Miscellaneous - Religion   

Resurgence of faith

CHENNAI: The fervent devotional hymns of the Nayanmars have the power to instil Bhakti Bhava because these saints were directly inspired by the Lord. The varied experiences of Siva’s grace, proximity, vision, etc, had prompted them to sing hymns in praise of the deities in the many temples they visited. That they were able to behold the Lord’s presence is evident from the rich experience these hymns carry, and this intense transmission of grace is handed down to posterity, who are in turn benefited, and are able to easily relate to the divine presence of the Lord in these temples.

Sekkizhar’s Periyapuranam provides the authentic backdrop of the life and times of these Nayanmars and among them, Saint Gnanasambandhar’s rapport with Siva holds a special niche that none of the other saints could boast of, pointed out Sri Aranga Ramalingam in a lecture. While the other Saivite saints had to struggle and face trials and tribulations before they were graced with His vision or were given liberation, Gnanasambandhar was able to achieve all this with ease.

Gnanasambandhar was born into this world by Divine will to bring about a resurgence of faith in Siva. Unlike other mortals, he was not born to redeem his past Karma. Those were times when other faiths reigned supreme and people were subject to much inner confusion. Neither did they feel secure in their surroundings nor did they have any peace of mind. They were doubtful about the existence and protection offered by the Supreme Being.

Born to a pious couple in Seerkazhi who had longed for a son who would champion the cause of Siva, the child received the grace of divine wisdom directly from Siva and Parvati. Like great preceptors who have influenced people steeped in ignorance and confusion and brought forth a change of faith in them, this saint was able to establish the supremacy of Siva. He has shown that Bhakti is an inner experience that one feels towards the Almighty and is not to be gauged from one’s status, scholarship or birth.

His hymns resonate with the truths of the scriptures. He asks if it is possible to describe the Supreme Being who is beyond description, in a mere hymn?

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