The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Divine Mother's grace

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Saturday, Feb 05, 2005

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Divine Mother's grace

CHENNAI, FEB.5 . The Divine Mother is the dynamic aspect of the Supreme Being and hence Her benevolent grace is essential for the proper functioning of the world. Scriptures describe Her as the very personification of compassion. The Vishnu Purana states how all the beings in the three worlds suffered because She abandoned them when Indra incurred the wrath of Sage Durvasa for insulting him. The text relates that people stopped performing sacrifices as a result of which the gods did not get their offerings. This in turn led to the vegetation drying up leading to suffering of living beings. Great tragedies happened and the malefic forces became strong. Eventually the Asuras became powerful and terrorised the gods (Devas). Indra and the gods appealed to the creator, Brahma for help and he in turn beseeched Lord Vishnu to intervene for the sake of the well-being of the entire creation.

In his discourse, Sri P.R.Vaidyanatha Sastrigal said the sages also propitiated the Lord and He responded to all their prayers. He told the gods that they should forget their enmity with the Asuras as they could get the nectar that would make them invincible only with their help. He told them to work together and promised that He would intervene when necessary. As instructed by Him the gods and the Asuras churned the milk-ocean by using the mountain, Manthara as the churning rod and the serpent, Vasuki as the rope.

When the mountain began to sink the Lord incarnated as a tortoise (Kurma) and stabilised it by holding it on His back. The divine cow, Kamadhenu appeared first from the ocean, which was given to the sages. Then appeared the celestial damsel Varuni who was gifted to the Asuras. Next emerged the Parijatha tree and the celestial damsels who desired it got it. The moon then arose from the ocean and adorned Lord Siva's head. The Divine Mother, Mahalakshmi emerged from the milk-ocean and all the assembled were overjoyed that the worlds would be rid of misery.

The Vishnu Purana describes that all those who witnessed Her manifestation celebrated Her in whatever way they could. The gods and the sages glorified Her by the hymn, the Srisuktam. When She reunited with Lord Vishnu the entire creation prospered. Finally, the ocean yielded nectar and the Lord in the guise of a bewitching maiden (Mohini) tricked the Asuras and gave it away to the gods as He had promised and they regained their lost glory.

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