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Divine Grace in Christianity and Hinduism with Specw, Reference to B~Gavatapu-A

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Divine Grace in Christianity and Hinduism with Specw, Reference to B~Gavatapu-A THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE GRACE IN CHRISTIANITY AND HINDUISM WITH SPECW, REFERENCE TO B~GAVATAPU-A THESIS Submitted to the MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT F'OR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNDER THE FACULTY OF SOCIAL SfIENCES BY MATHEW VARKEY, MA, B.E~.,M.T~. Under the Supervision of Dr. M. MAHAUJAN M.A. Ph.D. D. Litt., LL.B, SCHOOL OF GANDHIAN THOUGHT AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY KOTTAYAM - 686 560, KERALA, INDIA MARCH 2001 1 MAHATMA GANDHI UNlVERSlfV 1 SCHOOL OF GANDHIAN THOUGHT AND DEVELOFMENT STUDIES PRIYADARSHINI HILLS, KO'M'AYAM - 686 560 Dr.M. wAM,M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt., LL.B Reader This is to cerhfy that Bhri. MATHEW VARKEY has completed his research for the Ph.D., degree on THE CONCEPT OF DIVTNE GlRACE IN CHRIS'MMITY AND HINDUISM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE; TO BH~AVATA PU&A under my supervision and guidance. He has successfulfy completed his thesis and it is a record of bonafide research work done by him during the period of research in the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshrni Hills, Kottayam. :sa in his endeavours. School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Kottayam - 686 560. Priyadarshini Hills, Date: 31-3-200 1 DECLARATION This is to certify that the thesis entitled THE CONCEPT OF DMNE GRACE IN CHRISTmTY AND HllqDUltSlYl WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BH~AVATAWR~A for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)is a bonafide record of research work done by me at the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hi.P.O., Kottayam. It is certified that the thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree or diploma and has been composed by me independently. 1b3 MATH9p VARKP;Y School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills, Kottayam - 686 560, Kerala, India. Date: 3 1-3-2001 MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GANDHIAN THOUGHT AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PRIYADARSHINI HILLS KO'M'AYAM - 686 560 Dr. A.K. Chirappanath Professor and Director This is to certify that 8hri. MATHEW Vmis a Research Scholar (Ph.D.)under the supervision and guidance of Dr. M. Mahardan in the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi arshini Hills P.O., Kottayam. &A<. tL,Lph Dr. A.K. CHIRAPPANATH Prof. d Dir~tttw School 01 hnndhzan wh a-bd ire:jr lnprnent Stu&# -atmu Gc* ~dhiLTfiiwr~i~ &~~va,Kerah - W W CONTENTS PREFACE ABBREVIATIONS Chapter - I Chapter - II The Origin and Nature of the Pur'angs 20 Mahgpurhas and Upapur-ks 25 The Characteristics and Contents of the Pur'anSs 28 section - 2 The Bhkavata Purka 32 The Date of the Bhigavata PurGna 33 The Author and the Place of Origin of Bhkavata Pur-ma 36 Contents and Dasalaksana of Bhbavata 38 The Bh'lagavata Purkna and the Religious Tra&tions 41 The Hare Krsna Movement The Value of Bh&gavataPur'ana Chapter - 111 DMHE GRACE AND ITS EXPLICIT EXP~SIONIN B~GAVATAPURAHA Divine Grace The Nature of God Various Names of Supreme Reality The Nature of God and Grace - Advaitic view point Human Relationship to God The Explicit Expression of Grace in Bhm&gavataPurha Bhagavhn, the Compassionate Lard Discipleship - The Grace of God Mahat Sanga - The maof God Chapter - N mERREUTED WITH THE CONCEFT OF I)- GRACE Avat'aa and Divine Grace Creation and Divine Grace Section - 3 Bhakti and Divine Grace 117 Bhakti - Open to all 119 The Supreme Value in Religion 122 Kinds of Devotion 124 Bhakti - the fdth purusartha and the highest Dharma 127 Bhakti - the most excellent way to God 130 he &sa Lila 133 Divine Grace and the Law of'Karrna Chapter - V CONCEPT OF DIVIEPE GRACE IN CWRl8WITY Section - 1 Grace in the Old Testament Grace in the New Testament Grace in the Gospels Acts of the Apostles Grace in Other Biblical Books Grace in the Pauline Letters Section - 2 Historical Developments in the Theology of Grace Authentic marks of Grace (a) Essence (b) Operation (c) Goal (dl Udty (e) Scope Chapter - VX EPILOGUE PREFACE The purpose of this thesis is to study the concept of Divine Grace in Christianity and Hinduism with special reference to Bhagavata Purka. The specific sense of the word 'Grace' both in Hinduism and Christianity is God's unmerited free, spontaneous love for the whole humanity revealed and made effective through the auatZLra of Krsna.. and Christu respectively. It is an indubitable fact that BhZgavata ~urhnais one of the most popular and influential among the Hindu Sacred Scriptures because its primary concern is man's ultimate goal and the bhakti path by which he reaches that goal. The Bhkgavata Purha, which gives the essence of all intis, shows the path of pure devotion. 'I pervade all through in and out of the universe' God himself says emphasizing the core of the message of this holy book. The compiler of the Bh'agavata Purha takes Sri Krsva's. life and teachings as the gist of all scriptures. Though the book deals five topics, which characterize PurZtnZts, its main and central theme is God. The Bhagavata Purana is a gospel of Divine Life. Its philosophy is based upon actual and direct experience of the Absolute Reality by a host of disciples. The Lord Himself during His incarnation as Krsna. has declared that dl people can get closer to him by hearing or reading the BhLgavatam. When the Lord was about to leave this world after fulfilling the objectives of His incarnation, the saint Uddhava and others lamented as to who will be there to guide them. The Lord said one could see Him in the form of Srirnad Bhkgavatam. That is why this scripture has been considered as great by one and all. From the Christian perspective also the question of whether there is a doctrine of Grace in the Hindu traditions and what is the specific nature of that doctrine is of great importance. Theologically, therefore, the study of the role of Divine Grace in the general frame work of Bhggavata Purka and the Bible is worthwhile. MethodoIogy followed in this research is primarily exegesis of the scriptures and doctrinal analysis. Apart from that, different methods have been employed to collect the required data pertaining to this study. The researcher visited a number of pIaces and institutions such as United Theological College Bangalore, D harmaram College Bangalore, Ecumenical Christian Centre Bangalore, St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary Vadavathoor, Kottayam, Narasimha Swarny Temple Manganam Kottayam, Parasakthi Temple Kollad Kottayam, Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple Kottayam, Marthoma Seminary Library Kottayam, C.S.I. Library and Archives Centre Kottayam, Orthodox Theological Seminary Kottayam, Bishop Mani Theological Institute Kottayam, T.M.A.M.Orientation and Research Centre Manganam Kottayam, Christian Education Department of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, Hyderabad etc., to gather materials for this study. Also participated in a number of religious discourses both viii in Hindu Temples and Christian Churches. The Researcher had the opportunity of effective participation in the 'Parliament of a11 Religions' conducted by the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies on Martyr's Day this year. Involvement in the U.G.C. Sponsored International Seminar on The New Socio- Economic Order and World Peace - A Gandhian Critique (23 - 26th November 2000) conducted by the Mahatma Gandhi University provided deeper insights into various doctrinal and sociological concepts. There remains for me a pleasant duty of acknowledgements. My sincere thanks are due to my Supervisor and Guide Dr. M. Maharajan, MA., Ph.D., D.Litt., LL.B., Reader, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, whose advice and guidance in writing this thesis for Ph.D. Degree has been invaluable. I desire to express my profound gratitude to Dr. M. Maharajan who kindly read the entire manuscripts of my thesis and corrected it wherever necessary at the time of my submission for the Degree. My thanks are due to Dr. A.K. Chirappanath, Professor and Director, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, who allowed me to do research and also provided all facilities to complete my research. I thank Smt, Geethakumari and Meera, Librarians, School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University for the help rendered by them. I shall be failing in my duty if I do not express my thanks and gratitude to the staff and non-teaching staff of the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam for their sincere co-operation in my endeavour. I extend my special thanks to Most Rev. Dr. K.J. Samuel, Moderator, Church of South India, Madras for providing paternal suggestions and advice. I am grateful to Rt. Rev. Dr. Sam Mathew, Bishop Madhya Kerala Diocese who granted me permission to do this research. My heartful thanks are also due to Bishop Dr. M.C. Mani of the C.S.I. for his constant encouragement for my higher studies. I also acknowledge the help given to me by Mrs. Kuttiyamma Maharajan for the completion of my Ph.D. Thesis. Thanks are also due to my friends Prof. Dr. C.I. Issac, Prof. Dr. Y. Mathew and Prof. George Philip (Department of History, C.M.S College, Kottayam) for their support and encouragement. The work would not have been completed without the commitment and labour of Mr. P.V. Mathew of the Vikas Computer Centre, Kumaranalloor, Kottayam, Kerala. My thanks are due to him and his colleagues. I am much indebted to my wife, Elsamma, Daughters Blessy, Ressy and Tessy for their timely help and co-operation in completing my thesis.
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