Press Report
VIJAYAWADA, INDIA, May 3, 2004: Sri Swaroopanandendra Saraswathi, the Sankaracharya of Sarada Peetam, on Monday demanded security to mutt heads and ashrams in the wake of the alleged attempts by Tridandi Sriman Narayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeer to impose Pancharatra system of rituals in all Vaishnava temples, including those following the Vaikanasa tradition.
Addressing a press conference here, the Sankaracharya urged the Hindu community and endowment board to stop the Punarprathishta ceremony announced for June 16 by the Jeer. The Seer, who had taken the initiative to put an end to the controversy over the performance of rituals at the famous Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirupati by holding a Vaikanasa pandits meet last month, explained that in Hinduism, there were prescribed methods to perform rituals to each devata.
Swaroopanandendra Saraswathi said he had also planned to undertake a more than 1,000 km pilgrimage by foot, covering Panchabhutha Linga Shetrams (Five Elemental Siva Lingam Temples) from Srikalahasthi to Chidambaram to propagate the Sanatana Dharma of Hinduism and stop conversion to other religions.
More information on the Pancharatraand Vaikanasa systems can be found at here and here.
The latter states, in part, “the Agamas accept the authority of Vedas. The Agamas prescribe icon worship in the place of rituals like Yagnas, mentioned in the Vedas. They prescribed the methods of icon worship. The Agamas are predominantly divided into Saiva, Sakta and Vaishnava Agamas. Agamas mainly talk about construction of temples; the rules for installation and consecration of the deities in the temples; and the methods of performing pujas in the temples. The Vaishnava Agamas identify Brahman as Vasudeva. The Vaishnava Agamas are: Pancharatra Agama and Vaikhanasa Agama. Some temples follow Pancharatra Agama and some temples follow Vaikhanasa Agama. This is only by tradition and custom.”