The sannyasis in the Vaishnava sampradaya are called ‘Jeeyar’. Though I was familiar with this title, I never knew what it actually means. But this morning Dr. Anandapadbanabacharya (Podigi, Ramanuja Vaibhavam, 15-9-15, 6.45 to 7.00 am) gave the meaning of this term.
It is a corrupt version of the Tamil word ‘seeyam’ which means lion. Sri Anandapadbanabacharya said that since no one should go empty-handed to see a god or guru, the lions in the forest of Ahobilam (a famous Vaishnavite pilgrim centre where Narasimha is the famous deity) kill the
elephants and take the tusk to submit them to the Lord when they go to worship.
Similarly Sri Ramanuja, like that lion, is known as the Lion who roars against his opponents who promote false doctrine to delude people (like Advaita). Like the elephants he smashes the teeth of his opponents in the debate to establish the true doctrine of Vishishtadvaita and presents them to the Lord. He pointed out that we should not take it literarily as if Sri Ramanuja actually broke the teeth of his opponents. Like him, all of his followers in the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya are known as the ‘seeyam’ as they remain a terror to their opponents like the lion. All the Sannyasis are then called as ‘jeeyar’ which is the corrupt form of ‘seeyam’.
Of course Vedanta Desikar is also known as the Lion who roared against his opponents. In general, the title ‘pradivadi bayangaram’ (the terror to the opponents) is given to the famous Vaishnava acharyas who claimed to have owned their opponents in debates.
But I wonder why such a violent title should be given to a sannyasi who is supposed to epitomize peace and tranquility in his life and mission? Though some sannyasis, acharyas and gurus have been claimed to have gained victory and nothing but victory over their opponents by their faithful followers, in real life such ‘terror’ is not possible in any dialogue. In the past, such violence is recorded in history, but that is only ‘history’.
I wonder if in any other sampradaya such a title is still paraded with much ‘satvic’ (good) pride, as Dr.Anandapadbanabacharya often tells in his discourse about every Sri Vaishnava? It is interesting to note that ‘jihad’ (which actually means inner struggle against oneself to have self-control) gained a new wrong violent meaning currently. Whereas a sannyasi title which actually has such a violent meaning is still paraded with much pride by followers (unknowing lay people).
It is time for them to reconsider the title of their ‘Jeeyars’ which do not represent the true nature of a sannyasi. Of course certain traditions are not possible to change. In that scenario, it is better for the lay people live with their ignorance than to know such violent meaning behind such titles.