Saturday, Dec 11, 2004
Saturday, Dec 11, 2004 |
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Religion
CHENNAI, DEC. 11. One of the easiest yet effective do-it-yourself kits for the expiation of sin unwittingly committed is to chant the name of the Lord. Such prayers when offered with devotion and faith are the harbinger of mental strength and quietude, capable of countermanding the influence of inimical forces. The thousand names of the Lord that find place in the Vishnu Sahasranama bespeak the characteristic traits of the Supreme. Chanted daily by numerous people, this popular prayer's every word is a celebration of divine attributes. In his discourse, Sri Adoor Asuri Madhavachariar said the term `Viswam' contains a legion of meanings and according to renowned commentators, denotes the 10 manifestations of the Lord. The one as Nrisimha, in particular, is held dear by devotees for a variety of reasons. Some people may say that God appeared in order to protect Prahalad. However, scholars say that protection of saintly men and dispelling ignorance by inculcating wisdom are prime reasons for God taking up residence on earth, not vanquishing of evil and protection of the faithful. Why did Nrisimha appear when He did, one may ask. Prahalad was already a recipient of such protection since he escaped unhurt from many encounters such as fire, being thrown off the mountain and facing up to an elephant. Why then should God have emerged from the pillar in an instant and not appear earlier? It was to uphold the words of His devotee — Prahalad — who, unfazed by opposition of a horrendous nature from his own father — held steadfast to his faith that the Lord resides everywhere, a fact enunciated in the Upanishads. The Nrisimha mantra has 32 `aksharas' but we cannot recite even one of them since we have neither the means nor the ability due to numerous demands on our time. How then will one get the correct frame of mind? There once lived a man who voluntarily led a life of charity, driven by the faith, ``God has given me in plenty in order to give to others.'' Living in a palace the man had yet to attain full wisdom despite his virtues. Chancing to overhear a couple of celestial birds praising a man called Raiappar as a profound individual, the man of charity set out to visit him. However, he was shocked to find Raiappar living in a hamlet, and clad in rags, with sores all over his body. When the benefactor offered riches to the wise man, he merely said: One may hold worldly riches to be great, but to me they are equal to worms.
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