Devantharam

[Guest guest]

Respected Moderator Mama and learned group members,

 

While I was reading the various postings, I tried to desist myself from airing

my views. But as one of the members has quoted Bhagavad Gita and the sloka

" Sarva Deva Namaskaram Kesavam prathigachchathi " to prove his point that there

is nothing objectionable if a devotee of Sriman Narayana deifies other devas, I

felt compelled to put in my views in the matter.

 

Bhagavad Gita is being quoted for various things and to prove various points

by different persons according to their own perceptions. All these

intrepretations have to be viewed in the overall context of Lord Krishna

affirming His eminence, paratatvamsam, and Supremacy over all Chethanas and

Achethanas including devas and gods in the various lokas above the Bhuloka

including the Sivaloka, the Brahmaloka or Satyaloka.

 

In Chapter IX, the Lord clearly in unambiguous words affirms and states that

" Yanthi Devavrata ..............yanthi madhyajinopimam " (Sloka 25) meaning that

there are various destinations and one can choose the destination as one

desires. The final destination from which there is no return to Prakrithi

Mandalam is Vishnu Lokam or Paramapadam (Sri Vaikuntam or Nithya Vibhuthi) -

Vishnor Yath Paramam Padam. For that we have to worship none other than Lord

Narayana and in this there can be no other intrepretation or compromise.

 

In sloka 23 of Ch.IX, the Lord reiterates what has been stated in the sloka

" Sarva Deva Namaskaram Kesavam Prathigachchathi " . There He qualifies it

suitably by stating that Sastras, in order to reach Him, have not prescribed

that route.

 

To say that in the charamasloka, the Lord did not say that 'don't go to other

devas' and therefore going to other devas is permitted is a wrongful

intrepretation in the light of various slokas contained in Chapter IX which is

to be read together with all other Chapters. " Sarva Dharman parityajya " means

" if you are unable to do Karma/Jnana/Bhakthi yogas, you can leave all of them

and surrender at my feet (Saranagathy) with all the ingredients being fulfilled

by you for that as enshrined in the Sastras " . Parityajya also means that " you

sacrifice or give up all the fruits of all your actions or certain karmas which

you are ordained to do by the Sastras, viz., Nithya and Naimitthika Karmas (one

can't leave these karmas) as if you don't do that (viz.sacrificing fruits), the

fruits will chase you back into the ocean of samsara and be obstacles to attain

Moksham or Parama Padam, which is the Lord's abode which He would grant if

surrendered at His feet leaving out all

obstacles " . Even for this, we need His Grace and we learn from all our

Poorvacharyas that He showers His Grace abundantly or even more to those who

surrender at His feet.

 

Regards,

Padmanabhan

 

 

T V Padmanabhan

Advocate

A-20 Arcot Terrace

160 Arcot Road, Vadapalani

Chennai 600 026, India

Tel: 91-44-23650911; 98400 52787