Sri:
Dear devotees: Please accept our pranam:
Why do we worship Sriman Narayana?
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From the Vedic Magazine Compiled from the teachings of Dr M.S Rangachari
One of the fundamental qualities of a follower of Ramananuja Sampradayam
is, although he/she must be completely tolerant of other religions and
beliefs, on a personal level the devotee maintains exclusive monotheistic
devotion to the Supreme Lord, Sriman Narayana, as ones sole Refuge and
Protection. The reason for this is not just dogma or blind faith, but
rather is the result of a logical understanding of the purpose of
spirituality as it is taught in the Vedas and as it is revealed to us by
our Acharyas.
For every human being, faith is very essential towards leading a purposeful
and productive life. That faith should be based on sound principles and
should be derived from a proper understanding of the venerated practices
and teachers of the past. Faith such be of such a nature that it frees one
from worrying about the past, the present or the future, encouraging a
person to focus instead on living a productive and good life, such that not
only the individual but all those around that individual are benefited. To
gain such an attitude that leads to the Good, one must be safe in the
knowledge that he/she is being guided and cared for by the Divine.
To have such a faith, one must follow a path that is lucid and
straightforward, free of contradictions and discrepancies. Consequently,
it must be directed towards One Being, One Supreme Good, One Absolute
Truth. That One Being should be all powerful such that we know that He can
easily save us from what would otherwise be an unending web of accumulated
sins that bind us to our false egos and our material desires. At the same
time, that Being should be very compassionate, forgiving, and accessible,
so that we can be rest assured that we can turn to Him in spite of our
sinful nature. He must also be impartial to everyone such that He readily
accepts anyone and everyone who turns to Him, irrespective of their caste,
race, gender or station in life. He must also possess many charming and
wondrous qualities such that we are easily drawn to Him. And, He must be
one who Loves Us Unconditionally, and who is willing to receive our
unconditional love in return. Such a being would easily be accepted into
our hearts and lives.
Given our human foibles, however, even if such a being were to stand before
us at this moment, telling us that He is the One that we are seeking, our
nature would be to doubt Him. So, In addition to all the Divine
Qualities, He must be one whose supremacy has been proven by what others
have taught, and is time-honored and proven. Over the ages, great people
should have consistently worshipped Him, and that worship should be
consistent with the books/revelations that tell us of such a Person.
Our Acharyas teach us that the Vedas, which form the basis of any Indian
spiritual system, emphatically declare that such a Lord is none other than
Sriman Narayana, the Supreme Being Vishnu, the consort of the Goddess Sri,
the refuge of all souls. Great saints and mystics have worshipped Him
through the ages, and have passed on their legacy to others. Ramanuja
adopted this legacy from them, and has shared this great treasure with all
of us through his lineage of Teachers. It is for this reason, that
followers of Ramanuja put their complete trust in Sriman Narayana as the
Way and the Goal of Life.
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