From The Hindu

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

Adiyen is attaching the following article from the Hindu (Sept 1, 1999).

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan

 

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Mediating role of the Divine Mother

 

CHENNAI, SEPT. 1. The Ultimate Reality according to the

philosophy of Srivaishnavism is

Sriman Narayana. The Vedic hymn in praise of Sri is the

Srisukta. The Pancharatra Agamas

which elaborately deal with the creation of the

universe and the cosmological principles, posit

that it is the feminine aspect of the Ultimate Reality

that plays the active role during creation.

 

That the Lord and Sri are inseparable is evident from

the Srisukta which opens with an

eulogy of the Lord. Among the countless auspicious

qualities of the Almighty, it is

compassion (Daya) which is very important from the

standpoint of humanity and it is the

Divine Mother who is the personification of Daya.

 

Since the Lord is the one who sustains Dharma in the

universe He is impartial and has to

punish the erring soul. But, it is Sri who mediates on

behalf of the soul and beseeches the

Lord to pardon the devotee when he surrenders to them.

 

In his discourse Mukkur Sri Lakshminarasimhachariar

said, human beings performed many

sacrifices (Yajnas). Likewise, the Divine couple also

perform the sacrifice of protecting those

who take refuge in them and it is their graciousness

and other auspicious qualities which

make it possible for them to ignore the sins of the

devotee.

 

Two important qualities are important for one who acts

as a mediator. The first requirement

is compassion and secondly the person must be

influential enough to accomplish the task.

The Divine Mother is best suited to play this mediating

role as she is very compassionate by

nature and is the one who can persuade the Almighty. So

in the performance of surrender

(Saranagati) it is Sri's intervention which is first

entreated. The composition of Saranagati

Gadya by Ramanuja is a paradigmatic instance of

surrender in the spiritual tradition of

Srivaishnavism, highlighting this important nuance of

the doctrine of surrender.