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Path of universal love

CHENNAI: Faith is essential for those who seek the Lord’s feet. Faith and devotion are emotional states that are nurtured when the feeling of awe and wonder at the Supreme Being’s grandeur brings about an inner longing for Him leading towards God realisation. The lives of saints have proved that God always graces their true love. Saint Vallalar, one of the Tamil saints known as Jnana Siddhars, propagated the path of universal brotherhood as the means of attaining spiritual knowledge, said Sri Sakthi Srinivasan in a lecture. His teachings reinforce the truth that association with the pure and the pious helps to eliminate the differences born of caste, creed, social status, etc., among human beings. He advocated the practice of Ahimsa or non-violence which enjoins a charitable and loving disposition towards all beings. True devotion to God is built on the strong foundations of selfless service to humanity proving that love is the basis of life.

This saint’s works are replete with advice for virtuous and righteous living. Prayer and worship have to be performed with utmost sincerity. Spiritual progress hinges on the ability to control the mind that is the cause of distractions. Such is its power that it can easily undo the most sincere efforts or the greatest of penance. He warns people to be careful with the mind and the senses that easily remain out of control.

The Periyapuranam speaks of the lives of the devout whose love for God is capable of inspiring devotion in all. It so happened that a king had built a temple for the Lord in gold and with the best of materials befitting his capacity. He then prayed fervently to the Lord to be present for the auspicious occasion of consecration of the temple dedicated to Him.

But it is said that the Lord told the king that he could not be present in his temple at that time since he had to attend the consecration of a temple built by another devotee — a temple built with true love and devotion in his heart.

It is important that we think of Him always so that we get overwhelmed by experiencing His Almighty presence in our consciousness. Our hearts have to be filled with love and devotion to Him and there should be no sense of ego in our attitude.

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