Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha,
Namskaram Prem Kumar Swami,
In General, adiyen will share from Sri Velukkudi Swami’s “Sharanagathy Q&A” Upanyasam with Acharya ThiruvAdi Bhalam and showing gratitude to the SriVaishnava Blogs who translated Swami’s Upanyasams.
Swami Manavaala Maamunigal in ‘Upadesa Rathinamalai’ says “before Swami Ramanujar avataram, all acharyas used to examine the knowledge of the people before doing upadesam of the manthiram and meanings. Ramanujar was the one who provided the actual meaning of Shastras and he started to do upadesam of the manthiram based on the interest that individual had.
Adhikaram (Eligibility for Moksham) was changed from “Kulam and Knowledge” to “Aasai (desire)”
For Sharanagathy/Panchasamskaram/Prapatti/Samasrayanam for Moksham via Ramanuja Sambhandham,
Q1: Are there any ELIGIBILITY requirement (Yogyathai/Niyamam)
Ans: There is “NO” Desa, Kaala, Adhikari, Prakara, Phala niyamam:
- a) Desa Niyamam (Place constraint?): Persons from ANY Desa/Place globally can do Sharanagathy,
- b) Kaala Niyamam (Time constraint?): There are NO rules on what time/date one should do Panchasamskaram, Sharanagathy.
- c) Adhikari Niyamam (Who is eligible?): Anyone can do Sharanagathy. There is no difference due to birth, scholar, human or animal, men or women belonging to all varnas, since we all are JeevAthmas (property of BhagavAn Sriman NarayanAn)
- d) Prakara Niyamam – There are No special ways/or manner like sankalpam etc.
- e)Phala Niyamam (Result constraint): There is no phala niyamam for sharanagati. Saranagati can be done for any phalam, but we should not do it just for any simple phalam, instead we need to do it only for Moksham and Bhagavadh kainkaryam resulting.
Q2: Are there any Pre-requisites for Sharanagathy.
Ans: Yes, Vishya Niyamam is needed prior to Sharanagathy. What are those?
- a) Sharanagathan need to have Swaroopa Gyanam (I’m Sheshan/Parathantharn/Not-Independent, but dependent on BhagavAn Sriman NarayanAn “Thayar-Perumal”),
- b) Sharanagathan need to have Fear about samsaram. The eligibility for Sharanagati is fear and the fruit of Saranagathy is to get rid of that fear. Saranagati’s adhikaram – Fear/Sogam/Bhayam about over countless births that we have taken and suffered a lot in this Samsaram.
- c) Sharanagathy’s phalan – Soga Nivarthi, becoming fearless,
- d) Or, Instead of Q2 b)&c), if Sharanagthan has the Aasai towards BhagavAn’s Lotus Feet and NOT because of Fear of Samsaram, then no need to worry about b) & c), we can skip b) & c) process, because BhagavAn Sriman NarayanAn is Brahmam Aanadham (Always Happy, so when we are doing Sharanagthy just for the joy of doing it, then we also will be Happy like BhagavAn due to Acharya Krupai),
- e) AnanyaGathithvam – No other place to go except BhagavAn Sriman NarayanAn’s lotus feet (பெருமாள் திருவடி தவிர வேறு புகழ் இல்லை. Vera Gadhi illai)
- f) Aakinchanyam – Aakinchanam means one who does not have anything – சிறுதுளி கூட இல்லாதவன். For a Sharanagathan, there is nothing which he has or nothing which he can do for attaining Moksham and Perumal is the only option.
All Acharya Thirumaaligai’s or Matams of Swami Ramanujar Sampradhayam in the PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE follow all the above rules as per Shastras.
So, if devareer has all the a) thru’ f) pre-requisites as in Q-2, then devareer’s question “…..can non bhramins get samasrayanam…….. ” is answered in Q-1 c) under Adhikari Niyamam by Sri Velukkudi Swami in “Sharanagathy Q&A” Upanyasam.
Kurai Irundhaal, adiyenai kShamikka Prarthikkiraen,
Nirai Irundhaal, adiyenudaya Acharya ThiruvAdi Bhalatthaal, Velukkudi Swami Aasirvadhatthaal.
Adiyen Srinivasa (DhoddayaAcharyar) Dasan.
