Leave a seat empty during Ramayana Parayanam

[Guest guest]

!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

Dear devotees,

 

First of all let me wish all of you a bright time of Karkidakom blessed with all-fulfilling grace of Srimad Ramayana parayanam. The continuous inflow of mails from all devotees regarding parayanam and it's benefits is worth reading leading to spiritual enjoyment. Thanks to all the noble souls.

 

As you are progressing with parayanam everyday, please make a special note that you leave a seat empty next to your seat. Why so? It's in reverance of the dearmost servant of Lord Rama - Sri Anjaneya swami. This way of Ramayana parayanam is not usually practised in Kerala, but has a strong root in the North Indian way of life. The main reason behind doing this is stated as -

 

"Yatra yatra Raghunatha kirthanam

Tatra tatra kruthamastakanjalim

Vashpavaari paripoornalochanam

Maruti namath raakshasanthakam."

 

It means - Wherever the praises of Lord Rama is sung, there all Anjaneya leave his presence with folded palms and joyfilled tears. This is an experienced truth by countless devotees across all ages and places. Having said this and believing it, every devotee has a moral responsibility to act to provide a seat for this very epitome of devotion.

 

Anjaneya swami, who is seated next you, bestows the following three while parayanam :

 

- Increase the earnest desire (and hence devotion) to read Ramayanam everytime. Most of us have a habit that we get started on some job with high enthusiasm and later it naturally goes down as we reach the middle and moreover demand a high push to complete it on time and with needed perfection. Anjaneya swami takes proper care of that. His very act of crossing the ocean, finding & consoling mother Sita, dictating Ravana about Rama's supremacy and reaching back to his master on time with 100% fulfillment of the assigned job is the marvellous example of the same.

 

- Uproot grammar related mistakes while reciting. Anjaneya is an unchallenged expert of all the chaturvedas and in particular Samaveda. His in depth understanding of the self and the supreme is boundlessly admired by Rama himself. He is the master grammarian celebrated in Srimad Ramayanam. If a devotee take shelter in him, the reading mistakes is sure to disappear.

 

- Remove obstacles and ego. It is not new that each one of us is challenged by the effects of time and other life related priorities. While parayanam these emerge as a constant hurdle for our reading. Anjaneya removes these obstacles. Most of us claim to be good readers of Ramayanam. Even that kind of sattwik ahamkaram is waved away by the presence of Anjaneya.

 

Other than these three, many are the benfits of having the presence of Anjaneya while parayanam. Let's make a habit of inviting Anjaneya before we start reading Ramayanam. If not done so, we are never late to do so.

 

Wish you all a very auspicious reading.

 

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama