Nara-Narayana- Swamy Narayan MandirTools to know Truth
By Sri,K.B.DevarajanCourtesy: The Hindu
Lord Narayana’s foremost devotee is Adisesha, the serpent. Adisesha came along with the Lord, as He took avatars to save mankind. In the Rama avatar, Adisesha came as the Lord’s younger brother Lakshmana. In the Krishna avatar, he was the Lord’s elder brother Balarama. In the Kali Yuga, Adisesha appeared as the great Vaishnavite Acharya Ramanuja, who was born in Sriperumbudur.
Why did Ramanuja take birth in this world? It was to show us that we can know happiness only if we know the Truth and that we can attain moksha only if we know the Truth. Now how does one know this Truth or Ultimate Reality? Only through ‘tattva gnana’ can we know the ultimate reality, We should know the ultimate reality to be saved from further births. All the Acharyas are agreed on this, whether it is Sankara, Ramanuja or Madhva. How does one reach this Truth? One must understand the Truth in the context of the Vedas.
The religions that accept the primacy of the Vedas are known as the Vaidika mathas. Why do we need the Vedas to understand the Truth? Just as we need the microscope and telescope for scientific study, so also we need tools to understand the ultimate reality, and the tools that help here are the Vedas.
We use our senses to make sense of the world. But when something is beyond our senses, how does one comprehend it? We need the help of the Vedas to understand that which is ‘ateendriyam’ - not comprehensible through our senses. So to understand God, we need someone to tell us about Him. Those who have seen Him do not talk to us about Him. Those who talk about Him are the ones who have not seen Him, says Thirumazhisai Azhvar in a verse.
So the only way to know the ultimate reality is to see what the Vedas say in this regard, because the Vedas speak only the truth. Suppose you have not seen the Niagara Falls yourself, but you have a honest friend who has seen it. If he were to describe the Falls to you, you would believe him because he is trustworthy.
Likewise, the Vedas that show us the Truth are to be trusted, and will help us know the ultimate reality.
Lord Narayana’s foremost devotee is Adisesha, the serpent. Adisesha came along with the Lord, as He took avatars to save mankind. In the Rama avatar, Adisesha came as the Lord’s younger brother Lakshmana. In the Krishna avatar, he was the Lord’s elder brother Balarama. In the Kali Yuga, Adisesha appeared as the great Vaishnavite Acharya Ramanuja, who was born in Sriperumbudur.
Why did Ramanuja take birth in this world? It was to show us that we can know happiness only if we know the Truth and that we can attain moksha only if we know the Truth. Now how does one know this Truth or Ultimate Reality? Only through ‘tattva gnana’ can we know the ultimate reality, We should know the ultimate reality to be saved from further births. All the Acharyas are agreed on this, whether it is Sankara, Ramanuja or Madhva. How does one reach this Truth? One must understand the Truth in the context of the Vedas.
The religions that accept the primacy of the Vedas are known as the Vaidika mathas. Why do we need the Vedas to understand the Truth? Just as we need the microscope and telescope for scientific study, so also we need tools to understand the ultimate reality, and the tools that help here are the Vedas.
We use our senses to make sense of the world. But when something is beyond our senses, how does one comprehend it? We need the help of the Vedas to understand that which is ‘ateendriyam’ - not comprehensible through our senses. So to understand God, we need someone to tell us about Him. Those who have seen Him do not talk to us about Him. Those who talk about Him are the ones who have not seen Him, says Thirumazhisai Azhvar in a verse.
So the only way to know the ultimate reality is to see what the Vedas say in this regard, because the Vedas speak only the truth. Suppose you have not seen the Niagara Falls yourself, but you have a honest friend who has seen it. If he were to describe the Falls to you, you would believe him because he is trustworthy.
Likewise, the Vedas that show us the Truth are to be trusted, and will help us know the ultimate reality.
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