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Re: VibhIshaNa saraNAgati

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian • October 14, 1998 


Mani Varadarajan wrote:

> If you get anything any more convincing, I am prepared to
> listen. Else, I am prepared to stick to my guns.  Maybe it is my
> arrogance and pride that is not letting me listen to these reasons. I
> am looking for water-tight arguments like the ones they supply for
> Hanuman. I am prepared to even accept the aabharaNas as a mediation
> principle in the case of Sugriva - but this does not make sense.
> 
> The Divine Mother is ALWAYS resident on the Lord's Thirumaarbu. Stands
> to reason he has no chance to get rid of Ravana and those of his
> ilk. If She did not leave his Thirumaarbu even in his incarnation as a
> Brahmachaari Vaamana - where is the case when she is out of his
> thirumaarbu in his Avataaram as Sri Raama?

Aren't we making a big assumption here? We are deciding what is good and
bad for the devotees based on our prejudices. Eg, it has been assumed
that the Lord did not show mercy to Hirnayakasipu, Bali, Ravana and so
on. Just as a washerman beats a cloth to get out the dirt, the Lord also
makes one go through troubles to get rid of the dirt. That is indeed an
act of mercy. Because _we_ think that Ravana went through suffering does
not mean Raavana finally did not benefit. We may take it that the
suffering Ravana went through was homeopathic! Surely it's not up to us
to decide what's the best treatment for Ravana or Bali? When we say "the
Lord's grace", how can the grace exist away or separately from the Lord?
Or is it some fundamental point in SriVaishnava philosophy? If it is I'd
appreciate some quotes from Sri Ramanuja or Sri Desika. Thanks.

Rama.