The Vedas and the Upanishads proclaim the Lord’s Supremacy and also show that it is limitless and unfathomable. Azhwars and acharyas in the Vaishnava tradition have reiterated this very clearly to make us understand the Lord’s unique greatness. There is nothing in this entire creation, Leela Vibhuti and also beyond, known as Nitya Vibhuti, that does not belong to Him. Through their works, they have inculcated in us the habit to consider that all what we think we possess actually is God’s, pointed out Asuri Sri Madhavachariar in a discourse.
There is no question of thinking that anything belongs to any jivatma. This is the spirit of Satvika Tyaga that is the essence of Visishtadvaita philosophy. All our actions, sacred and secular, are to be considered as being driven by God. All that we eat, drink or enjoy in this world is God’s. This is clearly expressed by Alavandar in his hymn Stotra Ratna. In a verse, he claims that this sarira, this atma and all else is God’s. Sastras teach us the fundamental truth that the perishable sarira is to be treated as secondary to the immortal atma.
But still, Alavandar has shown that every jivatma is bound to serve the Lord with this sarira, though it has to be shed. It should be seen as a valuable gift of God. Out of compassion God has given the jivatma the sarira as the effect of individual karma phala. So, the acharya promises God that this sarira with all its limitations is for His sake. What we eat has to be an offering to the antaryami in us God. Andal also shows that our lives are meant to sing the Lord’s glories, worship Him with pure flowers and a pure heart and seek His feet. This is a sure way to get rid of our sins. Our duty is to serve Him with our thought, word and deed.
