Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha
THONDAVADI
 

What's inside?
HOME

  1. The concept of VISHISTHADWITHA
  2. The origin of IYENGARS
  3. Relation between IYENAGRS AND VISHISTHADWITHA philosophy
INTRODUCTION
  1. THONDAVADI AND IYENGARS
  2. ORIGIN OF IYENGARS IN THONDAVADI
  3. HOW TO GET HERE?
Photo Gallery
  1. Pictures of the lord with explanation
  2. Pictures of  the temple with explanation
  3. Contact  address and details.
 
 

HOME Introduction photogallery
 

LORD VARADARAJA SWAMY OF THONDAVADI
Varada Raja Swami temple of THONDAVADI is a typical Vishishtadvaita temple. 'Shree Vaishnavas', as more oftenly called the principle came into existence around 1050 A.D. The THONDAVADI temple is yet another creation of this strong RAMANUJA philosophy.
Find out more about 'SHREE VAISHNAVAS' and 'THONDAVADI'.

Vishishtadvaita

 

The concept of Vishishtadvaita started 1000 years ago and traces its philosophical origins to Nathamuni, a Sri Vaishnava Acharya, who lived around 900 CE.

 
Nathamuni who was exposed to the divine teachings of Nammazhwar and other Azhwars (Sri Vaishnava Saints from Southern India – pronounced as Alwars) introduced their philosophy into Vaishnava temple worship. Nathamuni's efforts were formalized into a religious system of lifestyle, practice and worship by Ramanuja, one of the most well known humanist acharyas amongst the triad who gave the famous three systems of vedantic philosophy (Advaita by Shankara, Dvaita by Madhwa and Visishtadvaita by Ramanuja).

 

Ramanuja showed that the mystic insights of the Azhwars were the same truths enshrined in the vedas, and created a group of people whose identity as servants of Lord Narayana focussed on the fact that all sentient beings were 'equal' being (children of the same Supreme Being) and that outward bodily differences in terms of varna and caste were unimportant in terms of one's relationship to the Supreme.

Ramanuja had Srivaishnava (Iyengar) disciples spanning the social gamut, including well known non-brahmin saints such as Pillai uranga villi dasar (before becoming Ramanuja's disciple, he would have been termed as a Shudra) and Tripura-devi, a lady disciple well known for her unwavering devotion to Ramanuja.

DIVISON OF THE COMMUNITY.

 

In course of time, the community divided into two sects, called then-kalai (southern learning) and vada-kalai (northern learning).
Thenkalais (pronounced ‘thengale’) held the philosophy of Azhwars on par with the vedas and gave the divine outpourings of the Azhwars in Tamil a place of primacy in every day worship. The thenkalais, led by the philosophical commentary of Pillai lokacharya and Azhagiya Manavalapperumal nayanar, subscribe to the idea that human liberation stems from the uninstigated grace of the Supreme.

The Vadakalais (pronounced ‘vadagale’) trace their philosophical origins to the insightful swami Vedanta Desikar, asseverate primacy to Sanskrit and Vedas, and believe that human effort is a contributory factor to liberation, as is Divine grace.

Swami Vedanta Desika was born in Thoopul, near Kanchipuram, on the order of Lord Srinivasa and Padmavathi Thayaar of Tirupati, as a son of Ananta Suri and Totaramba. He was named "Venkatanatha". Educated and trained by a scholarly maternal uncle of his, Kidambi Appullalar (who was a direct disciple of Ramanuja), who was also his Acharya, initiated his Upanayanam at the age of seven and made him master the Vedas, Divyaprabandam, Puranas and Sastras. By the age of twenty he was a Great Scholar without par in the history of Vaishnavism. The wedding ceremony was celebrated when "Venakatanathan" turned 21 with Tirumangai (also known as "Kanakavalli"). The Lord blessed him with a son, who was named "Varadarya" in 1317 A.D. Swami rose to the status of an "Acharya" by the age of 27.

Vedanta Desika (1269 – 1370) is the second greatest Srivaishnavist writer. He was a great poet, devotee, philosopher and master-teacher. Ramanuja's death in 1137 A.D. was followed by a sectarian split among the Sri Vaishnavas. By the end of the 14th century this turned into a permanent division into two sects: Vadakalai (Northern learning) and Tenkalai (Southern learning). The followers of the former consider Sri Vedanta Desika as their Acharya (teacher). The followers of the latter consider Sri Manavala Maamunikal as their Acharya.

 The Origin Of IYENGARS

The word "Iyengar" is a relatively new name and was not used in any medieval works or scriptures. The word "Sri Vaishnava" would therefore be the right word to describe them, though all of them could be called as Sri Vaishnava Brahmins.
The word Iyengar itself, meaning one who is characterized by five attributes (Aindu angangal), is independent of the person's varna or caste. Rather, it indicates the philosophical affiliation of the adherent. However, in current day practice, the term is taken to indicate brahminical roots as most people who affiliated themselves with the philosophy were from the Brahmin castes.

All Iyengars accept Narayana / Vishnu as the Supreme Being (Paramatma), and subscribe to a monotheistic philosophy of a Supreme Being who is the primal, substantive and supportive cause of the manifest and unmanifest universe. They also recognize all other gods such as Brahma, Indra, Shiva, Agni in the Hindu pantheon as subservient to Narayana and amongst the jeevatmas (sentient souls, chit) whose existence is dependent upon the will of the Supreme Being.

RELATION BETWEEN IYENGARS AND VISHISTADWAITHA

 Iyengars follow Visishtadvaita, a system of thought embodied by the Vedanta, the philosophical portion of the Vedas, India's ancient scriptures. The central idea of Visishtadvaita is this: there exists an Ultimate Reality, an Absolute Being that is the source and substratum of all that exists. This immanent spirit is the inner guide and controller of the whole universe with all its diverse animate and inanimate elements. Communion with this gracious, omnipotent Supreme Being constitutes the supreme end of existence or Moksha. Such communion is attainable exclusively through complete self-surrender and undivided, loving meditation (Bhakti). The Vaishnavite tradition began during the Vedic period. Most Iyengars follow Ramanuja's and Vedanta Desikar's school of philosophy.

The objects of worship are the images of Vishnu and His incarnations and the saligramas - small stone pebbles of different colors (predominantly black) recovered from the bed of the river Gandaki in Nepal at Mukti Kshetra. Saligramas are fossilized ammonite shells formed 140 million years, having several spiral grooves resembling the chakra of Narayana which are formed by the river worms called Vajra-keeta.

DIVYA DESHAM's

The 108 holy temples of Vishnu called 108 Divya Desams are important to the Iyengars. The 108th Divya Desam is Vaikuntam which is the Mythical abode of Lord Vishnu.

Iyengars are followers of the Vaishnava tradition of the scholar-saint Ramanuja. This tradition is known within the community as Ubhaya or twofold Vedanta, referring to use of both the Sanskrit Vedas and Tamil Vedas (Divya Prabandham) of the Azhwar saints in religious life.