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Re: Fact or fiction?

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Parthasarati Dileepan • January 12, 1998 


At 08:56 PM 1/11/98 -0800, Venkatesh Elayavalli wrote:
>
>Based on his work, it seems that prapatti cannot be performed without the
help of the
>AcArya. Also, for prapatti, it is not required to know the details of
ithihas and puranas
>since prapatti is a parallel path to attain salvation. All that seem to be
 required is
>AcArya's blessings and guidance.


Thanks to Sri. Venkatesh Elayavalli for the prompt 
reply with suitable quotations.  I would like to invite 
further comments on the central issue, i.e. faith about
the authenticity of Ithihasa puraaNaas.

Mahavisvasam, the most important prerequisite for 
Prapatti, is predicated upon our Lord's promises
made during Vibhava avatharaas such as Rama and
Krishna.  If we lack faith upon the accounts about
these avatharas given by Srimad Ramayana and
Mahabharatha, we will face the task of building
Mahavisvasam upon a foundation made up of fiction.
How can real and lasting Mahavisvasam be built
upon something that is simply someone's vivid 
imagination?

Further, it said that we are not required to know the
details of the Ithihasas.  If we are willing to accept
the guidance of our Acharyas, then we have indirectly
shown faith in Ithihasas since our Acharyas have 
unflinching faith in them.  I am not referring to such 
individuals.  I am referring to those who are unable 
to implicitly accept Acharya's words and have 
difficulty accepting the Ithihasas as recording of 
actual events.  In other words, to what extent are
we required to believe in the Ithihasas to be faithful
to the requirement of Mahavisvasam?


-- adiyEn