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The Lords Transgressions of Dharma

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Sriman Venkatesan • February 11, 2003 


The Lord’s Transgressions of “Dharma”

Reading through C.RajajiÂ’s Ramayana, Adiyen happened
to think of the Vali Vadham episode and wish to share
some of my ramblings on this topic with this august
forum of venerable Sri Vaishnavites.

There are numerous occasions wherein the Lord has,
uninhibitedly and brazenly flouted “dharma” to uphold
the interests of His Devotees. Straightaway, Adiyen
can think of three instances (doubtless, there are
many more):

1.	Depriving the Asuras of Amrutam, to confine it to
the Devas, even though the Asuras had participated
equally in the churning of the ocean and hence had an
equal right to the spoils.
2.	Killing Vaali, while remaining hidden, and that too
when He had no personal score to settle with Vaali.
3.	Protecting Saatyaki from certain death, by getting
Arjuna to sever the hand of Bhurisravas in the
Kurukshetra war, though Arjuna was in no way involved
in the Saatyaki-Bhurisravas duel.

(I am not sure why the other such episodes are
discussed as much as Vaali Vadham)

ArenÂ’t these open and flagrant violations of so-called
Dharma ? No – because from the Lord’s perspective, the
first and foremost Dharma is the protection of His
Devotees. Everything else (i.e conventional
considerations of Dharma) are set aside when a
DevoteeÂ’s well-being is at stake, just as the police
are armed with special powers in the event of an
Emergency. Thiruvalluvar says in the Thirukkural –
“Udukkai izhanthavan kai pola Angae iDukkaN
kaLaivadhAm natpu”. Just as a man’s hand instinctively
clutches at his waist cloth when he senses that it is
slipping, a manÂ’s true friend rushes to his succour at
the time of peril. If even a human friend can do this,
what to speak of the Lord, when  His devotee is in
peril ? This is illustrated by EmperumAnÂ’s speed in
rushing to Gajendra’s aid – a speed so tremendous that
it had the Lord waiting for Sri Sudarsana to catch
up.( “Senru, ninru, Azhi thottaanai” – Thirumangai
Azhwar describing the Lord of Triplicane)

Now, what is “Dharma” and what is “Adharma” ? As is
repeatedly pointed out in the Mahabharatha, the way of
Dharma is extremely intricate and even great men are
often perplexed at what is right and what is not. This
is why the Lord says “Sarva DharmAn Parithyajtha; mAm
ekam saranam vraja”. For, what really is Dharma is not
what we think it to be, it is what the Lord thinks it
to be. (“AchAra prabhavo dharma, dharmasya
prabhurachyutah” – says the phala sruthi of the Vishnu
Sahasranama)





Hence the Lord simplifies our task by saying, “You do
not worry about Dharma (with your infinitesimal
intellect !) .You just surrender unto me”. The same
sentiment is echoed in a line in the Bible – “He
leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His
Names’ sake”.( If I remember right, it is the
twenty-third psalm)

LetÂ’s consider another thing. We commit innumerable
sins and acquire an enormous heritage of Dush-Karma.
But still, we pray to the Lord, and He cheerfully
reduces our gravest and most heinous sins (“sediyaaya
val vinaigaL”) to ashes.(poya pizhaiyum puku tharuvAn
ninranavum theeyinil thoosaakum). Thus He allows us to
get away without paying fully for our misdeeds.
Strictly speaking, is this also not a transgression of
the laws of karma and dharma ? And if the Lord were to
strictly apply the yardstick of dharma while judging
us, what would be our plight ? Such trivial
considerations of karma  and dharma are cast aside
when the LordÂ’s Grace attends on us, isnÂ’t it ?

Doubtless, everything of the above must be something
that readers have known/realized already, but still
the LordÂ’s Daya cannot be over emphasized. I am
surprised at my own temerity in placing these thoughts
in this elite forum. I regret any errors in the form
or substance of this message.

Adiyen
Sriman Venkatesan
(Sriman is my first name – not a title I am applying
to myself !)


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