Re: Post Prapatti-doubts -demi-God worship

From the Bhakti List Archives

• January 31, 2002


Namo Narayana,

ref : mail on post prapatti doubts as to whether one
has to bypass and ignore all the Sannidhis that are
present in the Krishna temple.

The Shastras represent the ultimate truth  and do not
by themselves  belittle any one.
In The Gita – Krishna has clearly stated – Maam Ekam
Sharanam Vraja.

In accordance with this if one is a Prapanna and has
truly surrendered unto HIM, it is imperative that  - 
Whatever be the temple, whoever be the presiding deity
, it is still the Lord Narayana who stands before you
and  praying unto him is your prime nature. 

When this is the truth in my opinion I don't think it
makes that much of a physical difference which deity
stands before a prapanna. 
However, 
The basic idea  that one is recommended to avoid other
temples is that one does not –even by chance get
swayed when one  has just started tottering in the
path towards  the Lord.

This can be illustrated by a popular tale.
A man, parched for water - began digging a well near 
a temple in the village. He was digging for some time
now ,  and a  fellow villager  spotted him and
suggested that they dig at the other corner of the
village where there is a better chance of hitting
water. 

 They proceeded to the far end and kept on digging for
about a couple of hours . In the meantime a mendicant
was watching . He came up to them and quoted some
scriptures and keeping in mind the 4 directions , made
some calculations and arrived at the right spot for
getting water. These 2 villagers with renewed vigour
shifted their implements to the new spot at the North
-Eastern  corner of the village and started digging.
The sun soon began to set and they prepared to return
to the same spot the next day.

In the above anecdote, probably if the villager had
dug in the first spot for the rest of the day the
chances of him hitting water on the same day would
have been higher. 

So also, we are asked by our shastras to follow one
Acharyan , and the one God Sriman Narayanan and
continue in an unwavered manner so as to reach the
Ultimate goal.
So Stick to something Good and Stick to it for Good is
the basic idea.

Pl do offer your comments if something is amiss here.
I am not very well versed with the scriptures. What I
have gathered is primarily  through Upanyasam's.

Adiyen

Yamini nAmine RamAnuja dAsI

> 
> 

> > 
> 
> 
>
--------------------------------------------------------------
>            - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
> To Post a message, send it to:  
> bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
> Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
>  
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
> 
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! 
http://auctions.yahoo.com


--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@yahoogroups.com
Archives: http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/
 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/