Miscellaneous - Religion   

Unique glory

CHENNAI: The Vedas are the only authoritative pointer to assimilate the truth of the Supreme Being and one's relationship with Him. A tremendous effort and determination are needed to cull it because the truth is scattered and hidden behind a maze of terse statements.

In a lecture, Sri M.V. Anantapadmanabhachariar said that the Vedas are referred to as Prachina Sruti as they belong to the hoary past beyond Time, while the Divya Prabhandham is called the Navina Sruti, because the Azhwars, who have churned the boundless and abstruse ocean of the Vedas with their words to extract its essence, belong to later times.

But Vedanta Desika's hymn Padukasahasram — a work of exceptional merit in terms of philosophy, poetry and devotion and a direct adoration of the Lord's sandals (Paduka) — takes away the honours, for it is a further refined statement of the eternal truth expressed in the Divya Prabhandham. It is believed that this hymn of a 1008 verses was composed during a single night.

This gifted scholar, who holds a unique position by virtue of his proficiency in all arts and philosophy, has been responsible for establishing the Vedanta and making it accessible to all.

In this hymn, the Paduka is shown as capable of bestowing grace and auspiciousness along with the highest knowledge leading to Bhakti and Vairagya.

Another interesting aspect is that this hymn eulogises Nammazhwar also with great reverence, for this saint is believed to be a manifestation of Lord Ranganatha's Paduka (Satari), because of which he came to be known as Satakopan.

In the debate about which is greater, the Lord or His sandals, it is declared that the sandals are greater since they bear the Lord who is the support and sustenance of the entire universe. By worshipping the Paduka, one is actually serving the one who constantly serves the Lord.

When one listens to the expositions of the Divya Prabhandham and their commentaries from learned preceptors, the essence of scriptural truths enters one's consciousness through the ears.

It is also believed that through the preceptor's grace, it is possible to get enlightened and even comprehend truths that had not been explicitly stated.

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