Re: 3-Alwars by Sri Bhuvarahacharya

From the Bhakti List Archives

• November 11, 1997


At 10:40 AM 11/11/97 -0800, Mani Varadarajan wrote:
>
>.... Commentators such as Periya Vaaccaan Pillai and VT Pillai
>write (a bit exaggeratingly) that the Lord looked all over 
>creation to find the lowest, meanest individual to bless, and
>found Nammalvar.  A more explicit statement about how we must
>relate to Nammalvar cannot be written.


Obviously this was not meant literally; otherwise we ought to become mean
and low and hope we are mean and low enough to become eligible for our
Lord's grace.  Similarly, one could argue that the the statements that give
nithyasoori status to Azhvaars are based on deep love and admiration for
the aazhvaars, and should not be taken literally.

But, how are we to differentiate between statements that are mere
exaggerations and the ones that are meant literally?  Are we free to make
this determination by our own logic and knowledge?  If Nammazhvaar himself
is "siRiya nyaanaththan", what to say of our "nyaanam" and our ability to
make this determination all by ourselves.   IMHO, what Sri PVP, Sri VTP,
and Swami Sri Desikan actually meant are to be known only by approaching a
qualified acharya with complete and unflinching faith.


-- adiyEn


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