The Essence of the Ramayana wonderful explained by Swami

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When Sita was abducted by Ravana, both Rama and Lakshmana became very much worried about her. Seething with anger over Ravana’s mean act, Lakshmana approached his elder brother Rama and said, “Dear brother! Give me Your permission. I will reduce all these wicked demons to ashes.†Rama counselled patience and said, “Lakshmana! We don’t need to do any such thing. The demons will destroy themselves on their own. In fact, they will become victims of their own evil qualities.â€

 

Subsequently, Ravana was killed by Rama and His army of Vanaras. Rama then explained to Lakshmana thus: “Lakshmana! People behave in a particular way and reap the consequences of their actions, depending upon their prarabdha (destiny) and their qualities. We need not be too much concerned with that. As long as one is attached to worldly objects and thinks in terms of mine and thine, one will be afflicted by sorrow. Hence, one has to treat the worldly objects with the attitude: These are not mine; all these are embodiments of the divine.

 

†All acts should be performed to please God. If one develops ego with thoughts of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, one is sure to perish. You say ‘this is mine’ and ‘that is mine’. In fact, what really belongs to you - the body, the mind, the intellect or the senses? You say ‘this is my body’, ‘this is my mind’, ‘this is my intellect’, etc. But, none of these belong to you truly.

 

The body which you consider as belonging to you will leave you in a moment, even without your knowledge. Similarly, the mind roams about like a monkey. Is it possible to restrain this mad monkey? Do not say, ‘I am this or that’. Say, ‘I am I’. This is your correct description. The correct answer to the question ‘Who are you?’ is ‘I am I’. Rama did not criticise or harm anyone. Then, who will have hatred towards Him? Good acts of Rama brought good results to Him.

 

Thus, when we do good to others, there is no possibility for us to undergo sorrows and difficulties. If we still feel we are put to difficulties, the fault lies with us. God is not responsible for our sorrows and difficulties; it is the waywardness of our senses that is responsible for them. So, we should control our senses. If we are able to control our senses, everything else will come under our control. That is the essence of the teachings of Rama. The Ramayana is not merely the story of Rama. In fact, it is the story of every human being.

 

- From Bhagawan's Rama Navami Divine Discourse in 2006

 

Om Sai Ram