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

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Truth and righteousness, byword for religion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI, JAN. 29. ``Speak the truth and adhere to righteousness'' (Dharma) is a

famous dictum which has been emphasised by sages and preceptors alike as the

very foundation of the Vedic religion and way of life. The Supreme Being, who is

described by the Vedas as beyond description and intellectual grasp, deigned not

only to be born as a human being during His advent as Rama but also lived

according to these ideals to show humanity that it is possible to live according

to the Vedic prescriptions in the world. The epic poem which was composed during

His lifetime, the Ramayana, is the first classical poem and Valmiki revered as

the foremost among poets.

 

The Vedic axioms are terse and in the nature of commandments as in the case of

another well known saying, ``Look upon your mother, father, teacher and guest as

God Himself'', while the epics and the Puranas teach the same through examples

and stories. The life of Rama is a case in point. He renounced His rightful

crown and royal luxuries to lead a life of extreme hardships in the forest for

14 long years. And all for the sake of upholding His father, Dasaratha's,

promise to Kaikeyi. Rama showed how man should retain mental equanimity by

remaining balanced both in joy and in sorrow.

 

He broke the news of His coronation to His mother Kausalya in a matter-of-fact

manner, ``Mother, I have been entrusted by father with the duty of ruling over

the people...'' Likewise when His fortunes were reversed on the eve of the

ceremony by Kaikeyi's scheming, Rama did not express any change in emotion and

left in due haste to the forest. Dasaratha did not command Him to leave Ayodhya

and renounce the throne; Kaikeyi's words were enough for Him. Rama's sole

concern was that His father's promise must be kept at all costs, said

Sengalipuram Sri Rama Dikshitar in his discourse.

 

Even when Bharata sought Him out in the forest and persuaded Him to return to

Ayodhya, Rama categorically said that upholding their father's promise to

Kaikeyi was paramount to Him and advised him on the intricacies of Dharma on

this occasion. That Bharata followed in his brother's footsteps as far as

adherence to Dharma was concerned and thereby earned great glory can be seen

from the manner he nurtured the kingdom of Ayodhya by installing Rama's sandals

on the throne at Nandigram waiting for His return. The person whose fame

exceeded that of Bharata's because he became instrumental in bringing together

the Divine couple, Rama and Sita, after Ravana abducted Her during their exile

and kept Her captive, is Hanuman.

 

 

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