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role of Lakshmi

From: Mohan Sagar _at_DHQ (303)757-9808 Ext:2808 (_at_DHQ)
Date: Mon Sep 16 1996 - 13:14:14 PDT 

A couple of more questions.  This time, on the role of Lakshmi.

Regarding the statement:

  "...She is endowed with the three capacities of UPAYATVA
 (being the means) ,UPEYATVA ( being the end) and PURUSHAKAARA
 (being the mediatrix) --and is the ruler of the whole world."

>From this, can we imply that one can recognize Lakshmi as the Upaya
and Upeya independently of the Lord?  If so, would this not coflict
with Dvayam, which expresses surrender and service to Narayana, along
with Lakshmi?
 
  "...Prapatthi to Her precedes the one at the feet of Her Lord to
attain freedom from the cycles of deaths and births." 
 
How can this statement be correlated to the Carama Slokam, in which
the Lord says "Mam Ekam Saranam Vraja," i.e., prapatti should be
performed solely to Him? 

Daasanu Daasan,

Mohan