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Essence of scriptures

CHENNAI: Out of His infinite mercy, God chose to reveal His auspicious qualities, mighty prowess and exquisite form to the Azhwars who were ordinary mortals wallowing in Samsara. When thus blessed with the vision of the Supreme Being, they were inspired to break forth into rapturous hymns that are collectively known as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham.

These hymns are an exclusive contribution to humanity, as they are rich in simplicity and beauty as much as in profound wisdom and insightful philosophical import. In a lecture, Sri M. A. Venkatakrishnan pointed out that these songs are hailed as the essence of the Vedas, since they make recondite scriptural tenets comprehensible to more people. An exceptional high standard of scholarship, intense training and exemplary analytical skills are required to unravel the truths embedded in the Vedas.

In the Divya Prabandham, the core scriptural doctrine is presented in an easy to understand style. This extraordinary act by which the Azhwars absorbed the essence of the Vedas and expressed it in their hymns is customarily compared to the natural phenomenon by which the salt waters of the ocean (vast and inaccessible as the language and thought of the Vedas) evaporate and are converted into rain bearing clouds that cause sweet, potable and ready to use rainwater.

The direct experience of the Divine, that was felt and expressed by the Azhwars, is an attractive path of devotion that can be emulated not only by the spiritually inclined, but also by all, since its inspirational force invites one to have a taste of the divine.

The complexity of the ultimate Truth that seems remote to the ordinary individual becomes a delightful experience in the rare ways the Azhwars perceived the divine — compassionate mother, father, child, friend or consort — reinforcing the personal, subjective and individual approach to God realisation that does not depend on theoretical rhetoric.

Attainment of liberation is the ultimate purpose of human birth. It is evident that the Lord's manifestation to the Azhwars and their reciprocal devotion bespeaks His boundless concern for humanity. What better way to inspire people to tread the path of Bhakti to attain Moksha?

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