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Full manifestations

CHENNAI: Among the primary manifestations of the Supreme Being in this world Rama and Krishna in human form are hailed as complete incarnations because they are propitious from the standpoint of humanity. The Lord did not just accomplish the purpose of His descents but also tarried long enough amongst mankind in these births so that those living during His lifetime could benefit by His bounteous grace in full measure.

In his discourse, Damal Sri Ramakrishnan said saints had hailed these two manifestations as harbinger of humanity’s redemption from the travails of bondage to reclaim the beatitude of eternal service to the Lord in His divine abode. Rama proclaimed His human nature relegating His divinity to the background, which can be seen in the manner Valmiki personifies Rama as the embodiment of all the virtues that a human being should aspire for. The poet does not let go of any opportunity to highlight His auspicious traits and accessible nature so that it is easy to look up to Him and also to relate to Him. Rama ruled long enough in Ayodhya for people to experience His fidelity to truth and Dharma, implicit obedience to His parents to the extent of undergoing untold hardships in exile, and His compassion towards all.

If Rama remains the role model for humanity even now, Krishna is the epitome of easy accessibility in human imagination. No one can help but become bewitched by His endearing traits portrayed in the Bhagavata Purana; and once captivated by His charm the devotion that takes root brings about a total transformation of heart, which was the objective of His birth in this world. Had the purpose of His advent been only destroying Kamsa, He would have accomplished it immediately at birth. One can see that the rationale of His birth unravels in two stages: the first part till Kamsa’s death when Krishna’s childhood deeds proclaimed at once His divine nature and accessibility, and the latter part of His life when Krishna became the guiding light of the Pandavas, which reached its climax when He became the preceptor to humanity through His teaching of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.

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