Swami teaches... The Rama Principle forever. Part 2

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram Light and Love

Swami teaches... 7 - 8 April

The Rama Principle Forever. Part 2

The Motto:

The Ramayana demonstrates that anything can be achieved through sincerity

and devotion. The story of the Ramayana is so enchanting and captivating that

one feels like listening to it again and again.

 

The period of the Mahabharata was well over 5000 years ago, and the Ramayana

was enacted aeons earlier. Even after the passage of countless ages, if it is

still occupying the hearts of the people at large, you can well imagine its

importance. Rama stood as a shining example of upholding the moral values in

the society. Rama displayed this virtue of equanimity.

There are two kinds of messages dominating the Ramayana: one pertains to

Rama and the other to Ravana.Sathya (truth) is the very form of human; dharma

(righteousness) is the innate propensity. Sathya and dharma are the two eyes of

human. These eyes are the very forms of all the scriptures. Rama’s message

tohumanity was to uphold dharma and sathya, to stay in the path of these and

fulfill one’s life. Rama was engaged in the welfare of all. He was the

embodiment of all good qualities.

On the other hand, the two principles of sathya and dharma were the very

opposites of Ravana’s propensities. Though Rama and Ravana were equally well

versed in all forms of knowledge, sage Valmiki condemned Ravana as a foolish

one. Ravana did not translate into action the knowledge he had acquired; on the

contrary he used it for wicked purposes. At the point of death, Ravana sent the

following message to his people: “Oh my people, do not follow my example. I am

the personification of all evil qualities. Falling into excessive desires, I

have lost my progeny. I have destroyed my entire kingdom ansd myself. Rama

achieved universal fame and I have ended up accumulating ill-fame.” Fame and

disrepute are cognates. There is no Rama without Ravana or Ravana without Rama.

It isthe bringing together of Rama and Ravana that is the Ramayana. Good and

bad are intricately mixed and it is not possible for anybody to entirely

disentangle them. If Ravana never existed, Rama’s reputation would not have

been so popular and widespread amongst people.

 

Through Ravana the king of city Lanka Valmiki has showed that the ordeals

are the concomitants of those who are associated with Maya. With the help of

Sugriva and Hanuman, Rama crossed the ocean of moha (delusion) to enter Lanka.

Once again he encounterd the three gunas -Satwa, Rajas and Tamas (qualities of

serenity, passion and passivity), in Lanka in the form of Vibhishana, Ravana

and Kumbakarna. He vanquished Ravana and Kumbhakarna (Rajo and Tamo gunas) and

crowned Vibhishana (Satwa guna) as King. He recovered Sita who now assumed the

form of Anubhavajnana (wisdom born of experience) and reentered Ayodhya with

her.

Here the unique features of Lanka may be noted. Its ruler was the ten-headed

Ravana. He was the one who was enjoying the ten senses as a sensualist. Without

control over his senses, a person who may have conquered the three worlds, will

be a slave of his impulses. As is the ruler, so are the subjects, says the

adage. Lanka was thus immersed in carnal pleasures. Pleasures of the flesh were

their sole preoccupation. But at the same time, they carried on ritualistic

practices like yagas and yajnas (sacrificial rites and rituals).

The epic first of all expounds the duties and morality of the individual. In

the everyday world, any person’s form is termed as the individual. The duties of

the individual taught by Ramayana are not relating to this external form of the

individual. The unmanifest, immanent and hidden human values are the essence of

the Ramayana.

The inner reality and the divinity resident in the heart constitute the true

individuality. Individual does notmean the form; the individual in action is the

true individual. Rama was exemplifying such individual values to humanity. To

uphold the promise of his father, He went through the inconveniences of forest

life, but He did not look on these hardships as hardships. In this way, He

upheld His family traditions also. It is well known that the scions of the

Ikshvaku family never swerved from their promises. Under any circumstances,

upholding the values of one’s parents, relations, and wife and children

constitutes this three-fold dharma. How has Rama done this?

Wearing bark clothes, He came to Kausalya to take leave of her. Smilingly Rama

told Kausalya. “Today I have been commanded by my father to become the ruler of

the forests. To rule the forests is also part of our family tradition.” Rama

continued, "Nothing happens in this world without a cause. Father wouldn’t give

Me such an instruction without proper reason. Please keep your emotions under

control.”

At the time of Lakshmana's departure to the forest along with Rama and

Sita, Sumitra counseled the son thus: “Never be under the impression that you

are going to the forest. Wherever Rama and Sita are present, that itself is

Ayodhya. Consider Sita and Rama as your mother and father and serve them to

the best of your ability with all love, sincerity, faith and devotion.” Such

noble mothers like Sumitra and sons like Lakshmana with total devotionto God

are needed today.

What was the cause of Rama-Sita's exile?

Kaikeyi was in fact fonder of Rama than Bharata, but Manthara intervened. If

you start enquiring what the principle is behind actions of Manthra, you will

discover that this is also part of the Vedic principle. Once, when the King of

the land of Kekaya was hunting, he aimed an arrow and killed a male deer. The

female deer went to her mother and said, “Mother, the King of Kekaya has killed

my husband. Now, whatis my fate?” The mother deer said, “My child, don’t cry, I

shall revive your dead husband.” The mother deer went to the King of Kekaya and

told him, “O king, it is not a proper action that you have done, killing the

husband of my daughter. Just as I am suffering now by the loss of my

son-in-law, you will suffer the loss of your son-inlaw.I shall see to it that

this event takes place.”

That mother deer was born as Manthara and was the cause of the death of

Dasaratha and the consequent loss of son-in-law of Kaikeyi’s father.

Manthara never forgot her past resolve and therefore decided to poison

Kaikeyi’s mind against her natural affection and her duties towards Dasaratha.

Kaikeyi who was so fond of Rama till then turned against Him in a moment afrer

Manthara's words.

Manthara was the personification of jealousy. Her jealousy was so potent as

to change Kaikeyi’s great motherly love for Rama.

The Ramayana gives examples of Ravana and Manthara as both had evil

propensities in them. Ravana was slain in the battle, but Manthara is alive

even today in the form of jealousy. There is none who can destroy this

‘Manthara’. We have to ignore this ‘Manthara’ and carry on with our duties.

Three-fourths of the world isruined because of jealousy. Jealousy has no limits

whatsoever. People are jealous of others’ prosperity, beauty and education, and

try to cause their downfall.

It is very dangerous to cultivate association with anyone with evil habits.

Even a little contact can pollute you with their qualities. Desire, jealousy,

anger and greed are the greatest impediments in the path of spirituality. what

promotes spirit of unity.

So it happened that soon after Rama's entry into Ayodhya in the company of

Sita as Maya, Rama had to enter the jungle of life. Rama gave up the kingdom

and, to honour the pledge given by his father, chose to face the ordeals of

life in the forest as an exile. He demonstrated to the world that one should

never go back on his plighted word. Ramayana shows that in life, it is not

difficulties and calamities that are important. The supreme importance of truth

was that Rama wanted to hold forth to the world.

Rama exemplified three kinds of righteous behaviour (dharma), namely, the

dharmas relating to (1) the individual (2) the family and (3) society. To

uphold this threefold dharma, Divinity manifested in a triangular flow, in the

form of the Trimurtis (the Triune form). The Ramayana manifested to elaborate

the human values.

 

Once, while moving about in the forest, Rama and Lakshmana sat under a tree.

At that time, they heard the neighing of horses and the cries of elephants at a

distance. Rama asked Lakshmana to find out how horses and elephants happened to

appear in the forest. Lakshmana climbed a tree and noticed a huge army.

Immediately he exclaimed' "Brother! Get ready for battle. Take up your bow and

arrows." Rama smiled at Lakshmana and said, "Why are you so excited? Do not be

hasty. Calm yourself. What has happened?" Lakshmana replied, "Bharatha is

coming with an army to kill us." Rama said' "Lakshmana! What a serious mistake

you are making. It is impossible for any action of the Ikshvaaku clan to think

of such a preposterous idea even in dream. Because we two were not present in

Ayodhya when Bharatha and Shatrughna returned to the capital, they are now

coming to see us." Rama sought to pacify Lakshmana.

Lakshmana replied: "What is this forbearance and sympathy on your part? If

they merely wanted to see us, will they come with a huge army?"

Even as Rama was speaking thus, Bharatha came rushing towards Rama, fell at

his feet crying: "Rama! I am not competent to rule over Ayodhya. You alone are

fit to role over the kingdom properly and establish Rama Rajya. Please return

to Ayodhya." As Bharatha was entreating in this manner, Rama looked smilingly

at Lakshmana. "Compare your feelings with the expressions of Bharatha," he

said.

Sage Vashishtha also joined in the appeal to Rama to return to Ayodhya. But

Rama did not yield to Bharata's entreaties and, acting according to

Vashishtha's directions, offered his sandals to Bharatha and asked Bharatha to

perform the coronation for the Padhukas (Divine sandals). You must recognise

the inner significance of this episode. People generally regard the sandals as

objects to be despised. But Rama taught a different lesson about them. Rama

treated the kingdom and the sandals on par. "I don't want a crown. Enthrone my

sandals." Quoting the Vedic dictum Mathru Devo Bhava, Pithru Devo Bhava (revere

the mother and father as God) Rama exhorted Bharata to obey the command of the

father and fulfill the desire of his mother by becoming king of Ayodhya.

After instructing Bharatha regarding the principles of good government, Rama

told Bharatha: "You must reverethe parents, the preceptors and all elders. If

any person misbehaves within your kingdom, do not punish him. Banish him. That

will be punishment enough."

 

The other fragment from Ramayana. In order to demonstrate to the world the

ideal character of Lakshmana, Rama subjected him to a test. When Sita, Rama and

Lakshmana were residing on Chitrakoota mountain, one day Lakshmana went into the

forest to fetch some food. Taking this opportunity, Rama decided to test

Lakshmana. He asked Sita to play her role in this divine drama. As Lakshmana

was returning with food, Sita pretended to be asleep under a tree, keeping her

head on the lap of Rama. Rama asked Lakshmana to keep Sita's head on his lap

without disturbing her sleep as He had some other important work to attend to.

Rama wanted to observe the feelings of Lakshmana. So, He assumed the form of

a parrot and perched on the same tree. Considering Sita as his mother, Lakshmana

closed his eyes and went into deep contemplation of Lord Rama. Rama in the form

of a parrot started singing, "It is easy to wake up someone who is fast asleep,

but is it possible for anyone to wake up a person who is pretending to be

asleep?" The Divine methods and actions are indeed unforeseen and unknown.

How is possible to understand and foreseen the Divine actions ans search

for Him, who is moving about with billions of feet, billions of eyes, and

billions of ears? When you get rid of body attachment and develop attachment

towards the Self, you can understand the Divine Atmic Principle. The body is

the field, and the Atmic Principle is the indweller of all fields. So, the

field and the knower of the field are within you. Intellect will blossom only

when there is transformation. (As a rule, today human is interested in

information and not transformation).

The whole world is a book, and conscience is your real guru. Follow the

conscience and experience divinity. The Principle of the Atma, which reveals

the secrets of mind, is your true guru. Guru is one who is formless and beyond

all attributes. Take God as guru, follow Him and merge in Him. (Reet's

compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks,Vol. 20. "The play of the Divine," Chapter

7; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 27. "Shri Raama : the ideal for humanity," Chapter

12; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 28. "Install Raama Raajya in your hearts," Chapter

8; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 32. "Relevance of Ramayana to modern life," Chapter

8; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 33. "Ramayana – The Essence Of The Vedas," Chapter

6).

Namaste - Reet