Sriramayana on telebridge#18

[Guest guest]

Sriramayana#18

Om Asmath Gurubhyo Namaha

 

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

It is dawn and Vishvamithra woke up and completed his morning anushtanams

(duties) like sandhyavandanam etc. The great Maharshi saw Rama sleeping on the

grass bed, He felt happy and sad at the same time, happy-because Rama was so

obedient and wasn't complaining, sad-because He was Man among Men, future King

of Ayodhya now sleeping like an ordinary man. He came near Rama to wake Him up,

and was attracted by Rama's Nidra soundaryam (sleeping beauty). He forgot that

he is a Brahmarshi and he forgot his mission and enjoying the beauty of Rama who

is in deepsleep. Immediately Rama's mother Kousalya came to His mind, and He

started praising her fortune. How fortunate mother Kousalya is! What Tapas she

did to gave birth to this soundarya Ra:si? What a lucky mother! She gave birth

to Sa:ksha:th Parabrahma. Now Vishvamithra Maharshi is awakening Rama addressing

Him thus,

Kousalya suprajaa raama, purvaa sandhyaa pravartate I

utthish*t*a nara *s*aardula, kartavyam daivamaahnikam II**

 

"How fortunate is the Kousalya to beget you as her son? Rama, wake up oh! Tiger

among men, sun is rising in the east, daytime tasks i.e. taking shower, offering

sandhya: vandanam and doing Agni karyam towards gods are to be performed."

 

This is a very celebrated verse chanted daily in the early morning awakening

Vishnu or His Avatars from divine trance which is a common practice in

Srivaishnava tradition. We call it Suprabha:tha Se:va or Melukolupu.* *But how

fortunate is Kousalya, She gave birth to Ramachandra in a palace and for 12

years She enjoyed the childhood and sleeping beauty of Ramachandra. Thus

Visvamithra is praising Kousalya's soubhaagyam(luck) in this verse. Till now

Rama was cared for in the palace, surrounded by King, His mothers, brothers and

the whole of Ayodhya, who treated Him like He was their own. But here, Sage

Visvamithra is daring to wake up Rama in asking him to 'get up' from divine

trance to undertake the human duties to eradicate evil, like the dawn of sun

gets rid of darkness.

 

Being a sadhaka here Viswamithra was pryaing Rama to wakeup in his heart and

shower his grace upon him. Oh! Rama! my lord! This is the dawn in my heart also.

By practicing the Gayathri manthra, to some extent the rajasic and tamasic

qualities were decreased. If you shower your krupa drushti then all the tamas in

my heart will be removed. Please wake up in my heart also so that I can get your

divine experience.

 

On hearing the loving words of the sage Vishvamitra Rama and Lakshmana woke up,

and performed their morning duties. Starting from this sarga Valmiki mentioned

on each and every time that Rama performed his daily rituals during the

thrisandhyas.(morning, afternoon and in the evening). We have to remember this

is nitya karma(daily activity). One has to perform ones daily rituals without

interruption at any cost. Valmiki described even when Rama was separated from

Sita and he is in search of Sita, then also he didin't gaveup his daily rituals

like sandhyavanadanam etc.

 

According to sasthra "sandhyahi:naha asuchihi anarhaha sarvakarmabhihi" that

means those who are eligible to perform sandhyavandana has to perform regularly.

Otherwise they will be treated as uncleanly persons and they didn't qualify

themselves for any sacred activity. We may not see the result immediately after

performing the daily rituals. But, they are having a great effect in our life.

They are having the capacity to remove our previous sins. To teach us the

importance and significance of nityakarma Rama performed throughout Rmayana. Let

us try to follow him.

 

After completion of their rituals, they excitedly presented themselves before

sage Visvamithra for further journey. On further traveling they saw the divine

River Ganges merging with River Sarayu. Near there they saw an Asram of sages,

who were performing tapas for many thousands of years. Rama enquired Sage

Visvamithra about that Ashram, who started explaining the details of that

Ashram.

 

"When Manmadha (the love god) was with his body sages used to call him Kama, the

passion. At this place Manmadha roamed with his wicked intent, disturbed Siva

who was practicing Tapas. Siva disapprovingly roared at Manmadha and burnt down

the physical entity of Manmadha with his third eye at this place. Afterwards

Manmadha was known as Ananga i.e. without body, and where he lost his body is

called as Anga province. My dear Rama "This Ashram belongs to Siva and, these

sages full of virtues are Siva's disciples. "Let us stay for this night in this

hermitage situated in between two Rivers Ganges and Sarayu, tomorrow we will

cross over the River Ganges.

 

While they were discussing the history of that province, the sages of that

hermitage were highly elated to receive them and upon approaching them they

offered ARGHYAM, PA:DYAM and then offered hospitality first to Sage Visvamitra,

afterwards to Rama and Lakshmana. Those sages entertained Rama and Lakshmana

with lots of stories, thus they spent the night. Next morning???

 

Contd.

Jaisrimannarayana!

Jet Prajna Teachers.