A significant fact not very well known, is that Sribhashyam has the distinction of having the richest supporting material, amongst all commentaries of Brahmasutras. Acharyas interpreted the 4000 verses of Divya prabhandam in the light of Sribhashyam, and journals recording discourses and conversations since Ramanuja’s time are carefully preserved. Of these 700 year old works, the व्याख्यान of Tiruvaimozhi by five commentators starting from ஆறாயிரப்படி to ஈடு முப்பத்தாறாயிரப்படி are unmatched in demystifying Vedanta.
2. One would expect that Sribhashyam to have become a work of wide scholarship. Far from it. Though it is prized as a philosophical treasure worldwide, it is limited to a small community of experts. Sankara bhashyam and advaita ,on the other hand, are well known as the standard Indian philosophy in the student community. We shall look at one possible reason for this preference for advaita over visishtadvaita.
3. The very first verse of Tiruvaimozhi proclaims that the supreme is a person Purusha, not an abstract entity. He is gunapoorna, not nirguna. The jivakoti is several, their relation to the Purusha being one of dasa/swami. These are uncompromising standpoints stated in Stibhashyam, which are directly contradictory to advaita philosophy.
4. Coming to practices, Nammazhwar urges people to do आराधना, ritual worship with पत्रं, पुष्पम, फलं, तोयँ all simple offerings. He adores vedic yajnas. He advises seekers to take the name of the Lord, adorn themselves with पुंड्रम (நீறு செவ்வேயிடக்காணில்) and gather in groups and do नामसंकीर्तनं . All these नित्य, नैमित्तिक कर्मा are directed at the deity at home and at दिव्यदेशम . Tiruvaimozhi sings about avataras from beginning to end, Nammazhwar’s abhimana being Krishnavataram. Starting with Tiruvengadam (I-8-3), he sings about 28 divyadesams. Acharya hrudayam , a work on Tiruvaimozhi details how each divyadesam exemplifies a particular kalyana guna. It is in the light of these that Ramanuja holds that the vedas, karma and jnana khandas, are an integrated shastra, and that the upasanas prescribed are not to be ignored.
5. Vedas talk of devatas as persons with potencies that impact our lives. Our elders teach us that Vedas are like mothers, they will never lead us into delusion or deception. Numerous generations of our forefathers have experienced the truth of shastras in their lives. To this day, there are people amongst us who have felt the loving touch of God. At the same time, there are skeptics who dismiss faith as auto hypnotism, superstition, gullibility, etc. But faith is irrepressible even in this cynical age as evident from this popular song:
கற்பனை என்றாலும், கற்சிலை என்றாலும், கந்தனே உனை மறவேன்!
6. Practice of faith calls for some exertion and discipline. Unfortunately, these values are attacked by liberals as regimentation, denial of freedom, patriarchy, etc. Modern education places great importance on scientific evaluation of theories. The theory of evolution is interpreted as an implication that there is no intelligent God. Many educated persons find it hard to accept anything beyond an abstract central power as God. Even those who believe in a personal God have reservations about worshipping deities at temples. The only remnant of vedic faith is in those families where observance of faith has become an integral part of their daily lives.
7. It is this vast rationalist segment which finds advaitam very appealing. They view the philosophy and practices as sanitised Hinduism. Advaitam dismisses Vedas, rituals, and god as means of elevating the self, to be discarded after use. One need not bow to any being, because there is no second being.
8. Modern age advaita teachers also do not stress troublesome advaita concepts like karma, dharma, rebirth, etc. They justify their stand with the defence that these are all part of mithya prapancham.
9. Advaitam is also considered intellectually superior, because its content is totally abstract, indefinable, indeterminate. The fact that practice and achievement of brahma nishta in life is merely theoretical does not deter from its appeal.
10. Before concluding ,it is important to note that the sanitised advaitam’s preeminence is in material terms only. It is popular in international seminars, publications, institutions with massive financial muscle power, and finally with modern gurus with multitudes of foreign followers. The advaitam which Sankara taught, one of lofty principles and pious living, is still active in the lives of smartha and Saiva siddhanta followers. Their surrender of jiva identity is only in the mood of stressing the insignificance of self effort in liberation.
About Sribhashyam 