SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Q and A Video responses
Q. After samASrayaNam when should boys/men recite abhivAdhanam?
https://youtu.be/3XT4p0FuG90?list=PLcJLpGJlP9mq1ujSPoQLn5ayAi6Jl6Www
Q. Is it necessary to acquire sampradhAyam knowledge before undergoing pancha samskAram?
https://youtu.be/VF5wxr2V2KI?list=PLcJLpGJlP9mq1ujSPoQLn5ayAi6Jl6Www
Q. After having panchasamskAram, will dhrishti, jealousy or black magic affect prappannas?
https://youtu.be/swGsibHIVkM?feature=shared
Q. After pancha samskAram, do we identity ourself as a SrIvaishNava or according to our varNa?
Q. ANDAL explains about pancha samskAram in thiruppAvai. Kindly elaborate.
https://youtu.be/CvBxbFcvBtw?si=G8r1xtmx-B8POpAJ
Q. After undergoing panchasamskAram, will it guarantee paramapadham after this janma itself?
https://youtu.be/C9SxnFhvPDw?si=iIoFlbTVRMMx1Hcp
Q. What is bharanyAsam? What is its significance in thenkalai sampradhAyam?
https://youtu.be/1ct9ohkAAEw?si=ly5_PezMiztKN80X
Q. Can a non-brAhmin get upanyanam or pancha samskAram? If yes, what is the procedure?
https://youtu.be/HKM-015J8Oc?si=HxeEIl0_XFuKQ2Ii
Q. Is SaraNAgathi effortless or do we have to keep improving ourselves in SaraNAgathi?
https://youtube.com/shorts/U6vqaMo7A88?si=wYcWuRyk7TitrELA
Q and A Text responses
Q. Can we call ourselves adiyEn/bhAgavatha without pancha samskAram?
Yes – the bhAvam/mood is important. Certainly, adiyEn can be said by everyone, since that is the natural position of all AthmAs. If one truly considers oneself as an exclusive devotee of vishNu, one can be considered as a bhAgavatha.
Q. Can we get pancha samskAram for achith?
Sankha chakra mudhrA alone is not pancha samskAram. Applying thirumaN, Sanhka chakram for vessels is to indicate that they are fortunate to have connection to bhagavAn through bhAgavathas. Every achith object (insentient) has an AthmA in it. Even animals, birds, pots, dhOthis, etc. – everything is fortunate when there is bhagavath/bhAgavatha sambandham.
Q. In case one belongs to svayamAchAryas and was not able to do pancha samskAram due to AchAryan attaining his AchAryan thiruvadi, are there sampradhAyam rules as to who can do pancha samskAram?
If no one is ready or qualified in the family, one can seek SrI vAnamAmalai mutt (which is considered as the foremost mutt of SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam since this mutt has been involved in prachAram for more than 600 years) or other established AchArya thiruvamSams.
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Q. Are thaptha mudhrAs of gadhA, padhma and nArAyaNa mudhra given in SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam as given in madhva sampradhAyam?
No. Our pUrvAchAryas have selected this method. we will go with that practice only.
Q. How do we view “Shad-Anga prapatti”? Is this something that needs to be actively practiced post pancha samskAram?
The six aspects of SaraNAgathi are considered as a natural outcome which happens after pancha-samskAram. After pancha samskAram, one gets guidance from AchAryas and live the life according to such good guidance. For such persons, these will naturally occur. There are some interesting explanations in https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2021/10/periya-thirumozhi-2-6/ on this topic. Same thing is elaborated here too – https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org/index.php/2023/06/perumal-thirumozhi-2/
Q. Do AchAryas give SrI lakshmi nArAyaNa vigraha to worship at home after pancha samskAram?
Not usually.
Q. Since AchArya’s anugraham is utmost, then what is the role of mahA lakshmI thAyAr?
AchArya is the representative of SrI mahAlakshmi. As she is the second in line in our guru paramparA, everyone follows her and considers her as their role model.
Q. If the mark of pancha samskAram fades should we get the sankha, chakra lAnchanam again through an AchAryan?
No.
Q. Since pancha samskAram is a process to surrender ourselves to bhagavAn, is there specific time or period for pancha samskAram?
No specific time frame. when one has desire and when AchArya agrees, it can be done.
Q. Do pratilomas and foreigners also have the right for pancha saṃskAram? And does that mean they can also perform kainkaryam to perumAL?
Everyone is qualified for pancha samskAram. But kainkaryams in public places like temples will be based on SAsthram, where certain standards are expected.
Q. Is it necessary to receive pancha samskAram from a jeeyar swAmy in order to attain vaikuNta? And does having multiple AchAryas as witnesses to one’s spiritual practice affect one’s eligibility or permanence in vaikuNta?
pancha samskAram should be accepted from an established AchArya. One can take guidance from elders/scholars as well. By following the principles of our pUrvAchAryas, based on the guidance from present day AchAryas, one will make progress in sampradhAyam and eventually reach SrIvaikuNtam. Then there is no fall down from SrIvaikuNtam, certainly. Right from bhagavath rAmAnuja’s times, accepting guidance from multiple AchAryas is practiced – but the AchAryas should follow our SrIvaishNava sampradhAyam purely, without any selfish interests. We can accept guidance only from such AchAryas who are very good in gyAnam (knowledge) and anushtAnam, (practice) both.
Q. With regard to prapatti, is it to be performed only once by a jIvAthmA towards bhagavAn, or can a devotee perform SaraNAgathi multiple times? What is the correct understanding of this in our sampradhAyam?
SaraNAgathi should be done only once. SaraNAgathi is the act of accepting bhagavAn as upAyam. It is enough, if we do it once – since bhagavAn will recognize that one single act and bestow the expectation, at the apt time. This SaraNAgathi is done by us, as part of pancha samskAram.
We should not perform SaraNAgathi again and again. That means, we should not go through the routine of pancha samskAram again and again.
But we do repeatedly chant guru paramparA manthram and dhvaya mahA manthram. We also recite many pAsurams, sthOthrams, which implies that we are surrendering to bhagavAn. These repetitions are done by SrIvaishNavas due to sweet nature of SaraNAgathi or out of fear. Those will become part of being kainkaryam and bhagavAn will forgive the repeated act of surrendering.
Q. If husband is a smartha/other sampradhAyam & wife is a SrIvaishNava, is she eligible for pancha samskAram? Also if the husband is not interested in SrIvaishNava kramas and wife is ready to do so what will be her state in this life? Is she is eligible for mOksha?
Yes – certainly – she is eligible. But after pancha samskAram, she should follow SrIvaishNava traditions only. And she should not worship other dhEvathAs. As long as she can follow this, she can get pancha samskAram. If she follows pUrvAchAryas’ instructions through a proper AchArya, she will be surely eligible for mOksham.
Q. What eligibility must we have to take samASrayaNam?
In general, anyone who is devoted to SrIman nArAyaNa and desires to be liberated, can get pancha samskAram. The main aspects to follow are :
* Avoid other dhEvathAs completely
* Avoid apachArams (offenses) towards bhagavAn and bhAgavathas
* Maintain regulated prasAdham consumption
* Follow an authentic mentor/AchArya who can give personal guidance and reform us at every step
Q. What are the rules to be followed for a SrIvaishNava after pancha samskAram daily?
The purpose of pancha samskAram is to avoid material entanglement. Hence we have to adhere to the instructions of our pUrvAchAryas with proper guidance from an authentic mentor. Exceptions are always there – but we have to minimize the exceptions and maximise the proper etiquette.