Sri Ramayana

[Guest guest]

O:m Asmath Gurubhyo Namaha

A:pada:m apahartha:ram da:tha:ram sarva sampada:m

lo:kabhira:mam sri:ra:mam bhu:yo bhu:yo nama:myaham

 

mano:javam ma:rutha thulyave:gam

jithendriyam budhimatha:m varishtam

va:tha:thmajam va:narayu:dha mukhyam

sri:ra:ma du:tham sirasa nama:mi.

 

ve:dave:dye: pare: pumsi ja:the: dasara:thmaje:

ve:dah pra:che:thasa:da:si:th sa:ksha:d ra:ma:yana:thmana:

 

Sri:rama:yana is called as Itiha:sa. Itiha:sa is one of the vedo:pabrumhana:s.

upabrumhana means one which elaborates the meaning of Veda. So Sri:rama:yana

elaborates the meaning of the Veda .It reveals the secrets of Veda and

equivalent to the Veda. Veda establishes the form and attributes of the Supreme

one. Our Lord is called as Ve:dave:dya. When that Ve:dave:dya incarnated

Himself as Srirama being the son of Dasaratha Veda took the form of Sriramayana

and came into this world through the sage valmiki .

 

Veda contains two parts. The first part is called as pu:rvabha:ga which

deals with the Dharma:s to be practiced by the mankind. The second part of the

Veda is called as uththara bha:ga or upanishathbha:ga and reveals about the Para

Brahman. One has to practice one's dharma and has to do upa:sana by gaining

knowledge about Para Brahman. These two things are literally shown by Sri Rama.

Being the nara he showed how to practice one's dharma and got the credit to be

called as Ra:mo: vigrahava:n dharmaha. Being Para Brahman He was worshipped by

everyone .Even today we are worshipping him. One has to possess the inner

knowledge in order to practice one's dharma. How? Let us come to Sriramayana.

 

Before entering into the grandha it is customary to do pranama to the author so

that we can get his blessings and understand the grandha well. Let us pray to

sage valmiki before entering into Sriramayana.

 

Ku:jantham ra:ma ra:me:thi madhuram madhura:ksharam

A:ruhya kavitha:sa:kha:m vande: va:lmi:ki ko:kilam.

 

In this poem sage valmiki is compared with a nightingale. It sings sweetly by

sitting on the branch of a mango tree. Sage valmiki is singing the lettersRa and

ma which are sweet in nature by sitting on the branch of poetry. I think all of

you know about the sweet voice of a nightingale. Madhura means sweetness. He is

taking the support of poetry to reveal the greatness of Rama. To such valmiki

maharshi I am doing pranama.

 

If we take Sriramayana as a kavya it is a beautiful poetry with so many

beautiful words and chandas. And if we go deep into the meaning it can reveal

about the inner self and Para Brahman. If we take the outer meaning only it will

be like a simple cinema story. There will be Hero (Rama), leading lady (Sitamma)

and villain (Ravana). As usual villain kidnapped Sitamma and hero saved her at

last. If we see the story like this we need not study Sriramayana. But our

Ramayana is not a simple cinema story. It is a great kavya. It is a great

dharmasasthra. It is a great Neethi sasthra (morals). It is the incarnation of

Veda for spiritual seekers. It reveals so many things which are necessary for

all levels of mankind or in other words we can say it is the story of the

mankind.

 

Valmiki reveals so many dharmas through His characters of Sriramayana.

Through Rama Valmiki wants to convey the message how to enjoy the purusharthas.

We are having four purusharthas. Dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Among the four

everybody knows artha and kama only. Few more people will think about dharma

and rarely some one will think about moksha. So let us leave about the moksha

at present and know about the other three purusharthas. Among these three "

Dharma" is the important one to be practiced by everyone. But most of us like

artha and kama (desire to get anything). While getting these two we don't care

about the dharma. So we have to face so many obstacles. Rama practiced and

showed us how we have to earn artha(wealth) and kama according to dharma only.

Then only we can enjoy them. According to puthra dharma he left kingdom to keep

Dasaratha's words true and later he ruled His kingdom along with Sita without

any obstacle. So we need not crave for artha without dharma.

 

Like this we can learn many things from Ramayana. Before going into the Ramayana

let us know how Ramayana came into the world?

 

(Cont)

 

Jaisrimannarayana!

[Guest guest]

Jai Srimannarayana!

 

My heartfelt pranaams to Prajna teachers for Sri Ramayana write ups.

 

 

Most of us may never get an opportunity to study Valmiki Ramayana because of

our ignorance of Sanskrit language.

 

We are indebted to you for bringing the essence of Sri Ramayana to us and

when we read your excerpts, we feel we are receiving Swamiji's Sri Ramayana

message.

 

Jeevan Pulijala.

Houston, Vikasa Tarangini