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As per the Pancharatra Agamas which are followed by the Sri Vaishnava community, there is no restriction for followers and learners based on varna. Shudras even serve as priests in the Vaishnava temples.

However, Vedanta Sutras clearly forbids Shudras from studying Vedanta and following other Vedantic practices.

Interestingly, Sri Vaishnavas claim that Pancharatra is derived from the lost Vedic shakhas (which is not possible to verify now).

Even Vedantins claim that Vedanta Sutras are the essence of the vedic knowledge.

On the other hand, Sankaracharya considered Pancharatra Agamas as non-Vedic in nature.

Now when both of Pancharatra and Vedanta sutras claim to trace from vedic origin, how come both contradict in terms of shudras and their eligibility?

Does it mean that either of them is non-Vedic in origin contrary to their claims?

Vedanta sutras do not allow Shudras to study Vedanta but Vaishnava samskara is irrespective of Shudra or not. Why is it so?

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    I see, the Vedas are big brand. 😮
    – ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ
    Dec 26, 2017 at 12:05

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As per the Pancharatra Agamas which are followed by the Sri Vaishnava community, there is no restriction for followers and learners based on varna. Shudras even serve as priests in the Vaishnava temples.

That is not true in the slightest, and I'm sorry that I gave you any impression to the contrary in my question. That was written in the early days of the site, back when I didn't know as much. Low-caste people are definitely not allowed to be priests in Pancharatra temple (or, for the record, in Vaikhanasa temples). And there are caste restrictions mentioned in the Pancharatra Agamas. Here is what page 242 of this book says concerning the Satvata Samhita:

[T]he [Satvata Samhita] allows only the Brahmana initiate to worship the Vyuha gods with their Mantras. Others (Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras) are not initiated in the Vyuha mantras. But, if they are totally self-surrendering devotees, they may worship the Vyuha gods without their Mantras.

What is true, though, is that the Pancharatra Agamas do not have caste restrictions on studying them. (Just like Puranas, Itihasas, etc. don't have caste restrictions.) But they do not contradict the notion that the Vedas have caste restrictions.

On the other hand, Sankaracharya considered Pancharatra Agamas as non-Vedic in nature.

Yes, Adi Shankaracharya thought that the Pancharatra Agamas contradicted the Vedas, because he interpreted them as saying that the Jivatma originates from Brahman. But Yamunacharya's Agama Pramanya and Ramanujacharya's Sri Bhashya present detailed arguments to show that properly interpreted, the Pancharatra Agamas do not actually say the Jivatma originates from Brahman. Most commentators on the Brahma Sutras agree with Yamunacharya and Ramanujacharya, and even some Advaitins agree as well. See Vedottama Bhattaraka's Tantra Shuddha, for instance.

EDIT: You asked one more question:

Vedanta sutras do not allow Shudras to study Vedanta but Vaishnava samskara is irrespective of Shudra or not. Why is it so?

Because you are comparing apples and oranges. Adhyaya 1 Pada 3 of the Brahma Sutras says says that low-caste people are ineligible for Upanayana, and are thus ineligible for Vedic study. But that does not mean they are ineligible for all kinds of Diksha, or that they are ineligible to study all kinds of texts. Low-caste people are eligible to learn Agamas, Puranas, Itihasas, etc.

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  • What about kanchipurna ? He used to serve in temple? And shudras.also initiated into agamic samskara right ? Please see the edited question about initiation.
    – Rakesh Joshi
    Dec 25, 2017 at 19:19
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    @RakeshJoshi Yes, low-caste people are eligible for Samashrayanam, i.e. initiation into the Pancharatra Agamas, but not eligible for Upanayanam, i.e. initiation into the Vedas. In any case, Kanchipurna, or Thirukachi Nambi as he's known in Tamil, was not a priest, he was a Vaishya guy who did Mala Kainkaryam at the Kanchipuram Varadaraja Perumal temple. Priests have to be Brahmanas, but you don't need to be a Brahmana to do Kainkaryam at a temple.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Dec 25, 2017 at 19:23
  • so vedantic initiation is not allowed for shudra but pancharatra initiation is allowed. How come both have different opinion if they are from same origin ?
    – Rakesh Joshi
    Dec 25, 2017 at 19:24
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    @RakeshJoshi Because different kinds of texts have different rules about who can study them.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Dec 25, 2017 at 19:28
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Keshav Srinivasan ♦
    Dec 25, 2017 at 19:44

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