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Shopkeepers and their AudAryam

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • April 26, 2001 


[ From Sri A. Bharat of Bangalore ]

   Dear Mani
   Here are some more thoughts arising out of our Acharyas'
   impeccable insights.
   
   We are often told that whenever we desire anything we should approach
   only the Lord for it,even if there are other Devatas who are perfectly
   competent to give it.which on the face of it appears to be a rather
   narrowminded
   approach.The Sastras themselves declare that each Devata has his
   specialty- 
   is SwAmi EmberumAnAr's matchless summing up .
   
   In his Gadya BhAshya Swami Desika explains the epithet 
   in many ways : 1.He who is both "arthi" and "kalpaka"- he's searching for
   customers and is more than capable of fulfilling their demands; 2.He creates
   the Demand Himself - as explained in detail above; 3.He is like a Kalpa
   vriksha for the "arthis" 4.They are like kalpa vrikshas for him - for they
   fulfill
   His solitary want.
   
   Hence it is that we are asked to approach only Him for all our wants not so
   much to guard OUR SwarUpa,but in order to bolster His sattA. For unless
   we keep going to Him for something or other He may not find the moment
   and the opportunity to undermine our resistance and achieve His object.
   
   But where does the - The more He gives the more He wants to
   give.So when He finds people actually coming to Him asking for favours of
   any of
   the Four Categories He praises them instantly.
   
   It may seem a little unfair that He ,after giving to all the other Devatas
   various things to
   sell at their prices, is still trying get customers to His own store where
   there is a
   permanent "Sale".But one need not fear for the other Devatas on this
   account.To
   this day the queues in front of their shops are long as ever,and His
   Departmental Store
   despite all His price -cutting is empty as ever.
   
   Which is why in SrI Vachana BhhooshaNam (225) Sri UlagASiriyar clearly
   points
   out- "ALumALAr engiRavanuDaiya tanimaiyai ttavirkkaikkAgvAyiRRU
   BhAshyakArarum ivarum upadESippadu."- it is on account of seeing the
   loneliness
   of this empty shopkeeper that SwAmi NammAzhwAr and Sri BhAshyakArar
   poured out all their advice to the SamsAris.It is to fill His need more than
   to help
   ourselves that we should approach Him often.
   
   
   
   



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