Garuda

[Guest guest]

Response to Mani's comments on worship of Garuda:

 

In one of Srimad Andavan's upanyasams (Poorvashramam Kannan Swamigal), I heard

the following story.

 

It seems, originally all of Nammazhwar's pasurams ended with phrases like

"Vaikuntam Eruvar" etc. etc.. As a result, his pasurams became somewhat

unpopular, so much so that people were afraid of even reciting them, lest they

should reach vaikuntam immediately. As the narration went, it appears

Nammazhwar did modify his pasurams to suit the popular demand for prayers that

gurantee "Iha Loka Sugam". One can argue that this is just to induce one to

the path of Godliness and gradually the aspirant will be lead to higher

truths. The passage of truth leads one from the lower to the higher.

>From a purely philosophical stand point, this might appear as an inconsistency

in our religion viz. doing something to suit the popular demand rather than

being brutally frank in stating that moksha is our only goal. Everything else

is an impediment to that goal. This being the case, unless, this inconsistency

is resolved we are bound to go through some kind of an intellectual irritation

of seeing our actions not conforming to the highest standards of philosophical

truths.

 

However, in my own way (in a small way) I have tried to reconcile this in the

following manner. Eventhough moksha is the ultimate aim, what is moksha. It is

performing eternal Kamikaryam to Sriman Narayana or participating in His Nitya

Vibhuthy. However, this does not preclude us from participating with zeal and

zest in his Lila Vibhuthy. We must pray for wealth, health and prosperity and

utilize those assets in the service of Leela Vibhuthy. However, try not to

fall into the trap of the old maxim which says:

 

"Charity begins at home and usually stays there!".

 

 

Vijayaraghavan

[Guest guest]

Sumanth and Vijayaraghavan have posted thoughtful replies

to my questions. If I am not mistaken, their essential point

is that it is not out of character for us to ask God for

material goods and material welfare. Please correct me if

I have misstated the position.

>From a purely psychological perspective, is this really

ok? Can we trust ourselves to keep this to limit? Sudama (Kuchela)

asked for a tiny bit of assistance and got an entire palace;

he remained concerned that he would lose his self-control over

it. So there is precedence in the Puranas for this view;

God will of course bless us, as He responds in some way or

another to our request. But do we realize the consequences

of what we request? Do we have as much self-control as Sudama?

 

The Brahma-sutras say that before beginning an inquiry

into the Absolute, the aspirant should have realized the

inconsequence of material pursuits (whether through asking

God or otherwise) and should devote himself exclusively

to brahma-vidya. A lofty ideal, no doubt, but should a

prapanna aspire for no less? Krishna remarks in the Gita

that ``that great soul who thinks that Vasudeva is his

all'', and that he looks for nothing else, is the true

jnAni. How literally are we to take this? Is this something

to strive for?

 

I await more of the group's reactions.

 

adiyEn

Mani