The "SRI VAISHNAVA" Community is a small close-knit one. However, it has spread its wings far and wide across the country and the globe. Traditionally, marriages in "SRI VAISHNAVA" were arranged through word of mouth through common relatives or friends in the community. Besides this, participation in social functions was enough to bring home a spate of proposals for eligible Brides and Grooms. However, in today's fast-paced world, most of us barely have enough time to connect with the community. So we have launched this website "www.srivaishnavaparinayam.com" allow you to connect with the community using the benefits of technology. We bring you profiles of eligible Brides and Grooms in an easy-to-search format. Successful "SRI VAISHNAVA" marriages start here, so start your search right away
Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya or Sri Vaishnavism is a denomination within the "VAISHNAVISM" tradition of Hinduism. The name is derived from "Sri" referring to goddess Lakshmi as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and god Vishnu who are together revered in this tradition Sri vaishnava worship the images of Vishnu, His incarnations and the Saligramas which are small stone pebbles of different colors (predominantly black). The Saligramas come from the bed of the river Gandaki in Nepal at Mukti Kshetra. The tradition was founded by Nathamuni (10th century), who combined the two traditions, by drawing on Sanskrit philosophical tradition and combining it with the aesthetic and emotional appeal of the Bhakti movement pioneers called the AZHWARS. (Alwars).
AzhwArs, 12 AzhwArs appeared in South India and composed Tamil pAsurams (about 4000) that are considered EQUAL to vEdAs. The Naalaayira Divya Prabhandham were composed for us to learn and understand the vEdAs in Tamil. As mentioned by Swami Vedanta Desikan "theLiyaadha maRainilangaL theLiginROmE!". By reading these 4000 pAsurams, our concepts get clarified and we get to understand the incomprehensible vEdAs clearly. They are hence, called Tamil vEdam.
AzhwArs were 12. Since they always were immersed (aazhndhu) in kalyANa guNAs (the Most Auspicious attributes) of Emperumaan Sriman NarayaNan, they are called AzhwArs. They were
PoigaiAzhwAr, BhUthathAzhwAr, PEyAzhwAr, ThirumazhisaiAzhwAr, NammAzhwAr, PeriyAzhwAr, MadhurakaviAzhwAr, ThondaradippodiAzhwAr, KulasEkharAzhwAr, ThiruppANAzhwAr, AndAL, & ThirumangaiAzhwAr.
NammAzhwAr is considered the Most important and the Greatest AzhwAr; for his prabhandham (of Thiruvaaimozhi of 1000 pAsurams) which glorifies the prapatti (the surrender concept). He took refuge at the Lord's feet and performed prapatti. Hence, for all of us, VaishNavAs, NammAzhwAr is the Chief, since he leads us by example for performing prapatti at the Lord's Lotus Feet. He is Moola purushar.
He is also addressed as the Prapanna santhaana koodasthar. His Thiruvaaimozhi's commentary is called Bhagavadh Vishayam. It is a Grantham that one has to do kAlakshEpam under the feet of his AchAryA.
Sriman Narayanan is the first AchArya for all of us. He is the Adhi Guru. Next comes Periya Piratti MahAlakshmi. VishvaksEnar (Senai Mudhali)( -no connection with Mudhaliar caste of present times) is the next AchAryan. He is the Chief of the Lord's army (sEnai). Next is NammAzhwAr. VishvaksEnar, it appears had come down to the earth to teach NammAzhwAr. Nathamuni is His sishyA. UyyakkoNdaar, MaNakkaal Nambi, Yamuna Muni (Alavandhaar), Periyanambi come in that lineage. Periya Nambi's sishyar is Our Most reverred YathirAjar, Sri RamanujAchAryA (lakshmaNa Muni). He is the Most important AchArya of VaishNava Siddhantham. He is also called Bhagavadh RamanujA. Rest is all that you are aware of and we can trace down to our present AchAryA. (ask your parent, if you are not sure who your present AchAryA is.)
The 108 holy temples of Vishnu called 108 Divya Desams are important to the sri vaishnavas. The first Divya Desam is Srirangam's Lord Ranganathaswamy Temple and the last Divya Desam is Vaikuntam which is the mythical abode of Lord Vishnu.
