Faith in God can fetch anything

CHENNAI, Feb. 2. Scriptural texts which contain directives for a man's safe journey in the world, do at times need clarifications as well as proper explanations. The sublime thoughts therein have therefore been properly commented upon by saintly souls who had appeared amidst us to tell that the divine statements should not be treated as moribund. Customs and traditions do have relevance but need convincing elucidation. These selected pious men kept the spiritual torch burning through their lectures and have asked us to understand the permanent relationship between God and man. How and why a man is born, is it due to his own will, what was he before his appearance now, what is his goal, how will he achieve it and how to conduct himself, are all questions often raised for which suitable answers have been given by these reputed scholars.

The main thrust of their expositions was that man differs from other creations because he is endowed with intellect. By reposing faith in God and adopting the spiritual exercises he can rise to a higher level. They have pointed out how a single strand of thread can be easily snapped whereas by twisting a number of them and making them as a rope, it will be possible to drag a chariot. Pamban Swamigal came out of a covered pit remaining in it for 36 days and composer Thyagaraja saw Rama by chanting His name 96 crore times. Faith can fetch anything.

Some people have questioned the wisdom of worshipping ``stones'' as idols and ``wasting'' milk by pouring it over them. Why spend money on temple festivals is yet another query. All these doubts have been cleared by one among the most profound scholars who lived among us till recently. Temple festivals provided employment to many and also helped distribute money amongst many traders and professionals. Even as cotton, spun as thread and then woven into cloth cannot still be called by its original name, so too, figures of God, chiselled out of stones and then consecrated and installed with due rites in temples, can no more be termed inanimate objects as they ``breathe'' life and shower grace on devotees. Such was the brilliant manner in which the religious fervour of the elite and the masses was sustained and promoted through simple illustrations at the same time driving home moral values by Sri Kripananda Variar whose contribution was remembered and whose glorious life and his message were recalled by Sri C.V. Sadanandam at a memorial function. Among Sri Kripananda Variar's illuminating points in his discourses was how idols in the temple stored divine power and distributed it. Sri Variar's literary output is amazing and he had mastered Thiruppugazh and had toured extensively to spread God's message.

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