An Acharya from the West: A Conversation with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari

Interviews and Discussions

00:00 / 01:40:07

Join Mukunda as he speaks with Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari, also known as Rami Sivan, of www.srimatham.com. Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari is an Acharya of the Sri Vaishanava tradition and one of the first ordained western acharyas of the tradition. He is an scholar of the shastras including Gita, Mahabharata, Nyaya, Vedanta, Mimamsa and the Pancaratra Agamas. In addition to being an acharya and purohita, he is a full time Registered Nurse and works in helping those in need and distressed, he lives the idea of Nara Seva Narayana Seva.

In this episode, we discuss a host of topics including:

00:01:20 Introduction to Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari, also known as Rami Sivan, his background growing up in South Africa and exposure to religions from a young age, entering the Hindu tradition as a young kid, living in Israel, studying in India

00:10:50 How Acharya joined the Sri Vaishnava tradition under Varada Yatiraja Jeeyar of Sri Perumbudar, learning the Pancaratra Agama in Tamil Nadu

00:20:50 Discussion of Varada Yatiraja Jeeyar and his courage and focus on trying engage with lower caste and other communities

00:31:30 Differences and contentions within the Sri Vaishnava community and Acharya’s creation of Metkalai

00:38:50 Social service as foundational to Sri Vaishnavism, Daridra Narayana and Nara seva Narayana Seva principle

00:41:30 Sharanagati as the last step not the first step of sadhana

00:46:10 The Quintessence and Amrtam of the Gita and the message/philosophy of Krishna, the self-focus of the Sri Vaishnavism instead of the outward focus of serving humanity and the liberality and intellectual genius of Ramanujacharya

00:54:30 Discussion on Varnashrama, Jati and Caste both from textual understanding and historical understanding

01:11:40 Meat Eating and the Dharmasutras, is beef eating allowed?

01:18:30 Traditional practices vs. Textual understanding vs. New community practices; Example of Kanyadaana, Upanayanam

01:26:00 Women and the Vedas, Upanayanam

01:28:45 Buddhism and Hinduism

01:38:30 Conclusion

You can find Sri Rama Ramanuja Achari at: www.srimatham.com

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