2

At least in Tamil Nadu, "smarta" is a synonym for "Iyer" - who subscribe to Advaita as a philosophy and do not explicitly reject ANY Hindu deity.

Did Tamil Vaishnavites (Iyengars) descend from Shaivites (Iyers)?

says Srivaishnavites are descended from Iyers - i.e,. were Smartas.

Do Srivaishnavites explicitly reject being Smartas now?

S K
  • 1
  • 4
  • 22
  • 79
  • 2
    it's a case of retroactive naming. If there is only one Ram, people call him Ram. If there comes another Sri Ram, then old one becomes Bhargava Ram and new one is Sri Ram. Both are Rams, but differentiation is needed to call. Smartha means those who follow Smritis. So technically, Iyers and Iyengars are smarthas. But those smarthas who follow Vishnu ALONE need a differentiation. The word 'descended' is debatable. Yes, there are converts, but the philosophy of Sri Vaishnavas and Pancha Samskar goes back to azhwars at beginning of Kali Yug, so a separate/independent sect did exist as well. – ram May 12 '22 at 01:00

0 Answers0