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When Truth incarnated

CHENNAI : While all objects of creation are subject to the cycle of change (birth, growth, decay and regeneration) the one thing that remains unchanging without beginning and end is the Truth of the Supreme Being who is the sole cause of all creation, and is responsible for its sustenance and dissolution. Hence when all worldly objects are destined to lose their charm in course of time, the greatness of God's truth continues to charm by being new at all times and all places in spite of being ancient, subsuming the ancient and the modern, said Nochur Sri K. Venkataraman in a lecture.

It is stated that Bhagavata Sravanam — listening to the exposition of the Bhagavata Purana — is akin to a penance, and the fruit of this penance is the attainment of ultimate goal, the Lord Himself. By merely listening to the narration, there is promise of salvation.

In addition to this, on offer is also the recognition of the highest dharma of life. The only requirement of the listener is to listen with an unbiased mind and total involvement.

King Parikshit, who was cursed to die in seven days, was the first person to undertake this penance of listening to the recital of this narrative and gained salvation.

By this Sravana Yagna (listening as penance) one is assured nothing else but the revelation of the highest truth. There is no offer of worldly gains. It brings about the highest enlightenment by awakening the awareness of the presence of the Supreme Being within the self.

It is not as if the Supreme Being had entered the self at that point of time. He has always been there and the fault is because of the self's ignorance of His presence as in the case of one who goes in search of his spectacles without realising they have all the time been on his nose. This penance leads towards the experience of the recognition of the greatness of the all-pervading Lord.

The Lord and truth are identical in their esoteric nature, making comprehension a tall order. Hence the Lord out of His boundless compassion decided to take different incarnations such as Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Narasimha or as Rama or Krishna to reveal Himself to humanity and to enable the Jivatmas to recognise the ultimate truth.

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