Miscellaneous - Religion   

Singing God's glory

CHENNAI: : There are three reasons for the incarnations of the Supreme Being in the world according to the scriptures. The Lord in His incarnation as Krishna had declared in the Bhagavad Gita, "For the protection of the virtuous, for the extirpation of evil-doers, and for establishing righteousness (Dharma) on a firm footing, I am born from age to age." The Puranas and the epics elaborate the manifestations of the Almighty and the circumstances that necessitated His advents. The Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Nrisimha (man-lion) and Vamana (dwarf) manifestations were in the Krita yuga while Parasurama and Rama happened in the Treta yuga, and Balarama and Krishna in the Dwapara yuga. The Kalki manifestation will take place in this Kali age.

In his discourse, Velukkudi Sri V. Krishnan said according to Ramanuja the prime purpose of the Lord's advent was the protection of His devotees. Another preceptor Nanjiyar of this tradition says that God cannot tolerate any wrong done to His devotees and hence He incarnates to punish those who harm them. Dharma becomes reinstated automatically when righteous people prosper in the world and the evildoers are exterminated. The Puranas and the epics also embody many hymns in praise of God during these advents. Some divine names, which occur in the hymn Vishnusahasranama indicate the significance of singing the praise of the Lord. Saints and mystics have thus understood this import and glorified the Lord in their hymns. Thus there is an ever-growing vibrant hymnal literature corroborating the fact that it is not possible to exhaust His glory. But many may shy away from singing His glory because they are not equipped to do so but the spiritual tradition asserts that God overlooks shortcomings like literary flaws. The intention with which a devotee undertakes this exercise is more important.

Tondaradippodi Azhwar has reiterated in the concluding verse of his hymn Tirumalai why he attempted to compose this hymn: "These words of the trusted Tulasi-garland-weaver Tondaradippodi, even if puerile as poetry, are sweet to the Lord." So it does not matter who glorifies the Almighty and how, because He derives immense delight when His excellences are sung.

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