The Hindu : Descent of divine grace

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Descent of divine grace

CHENNAI JULY 17. A pilgrim on the spiritual path undergoes a wide range of experiences as a result of his practices during the course of his evolution towards realising God. It is imperative for him to know that the goal he is seeking is enlightenment, which will liberate him from rebirths. He should also be clear about the means to realise this objective and adopt a method suitable to him and pursue the end relentlessly. But there are exceptions to every rule. The works of saints describing their mystical experiences often express their humility— that they did not deserve divine grace. This gives insight into the truth that it is God's grace, which ultimately bridges the chasm between man and God. There is a saying in spiritual lore that if an aspirant takes one step towards God, He reciprocates by taking a hundred steps to embrace His devotee.

The life of Mannikavasagar testifies to this truth. As the prime minister of the ruling Pandya king even though he was well versed in the scriptures and the arts his life was one of active engagement in the world. The turning point came when he went on a mission to buy horses for the king and instead happened to be drawn to his spiritual preceptor at Tiruperundurai hearing him chant the Divine name. His transformation was instantaneous and he immediately grasped the distinction between the shallowness of the life he was leading and the opportunity God had given to him for self-introspection to attain enlightenment. He felt the power of divine grace drawing him into the light of consciousness. It was the moment of reckoning in his life, which opened his inner eye to behold the truth of his spiritual nature.

In his discourse, Sri T.V.Venkataraman said the saint's composition, the Tiruvachakam, revealed that initially the spiritual transformation happened unconsciously in his life but that it became conscious knowledge after meeting his Guru and experiencing the descent of grace. Manikkavasagar literally died to his senses. All his faculties ceased to beguile him towards the world and he became totally alive to God. The saint's description of his mystical experience gives insight to spiritual aspirants that the first step is to acknowledge that there is ignorance in the mind. Only when a person is aware of darkness then he will seek light; otherwise he tends to compromise with darkness. In spiritual life only when one is aware of one's ignorance then there will be receptivity to the operation of divine grace.

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Descent of divine grace

dated July 17, 1953: Year's Inauguration at School of Social Work

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