[Fwd: Re: neti neti]

[Ravi Mayavaram]

Ram Chandran wrote:

> by almost all religions. Strong religious conviction is important to
> live a moral and peaceful life.  Shri Ramanuja the father of the Bhakti
> movement highly recommends the following verse for human salvation.
>

nAmaskAram

I disagree with the title "Father of Bhakti Movement" given shrI
Ramanuja. It has no basis. Bhakti was flourishing (at least in Tamil
Nadu)   through the great works of nAyAnmArs and AzhvArs.

Our paramaguru shankara wrote many works which promoted bhakti.
In fact the sphere of influence for shrI Ramanuja was very small. He is
a great bhakta of shrIman nArayANa and he gave a vedantic basis to
vishishhTAdvaitam, that is all.  I think shankara's hymns are much more
popular and widely used in prayers than what shrI rAmAnuja has composed.


I am not against shrI rAmAnuja. In fact I prefer the company of
shrIvaishnavas (who have bhakti, many dont have these days). It is lot
more pleasing and uplifting to  be in their company than to move to
ignorant (but outspoken) and deluded new age philosophers.

In fact I  like the  work by shrIrAmanuja "svAdheena .." which ends in
satyakAma, satyasaMkalpa, Apatsakha, kAkutsa, shrIman nArAyANa,
puruShottaMa, shrI ranganAtha, mama nAtha, namostute.

Ravi

AUM namo nArAyaNAya