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Spiritual discipline

CHENNAI: It is not possible for a spiritual seeker to realise God by self-effort alone as the bundle of sins that he had accumulated in several lives stands between him and the Lord. This necessitates someone who can mediate on his behalf to the Almighty to condone his lapses and grant him salvation with the consideration that he has reformed totally.

The preceptor is the one who endows his disciple with knowledge and disciplines him so that he becomes qualified for performing eternal service to God, which is the end to be attained. After this the Divine Mother is the mediator between the devotee and the Lord. Being the very embodiment of compassion, Her intervention becomes imperative for even approaching the Supreme Being when advocating Self-surrender (Saranagati, Prapatti) as the means to liberation.

In his discourse, Sri M.A.Venkatakrishnan said Andal had delineated the steps in spiritual discipline in the Tiruppavai. The maidens after waking up one another to perform a vow to attain Lord Krishna finally reached Nandagopa’s mansion. They first addressed Nandagopa as he was the master of the household who had to be approached first. He personifies the preceptor and the reference to him as the one who bestowed garment, water and food to all who came to him signifies the various aspects of spiritual instruction.

The analogy of a carpenter who makes objects out of rough-hewn wood is apt for a preceptor as he shapes his disciple into a sterling devotee who experiences lasting joy in the performance of eternal service to the Lord. The first sign of knowledge is the instinct to protect one’s modesty which is not found in animals as they roam about naked whereas even in extreme adversity a human being can forego food and water but not a robe to cover himself. So offering of garment by the preceptor to his disciple signifies endowing him with spiritual knowledge. Water is symbolic of purification and it indicates imparting of virtues that are necessary for spiritual growth to rid the mind of its dross. Just as a delectable dish is prepared out of raw ingredients by cooking, the preceptor fashions his disciple into a fit instrument for serving God by spiritual discipline.

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