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From the Bhakti List Archives

Parthasarati Dileepan • December 3, 1996 


Our effort (or choice) is even less than insignificant relative to His
grace.  Yet it is our effort that seems to please the Lord immensely.   For
example, it was the effort of the squirrels, which was totally
insignificant for the completion of the sEthu, that was most pleasing to
the Lord.  Until Sri AnjanEya prayed to Lord Rama he could not even see
asOka vanam, yet on his return to Kishkindhai he was granted the Lord's
aalinganam as if AnjanEya located our divine mother on his own accord.
There is a nice Thirumangai Azhvaar paasuram about this (vaadha maamahan
maRkadam vilangu ....)

Therefore, it seems to me, however insignificant our effort may be, it is
most pleasing to our Lord.  In this context I think our karma and the
choices we make are important.  Please consider Nammaazhvaar's:

"avar avar thamathamathu aRivaRi vagaivagai,
....
....
avaravar vidhivazhi adaiya ninRanarE."

To me the import seems to be, "don't just sit there, do somthing." :-)

Obviously nothing can happen without His grace.  This, I think, is
indicated by the intervening phrase, "avaravar iRaiyavar ena adi
adaivargaL".  

Thanks,

— Dileepan