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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Rama always protected refuge-seekers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI, DEC. 3. When the mind of a person is clouded and his judgment is in a

suspended animation, he will be tempted to commit wrongs. The manner in which he

indulges in sinful deeds violating all moral values has been presented in

scriptural texts. His thoughts will become warped and he will not mind the

consequences of his acts. He will not listen to reason or sane advice. The mind,

being basically responsible for his wrongs, our sages have included a very

important plea to be made to God (in our daily prayers) through a valuable

Mantra that it should entertain only noble thoughts. God has clearly warned us

in His Bhagavad Gita that meditation on phenomenal objects, even when pondering

over the abnegations of worldly enjoyment, gives birth to passion, which, when

it receives a setback, rouses anger and leads to delusion.

 

With his sanity impaired by conceit and infatuation, Ravana imagined that Sita

would accept him if Rama was put out of the way. All modes of persuasion and

warnings about the danger of facing Rama given by Vibhishana having proved

futile, the latter sought refuge in Rama who took him in His protecting hands.

The next step was the invasion of Lanka and the removal of the ``evil'' in the

form of Ravana. Vibhishana suggested that Rama might invoke the sea-god's grace

to help in laying a causeway across the ocean. Rama submitted his petition

through prayer and fasting but since there was no immediate response, His

patience snapped and He twanged His bow threatening to make the sea dry.

 

In his work explaining how despite Rama's extreme care to hide His identity and

pose Himself as an ordinary human being, Koorathazhwan refers to a few persons

and a few situations, when He exposed Himself and revealed His true colour as

God-incarnate. After the ocean-king regretted, Rama had no option but to release

the arrow and he sent it to wipe out a large number of demons. ``Seated at the

southern most tip of India, His bow went all the way to the north-eastern corner

to extinguish an island. Is this possible by a layman? Does not this

supernatural deed reveal You as a super human being'' asks Koorathazhwan,

according to Sri V. Srivatsankachariar in a discourse on a synopsis of the

Ramayana, ``Raghuveera Gadyam''. Everflowing compassion made Rama make one more

attempt to avoid carnage, and colossal suffering in the war and He deputed

Vali's son Angada to convey to Ravana His final gesture of patience. But

Angada's errand proved infructuous and Rama had no choice but to !

strike.

 

 

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