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

 

God's innumerable attributes

 

CHENNAI, MARCH 30. Having committed several misdeeds and

contravened the scriptural injunctions given to lead a pure life,

is it possible for ordinary men to approach God? Will He listen

to their appeal and excuse these penitents? These questions are

bound to arise in the minds of several persons. God will always

be ready to pardon anyone, provided he repents. That is the

difference between the Divine and the human being. He looks into

the faith these people repose in Him and not their mistakes,

their honesty and not their lapses, their humility and not their

expression of regret and status. Hence those who feel they have

sinned or erred can surely go to Him, hold to His feet when God

will take the responsibility to save them. To pardon is His vow.

 

To convince that God possesses innumerable auspicious attributes,

the Ramayana gives a list of His glorious acts where He assumed

the role of an ideal human being. Sixteen among His known

qualities have been enunciated by Sage Narada, one virtue

excelling the other. He possessed the rare quality of

``affability'' which makes a man who is the noblest by birth,

wealth and wisdom, move with natural grace and intimacy with

those who lack them. Son of a monarch, He regarded a hunter, a

monkey king, a demon and an eagle as dear to Him, treating them

without any reservation. He remained steady in His resolve and

unwavering in the pursuit of what He considered His obligations.

Two spies whom the enemy had sent to estimate about Rama's

strength and military might were welcomed and even informed that

they could gather all information and obtain more without fear.

``I am prepared to excuse even Ravana if he retraces his steps

and sends back Sita''.

 

In her discourse, Srimati Jaya Srinivasan referred to the manner

in which God in human form demonstrated the absolute necessity to

abide by the Law of Righteousness. His protection to those who

take refuge in Him is certain and this He showed by the

declaration He made that even for Ravana, who abducted His wife

and refused to send Her back, He would extend grace. Another

message presented before humanity is His adherence to Truth. Rama

assured His step-mother who exiled Him that He stood by His

pledged word, that He did not prevaricate; ``He was not a double-

tongued person''. With His firm resolve, He declined Bharata's

entreaties to assume kingship. His form has been captured in

idols in temples while saints who worshipped them went into

raptures as to say that they preferred to adore these replicas in

preference even to His permanent abode.

 

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