From Today's The Hindu- About Mahalakshmi

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Inseparable truth religion

 

http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/27/stories/2007062750340900.htm

 

 

 

CHENNAI: The Vedas, Upanishads and sacred texts are

accepted as the authoritative basis for spiritual

exploration. Great preceptors in the Vaishnava

tradition have strictly adhered to the scriptural

doctrines and have taught the tenets to many

generations of spiritual aspirants. Among such

preceptors, Vedanta Desika holds a special niche in

unfolding the depths of meaning hidden in the

scriptures and advocating the path of surrender as the

sure route to salvation, said Uttamur Sri

Rajagopalachariar in a lecture on Sri Stuti.

 

The philosophical thrust in his compositions that are

couched in an astonishing range of literary forms is

on this principle of surrender, Saranagati. The

Acharya Paramaparai in the Vaishanva tradition

venerates the Lord as the first Acharya and the Divine

Mother comes next in the line, followed by

Vishvaksena, Nammazhwar, Nathamuni and others.

 

The Divine mother is accorded an equal status along

with the Lord and is seen as His inseparable consort.

This truth is reinforced in Sri Sukta (Vedas) and also

in the other hymns of preceptors such as

Koorathazhwar, Alavandar and Vedanta Desika that are

in praise of Goddess Lakshmi.

 

In Sri Stuti, Vedanta Desika invokes Goddess Lakshmi

who is always together with the Lord and describes Her

nature, form, qualities, wealth and Her incarnations.

In all humility the poet accepts his limited knowledge

that is unable to sing Her limitless glory that lies

beyond one’s thought and word and attributes this

attempt to Her compassion. She is the embodiment of

all auspiciousness and confers tangible fruits as well

as liberation.

 

In the very first verse of this hymn the prayer

seeking the feet of the Goddess shows the way to all

Jivatmas to get out of the cycle of births. The

Jivatma should understand its dependence on the Lord

with all humility and acknowledge and accept the

Absolute authority and superiority of the Lord. The

spirit with which one has to surrender is spelt out in

the truth that there is no one capable of offering

succour, protection and liberation except the Divine

Couple. The Jivatma thus realises its own helplessness

in terms of protecting itself or in seeking the help

of others

 

 

 

 

 

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