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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Saints provide us faith and hope

 

CHENNAI, NOV. 30. The appearance of saints among us, always

leading God-centred lives, makes the earth sanctified. Since they

are sent by God Himself to bring about reformation among

humanity, they too possess all the fine qualities of the

Almighty, the outstanding among them being His compassion to the

distressed, which has been experienced by many. Even as the

Supreme Being is aware of the problems of His devotees, His

representatives too can visualise their grief, and they will

render them the required relief. The power they wield is beyond

description and it is always possible to note how their influence

is unobtrusive and ineffable.

 

Since such sages and saints serve as channels of spirituality,

their very gestures and words of wisdom will come true. They

provide us faith, hope and inspiration. Their only concern is to

make men return to God. They will give suggestions which if we

translate into action, will surely fetch gains. A patron among

such enlightened souls used to tell everyone the need to give up

extravagant display of opulence during marriages and avoid taking

dowry. He had no bitterness if they were not listened but used to

feel that the penance he did and austerities he observed had not

yielded the powers necessary to make men hear his advice and that

he should pray to God with greater intensity. This ``Living God''

as people used to revere him was Sri Chandrasekharendra

Saraswathi of Kanchi who carried the burden of the world by his

extremely rigid adherence to our religious commandments and our

great heritage.

 

Citing numerous instances of how the Acharya had lavished his

grace on many, Sri S. Ganesan, in a lecture, said on one

occasion, he summoned a well-known temple-architect (Sthapathi)

and made him carry out excavation in a house in Kanchi, which

resulted in the location of a temple and the recovery of a fine

idol. To a scholar who came to pour out his problem before him,

the sage told him that he had already placed his plea before the

Goddess. Once a poor bangle-seller submitted before him about his

meagre earnings and the Acharya made women who came to offer him

obeisance, purchase the entire lot and get it distributed among

all. He showed his kindness to a group of gypsies, when he

visited the house of a boy who had been pleading with him to come

with him. It was a simple dwelling resembling that of the

proverbial ``Kuchela''. His kindest gesture was to pardon one of

the employees of the Sankara Math who had concealed a golden

spoon used during the worship. All these benevolent acts only

reveal that he was a manifestation of Lord Parameswara.

 

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