If God is the ultimate and the most compassionate, why are we all in this temporary space with limited abilities? Many a times, people ask this question when they go through hard times even after spending life in righteous path.

The word leela in Vedic literature means play. So, is it all a play for Him?

Absolutely not! Then why is the word ‘leela or play’ used? The word leela/play refers to the ease with which He conducts the creation, sustenance and dissolution. It does not refer to playing with an intention to suppress someone, to win over someone out of jealousy and competition. What we see in today’s sports is the intent of winning. Play here refers to what a baby does in a cradle…

The baby moves his/her legs and hands to try and reach a toy hanging on the cradle top. Just like the way baby simply moves her legs and hands with no pain, God also conducts Himself with no pain while helping us. This is a play for the baby. Therefore, His conduct is called leela, a play in this perspective! That little Krushna who has the entire existence within him while lying down on a tender leaf and playing with his hands and legs… – This is the leela.

 

Nammalwar says, ‘That little Krushna who was slipping down Yashoda’s waist and was then lifted up by her… that same little Krushna is in my heart now! He made my heart his permanent abode. That little Krushna who is playing with his little lotus like hands and legs in a cradle is also ‘playing’ with me. He moved up from my laps to my heart. He is moving up to my shoulders, onto my forehead and in my mind.’

This tells how immensely alwar is experiencing the divine presence of God within himself all through his parts (sarvaanganeyna samslesham – togetherness with God in entirety). The result of this experience enriched alwar to a level that every single word he uttered matched entirely with the secrets of the existence as depicted in Vedas. He did not try to acquire knowledge, He simply accepted God’s presence and felt His qualities such as the ‘unmatchable supremacy’, ‘extremely compassionate’ etc.

Alwar took the right to demand God for togetherness with Him and at the same time, he felt the submissiveness towards that Supreme power. When one experiences the true nature of God in such a way, the person feels a sense of pride, a sense of completeness, a sense of joy, a sense of belonging, a sense of pure devotion, a sense of satisfaction, a sense of peace, a sense of freedom, a sense of awareness. All this together form the true nature of soul!’

That is Nammalwar! A perfect blend of beautiful wisdom and flawless joy accompanying the Supreme power, God!

One aspect of that beautiful wisdom that alwar shared is about God being unimaginably powerful and at the same time unquestionably compassionate. His compassion results from three amazing qualities within Him that are personified as Sri Devi, Bhu Devi and Neela Devi for the sake of us.

When God sees the mistakes that we do, Sri Devi accepts that they are mistakes on behalf of us and works with God to forgive us!

On the other hand, Bhu Devi advocates on our behalf saying that people are committing sins/mistakes because they (God and Herself) haven’t shown the righteous path to us properly!

Making it even more simpler for us, Neela Devi mesmerizes God with her enchanting beauty thereby prohibiting Him from even recognising our sins as sins!

Alwar says to God, “All the compassion that you shower on Sri Devi, Bhu Devi, Neela Devi and your other devotees are all at different angles for different purposes. But, I am so fortunate that you are gracing me with all that compassion put together!”

Imagine the joy that alwar is experiencing… Blessed is the alwar!

-From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, Bhagavad Vishayam

Just like we take a picture with famous personalities and frame it in our houses, let us take a mental picture of alwar’s love for God and frame it in our hearts! Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji’s teachings and His way of life is a true reflection of all that is said by alwar and hence a blessing for people living in the era of Sri Swamiji!

– From the devotees attending the Bhagavad Vishayam class