — and of contributions made to the construction, maintenance and administration of the Kanchipuram Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple — most prominently feature Sri Lakshmi Kumara Thathachariar, aka Sri Lakshmi Kumara ThathaContinue reading “The Decline and Fall of the “ubaya vedaantins” – Part 8”