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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/02/25/stories/2002022500280800.htm)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Devotion knows no lingual barriers

 

 

 

CHENNAI, Feb. 25. Devotion knows no lingual barriers as God can be adored and

addressed by singing hymns and other methods, through any medium and He will be

ready to receive the submissions and pleadings made therein. From the experience

of any patient, it can be easily realised that whatever may be his

imperfections, God's heart will give room to anyone excepting those who harbour

vicious thoughts and bad intentions. The devotee should also refrain from

uttering falsehood, his words and deeds being kept identical. For having made a

casual incorrect statement, even a saint was punished. Apart from ensuring that

the mind is pure, God can be approached through five major avenues, scriptures

point out.

 

God welcomes to His kingdom those who are honest and who do not retain any

impure thoughts. A person free from hatred and who sees God everywhere and in

everyone can travel without any obstacle and will be welcomed by all. Secondly,

he should be liberal in giving charity to noble causes, when he can afford to

spend over and above his own needs. Thirdly his food habits should be clean.

What he consumes should be of limited quantity, fresh and easily digestible and

above all at proper hours. The Lord Himself in the Bhagavad Gita has delivered a

brilliant lecture on man's food needs. Greater stress is laid on keeping the

senses under strict control. Lastly God loves those who derive happiness on

seeing others prosperous. These rare attributes were witnessed in the life of a

saint who lived amidst us not long ago.

 

After some years of family life he rejected the illusory pleasures and took to

asceticism, wrote a number of religious works in the Manipravala style, a

judicious mixture of both Sanskrit and Tamil. This saint, Sri Pamban Swamigal,

an ardent devotee of Lord Subramania, who experienced His presence within, once

asserted that the Lord had commanded Him to visit Palani, while it was not a

fact. For this default he was prevented from visiting this holy place. In his

lecture on Swamigal's contribution, Sri M.K. Ramanan said he had left 6666

verses in all, one containing 44 Mantras and another acting as an "armour"

protecting devotees from various types of ailments. His task was to awaken the

slumbering humanity in which he succeeded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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