Sai message for the day

[Guest guest]

Ravana's abduction of Sita is a very heartbreaking episode in the

Ramayana. How is it that Sita wanted a golden deer, which is quite an

unbelievable phenomenon? How strange is it that Lakshmana who was

directed to guard her couldn't ultimately prevent the abduction.

Would you please explain the significance of this episode to all of

us who are otherwise thoroughly confused about its inner meaning?

 

The abduction episode conveys many secrets. An incarnation of God or

an avatar always sets examples for others to emulate. Every action of

His is very subtle and has lots of things to teach. These subtleties

are not easily understood just by going through the book.

 

Having left her father, Janaka, who was an emperor, having sacrificed

all the riches, comforts, and conveniences due to a Queen, having

left her fatherin-law Dasaratha who was also an emperor, Sita decided

to lead an austere life and followed Rama to the forest. She had

overcome kama, desire and so she could be near Rama. But her

fascination for the `Golden deer' means that she had given in to kama

which was the cause of her separation from Rama.

 

So, where there is kama there wouldn't be Rama. Where there is Rama,

kama can't exist.

 

There is another lesson in this episode. Rama commanded Lakshmana to

take care of Sita during his absence. Lakshmana was supposed to be

there near Sita in obedience to His command. But Lakshmana could not

bear the accusations of Sita and the evil motives she attributed to

him. So, he left the place in search of Rama whom Sita feared to have

been in danger, when she heard what she took to be the shouts of

Rama, " Oh Sita! Oh Lakshmana! "

 

On learning about Subahu's death, Ravana commanded Maricha to assist

him in his vengeance against Rama. Preferring to die at Rama's hands

rather than at Ravana's, Maricha disguised himself as a golden deer,

thereby giving temporary success to Ravana, and to Rama's master

plan, himself being killed by Rama in the process. It was only then

that Ravana came and kidnapped her finding her alone.

 

Therefore, the point is, in one sense Lakshmana was responsible for

sitaviyoga or separation of Sita from Rama. Lakshmana repented till

the end of his life his neglect of the duty Rama assigned to him.

Here we can also see the master plan of Lord Rama. Maricha and Subahu

were the Rakshasas who fought Rama, and in the process; Subahu got

killed at Rama's hands, while Maricha escaped and conveyed this

message to Ravana. It was Rama's plan to spare one of the two

Rakshasas, at least for the time being, so that the news would reach

Ravana and enrage him further against Him, so that a battle between

the two, Rama and Ravana is assured.

 

In fact, you will also notice that earlier sage Bharadvaja who could

foresee coming events extended hospitality to Rama and his retinue,

Sita and Lakshmana for some time, and directed them to advance

farther into the forest. Had they continued to stay for a longer

period of time in his hermitage, Ravana could not have abducted Sita.

There wouldn't have been a war and the consequent death of Ravana.

Bharadvaja knew full well that Rama was God incarnate, yet he

directed him to proceed further paving the way for the execution of

the divine master plan, viz., the killing of Ravana. This was the

Divine master plan. Thus, all the episodes in this great epic convey

many human values besides revealing the secrets of the Rama avatar.