God's benevolent grace - from The Hindu

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God's benevolent grace

 

CHENNAI, NOV.5 . The relationship between God and His

creation is eternal and man's redemption hinges on the

intercession of divine grace. Vedanta Desika in his

work, the Sankalpa Suryodaya compares the divine will

to the Sun. Only when it rises and illumines the

devotee's mind does knowledge dawn. Parasara Bhattar

questioned the Divine Mother, Sri, whether Her

devotees were more or those of the Almighty. He

himself pointed out that in the case of Rama He

offered protection only to those who surrendered to

Him, but Sita beseeched Hanuman not to harm the

ogresses who had troubled Her even though they had

neither sought Her pardon nor refuge in Her. This is a

pointer to Her compassion and the important role She

plays in the redemption of humanity. As the Mother of

all beings Her love is unconditional and Her

intercession becomes crucial in man's liberation.

The Lord sought the company of His devotees, said Sri

M.V. Ananta Padmanabhachariar in his discourse.

Ramanuja in his Sri Bhashya mentions Akrura and the

flower-seller as exemplary devotees singled out by

Lord Krishna for His grace when He visited Mathura.

Even though He has the company of the Divine Mother

and is surrounded by the eternal beings in His

transcendental abode, the Almighty wishes to reveal

Himself in the hearts (as Antaryamin) of His devotees.

 

 

Peyazhwar, one of the three Mudal Azhwars (the other

two being Poygaiazhwar and Bhudhatazhwar), who was

fortunate to behold the Lord and His consort in the

light (knowledge) of the lamp lit by the other two at

Tirukovilur, expresses his wonder and gratitude in his

hymn, the Munram Tiruvandadi, " The Lord resides in my

heart like a medicine for the ills of Karmic hell. He

is the ocean-hued Lord residing in the ocean, the

Tulasi garland Lord residing in the heart of the

lotus-dame. "

 

From the point of view of the Azhwar it did not matter

to Him that the Lord was in His divine abode or

incarnated as Trivikrama and measured the three

worlds. It was when the same Lord sought the company

of the three Azhwars and enabled them to behold Him

that he was wonderstruck by His overwhelming grace for

Peyazhwar exclaimed right at the outset of his hymn,

" Today I have seen the lotus-dame on the frame of my

ocean-hued Lord. He wields a fiery discus and a

dextral conch in His hands. He has the radiance of the

golden Sun. "

 

 

 

 

 

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