The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Exceptional devotion

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Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Exceptional devotion

CHENNAI: : A distinctive feature of Hindu religion is the conception of Brahman (the Ultimate) as One with a form and having auspicious attributes. Scriptures hail the Supreme Being as one without birth, who incarnates in different forms to establish Dharma and destroy evil. Countless are the forms in which He is worshipped, giving rise to the evolution of a number of traditions over the ages.

The Bhagavata Purana speaks of the various incarnations the Supreme Being had taken and details the different contexts in which He had made those advents.

Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita authenticates this when he tells Arjuna that he is born again and again for the protection of the virtuous, the destruction of evildoers and for establishing Dharma. It is obvious that by their very nature and design, the different Avatars were unique, in the sense they were determined by the circumstance and the specific purpose to be achieved. So they cannot be replicated. But the incarnations and the related episodes that exemplify the Lord's qualities — His omnipotence, compassion, mercy and so on — open up limitless opportunities for an aspirant to focus on power and greatness of the Lord, cultivate Bhakti and pursue the goal of God realisation in a dedicated manner.

God's concern and love for a devotee is such that He responds in exceptional ways to the latter's call, said Sri P.V. Vijayaraghava Sastrigal in a discourse. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, that whatever celestial form a devotee seeks to worship with faith, He responds to it by assuming that very form, stating in unambiguous terms a willingness to respect His devotee's wishes. Scriptural texts assert that should the Lord choose to answer the prayers of a devotee, He will manifest Himself in the very form the Bhakta had visualised and worshipped Him. Each individual can visualise and experience God and through sheer devotion feel a closeness to God. Scriptures and Puranas speak of God who is seen in varied roles — as a friend, servant, king, preceptor, father, mother, brother or even a lover — depending on the wishes of His beloved devotee. Many devout beings have been able to experience and believe a benevolent God who is ready to help, whose boundless kindness establishes that His love for the devotee far exceeds that of the devotee's love towards Him.

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