Sriramayana-4

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Om Asmath Gurubhyo Namaha

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

 

SriRamayana, the story of Sita Rama was first recorded by sage Valmiki with the

blessings of Brahma. After Valmiki , Sriramayana was translated into quite a few

languages and the work is still going on. Few examples are "Tulasi ramayana in

Hindi, Kamba ramayana in Tamil, and the famous Molla Ramayana in Telugu". These

are a few that more people are familiar with, and there are many other versions

available. Vyakyana Chakravarthi Swami Periavachan Pillai has taken phrases from

4000 Pasurams of Dravida Veda Divya Prabhandam and gave us an enchanting version

of Ramayana called " Divya Prabhanda Pasurappadi Ramayana". One of Swami

Desikan's works called "Raghu Veera Gadyam "(the valor of Raghu-Rama) is a very

beautiful musical composition in Sanskrit.

 

On the whole, most Ramayanas deviates from Valmiki Ramayana if not always,

atleast once in a while. Because the other devotees narrated the story

according to their devotion towards the characters. For example in one Ramayana

we will read that Dasaratha didn't give payasam to Sumithra after puthrakameshti

yagam. In another context we will read Lakshmana draw a line to Sita and said

not to cross it at any cost, before going to help Rama, who was chasing the

Golden deer(Maricha). One Ramayana says,that when Ravana kidnapped Sita along

with the part of the earth She fainted. Another quotes saying that Rama

worshipped Shiva on the shores of Rameshwaram. Like this we read so many new

interpretations and versions of Ramayana. Who won't get confused ? How do we

know what is the truth and which version is the correct one?

 

To know this come to Valmiki Ramayana.

 

Because Valmiki Ramayana is the original and authentic one among all the

Ramayanas, but how can we take it for granted that Valmiki's is the authentic

one. In the second sarga, slokas31-35 gives emphasis to the authenticity of

Valmiki. Brahma Himself gave His ajna to Valmiki to record Ramacharitha and sage

Valmiki got the knowledge from the Divine sage Narada. Again Brahma gave a boon

to Valmiki to record the things as they happened originally.Oh! Valmiki! With my

grace you can even know the things happened in privacy and also the things you

didn't hear from Narada. I am promising you that while doing the work of

SriRamayana your words will not go wrong. Goddess Saraswathi will help you to

do it correctly. You will know the incidents happened between Srirama, Sita and

Lakshmana and their experiences with rakshasa's. So, without any doubt you can

do the sacred story of SriRama and Sita in a divine manner as it was meant to

be.

 

Again Brahma showered His grace upon Valmiki and bestowed Him with many

blessings. He said, Oh! Valmiki!, as long as there are mountains and rivers on

this earth, your SriRamayana will be propagated in all the Lokas,and as long as

Your SriRamayana will be chanted, you will get a chance to live in our Loka

(BrahamaLoka). By giving this blessing Brahama Himself revealed the authenticity

of sage Valmiki and his SriRaramayana.

 

Our Azhwars and Acharyas who come in the lineage of Swami Ramanuja, but

originated from Srimannarayana Himself will not lead us in the wrong path. They

have taken all the deeper meanings only from original Ramayanam. Let us delve in

the ocean of SRIRAMAYANA and come up with original gems of what Ramayana is

trying to teach us.

 

With the Mangalasasanams of HH SriSriSri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna

Jeeyar Swamiji

 

 

Jaisrimannarayana!

(contd.)

 

Prajna Teachers