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Re: Isvaran

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • October 2, 1995 


Krish writes:
* One cannot understand the concern of Vishnu or Iswara. This is starting to
* be like my Christian friend's statement about the only truth and only God.
* For every Vaishnava Statement about Vishnu, there is a corresponding one
* about Shiva. Whether there is a grain of truth, depends on the devotee!

I am not sure what your concern is; don't you believe that ultimately 
there is only one Truth, and one Supreme God? Your Christian friend is
not wrong in this respect.

But if he insists that there is only *one* path to that Truth, he is
in my view wrong. Each person needs to pick their own path, within some
common guidelines. Most learned Vaishnavas will not disagree if you
make such a statement.

The only question is -- why do Sri Vaishnavas worship Narayana and
Narayana alone? We do not thrust the name of Narayana down anyone's
throat; that has never been our way.  Sri Azhagiya Singar's response
to this question is according to our Acharyas' understanding of the
Vedas, meditation and surrender to the Being embodied by the concept
Narayana is the surest means to everlasting bliss. That is all.

This is also confirmed by the Azhvaars' progressive experience of 
reality.  We believe that they are our best guide to knowing the
elusive Supreme.

Mani