Miscellaneous - Religion   

Abode of grace

CHENNAI: Whenever the Supreme Being manifests in the world the Divine Mother, Sri, also accompanies Him. As His incarnations are undertaken for reinstating Dharma and protecting the virtuous, the presence of Sri becomes very crucial. She is the very embodiment of compassion and is inseparable from the Lord. She resides on His chest in His divine transcendental form and assumes suitable forms during His manifestations.

In his Harikatha, Kalyanapuram Sri R.Aravamudachariar said as Sri was the Mother of all beings Her gracious nature made Her intercede on behalf of the errant people to the Lord who would otherwise have to punish them for their sins. Sri’s benevolent nature thus assumes centre stage during the performance of Self-surrender (Prapatti) as Her role as mediator (Purushakara) enables the devotee to approach the Almighty.

Vedanta Desika in his hymn Sristuti underscores that it is because of Her grace that there is prosperity in all the three worlds. Once Sage Durvasa presented a flower garland to Indra who was seated on his elephant Airavata and without according due respect to the gift he kept it on the elephant’s head. Airavata flung the garland on the ground with its tusk, seeing which the sage became furious, and cursed Indra that he would lose his sovereignty as he had offended Sri who resides in flowers. The denizens of the three worlds suffered as a consequence and finally all the Devas surrendered to the Lord. It was then that He asked the Devas and the Asuras to churn the milk-ocean when it yielded nectar. Goddess Lakshmi also emerged from the ocean and before the assembled adorned the Lord’s chest. All the worlds then prospered and Indra extolled Lakshmi.

During the Lord’s descent as Rama, Sri accompanied Him as Sita, and in His Krishna incarnation as Rukmini. Rukmini was the daughter of Bhishmaka, the king of Vidarbha. The Bhagavata Purana describes the marriage of Rukmini and Krishna. Both of them came to know about the other and desired to marry. But, Rukmini’s eldest brother Rukmi, who hated Krishna, objected and instead proposed Sishupala. But, the Lord had His way. He carried Rukmini away and married Her in Dwaraka.

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