Faith in Krishna can fetch anything

January 22, 2005

Pranam to all Vaishnavas,

Scriptural texts which contain directives for a man's safe journey in the world, do at times need clarifications as well as proper explanations. The sublime thoughts therein have therefore been properly commented upon by saintly souls who had appeared amidst us to tell that the divine statements should not be treated as moribund. Customs and traditions do have relevance but need convincing elucidation. These selected pious men kept the spiritual torch burning through their lectures and have asked us to understand the permanent relationship between Lord Krishna and man. How and why a man is born, is it due to his own will, what was he before his appearance now, what is his goal, how will he achieve it and how to conduct himself, are

all questions often raised for which suitable answers have been given by these reputed scholars.

The main thrust of their expositions was that man differs from other creations because he is endowed with intellect. By reposing faith in Lord Krishna and adopting the spiritual exercises he can rise to a higher level. They have pointed out how a single strand of thread can be easily snapped whereas by twisting a number of them and making them as a rope, it will be possible to drag a chariot. Pamban Swamigal came out of a covered pit remaining in it for 36 days and composer Thyagaraja saw Rama by chanting His name 96 crore times. Faith in the Lord can fetch anything.

Some people have questioned the wisdom of worshipping ``stones'' as “deities” and ``wasting'' milk by pouring it over them. Why spend money on temple festivals is yet another query. All these doubts have been cleared by one among the most profound scholars who lived among us till recently. Temple festivals provided employment to many and also helped distribute money amongst many traders and professionals.

Even as cotton, spun as thread and then woven into cloth cannot still be called by its original name, so too, figures of Krishna chiselled out of stones and then consecrated and installed with due rites in temples, can no more be termed inanimate objects as they ``breathe'' life and shower grace on devotees. Such was the brilliant manner in which the religious fervour of the elite and the masses was sustained and promoted through simple illustrations at the same time driving home moral values by Sri Kripananda Variar who was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Among Sri Kripananda Variar's illuminating points in his discourses was how the deities of Lord Krishna in the temple stored divine power and distributed it.

An aspirant, keen to pursue the spiritual path, is likely to be confronted by similar seekers that all routes are the same and that there is no need to cling to one particular school of thought in the attempt to acquire divine knowledge. They may argue that any method like doing service can be followed, because adopting a particular system can be dubbed as the function of a closed mind or of a limited vision. Superficially, these statements may appear correct. A sincere devotee may find that all steps may lead to the goal but they may not necessarily be helpful in his quest of the Ultimate Reality, Lord Krishna . It is the firm belief of some of our religious torchbearers

that a deep and analytical study of the ``Brahma Sutras'' (aphorisms), the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita will place before a devotee the Truth as the divine revelations and utterances are unbiased and are based on observations of the past, present and the future.

But such a deep attachment to the study of these texts which present the Vedic commands may be ridiculed by some. Even years ago, a learned king questioned Sri Madhwacharya that the statement in the Rig Veda guaranteeing the sprouting, blossoming and bearing fruits, ``then and there,'' by its chanting went in vain and he declared that Lord Narayana's words are false. Sri Madhwa took some seeds, uttered the Vedic Mantra, and demonstrated that they would certainly yield the result and showed him the ``instant'' fruits. By invoking Lord Hari's grace anything can be achieved, he proved. The Acharya did not object to the acquisition of knowledge by all sections and thereby digest the contents of the Vedas but chanting them needs certain qualifications.

During Madhwacharya's time, Vedas became an open book. He had contributed a brilliant commentary on the crisp sentences therein analysing each syllable. Sri Madhwacharya has directed men to the simple way to attain liberation, exhorting them to enrol themselves as ``servants'' of Lord Hari , though the latter does not need anyone to work for Him as such. But by doing so, men can avoid the pitfalls in this material realm.

He was not daunted by accusations by some (in his days during the 13th century) that Godmen acted as mere magicians to impress upon people and proved that by spelling out certain portions from the Upanishad he could cure him of the complaint of persistent headache. When he dematerialised himself in 1317 A.D. he was explaining the glory of ``Aithareya Upanishad'' in the Udupi Temple.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter - 9, Sloka 22) :

ananyas cintayanto mam / ye janah paryupasatetesam nityabhiyuktanam / yoga-ksemam vahamy ham( However, for those who are always absorbed in thoughts of Me, and who worship Me with one-pointed devotion by every means, I Myself carry their necessities and preserve what they have. )

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA!!!

Krishna’s Dasi, Jayamma.

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