| Sankaradeva
preached a religion of supreme surrender to One and the worship of other gods and
goddesses is strictly prohibited. It has been said by Sankaradeva, himself that a
"Vaishnava should not worship any other god except Vishnu, he should not enter any
other- god's temple, nor should he partake of the offerings made to any other god. In so
doing Bhakti would be vitiated. In another place
he says: -
'"As the branches, leaves and foliage of a tree are nourished by pouring water only
at the root of the tree, as limbs of. The body are nourished by putting food only in the
stomach, so all gods and goddesses are propitiated only by the worship ofKrishna" In
short, there is only one God, one mode of worship and there is none else but one. This
religion knows no caste, and universal spirit is the main principle of this faith.
Mahapurushiyadharma is another name for this faith, because Sankaradeva's object of
worship, the AR-Pervasive, Parama - Brahma, to whom devotee is to take shelter, is so
described in the Bhagavata. It had universal appeal and therefore people of all castes
could embrace it.
4.Dr.B.Kakati: Op.Cit., p.40. |
