Generous Giver

May 26, 2014 09:53 pm | Updated 09:53 pm IST - Chennai:

In order to attain moksha, we may resort to methods like bhakti yoga. But we do not remain steadfast in pursuing the path of bhakti. We get sidetracked into so many other directions, that we lose our way, and stray from our goal. Vedanta Desika points to this in his Adaikkalapathu, said M.K. Srinivasan, in a discourse. Desika compares himself to Kakasura. He gives the example of Kakasura, because that demon sinned even more grievously than Ravana or Hiranyakasipu. Ravana did not physically harm Sita. In the case of Hiranyakasipu, he claimed divinity for himself, but he did not hurt the Goddess in any way. But Kakasura defiled Her person. Yet, Rama forgave even Kakasura, when he surrendered at His feet. That is why Desika uses Kakasura as an example to illustrate the Lord’s generosity.

We find that different people surrendered to the Lord for different reasons. If Kakasura surrendered in order to save his life, Draupadi at first surrendered to save herself from being shamed in the Kaurava court. Their surrender was not aimed at moksha. But the Lord gave them what they sought. So He does give people the boons they seek by surrender. But what we should seek from Him is moksha and He gives that to us happily.

Surrender for liberation should not be repeated. It is enough if we surrender once to Him. Kooratazhvar lists all the things He gives to those who surrender, and the list is indicative of how generous the Lord is to those who seek Him. To the one who surrenders, the Lord gives all His ornaments, His weapons, His qualities like sakti, tejas (effulgence), His entire domain. And once one reaches His abode, one is given the freedom to go anywhere one chooses. He gives to the one who surrenders the entire universe. He gives Himself to His devotees. What more can one ask for?

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