God, accessible to His devotees

CHENNAI, APRIL 20. The purpose of the incarnations of the Almighty has been described in the scriptures as protection of Dharma whenever it is on the wane. But each incarnation is unique and gives an inkling into the mystery of the relationship of the Lord with His creation, especially with His devotees. The uniqueness of His manifestation as Krishna has been underscored by the preceptors and saints as the expression of His quality of easy accessibility, for the sake of His devotees. The Almighty who is the Lord of the entire creation took birth as a human being and was brought up by His foster parents in the simple and rustic cowherd community of Gokul.

The Azhwars, the mystic-saints, have portrayed Lord Krishna as the darling of these simple folks, especially the manner in which He endeared Himself to one and all as the butter-thief given to pranks, whom no one could resist. Tiruppan Azhwar in his hymn Amalanadipiran describes His irresistible appeal, ``The dark-hued Lord is the one who came as a cowherd-lad and stole butter. He is the Lord of gods and the Lord of Arangam also. He has stolen my heart. After seeing my Lord of ambrosial delight, my eyes will not see another.''

In her discourse, Smt. Sudha Seshayyan said that a poet had highlighted that Lord Krishna for the sake of punishing those who dishonoured His devotee, a woman in distress resorted to a great battle, to show that He never forgets even a small act of devotion or help. When Draupadi was dragged to the assembly where elders were present after her husband had lost everything in the game of dice no one including her five valiant husbands could come to her rescue when Dussasana started disrobing her.

Helpless she appealed to the Lord, ``I have heard that when a great danger threatens us nothing can help us, nothing except complete surrender to the Lord. He will help me.'' She made no attempts to protect herself and prayed, ``Krishna, Vasudeva, they say that You are the last refuge of the helpless. You are everything to me. They say You are everywhere, that You are present where Your devotee sings Your praises. You must be here. I surrender myself to You. It is up to You to save me.''

Draupadi's honour was saved and an interpretation is given by scholars of an incident related in the Bhagavata Purana about a timely help she had rendered to Lord Krishna during the stay of the Pandavas in the forest for which He was grateful to her. Needless to add that Lord Krishna stood by the Pandavas, His devotees, throughout their lives.

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