Hindu article-Influence of company

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Influence of company

 

 

CHENNAI, JAN.14 . The human mind is easily influenced

by various factors and it is for this reason that

spiritual tradition lays great emphasis on cultivating

the company of the devout and realised saints to

progress spiritually. In the case of realised men of

God, their benign influence is seen even after their

lifetime and thus they continue to guide those

spiritual aspirants who repose faith in them. As a

saint is always in tune with God whatever he says

comes true because it is the Almighty who graces the

devotee through the instrumentality of the realised

person. The importance given to devotees and saints is

due to the promise of the Lord that He is present

wherever two or three people come together to engage

in devotion.

 

In his lecture, Sri T.G.Narayanaswamy said the meeting

of the first three Azhwars— Poygai Azhwar , Pey Azhwar

and Bhutatazhwar— attested that the Almighty sought

the company of His devotees. Even the original names

of these mystics are not remembered now for they came

to be known from their rapturous hymns describing

their spiritual experiences, when they met together at

a house in Tirukkoyilur on a rainy night. It was

Providence that drew them to that holy spot because

they hailed from different places. God revealed

Himself the moment they all gathered and each

described his mystical experience spontaneously in

exquisite verses as a result of the convergence of

their devotion and wisdom.

 

Though spiritual knowledge is abstract and difficult

to grasp, saints have in their works expressed it in

an easily comprehensible manner. Adi Sankara in his

hymn, the Dakshinamurti Stotra, describes the nature

of the Ultimate Reality in a scientific manner with

simple analogies, which even a child can understand.

In the opening verse he explains that the universe is

projected on the Reality just as the outside world is

reflected in a mirror.

 

In the Atmabodha, Sankara underscores that the truth

can be known only by spiritual knowledge with the

example of fire to cook food. Even if all the

condiments for preparing a meal are there without fire

it is not possible to cook it. So also is the case in

spiritual life. An aspirant has to adopt all the

prescribed scriptural injunctions and make effort

sincerely to progress on the spiritual path but

Self-realisation will result only when spiritual

knowledge illumines the mind and removes the

ignorance.

 

 

Copy Right: The Hindu-Daily

 

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